Riding Bike Without Green Book. What's The Reality

[tomyumchai]

could someone advise me on what you should do when travelling 1000km to view an imported bike supplied by a franchaised dealer and supposedly 100% legal with greenbook et all only to find it didnt have a white plate? the seller wasnt able to show me any import papers either and page 18 didnt tell me much, a few thai words and a squiggle for a signature.

im fairly new to this stuff so i took a shot in the dark (well, a 6am taxi ride to a bigger town down the road) and travelled to said supplier of the imported bike and asked if they had a copy of the import papers.........or even a white plate.

the bike shop owner jumped up and down and ranted for some time in thai language with the odd "100% legal" thrown in in english. i thought this behaviour a little strange for a bike which was legally imported and with all its paperwork in place.

apparently there is a 12 month waiting list for a white plate for new bikes in that town. things got a little bit more heated when i causually asked why this particular bike still didnt have a white plate 2 AND 3/4 YEARS after first being sold but that seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back etc and he exited the shop and began ranting away in the street.

i took this as a sign that they couldnt sell me a legal bike with a white plate which was quite disappointing as i have 1 of them in the UK and fancied 1 over here as well.

so it was back down south with my official triumph shirts, caps, luggage, gloves, 2 jackets 1 million baht and a thai translator and off back to kawasaki to i buy another ER6n........oh hum.

should i have just took their word and parted with the cash? we only passed through 6 police checkpoints on the way down, surely i would have been ok with a hand written reciept saying it was legal and with no white plate? its still for sale if anyone else wants to risk it................

[yankee99]

could someone advise me on what you should do when travelling 1000km to view an imported bike supplied by a franchaised dealer and supposedly 100% legal with greenbook et all only to find it didnt have a white plate? the seller wasnt able to show me any import papers either and page 18 didnt tell me much, a few thai words and a squiggle for a signature.

im fairly new to this stuff so i took a shot in the dark (well, a 6am taxi ride to a bigger town down the road) and travelled to said supplier of the imported bike and asked if they had a copy of the import papers.........or even a white plate.

the bike shop owner jumped up and down and ranted for some time in thai language with the odd "100% legal" thrown in in english. i thought this behaviour a little strange for a bike which was legally imported and with all its paperwork in place.

apparently there is a 12 month waiting list for a white plate for new bikes in that town. things got a little bit more heated when i causually asked why this particular bike still didnt have a white plate 2 AND 3/4 YEARS after first being sold but that seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back etc and he exited the shop and began ranting away in the street.

i took this as a sign that they couldnt sell me a legal bike with a white plate which was quite disappointing as i have 1 of them in the UK and fancied 1 over here as well.

so it was back down south with my official triumph shirts, caps, luggage, gloves, 2 jackets 1 million baht and a thai translator and off back to kawasaki to i buy another ER6n........oh hum.

should i have just took their word and parted with the cash? we only passed through 6 police checkpoints on the way down, surely i would have been ok with a hand written reciept saying it was legal and with no white plate? its still for sale if anyone else wants to risk it................

Surely this is a wind-up.....

[smedly]

could someone advise me on what you should do when travelling 1000km to view an imported bike supplied by a franchaised dealer and supposedly 100% legal with greenbook et all only to find it didnt have a white plate? the seller wasnt able to show me any import papers either and page 18 didnt tell me much, a few thai words and a squiggle for a signature.

im fairly new to this stuff so i took a shot in the dark (well, a 6am taxi ride to a bigger town down the road) and travelled to said supplier of the imported bike and asked if they had a copy of the import papers.........or even a white plate.

the bike shop owner jumped up and down and ranted for some time in thai language with the odd "100% legal" thrown in in english. i thought this behaviour a little strange for a bike which was legally imported and with all its paperwork in place.

apparently there is a 12 month waiting list for a white plate for new bikes in that town. things got a little bit more heated when i causually asked why this particular bike still didnt have a white plate 2 AND 3/4 YEARS after first being sold but that seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back etc and he exited the shop and began ranting away in the street.

i took this as a sign that they couldnt sell me a legal bike with a white plate which was quite disappointing as i have 1 of them in the UK and fancied 1 over here as well.

so it was back down south with my official triumph shirts, caps, luggage, gloves, 2 jackets 1 million baht and a thai translator and off back to kawasaki to i buy another ER6n........oh hum.

should i have just took their word and parted with the cash? we only passed through 6 police checkpoints on the way down, surely i would have been ok with a hand written reciept saying it was legal and with no white plate? its still for sale if anyone else wants to risk it................

once the bike is registered with the green book and plate you no longer need the import papers

As for the green book, there are 2x types, one is legal and the other is not, to verify which type you need to look at all the numbers in the book - engine number - chassis number etc and make sure they match the bike you are buying, if they don't then the book is from a different bike

[JonnyF]

I had a similar experience in Phuket, I was looking at a VFR400 and asked the shop owner if it had a green book. He said it did so I asked if I could see it. He then went completely crazy, opened a drawer that was full of green books and started throwing them onto his desk one by one and shouting about how many green books he had. I said "OK, so can I see the book for the VFR then?". At this point he started screaming in Thai and all his employees started to look at the floor so I figured he probably didn't have the book for that bike and had been hoping I'd hand over the cash and he could promise to "send it later" or some other BS.

I'd never hand over the cash until the transfer is complete and the book is in your name...

[cbrer]

I'd never hand over the cash until the transfer is complete and the book is in your name...

Yup.

[tomyumchai]

could someone advise me on what you should do when travelling 1000km to view an imported bike supplied by a franchaised dealer and supposedly 100% legal with greenbook et all only to find it didnt have a white plate? the seller wasnt able to show me any import papers either and page 18 didnt tell me much, a few thai words and a squiggle for a signature.

im fairly new to this stuff so i took a shot in the dark (well, a 6am taxi ride to a bigger town down the road) and travelled to said supplier of the imported bike and asked if they had a copy of the import papers.........or even a white plate.

the bike shop owner jumped up and down and ranted for some time in thai language with the odd "100% legal" thrown in in english. i thought this behaviour a little strange for a bike which was legally imported and with all its paperwork in place.

apparently there is a 12 month waiting list for a white plate for new bikes in that town. things got a little bit more heated when i causually asked why this particular bike still didnt have a white plate 2 AND 3/4 YEARS after first being sold but that seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back etc and he exited the shop and began ranting away in the street.

i took this as a sign that they couldnt sell me a legal bike with a white plate which was quite disappointing as i have 1 of them in the UK and fancied 1 over here as well.

so it was back down south with my official triumph shirts, caps, luggage, gloves, 2 jackets 1 million baht and a thai translator and off back to kawasaki to i buy another ER6n........oh hum.

should i have just took their word and parted with the cash? we only passed through 6 police checkpoints on the way down, surely i would have been ok with a hand written reciept saying it was legal and with no white plate? its still for sale if anyone else wants to risk it................

Surely this is a wind-up.....

eh? you need to see the flight tickets, hotel bills etc so i can prove i went for for real or maybe i can just forward you the sellers details and you can go up there yourself and ask him why his white street triple (currently re-advertised on another website) which was supplied new almost 3 years ago is still waiting for a tabien?

[tomyumchai]

I had a similar experience in Phuket, I was looking at a VFR400 and asked the shop owner if it had a green book. He said it did so I asked if I could see it. He then went completely crazy, opened a drawer that was full of green books and started throwing them onto his desk one by one and shouting about how many green books he had. I said "OK, so can I see the book for the VFR then?". At this point he started screaming in Thai and all his employees started to look at the floor so I figured he probably didn't have the book for that bike and had been hoping I'd hand over the cash and he could promise to "send it later" or some other BS.

I'd never hand over the cash until the transfer is complete and the book is in your name...

so it wasnt just me then? i thought my friendly exchange was because he had to leave his cup of tea to speak to me.

and i declined to hand over any cash about 2 miliseconds after the seller demanded that we went to the transfer office at 7am so that his friends wife could handle the transfer with her 'friend' at the transfer office............and this was before id seen or ridden the bike in the daylight.

-and he wasnt taking the bike there either......i thought they had to take number rubbings on stuff before it was transferred? maybe not in the north?

anyway, the bike is up there for anyone who fancies losing half a mil

[yankee99]

could someone advise me on what you should do when travelling 1000km to view an imported bike supplied by a franchaised dealer and supposedly 100% legal with greenbook et all only to find it didnt have a white plate? the seller wasnt able to show me any import papers either and page 18 didnt tell me much, a few thai words and a squiggle for a signature.

im fairly new to this stuff so i took a shot in the dark (well, a 6am taxi ride to a bigger town down the road) and travelled to said supplier of the imported bike and asked if they had a copy of the import papers.........or even a white plate.

the bike shop owner jumped up and down and ranted for some time in thai language with the odd "100% legal" thrown in in english. i thought this behaviour a little strange for a bike which was legally imported and with all its paperwork in place.

apparently there is a 12 month waiting list for a white plate for new bikes in that town. things got a little bit more heated when i causually asked why this particular bike still didnt have a white plate 2 AND 3/4 YEARS after first being sold but that seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back etc and he exited the shop and began ranting away in the street.

i took this as a sign that they couldnt sell me a legal bike with a white plate which was quite disappointing as i have 1 of them in the UK and fancied 1 over here as well.

so it was back down south with my official triumph shirts, caps, luggage, gloves, 2 jackets 1 million baht and a thai translator and off back to kawasaki to i buy another ER6n........oh hum.

should i have just took their word and parted with the cash? we only passed through 6 police checkpoints on the way down, surely i would have been ok with a hand written reciept saying it was legal and with no white plate? its still for sale if anyone else wants to risk it................

Surely this is a wind-up.....

eh? you need to see the flight tickets, hotel bills etc so i can prove i went for for real or maybe i can just forward you the sellersThen one sho details and you can go up there yourself and ask him why his white street triple (currently re-advertised on another website) which was supplied new almost 3 years ago is still waiting for a tabien?

Edited January 5, 2013 by yankee99

[peterpai]

Please note that there are two types of unregistered bike.

a)with invoice papers from importer.- Includes bill of lading from Japan, and receipt that import tax has been paid,

(It's a big pile of papers.) This makes the bike legal for use anywhere as long as it's not a public road. (eg race track) You can get this kind of bike insured and I have seen one instance where insurance really paid the money after an accident. Normally cop's will not be able to conficate such a bike esp. if insurance is paid up, you will most likely get away with a fine.

No papers at all. Which means that bike has either been stolen, or that it has swum to shore (coming from Japan)without paying import tax. Stay away from this kind by all means, cops can and will confiscate it.

Also stay away from any fishy green book, and most of all frame/engine numbers that have been tampered with. In this case you are talking about falsifying documents, and that may get you into real troubles.

[roban]

This makes the bike legal for use anywhere as long as it's not a public road. (eg race track) You can get this kind of bike insured and I have seen one instance where insurance really paid the money after an accident

Can you please enlighten us, which insurance pays for race track accidents?

I would say...BS almost unbelievable.

Edited January 6, 2013 by roban

[smedly]

all the import papers do is make the items (parts) to be legal in Thailand, the grey area is when the imported parts are assembled into a single vehicle - this is were backhanders are paid to make it possible to have a green book for the assembled vehicle and therefore legal on the road. No cop is going to investigate your assembled parts on a race track as you don't need a green book or number plate for that..

Some green books are used from other vehicles and as such engine numbers and chassis numbers have been tampered with - this type of book is not legal - in the UK it's called a ringer

There is special insurance for racing - it is extremely expensive, not the same as road going insurance.

Edited January 6, 2013 by smedly

[Turkleton]

^^

OMG!

Everybody knows the fact:

no green book = no plate = bike illegal on public roads!

Period.

No matter if some "dubious insurance companies" insure a "illegal bike", or if you have "invoice" or other "official documents",

or some <deleted> ride uninsured bikes without plates and tell you proudly, they just pay 200 baht fine, when stopped by the BiB!!!

ILLEGAL

I just wonder, why this crap topics comes up in a new thread every few weeks..

Do these idiots beg for support for their illegal acting, in a public forum? Or what else is the reason?

Edited January 6, 2013 by Turkleton

[cbrer]

^ Someone was just overtaken by a big no-plated bike.

[Turkleton]

not really...and if so, I would care a shit about, if somebody overtakes me on my Wave.

I had a "Big-bike" with a dodgy grey book myself, so believe me, I know what I am talking about....

But I hate the:

"200 Baht will fix everything, even an illegal bike" attitude, promoted by many idiots.

But 200 Baht won't fix the missing bail-bond/insurance, in case of an accident!

Definetely!

Edited January 6, 2013 by Turkleton

[Pinot]

I have the green book but can't find the punter to get it changed into my name. I can still get a new sticker with just the green book but it's a pain in the neck selling the bike. Just the green book alone is good enough for most Thais.

I won't make the mistake of not getting the green book legit next time.

I would think riding around with the green book in the bike is a big mistake. The bike gets stolen with it in it and they own it!

[YipYipYa123]

I would think riding around with the green book in the bike is a big mistake. The bike gets stolen with it in it and they own it!

they dont own it by being in posessio0n of the green book ,to transfer ownership they would also need a signed copy of your passport ,,visa or work permit and a proof of address usually a letter from a embassy or a tabien bann is all they will accept

oho ,and a ownsership papers /power of attorney etc signed by the real owner

posession of a book means very little ,the real owner can get a new book easily from the DLT if it gets misplaced

carry a photocopy if you really think you need to but ive been riding for years and never asked for more than my licence

and usually a small fine for some minor traffic violation......

[Fishenough]

^^

OMG!

Everybody knows the fact:

no green book = no plate = bike illegal on public roads!

Period.

No matter if some "dubious insurance companies" insure a "illegal bike", or if you have "invoice" or other "official documents",

or some <deleted> ride uninsured bikes without plates and tell you proudly, they just pay 200 baht fine, when stopped by the BiB!!!

ILLEGAL

I just wonder, why this crap topics comes up in a new thread every few weeks..

Do these idiots beg for support for their illegal acting, in a public forum? Or what else is the reason?

5 years ago, when yes for 4 months I did own a un-registered bike - and less than a year ago - I contacted every insurance company I could find and none would insure without a current and valid registration. A bike with a current and valid registration from another country can be properly insured with some companies, I've seen that.

Asked the few BIB I knew in Chiang Mai and was told it is fine to do, as long as I knew that I would have to pay all cost that resulted from literally any incident.

So if you have deep pockets, and no worries about the comforts of Thai jails, enjoy your illegal ride. Plus there is always someone highly interested in the cheap parts that are left over after you bin it

[denkiblue555]

I know this topic comes up in various forms almost weekly, but could I try to summarize the info. from the more experienced posts above?

1. The only LEGAL way to ride on Thai roads with a motorcycle is for that motorcycle to have an 'original' green book and plate issued 'normally' from the DLT after inspecting the bike I guess. (ie. buying from a Manufacturer or Red Barron I assume??)

2. Any bike which has been imported through proper channels, and has paid the correct taxes and has the correct documents is legal to 'be' in Thailand - just not legal to be on the roads? (ie no book or plate)

3. All other imported bikes that have 'GREY' green books will have a number plate and tax paid? - but the numbers have been adjusted somewhere, book or frame??? Are these bikes basically ok to 'own' but impossible to 'resell'???

So, at a police check:

For case #1: No problems here EVER I imagine

For case #2: Big problems as the bike isn't legal to be on the road (but is legal in Thailand? ie. off-road/track etc.)

For case #3: What happens?

I only ask out of curiosity, because like many, I have been hunting for 'big' bikes here for a long time, and have come across (and avoided) many big bikes with "Grey Books" but I assume 10 years ago these were not a problem? I would not expect to buy a "GREY" book bike and have no problems - that would just be naive.

However, from those who have ACTUALLY owned/ridden/gone through check points on "GREY" book bikes - what do the police do? Do they check engine/frame numbers against a copy of your book? Or do they just check the plate and up-to-date tax sticker?

I know grey-book bikes are NOT legal, and I am not expecting any advice from anyone to buy a GREY-book bike, I was just wondering what people's real experiences were?

Edited January 11, 2013 by denkiblue555

[inapeartree]

I thought I would test out what I've been told by owners of unregistered bikes and joined a few friends on a 2 day trip this weekend around north Thailand, there were six of us on six bikes and only two had plates/green books, I borrowed my friend's DRZ400SM.

We departed Chiang Rai Saturday morning and arrived back late yesterday afternoon and travelled through numerous small and large towns including Thoeng, Phayao, Phrao, Fang and Mae Chan and must have gone through at least eight checkpoints and none stopped us, questioned the lack of plates or asked for papers. Yesterday lunchtime we stopped for coffee on the 118 and another group of bikes also stopped, they were all Thai and on a ride from Chiang Mai. When I'd stopped drooling over the 1199 Panigale that was with them I also asked them if they ever have any problems as most of them weren't registered either, they said they don't apart from the occasional 200baht fine in Chiang Mai for no tax and assured me that if a bike has import & excise tax papers it can't legally be confiscated and if it were to happen they were sure you would get it back, one guy was a lawyer so knows what he was talking about.

So based on what I've been told, and now what I've experienced myself, there are many places here where riding an unregistered bike isn't a problem and the conclusion in the previous post (For case #2: Big problems as the bike isn't legal to be on the road (but is legal in Thailand? ie. off-road/track etc.) isn't correct.

[yankee99]

I thought I would test out what I've been told by owners of unregistered bikes and joined a few friends on a 2 day trip this weekend around north Thailand, there were six of us on six bikes and only two had plates/green books, I borrowed my friend's DRZ400SM.

We departed Chiang Rai Saturday morning and arrived back late yesterday afternoon and travelled through numerous small and large towns including Thoeng, Phayao, Phrao, Fang and Mae Chan and must have gone through at least eight checkpoints and none stopped us, questioned the lack of plates or asked for papers. Yesterday lunchtime we stopped for coffee on the 118 and another group of bikes also stopped, they were all Thai and on a ride from Chiang Mai. When I'd stopped drooling over the 1199 Panigale that was with them I also asked them if they ever have any problems as most of them weren't registered either, they said they don't apart from the occasional 200baht fine in Chiang Mai for no tax and assured me that if a bike has import & excise tax papers it can't legally be confiscated and if it were to happen they were sure you would get it back, one guy was a lawyer so knows what he was talking about.

So based on what I've been told, and now what I've experienced myself, there are many places here where riding an unregistered bike isn't a problem and the conclusion in the previous post (For case #2: Big problems as the bike isn't legal to be on the road (but is legal in Thailand? ie. off-road/track etc.) isn't correct.

good luck. There will always be a first bike confiscated. I am sure the owner will say i read it was ok on the web or my thai lawyer said its ok.

[bramds]

I thought I would test out what I've been told by owners of unregistered bikes and joined a few friends on a 2 day trip this weekend around north Thailand, there were six of us on six bikes and only two had plates/green books, I borrowed my friend's DRZ400SM.

We departed Chiang Rai Saturday morning and arrived back late yesterday afternoon and travelled through numerous small and large towns including Thoeng, Phayao, Phrao, Fang and Mae Chan and must have gone through at least eight checkpoints and none stopped us, questioned the lack of plates or asked for papers. Yesterday lunchtime we stopped for coffee on the 118 and another group of bikes also stopped, they were all Thai and on a ride from Chiang Mai. When I'd stopped drooling over the 1199 Panigale that was with them I also asked them if they ever have any problems as most of them weren't registered either, they said they don't apart from the occasional 200baht fine in Chiang Mai for no tax and assured me that if a bike has import & excise tax papers it can't legally be confiscated and if it were to happen they were sure you would get it back, one guy was a lawyer so knows what he was talking about.

So based on what I've been told, and now what I've experienced myself, there are many places here where riding an unregistered bike isn't a problem and the conclusion in the previous post (For case #2: Big problems as the bike isn't legal to be on the road (but is legal in Thailand? ie. off-road/track etc.) isn't correct.

The checkpoints in that area are to check for illegal immigrants. They don't give a rat's ass about bikes or cars.

[inapeartree]

I thought I would test out what I've been told by owners of unregistered bikes and joined a few friends on a 2 day trip this weekend around north Thailand, there were six of us on six bikes and only two had plates/green books, I borrowed my friend's DRZ400SM.

We departed Chiang Rai Saturday morning and arrived back late yesterday afternoon and travelled through numerous small and large towns including Thoeng, Phayao, Phrao, Fang and Mae Chan and must have gone through at least eight checkpoints and none stopped us, questioned the lack of plates or asked for papers. Yesterday lunchtime we stopped for coffee on the 118 and another group of bikes also stopped, they were all Thai and on a ride from Chiang Mai. When I'd stopped drooling over the 1199 Panigale that was with them I also asked them if they ever have any problems as most of them weren't registered either, they said they don't apart from the occasional 200baht fine in Chiang Mai for no tax and assured me that if a bike has import & excise tax papers it can't legally be confiscated and if it were to happen they were sure you would get it back, one guy was a lawyer so knows what he was talking about.

So based on what I've been told, and now what I've experienced myself, there are many places here where riding an unregistered bike isn't a problem and the conclusion in the previous post (For case #2: Big problems as the bike isn't legal to be on the road (but is legal in Thailand? ie. off-road/track etc.) isn't correct.

The checkpoints in that area are to check for illegal immigrants. They don't give a rat's ass about bikes or cars.

Actually it is mainly for drugs. But as well as the standard checkpoints there was also a few police in Phayao stopping bikes for no helmets and they just waved us through. I thought I'd post about my first hand experience and the experiences of actual owners of unregistered big bikes instead of just hearsay and rumours.

[YipYipYa123]

I've ridden many unplated bikes over the years and I haven't had any bother but I'm always really polite and respectful and usually the plate isn't even mentioned

I'd say 90% of the times I get stopped I'm in the central, overtaking lanes and the other 10% are little scammers that would suggest I'm in a lane that's only for buses etc or using the underpass and overpasses

But I never fight with them and always agree I am in the wrong because i made a mistake or didn't see a sign etc

Rarely do I pay more than 200 and usually I will give them extra. 100 each and tell them to have a beer on me after work

I have heard the stories of confiscation but personally never been victim to it or even seen it

I have a good Thai friend who is riding an unplated fazers 1000 and he has paid very little excise and obtained por ror bor on it and he is convinced his bike cannot be taken by police because it's legally imported and has 3rd class insurance

:-)

These threads will never die, some people can get away with it and others can't but I don't advise anyone to ride in a city uninsured, just too many potential problems and a cop every 100m

If I lived in the sticks however, and I got a good deal on a big adventure or dual sport I would snap it up in a heartbeat....

Something like a yamaha grand tenere or a big triumph explorer 1200 would interest me greatly....

Possibly a large cc ktm as well would interest me but at the moment I'm stuck working in bkk so I ride plated bikes only

Even though the daily checkpoints seem to have stopped they could start again anytime!