Ive bought the bike-

Ive got all bike documentation that came with it-

Ive got certificate of residency from immigration-

Reg plate is in process, but will take several weeks/months before arrives-

Does anyone know what/where/how the next hoop I have to jump through?

I dont have Thai partner to guide me, although Im tempted to get one, but dont think my fiance would approve

Should be no hoops, the bike shop will have registered you as the owner and when the white plates arrive so will the logbook.

Should be no hoops, the bike shop will have registered you as the owner and when the white plates arrive so will the logbook.

Many thanks - thats encouraging, but only believe it when I got it in my hands

Is it legal to ride the bike before you get the plates (Presuming you have a license)? I am going through the same process but haven't even got the residency cert yet.

You should really get a Thai "personal assistant" to guide you through this - its the perfect excuse

Should be no hoops, the bike shop will have registered you as the owner and when the white plates arrive so will the logbook.

This is absolutely correct. Your plates should be in without 6 weeks or less. They will always say 2 months. When they come in so will your Green Book which is the title to the bike. Once a year take your Green Book back to the shop or any bike shop and renew the registration for another year. The 650 baht you pay is for a new registration sticker and the compulsory insurance called PaRaBa.

Actually there are many places you can renew your registration and compulsory insurance. If you are familiar with the Thai alphabet then you look for signs that say "พ ร บ".

When you buy the bike they give you temporary RED license plates until the WHITE ones come in 6 weeks to 2 months later along with your Green Book (title to the bike).

Thai PA seems a good idea - although , if the girlfriend reads this , THE COMPUTER WROTE THIS !

I'd be lying if I said it was a smooth process, but most of the confusion is one of language barrier than anything else I believe.

For the record, Ive never received a red/white temp licence plate. Instead I have a document which explains that Im awaiting official number plate to arrive - Im told its valid for 2 months.

When I changed the green book to my name after buying my Yamaha 1100cc Dragstar (second hand ), I payed 1000 Baht for my favourite number "555" and got the white plates in the afternoon of the same day - otherwise I would have waited about 6 weeks...

For would be Thai scholars, "พ ร บ" is short for "พระราชบัญญัติ" - meaning "Act" => "Law"

At a big Honda showroom, the salesman told me the registration would take 3 months.

I ended up buying a second-hand Honda (like new -- only 2,300 km) from a small shop.

I was rather dumbfounded when they called me in less than 2 weeks to come pick up

my license plate and registration. Not only that, a week later when I had a minor glitch

in the front forks, they fixed it promptly at no charge.

Maybe I was just born under a lucky star...

When I changed the green book to my name after buying my Yamaha 1100cc Dragstar (second hand ), I payed 1000 Baht for my favourite number "555" and got the white plates in the afternoon of the same day - otherwise I would have waited about 6 weeks...

That seems to be the case if you do a second hand transfer at the Registration office but OP has bought a new bike so the wait is probably more about creating the green book & also same being sent throuigh the bike shop. Red plates for bikes is only a new innovation.

Took me 2.5 weeks to get the plate and greenbook to new bike in Bangkok last month. Didn't get any temp plate. They just said that if the police stop you, show the receipt of purchase