Purchasing a scooter

[Ryancr]

I am coming to Thailand and hopping to stay for 1 year.

I want to buy a reasonable second hand scooter.

Any ideas on the cost and how do I get insurance for the scooter .

Thanks for your help

[marko kok prong]

Okay a few questions,first where will you be staying or will you be moving around,second,are you aware that Thailand has 26,000 road deaths a year and 80% involve motorbikes/scooters and is third on the list of most dangerous countrys to drive in, third with a new bike around 45000-50,000 b insurance is generally included,however if you hit a thai you will be mobbed an d expected to pay,hell if a thai hits you the same. 4 are you an expeirienced bike rider,if not my friend i would forget all about this idea,even if you are driving here is like nothing you will have seen before,but if you insist on this route to a possible early grave i think you could pick up one second hand for say 30,000 for a good one i may be wrong,also is this your first time here and how old are you,sorry if i sound negative and intrusive but i would not like you to end up returning home in a box.

[CharlieH]

15k for a good second hand twist and go.

Personally Its cheaper and safer getting around paying people to take you.

Hospital costs here could bankrupt you.

Edited April 30, 2014 by CharlieH

[daveAustin]

Simple answer: Buy new from Honda who will also do insurance, sort the paperwork (you'll need a visa to have it in your name) and likely buy back at a fair price.

You won't save much buying a second hand bike in this country even if it is a clunker. Having said that, you sometimes see deals on Clicks and the like in Classifieds (on this site).

[marko kok prong]

15k for a good second hand twist and go.

Personally Its cheaper and safer getting around paying people to take you.

Hospital costs here could bankrupt you.

Looks like i was a bit out,but good on ya for giving this bloke some sound advice.

[robblok]

15k for a good second hand twist and go.

Personally Its cheaper and safer getting around paying people to take you.

Hospital costs here could bankrupt you.

You are not insured for those kind of things ?

I have 2 bikes and a car and love driving.riding them. Its not that bd driving here but it takes some time adjusting to it but its not as impossible as people make it out to be. It of course depends where you start learning. But having your own transportation makes a lot of difference.

But everyone is different.

[Ryancr]

Hi All

I am going to stay in a small town near Khon Kaen with my son and family.

I am 67 years old but I have hired a scooter before so I am used to driving around the town with nut case young Thai kids on bikes.

Based on your advice I think I will buy one for around 20 000 baht and if I sell it back at even half the price that I paid it would still be cheaper than hiring one for a year but with second thoughts I think I should leave it with my son so I can use it when I return in around 6- 9 months

[somchaismith]

Okay a few questions,first where will you be staying or will you be moving around,second,are you aware that Thailand has 26,000 road deaths a year and 80% involve motorbikes/scooters and is third on the list of most dangerous countrys to drive in, third with a new bike around 45000-50,000 b insurance is generally included,however if you hit a thai you will be mobbed an d expected to pay,hell if a thai hits you the same. 4 are you an expeirienced bike rider,if not my friend i would forget all about this idea,even if you are driving here is like nothing you will have seen before,but if you insist on this route to a possible early grave i think you could pick up one second hand for say 30,000 for a good one i may be wrong,also is this your first time here and how old are you,sorry if i sound negative and intrusive but i would not like you to end up returning home in a box.

You just reminded me of this,

[marko kok prong]

Okay a few questions,first where will you be staying or will you be moving around,second,are you aware that Thailand has 26,000 road deaths a year and 80% involve motorbikes/scooters and is third on the list of most dangerous countrys to drive in, third with a new bike around 45000-50,000 b insurance is generally included,however if you hit a thai you will be mobbed an d expected to pay,hell if a thai hits you the same. 4 are you an expeirienced bike rider,if not my friend i would forget all about this idea,even if you are driving here is like nothing you will have seen before,but if you insist on this route to a possible early grave i think you could pick up one second hand for say 30,000 for a good one i may be wrong,also is this your first time here and how old are you,sorry if i sound negative and intrusive but i would not like you to end up returning home in a box.

You just reminded me of this,

If only you could get this across to Kon Thai,who as we know follow none of the above.

[roguewo]

Hi All

I am going to stay in a small town near Khon Kaen with my son and family.

I am 67 years old but I have hired a scooter before so I am used to driving around the town with nut case young Thai kids on bikes.

Based on your advice I think I will buy one for around 20 000 baht and if I sell it back at even half the price that I paid it would still be cheaper than hiring one for a year but with second thoughts I think I should leave it with my son so I can use it when I return in around 6- 9 months

Go to dealfish.com, or check the bank repo's on their websites, for good prices. Do the deal AT the land transport office. Don't give anyone any money until the people there (LTO) say the green book is transferable. Don't leave without the green book!

Good luck!

[Rooo]

Moved to Bike forum.

[guzzi850m2]

15k for a good second hand twist and go.

Personally Its cheaper and safer getting around paying people to take you.

Hospital costs here could bankrupt you.

You are not insured for those kind of things ?

I have 2 bikes and a car and love driving.riding them. Its not that bd driving here but it takes some time adjusting to it but its not as impossible as people make it out to be. It of course depends where you start learning. But having your own transportation makes a lot of difference.

But everyone is different.

Yes good medical insurances for the family is a must here, wife and son that is not the whole extended family, lol.

I also have 2 scooters and a truck here and do enjoy driving them but try to avoid riding the scooters late at night due to potentially drunk drives on the road.

A scooter is easy to park downtown, the truck impossible to park unless going to a parking lot on a big shopping center or a parking lot where you pay a small fee.

Yes 15-20K baht should get you a decent run about used scooter and they are extremely cheap to fix and on fuel.

The Honda's seems to be most popular here and are rock solid, my 2 scooters are both Honda's now, had a Yamaha Fino before and it was good too but was caburated so it was burning a bit too much fuel now that gasohol is the preferred fuel here.

[Expattaff1308]

As you probably know there is compulsary insurance which is very cheap and hardly covers the paper its written on, it will pay you to take out a third party extra insurance. For around 1600 Baht you can get around 1m baht of third party cover.

Like other posters have said in an accident they tend to see that the farang is in the wrong no matter who caused it.

[AllanB]

A new Honda Wave (more stable than a scooter) 35k baht ( I think), including tax and insurance, but get a years travel insurance before you leave. I ride into Khon Kaen almost every day, keep you wits about you, assume everyone who could pull out in front of you, will. Make all your moves in slow motion, don't be in a hurry, avoid deluges and you will be fine.

[YipYipYa123]

15k for a good second hand twist and go.

Personally Its cheaper and safer getting around paying people to take you.

Hospital costs here could bankrupt you.

You are not insured for those kind of things ?

I have 2 bikes and a car and love driving.riding them. Its not that bd driving here but it takes some time adjusting to it but its not as impossible as people make it out to be. It of course depends where you start learning. But having your own transportation makes a lot of difference.

But everyone is different.

Rob - the full coverage insurance quotes i got were insane (something like 300 usd a month )

I thought <deleted> them ,il just pay for a doctor in cash ,if and when i need one (hopefully not )

I dont have coverage at the moment either so if a crash/injury happens i just pay in cash

[robblok]

15k for a good second hand twist and go.

Personally Its cheaper and safer getting around paying people to take you.

Hospital costs here could bankrupt you.

You are not insured for those kind of things ?

I have 2 bikes and a car and love driving.riding them. Its not that bd driving here but it takes some time adjusting to it but its not as impossible as people make it out to be. It of course depends where you start learning. But having your own transportation makes a lot of difference.

But everyone is different.

Rob - the full coverage insurance quotes i got were insane (something like 300 usd a month )

I thought <deleted> them ,il just pay for a doctor in cash ,if and when i need one (hopefully not )

I dont have coverage at the moment either so if a crash/injury happens i just pay in cash

I got coverage.. not crazy prices either.. it kinda depends what you insure and what you pay for yourself. The bad stuff is insured for me not a normal doctors visit. I pay around 900$ a year and have up to a million u$ coverage.

I have already had them pay out once after a rope snapped and a weight dropped onto my toe sending me to hospital.

300$ dollar a month is a real steep price.

My bike stuff is included and I seem to have some medical insurance also with the bike insurance. So I am not that worried, just hope I never have to use it.