Is It Possible To Get A Tabien Rot On An Import Bike?

[stevehaigh]

my bike was imported as parts and put togther in thailand. it doesn't have any documentation, just a import list showing engine and frame number.

i got stopped by the police today and asked for the tabien rot. my wife talked him out of taking the bike but i maybe not so lucky next time.

is it possible to get a tabien rot for a bike that was built from parts like this one? how?

thanks, steve

[xbusman]

Its possible, particularly since you have the import papers. There are many shops that can get it done for you.

Two areas that might be problems.

Up to a year or two back, a very large percentage of imported bikes were stolen/insuarnce fraud. The insurance companies put the arm on Thailand about two years back and most of that supply has gone away. If your bike was imported more than two years ago and does not have a Tabien Lot, a very good possibility you are riding a stolen machine, in which case you might have a very hard time ever getting it registered here. Take a hard look at the serial numbers on the frame, is the paint scratched or anything else that looks out of the ordinary? If its a stolen bike, your best bet is to sell it soon. You can also run the numbers on the Japanese stolen bike list but keep in mind its very incomplete.

The second problem is that there is an EPA test. Now this is one of the great ironies of Thailand, its extremely restrictive. California certified engines out of the US from 1990 onwards have no problems. Low mileage bikes from about 2000 onwards should have no problems, everything else has problems. Costs 35,000 to run the test and if you fail you have to pay to run the test again, and again and again. Could get pricey quick. Now all the four stroke motorcycles in Thailand COMBINED dont create the pollution of bus 22 on the Bangkok route during evening hours but its a great gateway for getting a little side money. Thats a big reason why getting the Tabien Lot is going to run you between 50,000 and 90,000 Baht if things go smoothly.

Other than that its a piece of cake.

[stevehaigh]

Thats a big reason why getting the Tabien Lot is going to run you between 50,000 and 90,000 Baht if things go smoothly.

bugger that, the bikes only worth 60k. thanks for the info anyhow, guess i'll sell it to some poor smuk. mind you, just about every jap 250 on the island is in the same boat, so if the cops start taking them, the'll have a lot of bikes on their hands.