Has anyone had experience recently stripping their bike and rebuilding in Thailand.

As I am a regular traveler to Thailand, I would like to strip my 883 iron in Australia and rebuild it here in Thailand.

Will I still have to pay hefty luxury tax when I try to register the bike.

I bought the bike a few years ago for $12,000aud (฿303265) in today's exchange rate, my friend bought one here for ฿750,000.

I believe your idea is fraught with difficulties Chang 14. Thai authorities got wise to boxes of bits being shipped in and then turning into bikes with no import dues paid. It's unlikely to get registration so you would be open to all sorts of bribes/bad sh1t from the police.

Sell it, then buy something here, is my advice to you.

You would be a lot better off just banging your head against a concrete wall for a while.

Same result.

A lot cheaper.

Best to sell your H-D Iron 883 in Australia and buy in Thailand a brand new 2016 H-D Street 750 for 549,000 THB. The H-D Iron 883 (XL883N) cost in Thailand new 669,000 THB.

Search Facebook for Sil Biker Shop, based out Nakhon Pathom. They are somehow importing used Harleys from the states and getting them registered. Prices are generally about 25% cheaper than new and the bikes are mostly low mileage with decent amount of goodies already fitted.

I would not invest in a more than 500,000 THB motorcycle by using a bike shop who maybe has discovered a loophole in the current import rules.

If you buy a motorcycle from a company who illegally imported the motorcycle you own the revenue department can (and will) confiscate it. You can sue the bike company that sold you the motorcycle and the Thai revenue department will provide you with all the evidence you need to make a strong case… but often companies like this are owned by people who are extremely poor… and you will likely see very very little back from the money you paid for the motorcycle….

But bike companies who try to find loopholes in the import rules still exist so probably people still buy from them… and they're an excellent feed / source for the annual revenue department vehicle auction…

Wise words Richard BKK. I'd guess those shops don't have a long 'shelf life' ?

Just been on their Facebook page, they don't look poor to me. Looks like a big shop.

Just been on their Facebook page, they don't look poor to me. Looks like a big shop.

Biker Bob,

You should look into how a Thai company works, I can make a rice farmer president and owner of a company and move millions and run away before bad things happen.... That is how some of this people operate... they not only ruin the life of the buyer, they also ruin the life of somebody who was thinking he was lucky....

This idea is repeated every year several times, however I never ever read about any success.

I assume that the guys are all too busy riding their imported bikes 555

What is import tax on this type of bike

Just been on their Facebook page, they don't look poor to me. Looks like a big shop.

Biker Bob,

You should look into how a Thai company works, I can make a rice farmer president and owner of a company and move millions and run away before bad things happen.... That is how some of this people operate... they not only ruin the life of the buyer, they also ruin the life of somebody who was thinking he was lucky....

Richard, I totally agree with you. I bought a bike who came in boxes from Japan, but that was 8 years ago and a lot has changed since then. I would not do it today. Not because of the company, but a falang riding on an illegal bike is an easy target.

I would not invest in a more than 500,000 THB motorcycle by using a bike shop who maybe has discovered a loophole in the current import rules.

If you buy a motorcycle from a company who illegally imported the motorcycle you own the revenue department can (and will) confiscate it. You can sue the bike company that sold you the motorcycle and the Thai revenue department will provide you with all the evidence you need to make a strong case… but often companies like this are owned by people who are extremely poor… and you will likely see very very little back from the money you paid for the motorcycle….

But bike companies who try to find loopholes in the import rules still exist so probably people still buy from them… and they're an excellent feed / source for the annual revenue department vehicle auction…

Up to you, for me, if the bike is at such a good discount and has a legit green book, I would buy from them. I have seen them advertising new bikes now at about 20% discount to the official dealers.

I would not invest in a more than 500,000 THB motorcycle by using a bike shop who maybe has discovered a loophole in the current import rules.

If you buy a motorcycle from a company who illegally imported the motorcycle you own the revenue department can (and will) confiscate it. You can sue the bike company that sold you the motorcycle and the Thai revenue department will provide you with all the evidence you need to make a strong case but often companies like this are owned by people who are extremely poor and you will likely see very very little back from the money you paid for the motorcycle.

But bike companies who try to find loopholes in the import rules still exist so probably people still buy from them and they're an excellent feed / source for the annual revenue department vehicle auction

Up to you, for me, if the bike is at such a good discount and has a legit green book, I would buy from them. I have seen them advertising new bikes now at about 20% discount to the official dealers.

If the bike turns out to be illegally imported and possibly even stolen from America or Japan and a bribe was paid to get it registered, I would hardly call that "legal"...

If the shop, the smuggling ring or the guy who is making green books ever gets busted your bike might be included in the haul...