Cheap Thrill

[sensei]

There's no roller coaster here to give the adrenalin rush that I need

and I can't seem to find a suitable place where I could do bunjee jumping

so I decided to get myself a motorbike and drive myself around town.

I've got several questions to ask you my fellow posters.

Is possible for me, a foreigner, to get a motorbike registered to my name?

Are there any legal loopholes that I don't know about?

What brand and model of motorbike would you recommend?

I'm just after the common models available.

Can't get one that has an airbag here...

[markr]

A yamaha R1 could be a sensible choice, readily available at most good toy shops, for extra safety strap a pillow to the handle bars!

[sensei]

a pillow to the handle bars!

i was actually planning to wear a steel armor.

R1. ok, I'll check it out

thanks!

[markr]

No on a serious note, Have you had a bike before? I said R1 as there seems to be plenty of used examples available in thailand!

HOWEVER, that bike will pull out your eyes in first and second gear and remove your skin in the rest! Quite fast

Mark

[ColPyat]

Is possible for me, a foreigner, to get a motorbike registered to my name?

Are there any legal loopholes that I don't know about?

If you have a one year nonimm - no problem. You just need a statement of residence of your embassy.

You also need a Thai driver's license (unless you are staying as a tourist less than 60 days). For that you need one year nonimm as well. Proof of residence there is enough by showing your workpermit, if you have one, otherwise - embassy statement.

[VanZam]

Thanks for stealing my avatar.

Edited December 7, 2006 by VanZam

[PeaceBlondie]

Asking what model or brand you should buy, is just too general (a used Fiat, or a new Bentley?). If you have no riding experience,Thailand is a most dangerous place to learn. Even we experienced riders have new scars after riding in Thailand.

[Thug]

For bikes: Ducati.

[ColPyat]

What brand and model of motorbike would you recommend?

I'm just after the common models available.

Can't get one that has an airbag here...

Common models?

In that case i would suggest the Thai made bikes, cheap and easy to repair. Most though are not exactly big bikes. The biggest you get are Honda Phantom or Kawasaki Boss, i think they are 250/275 cc 4 stroke. Well, if pseudo choppers are your thing.

If you like lotsa fun, then i would suggest the second hand market and look for Kawasaki Victor, or Kawasaki KRR, but in the old two stroke versions. They are 150 cc, come with about 40 something PS horse power from the factory, and are excellent to modify (don't get caught by the cops though!).

[paulsmithson]

You are wasting your time with things like R1 or any other fast sports bike in most of Thailand.

& 60+ mph in first gear and more to go---you just could never use the power.

Used to make me laugh when i used to holiday in Pattaya and see the farangs on some very fast bikes and no idea how to ride them. I used to carve them up and leave them for dead on a nimble 125cc machine or less

[undercover]

Many of the choppers that look realy nice here are many years old, ok when there running but when you need spares, and you will, then your in the hands of blokes that think a farang should pay 10 times the price of things, no good shopping around for a cheeper price in another shop as the other shop is owned by his brother.

[Macx]

Many of the choppers that look realy nice here are many years old, ok when there running but when you need spares, and you will, then your in the hands of blokes that think a farang should pay 10 times the price of things, no good shopping around for a cheeper price in another shop as the other shop is owned by his brother.

ditto

And some enterprising guy might see your bike as a free and easy "salvage yard" and liberate it of a few pieces when you're not looking. Never thought about it until it happened to me (mine is a sport bike).