Wow, that article about stolen bikes in Japan was truly amazing... I didn't know there was such a business going around in that ! Still.. i'm very satisfied with my bike and I even have a invoice. So I assume everything is fine there..:/ Anyway, I paid for it.. I did my duty.. so that makes me the owner of it now..

I'n curious, were you able to register and get plates in chiang mai for your 400cc bike?

If things haven't changed, then I would assume 'no'. But chiang mai has a reputation for being quite strict on bikes, so if your answer is 'yes', then I would say that you'll have no problems with your bike.

So, my question is: how could you tell a bike with proper registration or not?

Go with the owner and the bike to the registration office and both of you ask them to transfer the ownership registration to your name. If they do it, you have a registered bike and you pay the old owner on the spot. If they do not do it, do not buy the bike. That is the old fashioned safe way.

Thanks Mongoose. Woo.... so complicated and fishy fishy!

BTW, i saw Mongoose name before from one of th Bicycle brands (mountain bike). Is there any connection to it? Sorry for asking such a silly question.