Hi,

I would like to buy a motorbike here in Bangkok and ride to Cambodia and
Laos before coming back to Bangkok after about 6 weeks.

As I am a foreigner (French) with no visa, it seems that, on the
one hand, I can not buy one myself.

On the other hand, if I buy one under the name of a thai friend, I am not sure I can
go through the border.

Can anybody help me solving this out ?

About price, I have seen a 250 CC second hand Japanese
motorbike for about 85.000 baths : that seems huge to
me. Once again, do you have an opinion on this ?

Hoping to read you guys soon !
Many thanks,
Franck

Hi Franck,

Welcome to our website, the first thing I want to say is get a tourist VISA, 30 days, 60 days or 90 days, at the Thai embassy. As you need a valid visa to buy any motorcycle in Thailand. Visa on arrival is not suitable for this.

Second I will not recommend a secondhand motorcycle if you going to do cross border exploring, paperwork can be ridicules and Thailand has a lot of illegal imported bikes. Illegal imported bikes normally in daily Thai traffic have no problem, but if customs look at them they fail and are confiscated.

If you are thinking of 85,000Bht for a motorcycle, buy a brand new, Honda Phantom it cost somewhere around 70k and if you sell it secondhand in Thailand you loss not that much. The Honda Phantom is really good values for money, the new price is less then 70k, second spare parts for the Honda Phantom are available in all corners of Southeast Asia, from busy Singapore to remote places in Laos.

Buying a new motorcycle, means you have all paperwork up-to-current standard, buying a secondhand can keep you for weeks trying to trance the right papers to leave the country on the motorcycle.

And remember you also need a valid VISA to sell the bike if you go back to Thailand.

Hey Franck, yes you can buy any bike you want in thailand...visa is of little bearing...just have your french international drivers license, and yes, like our other friend said, buy new if you intend to invest that much...85K is a lot a dough here...or buy a 14Kbath wave or dream just to get the feel of the road, driving manners so to speak, and tricks of the country...i do not encourage the phantom for my part, its heavy, plastikky...lol, looks like a big supermarket toy and has little power and torque...look to kawa or yam for more power, lighter, more efficient biking....thais and some horny farangs buy phantoms to look good with the chicks....thats about it...but if you want one come to bang pa in, i know 6 for sale in perfect condition at around 50K. By the way, my name is franck and i am too a frenchman...coincidence? Amuse toi bien! Franck

on a similar note...is it possible for a foreigner to purchase a motorbike in Laos and legally crossing the Thai border with it?

Hi Guys, sorry out of subject but I just dicovered your website and quite please to discover there are other french riders as well in Thailand.

I'm leaving in Thailand for quite some time , I'm riding an Hayabusa and used to go for up-country ride with N.Z., Aussie, and Japs fellows, I'm the only french.....so Franck if interested by those sporty ride (sorry) you are most welcome to join....if not still can meet to talk over about bike and exchange bike experience in Thailand.

Cheers, Fred.

As has been stated by other members you have to have a green book and sales receipt,plus an international transport permit for the bike.Go to your nearest land transport Office to apply,lots of paper work......and 1000 Baht
and you can legally take your car or bike to Laos

Just tried to buy a new motorbike today. I have to go to immigration and get a Residence certificate, I can not register the bike with out it. Lets see how long this will take. Lol.