Buying a bike in SE Asia that can be taken accross borders
 

Hi All
I'm planning to spend 6 months riding around SE Asia next year and would like to do it all on the same motorcycle. So, I was wondering which country is the best for buying a bike that I can register in my own name that I can take across national borders with minimum hassle?
I've done a bit of touring (on various Honda step-thus) in North Thailand, Cambodia, South Java (from Bali) and Vietnam in recent years but this time I'd like to cover the lot on a larger more comfy machine (except 'Nam and Burma) in one long trip and ideally ending up in the same country where I bought my bike, so I can sell it again.
I'm not sure which sort of machine to buy, but I was thinking along the lines of a Honda XL250 or similar. I've heard however, that the Chinese manufacturer Lifan offer good deals on their bikes and have a good dealer network across the whole region -does anyone have experience of their machines?
I realise this question has been asked before, but getting the latest info and hearing peoples experiences would be very helpful.
Many Thanks
Phil TK
England

Hola, les cuento que he tenido bastante experiencia con los productos chinos.
A una moto de 200 cc la lleve por América durante 32000 kmts y aguanto bien.
En Australia compre una Kimco 125 cc y le metí 19884 kmts.
Ahora pienso en India comprar una Royal Enfield 500 o una Badjad pulsar 200 cc.
Los motores chinos están desarrollados hasta 200 cc de 200 cc para arriba están en etapas de consolidarse.
Lo esencial es cuidarla, no pasarlas de vueltas y llevarlas a una marcha tranquila de 80 a 90 kmts/h...el resto lo hace el piloto.
Pero estas motos, conosco las Lifan desde Peru y son buenas maquinitas.
No son para toda la vida, pero para un viaje inferior a 30000 kmts están bien.
Les dejo mi blog para que vean lo hecho.
The Dreams Trip / El viaje de los sueños
Saludos.
Buenas rutas.
Ernesto.

Hi,

My suggestion is buy your bike in Malaysia as it's a straight forward procedure and you can take it around SEA without much hassle.

If you decide to start from here, let me know and will show you around where to get the bike and if time permit would like to join you for the trip.

sorry to jump onto the thread but at the moment i'm organising a trip to asia myself and am arriving on the 22nd of December.. until march.

if I fly into Malaysia and buy myself a bike what about the paperwork to ride off into the other countries? does it get changed easily into my name without an address? I don't understand? please explain as this interests me very much and would make my trip a lot easier .. thanks for any advice and sorry again for jumping onto the thread

[QUOTE=kevinhancock750;441319]sorry to jump onto the thread but at the moment i'm organising a trip to asia myself and am arriving on the 22nd of December.. until march.

if I fly into Malaysia and buy myself a bike what about the paperwork to ride off into the other countries? does it get changed easily into my name without an address? I don't understand? please explain as this interests me very much and would make my trip a lot easier .. thanks for any advice and sorry again for jumping onto the thread[/QUOTE

Hi,

The paper works in basically straight forward. Normally, the bike shop will do everything for you. Don't worry to much about the address as can easily be sorted out.

Once you get your bike registered under your name, just jump on it and cross the border around SEA region.

Hope this help. Cheers.

thanks for your reply,
what if I buy a bike privately and not from a shop? I been looking on the internet and was interested in something like the Honda wave for 10wks but secondhand not new... or small 125cc motorbike.

Hi Kevin...

Don't see any problem if want to get privately own or secondhand bike. The only thing is you have to do the registration on your own or pay a small amount of fees to a shop and they will do it for you.

well that is welcomed news.... :thumbup1:
either that or its rent in each country that I visit which would be a pain, and also moving between the countries is now made easier..:thumbup1:

looks like i'm in Malaysia for Christmas then :D
any ideas how long the paperwork takes? to changover to my name?
i'm arriving in Bangkok on 22nd December and will then probably fly on 23rd to KL to start looking for a bike. I know theres a meet in north Thailand on 10th January so would like to be there.

and thanks for your replies zainal.

Thanks for the replies guys. Hopefully we all will stay on this thread and we can exchange even more information in the near future.
And many thanks to Zainal, your information certainly makes things a lot easier for me in terms of planning. What I would also be interested in is prices, could you let us know of some examples of what is available in dealers at the moment? I would be interested in a secondhand machine initially -around 250cc or maybe smaller if it is a reputable model.

Cheers
Phil TK

hope you don't mind me latching onto your thread phil...
as we're looking for the same information
www.mudah.my is a site I was just looking at for secondhand bike in Malaysia. theres probably other sites too but I found quite a few cheap small 125cc on there.
when you thinking of going?

No, I don't mind at all, it's great stuff.
I'm heading off from the UK in late January, it's a shame I'll miss the Hubb meeting in Chiang Mai -I went to the last one and it was an excellent event, well worth it. Once I'm over in SEA I'm not sure if I will head off from KL to Sumatra and then Java, Bali etc or go north and do Thailand and Cambodia etc I'll be away 6 months at least -is the plan.
Cheers for the link Kevin.
Phil TK

Yes mudah.com.my is the one you should look at for the kind of bike and price range. From there you will know what the market like. Once you decide what you want then only we can look into it or maybe get a better price somewhere. Bear in mind there are lots of second hand bike too at the shop. Cheers

Hi Guys, I also am hoping to get a moto in KL just before Xmas with help from Zainal. I am presently riding around Laos on a Vietnamese registered tiddler which I will be handing back to the rental agency at the end of Nov. If you want to meet up in KL for a beer and info swap let me know. Ride safe.

hi maja, by the looks of things i'll be arriving in KL on the 23rd December and a meet up would be nice bier. it's my first time in asia so some advise over a glass or three would be greatly received :thumbup1:.

just need to start organising a bike and have it ready for my arrival which would be nice. i'm only looking for something small possibly ex5 or similar.

'Glad this thread is proving useful already. I hope everyone stays in touch and keeps us informed on how their trip goes.
I poured over some maps this weekend and to update my plans:- I've decided to travel from KL up to the Thai border and ride along the Thai-Burma border to the North, stopping off at Phuket and Koh Tao for a bit of diving perhaps.
I need to be in Vietnam at the end of March to meet some fellows from the UK for a couple of weeks and will look to store my bike somewhere in Bangkok and then fly to Hanoi. Then back to Bangkok and ride into Cambodia and Laos.


Cheers
Phil TK