Hi everyone-
I'm a newbie here, so bear with me. I've done some reading in the forums, and while I am finding bits that answer some of my questions, I still have some more. I found some info at Gt-Rider but when I try to register, I get blocked due to some sort of spammer prevention mechanism, so I can't ask questions on the things I see there. Hopefully you folks can help!
Here are the details:

• I arrive in Bangkok May 8 and would like to buy or rent a bike and be rolling ASAP (if I can arrange ahead of time, better)
• I would be content with a bike from 125cc-200cc, and don't need anything larger, but am not opposed to it.
• I've ridden across China and back, across Sierra Leone, every corner of Rwanda, bits of Uganda, Indonesia, Benin, and more, so I can handle any conditions thrown at me
• I have a US driver's license with motorcycle endorsement, but nothing international
• I'd like to do a loop starting and ending in Bangkok, and have about a month to do it. Here are my proposed routes (Google Map)

Here are my questions:

1. As you will see in my map, I have drafted a route with and one without Vietnam. Does anyone have the definitive answer as to whether one can ride in and out of VN? This HU thread has conflicting info, this map on GT-Rider is out of date and in general, while GT-Rider seems to want to offer packets of the papers required for my ride, most links are dead, such as this one. I'm OK with chopping VN out of the itinerary, but don't want to if I don't have to.
2. Does anyone have any reputable leads on buying or renting a 125-200cc bike in Thailand? I don't need anything large, flashy, or fancy. I've traversed some of the worst roads in the world, in the rain, on a 125cc street bike with street tires. A small dual or dirt bike would be nice, but not necessary.
3. What papers/licenses will I need to do this trip? This GT-Rider thread indicates that for VN, you need to get a vehicle inspection (any idea how?) and pair up with a tour company (something I definitely don't want to do). Are these really necessary?
4. I'd like to compile a solid list of legal border crossings for motorcycles (HU needs a wiki!) between these countries. I can get some from this thread, but is that all? Is the GT-Rider map I linked above valid?

I am sure I will have some follow-up questions, but these help me get started.
Thanks!
Adam

I don´t think there is one definite answer to that.

Officially it is probably: no, unless you do it kinda like China, arrange well in advance & pay BIG time! And also it seems like it is possible with VN-plated bikes, too. But for all others, it´s a big headache.

But this is Asia, and there´s a lot of buzz on many of the border stations, especially when the local day-time workers walk across from Cambodia, or back. Who knows you just might arrive, when the customs guys weren´t looking, and get lucky.

Actually I´ve been trying just that, on a group of 8 falangs all on 115cc scooters (in December 2006), and strangely, the closest we came to succeed, was at the big Bavet/Moc Bai border on the #1 highway. That day we already had the police chief´s permission to enter, but before we could buzz off, a very pissed-off customs officer emerged from somewhere with the message we had heard several times in the past weeks: "NNOO motobike to Viet Nam!!!" and he certainly wasn´t going to negotiate!

But, for us, it might very well have been decisive, that our group was just too big to go unnoticed. If I was travelling alone, I´d definitely give it a go, and be prepared to do it at several intl. border stations (and at different hours, too, so they might have a change of shift in between!)

But it was a great trip even without Vietnam - and if they don´t want to let me in, then I´m fine to spend my hard earned money in some other countries! Something from the trip here:
Chicken Chasers

Hah, we got into China in a very different and much cheaper method than that: a buddy simply proposed to a motorcycle manufacturer to give us motorcycles and to consider us as advertisements for their newest model of bikes. I suppose the whole thing was illegal, as we didn’t have licenses, license plates, or any other official materials, but we never got hassled for any of that stuff over 2.5 months there!
I digress. I appreciate your advice; sounds like I can play the odds and if I get turned down at the VN border, just stick to Laos, which is a fine consolation prize.
Also, like you suggested, being just one person on a bike, I might have a better chance of slipping through than a big visible group.
Thank you for the link to your site: I love how clean and concise it is. Too many of the other blogs I am finding about trips like this are way too verbose to be useful!
In fact, your General Info page, it leads me to a possible solution to this challenge: if VN doesn’t let vehicles in, but seems to let them out; and if Laos, Cambodia and Thailand all in foreign vehicles, maybe I should just start and end my trip in Ha Noi instead? I am already flying to BKK, but I am finding round trip BKK-Ha Noi flights for under $200.
Does that sound like a good solution to you?
Can you speak to the necessity of an international driver’s license, or can I get by with my US license?
Does anyone on HUBB know about renting or buying a bike in Ha Noi? Are prices there reasonable?
Thanks so much for the help!

I think you got lucky with China. But I guess it also makes it easier, if your trip doesn´t require getting your own motorcycle into the country!


I´ve met bikers in Cambodia & Laos, who had bought bikes (Minsks) in Vietnam, and they had at least crossed out of the country. Have also heard, that similar trips have ended succesfully (getting back to VN). The problem might be the selection of bikes available there. And you´ll probably need to buy it, as you are not likely to succeed at the borders, if it´s a rental bike and the name in your passport does not match the bike´s papers.


It´s possible that I´ve never been asked to show an international driver´s license (my EU-license has been fine every time!)... but I´d still probably get it, as it´s not complicated to get one.

If you can show a licence to drive a car in Asia that is the maximum, it is assumed that you can ride a bike.

There are quite a few threads, some quite recent which detail purchasing in Vietnam and then crossing all of the borders you mentioned and then returning to Vietnam to sell the bike without any issues.

Don't quote me but I believe there is a maximum size of bike you can bring into Vietnam if purchased elsewhere, including Thailand.
I'm not 100% sure but its something like 150 to 250 cc Max.
Do a search (try the HUBB through google if you cant find the threads through the website search) and you should find the info in those threads.

I hope to do that loop next year so keep us posted how it works out for you.
Have fun!