COSTS TO DRIVE FOREIGN "BIG BIKE" IN VIETNAM

D

DrGMIA

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Pit stop after 6th ride around the world, in USA,
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Oldest 1931, newest 2016, numerous makes and models in between on several continents
VIETNAM COSTS TO RIDE FOREIGN “BIG BIKE” QUESTIONS?

What are the real “hard costs” to drive your own big displacement motorcycle in and out of Vietnam?

There are large displacement motorcycles in Vietnam. The tales of how they got there are numerous and often quite porous. Crowd awed at Goldwing size, cost and radio (600 x 450).jpgI saw this pictured Goldwing in Dalat. The Vietnamese people gathered around were amazed at the size, radio and purported $45,000 USD paid by the Vietnamese owner to import it legally.

Over the last several years the former rules on displacement size seem to have become fluid.

One motorcycle tour company ships by air cargo customers “big bikes” into Ho Chi Minh City where fixers and handlers deal with rules and paperwork so the foreign customer can ride their own motorcycle in a guided group up to Hanoi and then out of Vietnam and into Laos.

Other reports have foreign motorcyclists meeting Vietnamese guides at the border and then being escorted on their large displacement foreign papered motorcycles following their guides on 110 cc -125 cc Vietnamese registered motorcycles into Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City and back out again.
Some travelers have recounted how they slipped under the radar at small border crossings and entered Vietnam on larger displacement motorcycles.

A post on RIDEASIA.NET by “Harry the Finn” showed great ingenuity, and possibly some good joss, using a Vietnamese registered small displacement motorcycle to cross the border in and out of Vietnam. Congratulations are in order for successfully pushing that envelope and explaining it well.

Another widely circulated tale recounts how a fat-wallet foreign Goldwing owner shipped his motorcycle by air cargo into Hanoi and then failed over the next two-three week period to find a way to throw enough money at the Import Customs rules to drive the Goldwing out of Customs and on the pavement. Purportedly the $3,000.00 USD he paid Customs when he forced to give-up and fly the motorcycle back out of Hanoi was for warehouse and handling fees while it sat in Customs.

I have made three trips in Vietnam, using rental motorcycles in the 110 cc to a 650 cc range. From the Chinese border down to Ho Chi Minh City I have been 100% satisfied with the smaller motorcycles. I used Explore Indochina as my main source and hope to do so again when I return for the next expedition. The 125 cc (and one “cheater” 150 cc) motorcycles I found through Explore Indochina were more than enough for all travel conditions, and preferable in many.
HCM Trail (600 x 450).jpgFor the nasty jungle work, like pictured above, the fun factor on the 125 cc motorcycle was at the top of the meter.

Given the large $ numbers that float around of what it would have cost to take my own foreign titled and registered “big bike” into Vietnam and pay the associated fees, the savings over using a local rental gave me a free trip. However these “fees” are often not hard numbers, the foreign tour operators giving soft answers and stepping around what are the real hard costs. And not factored into the equation are the “hassle factors” of time spent needlessly following misinformation and securing letters of Permission.When road goes away (600 x 450).jpgWhen the Ho Chi Minh Highway became even less than the original Ho Chi Minh Trail, like pictured above, I was glad to have a 125 cc displacement motorcycle to muscle and drag through the muck versus my own 300 kilogram “big bike.”

I pose the following questions for some hard USD answers, if they are out there:

1) What is the average daily USD fee for a licensed government guide to guide a single foreigner who drives his foreign registered “big bike” in Vietnam?

2) If there are more than one foreign registered big bikes, as in a group entering from Laos, are more than one guide required?

3) What are the legally required government fees (Customs, handling, driving license, fixers and?), besides the guide costs, associated with getting a big bike into Ho Chi Minh City through Customs and on the road?

4) What agency in Vietnam is charged with the temporary importation of foreign owned and registered motorcycles over 125 cc?

I have no personal need to drive my own “big bike” in Vietnam and will go directly back to Explore Indochina when I make my next Vietnam tour. However, when I was told by an agent working out of Ho Chi Minh City it will cost me “about” $10,000.00 USD to use my own foreign owned and registered big motorcycle to do it right (legally), the difference in cost and the fun factor make all the more savory my travels when I know how much fun can be had for so little, or put another way, how a small displacement motorcycle for a small sum could result in such big fun.
 
DrGMIA said:
VIETNAM COSTS TO RIDE FOREIGN “BIG BIKE” QUESTIONS?

What are the real “hard costs” to drive your own big displacement motorcycle in and out of Vietnam?

[attachment=2:195203zv]Crowd awed at Goldwing size, cost and radio (600 x 450).jpg[/attachment:195203zv]I saw this pictured Goldwing in Dalat.

I did it twice with my 1200cc bike. Oh by the way, that chap on the Goldwing is Mr Thin. He and his group escorted us from Vietnam border to Saigon and on the next day to Nha Trang. The rest of the way up North to Hanoi, we rode on our own without any guide.


I pose the following questions for some hard USD answers, if they are out there:

1) What is the average daily USD fee for a licensed government guide to guide a single foreigner who drives his foreign registered “big bike” in Vietnam?

The costs of entry permit is USD$600 per group per entry. It was much cheaper when I entered 2 years ago. We only engaged the guide at the border where their presence is mandatory and into big cities where traffic was chaotic. Other than that, we were on our own, but bear in mind, you need the guide again at the border when leaving the country. Daily fees for them can go as high as USD100 per day per group. That depends if he rides a rental bike or hops on your bike.

2) If there are more than one foreign registered big bikes, as in a group entering from Laos, are more than one guide required?

Just one guide per group. If you want to save costs, you can insists the guide to hop on the back of your bike. We did that.

3) What are the legally required government fees (Customs, handling, driving license, fixers and?), besides the guide costs, associated with getting a big bike into Ho Chi Minh City through Customs and on the road?

As mentioned, USD$600 per group entry.

4) What agency in Vietnam is charged with the temporary importation of foreign owned and registered motorcycles over 125 cc?

I have no personal need to drive my own “big bike” in Vietnam and will go directly back to Explore Indochina when I make my next Vietnam tour. However, when I was told by an agent working out of Ho Chi Minh City it will cost me “about” $10,000.00 USD to use my own foreign owned and registered big motorcycle to do it right (legally), the difference in cost and the fun factor make all the more savory my travels when I know how much fun can be had for so little, or put another way, how a small displacement motorcycle for a small sum could result in such big fun.
Click to expand...


The quotation given is plain ridiculous. We spend 13 days riding from Saigon to Hanoi and paid around USD$800 each with documentations, guide fees and 2* accomodation included, with breakfast. We only had to fork out for meals, petrol and entrance fees to sighseeing places. That's all. And there's only 3 of us.

Bike rentals are hassle free, but nothing beats the satisfaction for this achievement. For me it was a personal challenge.

Out of that 13 days, the guide travelled with us for only 5 days, 2 at the South and 3 days at the North. The Northern guide was a different guy who followed us all the way from Hanoi until we exited at Cau Treo border into Laos.

I can hook you up with the fixer if you like. :p
 
COSTS TO DRIVE FOREIGN "BIG BIKE" IN VIETNAM Clarifications

Interesting option: overland and dumping the guides, then picking up another to exit.

Yempaul, you were absolutely right, the $10,000 USD quote was ridiculous. However, there were a couple of "qualifiers" for that quote:

1) The "big motorcycle" was to be flown into Air Cargo at HCMC, and thus had to be cleared through Customs there instead of at an overland border crossing.

2) The big motorcycle and owner was not from ASEAN.

3) The quote included securing a Letter of Permission from the Prime Minister for entry of the foreigner and his big motorcycle.

4) The foreigner would be met at the airport, "guided" to his pre-arranged hotels and through Customs as well as on the road.

And here is the "kicker:" apparently some fat-wallet foreigner had previously entered at or near the quoted price, therefore setting the "high water" mark for others from the same country with big bike wishing follow.

There were a couple of "Oh, by the ways" from the quoting guide agency/service:"

A) While it was possible to drive in Vietnam without a Vietnamese Driving License, and government licensed guide, the agency implied that without the proper paperwork the motorcycle could be confiscated or impounded at Customs (thus the earlier tale of the fellow paying $3,000 for storage fees).

B) In case of an accident the motorcycle would most certainly be confiscated by police until all parties were "fairly" compensated (by the foreigner). What the level of compensation was to be was implied best negotiated by the agency government licensed guide.

Yes, PM me re: your "fixer."

For your information, and others interested in Vietnam in the near future, this was announced today, May 29, 2011:

HANOI (AFP) – Communist Vietnam has banned police from wearing black sunglasses, chatting, smoking and putting their hands in their pockets while they are on duty in public places, a media report said.

Under a new order from the Ministry of Public Security, officers must also "keep appropriate manners and be in the right position when on duty," said the English-language website of state-controlled Tuoi Tre newspaper.

"This means traffic cops must not hide behind trees to ambush" and issue fines.

The report, published on Saturday, also said on-duty police were now banned from reading books, making or answering non-work related phone calls, drinking alcohol or eating at restaurants that illegally encroach onto pavements.

Vietnam's traffic police are seen by citizens as notoriously corrupt.

Last year US-based Human Rights Watch urged Vietnam to investigate "widespread police brutality", saying it had documented 19 incidents of reported brutality by law enforcers over the previous year, resulting in 15 deaths.

As noted earlier, things seem to be "fluid" these days. Part of the fun factor if one can afford it.
 
Re: COSTS TO DRIVE FOREIGN "BIG BIKE" IN VIETNAM Clarificati

DrGMIA said:
Interesting option: overland and dumping the guides, then picking up another to exit.

The fixer is not obligated by this sort of arrangement and they are taking a risk instead. We assured him that we will call him on daily basis to update him on the location and promised him that he will be he first one to know if something goes wrong. The Vietnamese government does not issue any third party insurance and the fixer we hired are our 'insurance'. Took a lot of coaxing and yes it sure save us loads.Yempaul, you were absolutely right, the $10,000 USD quote was ridiculous. However, there were a couple of "qualifiers" for that quote:

1) The "big motorcycle" was to be flown into Air Cargo at HCMC, and thus had to be cleared through Customs there instead of at an overland border crossing.

2) The big motorcycle and owner was not from ASEAN.

I know of a couple of non-ASEAN bikes using the same fixer as I did and nothing extra was needed during the application.

3) The quote included securing a Letter of Permission from the Prime Minister for entry of the foreigner and his big motorcycle.

Did not need one. All we did was inform local Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the location and duration of our trip.
4) The foreigner would be met at the airport, "guided" to his pre-arranged hotels and through Customs as well as on the road.

And here is the "kicker:" apparently some fat-wallet foreigner had previously entered at or near the quoted price, therefore setting the "high water" mark for others from the same country with big bike wishing follow.

There were a couple of "Oh, by the ways" from the quoting guide agency/service:"

A) While it was possible to drive in Vietnam without a Vietnamese Driving License, and government licensed guide, the agency implied that without the proper paperwork the motorcycle could be confiscated or impounded at Customs (thus the earlier tale of the fellow paying $3,000 for storage fees).

We faxed over our local driver's license, passport details and vehicle's registration details during the application.

B) In case of an accident the motorcycle would most certainly be confiscated by police until all parties were "fairly" compensated (by the foreigner). What the level of compensation was to be was implied best negotiated by the agency government licensed guide.

Yes, PM me re: your "fixer."

You've got PM

For your information, and others interested in Vietnam in the near future, this was announced today, May 29, 2011:

HANOI (AFP) – Communist Vietnam has banned police from wearing black sunglasses, chatting, smoking and putting their hands in their pockets while they are on duty in public places, a media report said.

Under a new order from the Ministry of Public Security, officers must also "keep appropriate manners and be in the right position when on duty," said the English-language website of state-controlled Tuoi Tre newspaper.

"This means traffic cops must not hide behind trees to ambush" and issue fines.

The report, published on Saturday, also said on-duty police were now banned from reading books, making or answering non-work related phone calls, drinking alcohol or eating at restaurants that illegally encroach onto pavements.

Vietnam's traffic police are seen by citizens as notoriously corrupt.

Last year US-based Human Rights Watch urged Vietnam to investigate "widespread police brutality", saying it had documented 19 incidents of reported brutality by law enforcers over the previous year, resulting in 15 deaths.

As noted earlier, things seem to be "fluid" these days. Part of the fun factor if one can afford it.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Yempaul,
Could u please give me the details of yr fixer to enter in Vietnam?
thx
mamos
 
mamos said:
Hi Yempaul,
Could u please give me the details of yr fixer to enter in Vietnam?
thx
mamos
Click to expand...


mamos

You have a PM ... :DD
 
Hi Mamos:
I would like to know what kind of price you get for the "fixer" services. I would be entering on one motorcycle (1,000 cc), going solo.

I can go south to north or north to south and will exit the country, not traveling on a Carnet de Passage.

PM me if you would rather not share price quote with the general public.

Thank You!
 
we have rode in vietnam early last year in a group.it was a good ride entering from
pnom Penhv through Bavet to HCM.it was arrange by a tour company headed by a ldy biker Eileen Tan.met by HCM riders and escorted us all the way to throughout the trip to Hailon bay.cost wise it was not expensive and agree with the fee USD 600 per group.we pay roughly 1000USD per head.and this was the first and only BMW GS ride to vietnam.heard that singapore Harley riders use to shipped the bike to HCM.we ride home through Samneu ti Ponsavan Laos from Hanoi through uncharted small and rough as it the route was not shown on goggle and some areas on our gps.
 
Afanddy said:
we have rode in vietnam early last year in a group.it was a good ride entering from
pnom Penhv through Bavet to HCM.it was arrange by a tour company headed by a ldy biker Eileen Tan.met by HCM riders and escorted us all the way to throughout the trip to Hailon bay.cost wise it was not expensive and agree with the fee USD 600 per group.we pay roughly 1000USD per head.and this was the first and only BMW GS ride to vietnam.heard that singapore Harley riders use to shipped the bike to HCM.we ride home through Samneu ti Ponsavan Laos from Hanoi through uncharted small and rough as it the route was not shown on goggle and some areas on our gps.
Click to expand...


Affendy ... Eileen is back in Singapore now ... she is not with the tour company anymore. Quite a charcter she is.

Oh by the way there's a group of GS who did Vietnam in 2007. They rode all the way from Singapore. You guys must be the group headed by David?
 
yes.my group headed by David Wunderlich Kuala Lumpur.it was a good ride though the traffic in Vietnam was chaotic.
 
Yempaul.Eileen is good.she was was with me all the from HCM right to Hanoi.pillion on my GSA.
 
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