Buy adventure bike in Asia

[michal]

Hi All!


I’m glad that I can join your community and have access to this all knowledge and useful tips you have written so far. We are from Poland and want to explore Asia by bike. We want to buy a bike, because we believe it will be much cheaper then renting for few months and much easier to cross borders with it. We do not need super fast big bike, we just need the bike which will have enough power to take our asses and luggage (around 170 - 180 kg in total).


Currently we are in Thailand BKK because we thought it would be a good start, but the paperwork killed us. We learned that its impossible to buy motorbike on tourist visa.


We have friend in Malaysia and he told as that it should be no problem to buy motorcycle in his country and register on our names. It would be great if someone could confirm that info too!


Can you recommend any second-hand shops (or with new one bikes) in Malaysia? Penang would be the best location for us.


What bike do you recommend to buy? Which one is popular enough to has accessible parts and service?


We thought about Honda Transalp, Suzuki DR but it’s really hard to find it online.

 

[TB-Racing]

HONDA CRF250L or HONDA CB500X.... would be on top of my very short bike list and personal preference ~ nuff said....

 

[michal]

Hi TB-Racing,

Thanks for reply. I was also considering the CRF250L, but I'm concerned if it will be able to carry 2 persons and luggage.

 

[CraigBKK]

If there's two of you and you want just the one bike then a Honda CB500X would be a reliable and affordable choice. If it's two bikes you are after then I would also suggest the CRF250L. Not sure prices in Malaysia but 2013/4 models usually go for around 90,000THB in Thailand.

 

[BobS]

Michal - regardless of what someone has told you, it is NOT impossible to buy a bike while on a tourist visa.

Your difficulty will be to get an official document showing an address in Thailand for the registration.

Someone has to agree to let you use their address , and give you some support documentation.

You should be able to get the certificate at your embassy.

 

[michal]

BobS, you are right, but the Certificate of Residence is an issue for me. Even if I somehow get the documentation the BKK immigration office probably won't issue the certificate for me, due the visa period - max 30 days if I make visa run by plane. I've called to polish embassy, but they are not willing to help. That's why I need workaround solution.

My wife has no driving license for bikes, so we need one bike for two persons. She is also not experienced driver and it's better that she will travel as passenger for safety reason.
I like CRF more then CB500X more it has higher suspension.

What do you think about these bikes? Is it possible to get them in reasonable prices?
- Suzuki DR 600 / DRZ400
- Honda Transalp
- Honda Afrika Twin
- Kawasaki KLE 500

 

[kayten]

Hi there. Try and go to this website, www.mudah.my, and search for what you one. You will be able to find bikes for sale in Malaysia.

kio

 

[michal]

great link, thank you!