no more grey market bikes?

[Hoghead]

Why has the grey market for big bike registration situation suddenly changed overnight, effectively ending all competition to the official importer and forcing the small independent shops out of business?

A bike can be legally imported by a company with the necessary license(s) to do so, all taxes and duties paid, emissions tests passed, and yet the sole bureaucrat responsible for processing the registration documents in Bangkok refuses to sign. This is not a question of under declaring the value or other illegal moves, and no reason is given for the refusal to process the registration documents

There is no problem with getting a legally imported grey market car registered, but not a Harley Davidson. A skeptical rider would question how and why the situation changed when it is a legal process. A less disillusioned rider would simply conclude that this is part of the official importers plan to double sales in the next 4 years as reported by the Bangkok Post last month. Either way the rider suffers due to lack of competition and model choice.

 

[TonyBKK]

Hoghead;296668 wrote: Why has the grey market for big bike registration situation suddenly changed overnight, effectively ending all competition to the official importer and forcing the small independent shops out of business?

A bike can be legally imported by a company with the necessary license(s) to do so, all taxes and duties paid, emissions tests passed, and yet the sole bureaucrat responsible for processing the registration documents in Bangkok refuses to sign. This is not a question of under declaring the value or other illegal moves, and no reason is given for the refusal to process the registration documents

There is no problem with getting a legally imported grey market car registered, but not a Harley Davidson. A skeptical rider would question how and why the situation changed when it is a legal process. A less disillusioned rider would simply conclude that this is part of the official importers plan to double sales in the next 4 years as reported by the Bangkok Post last month. Either way the rider suffers due to lack of competition and model choice.

Erm... sorry, but what are you talking about? The grey market importers I deal with most (DR Bike, 59 Bike and Red Baron to name a few) continue to sell bikes without any problems. Has something changed in the last few days? Maybe you could provide a link? Or have you caught wind of some new rumor?

Grey market importers continue to do booming business in street legal bikes, easily undercutting the overpriced "official" importers prices and usually offering better support too! We have more choice and competition now in Thailand than we've ever had in the past. Awesome time to be a biker here!! :mrgreen:

 

[Hoghead]

Harley Davidson specifically are no longer being registered, according to my buddy who had to turn a container load around, give deposits back, and pay a 5% restocking fee.

According to this source, all the Harley grey market importers are in the same situation and have stopped importing

 

[TonyBKK]

Hoghead;296671 wrote: Harley Davidson specifically are no longer being registered, according to my buddy who had to turn a container load around, give deposits back, and pay a 5% restocking fee.

According to this source, all the Harley grey market importers are in the same situation and have stopped importing

Bah, it's Thailand mate. Just another "crackdown". I'll bet you a case of Beer Lao that the proper palms will be greased and it'll be business as usual in less than a month. TIT, innit great?! :mrgreen:

 

[Hoghead]

It is very possible that someones palm has been greased, and it is no secret that the official Importer has been trying to put a stop to grey market imports some quite some time.

Perhaps only a coincidence that this same importer has just opened a new 100 million baht building

You can buy me the case of beer Laos the end of the month on our Mekong trip

 

[TonyBKK]

Hoghead;296673 wrote: It is very possible that someones palm has been greased, and it is no secret that the official Importer has been trying to put a stop to grey market imports some quite some time.

Perhaps only a coincidence that this same importer has just opened a new 100 million baht building

You can buy me the case of beer Laos the end of the month on our Mekong trip

The exact same rumor was reported as "fact" when the Honda Big Wing showroom opened in Bangkok. People were saying, "That's it, Honda with their huge influence and market share, will kill the Grey Market importers".

Well, here we are a couple years later and Grey Market Hondas continue to fly out of the showrooms.

So, I think it's premature to say that just because one container got turned back at the port there's been an official change.

Time will tell, but I don't think the grey market importers are going to disappear any time soon.

See you soon!!!

 

[Hoghead]

Not just my buddy who voluntarily turned his container around, but I am told that all the Harley grey market importers have stopped importing due to the inability to get them registered

I understand that this is not an official change in policy, but simply that one official is refusing to sign. It does not take Sherlock Holmes to figure out why. I can only hope that you are right and that it will be back to business as usual.

 

[Hoghead]

yes new HD's

 

[monsterman]

Used HDs or other makes can still be imported but not new ones only the OEM importers can bring in New bikes .

 

[TonyBKK]

No prostitution or drugs either

 

[monsterman]

fdale;296699 wrote: But no more green books issued for second hand bikes since Sept 2012.

RED Baron , Manot Chonburi , some of the Pattaya boys and several other grey importers have been able to get NEW green books and full registration on the bangkok computer i saw a MV Agusta F4 that got its green book last week and yesterday saw 2 GSXR 750s , Victory vegas and 3 HDs which all got new books recently in a dealer in pattaya

But the only way for the to get the green book is via bangkok land transport system its expensive about 100k per machine , if its not on the bangkok computer it aint legal ,,,

 

[Hoghead]

The issue is not about other brands or the 100K + cost.

My well informed understanding is that no more HD's not matter how legal they have been imported will not be registered - note this is "will not be registered" , not cannot be registered - a very important semantic difference. I would be very interested to know if what you claim is in effect true

It is also my understanding that this new non legal policy may be relaxed in June after the official importer corners the market on the 2014 models
Smells like plau nam to me

 

[TonyBKK]

Yeah, smells fishy indeed. How is it that all other brands can be registered as usual but only one brand, Harley Davidson, can not?

Your earlier comment about:

the sole bureaucrat responsible for processing the registration documents in Bangkok refuses to sign

doesn't make much sense to me.

Do you really believe there's ONE GUY signing off on every single registration application for the entire country? Sorry mate, I'm not buying it.