Exporting a Motorbike from Pattaya to the UK

[Petesie]

A friend is interested in exporting a new bike to the UK; this model is not available there. It's a small bike & will probably be the Honda CT125. Does anyone know a dealer or otherwise who can arrange this? He's heard conflicting info about registration/deregistration, i.e. if it's a new bike which he's exporting he does not need to register it.

Appreciate any information you can provide, thanks.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Petesie

[Edge]

 

If it's not available in UK surely that means it hasn't been homologated(?) or whatever the testing/approval process is?

If not, then you can't register it there, assuming they would even allow it to be imported.

[Petesie]

It's a Honda CT125 produced in Thailand under license for the Thai market; it's also now available in Canada. I'm not sure if it's a definitive negative on registration/import as testing & approvals are established & have been conducted by other countries.

I learned a new word today...homologated. 😎

Edited October 8, 2023 by Petesie

[ZRHuser]

Tell him to stuff that idea and buy a Honda Monkey instead. They look very similiar btw.

[Gaztop08]

I know many years ago(maybe 10 or more) people from the Uk would travel to Germany to get there German cars direct from the factories over there and save themselves some money.So there must be some sort of mechanism for this .Unless this loophole got closed?

[mattmoore1965x]

I've imported cars and bikes from abroad before and its always a pain in the ass, always takes longer than expected and always costs more than you think it should.  The last two times I've just paid someone to do it for me, which after import duty etc etc I then found the cost to be about the same as if I just bought it from the UK already imported by someone else.

This is a CT125 for example already sitting in the UK for sale:

https://dkmotorcycles.com/used_singlebike.php?Bike=CT125&Id=96271

The CT125 is not coming to the UK, but you can get the C125 and its not hard or expensive to convert to something very close to the CT125, or for a bit more money make it 100% identical.

If I was him, I'd buy the C125 in the UK then fed-ex or put in my luggage from Thailand the different parts on the CT125 - then swap everything over in my shed in the UK with a nice cup of tea in my hand.....

The differences between the CT125 and the C125 are:

The CT125 frame is from the C125 Super Cub but gets a reinforced steering head section for more off-road strength and an extended rear section to add to its carrying capacity (bolt-on). Taller suspension gives 165mm of ground clearance, up from 125mm (British kerbs are normally 150mm, so the difference is a worthwhile one).

The final drive ratio is altered compared to the C125 with a 39-tooth rear sprocket instead of the Super Cub’s 36-tooth design, reducing the bike’s top speed but emphasising torque and acceleration.

Ebay sells most of the parts for the CT125 in the UK - even the decal kits!

I'm a nerd for stuff like this and now I'm thinking about doing it myself!

 

 

Edited October 8, 2023 by mattmoore1965x

[Pat56]

16 hours ago, Gaztop08 said:

I know many years ago(maybe 10 or more) people from the Uk would travel to Germany to get there German cars direct from the factories over there and save themselves some money.So there must be some sort of mechanism for this .Unless this loophole got closed?

The UK is no longer part of the EU so to import a vehicle personally from an EU country is now far more complex and expensive.

[billybob69]

If he is to import a bike to the UK, it is likely to be easier to do if it new or near new and already been registered for the road in the home country. Otherwise you then have the added hassle of proofing the age of the motorbike.

The Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) has a wealth of information on registering imported bikes.