How to buy a motorbike in Singapore and drive to Europe?
 

Hi,
I have the idea to buy a bike in Singapore and driving all the way back to Europe. Do you have any experience with that? Is it possible to buy a bike in Singapore and do this trip? What about boarder crossings and insurance with a singapore bike?

I am right now in Australia, another option to buy the bike here? Is it easier with paper work?

Thanks for any help on this topic.

Hi Keyla,

I see nobody has answered your question yet, and since I was curious I did a google search on buying a motorcycle in Singapore. It's a lovely city to visit with some of the best Indian food in south asia, but alas, according to:

ExpatSingapore - Once you're here: Cost of owning a car

you need authorization to buy a vehicle and the barriers look formidable and expensive.

I have ridden on small rented motos in Thailand when visiting. Large motorcycles over 250cc are rare in Southeast Asia and because of high import duties it would likely be much cheaper to buy a bike in Oz.

Of course you have to factor in the cost of ferrying your bike to Timor from Darwin and then onward.

This website gives approximate costs for the ferries and air transport to get you across Indonesia, over to Malaysia and around Myanmar:

Shipping and Ferries on my RTW trip – Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, East Timor, Australia

You will also have to learn what a Carnet is. More info is on this site if you use the search box in the upper right hand corner of this page.

Best luck in your travels!

Kindest regards,
John Downs

I would 2nd John's advice.

Singapore is the least Petrol head friendly country in SE Asia.

I would check out Cambodia/Malaysia or Thailand as being better options. Malaysia does have massive import duty of some type of good though (to protect their world class - cough- car the Proton).... And whilst there are millions of scooters, there are few big bikes.

In Cambodia in June you could buy a Honda XR250 for aprox $2,500 (US). Vietnam is may be possible to buy something larger than 160cc, but the reality looked more difficult.

Thanks for all those links. I will check the option to buy a bike in Australia. I guess also the paperwork will be easier here than in Asia.

I also have to check what happens when I finally going to import the bike to Switzerland, as our little country is very good on wanting high taxes :-)