Getting a big bike into Vietnam
 

Does anyone know how to get a big bike into Vietnam? I have seen big bike travelers in my travels but I never asked them how they got in. I want to ship a bike from the states but I have no idea. I tried to call the embassy but so far no luck. So...Can anyone help?

I have not tried it myself but looking on other sites it seems to be a problem, with stories of people have there bike impounded etc. Have a look at this site, they may be able to help.
I have been on it and found it to be a not bad site

Ride Asia Motorcycle Forum

Wayne

Hey, I did the the trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi with four friends. We took a month doing it, and doing a lot of the Ho Chi Minh trail. Getting a bike in either city is very easy, whichever way you want to start. We were all able to buy bikes in a couple days. Best place to start is the hostels, because a good amount of people do this trip and when they finish they stay at a hostel and try to sell it. The message boards are always full of motos for sale. It literally took me 4 hours to get one. I asked around on the streets and eventually a local guy took me on his moto to go look at a few. I bought one, and we left town that afternoon. We all paid between $200-$300. Then at the end in Hanoi, we all had 3-4 days to sell them before flying out, which was no problem. Put up fliers at Hanoi Backpackers and a couple local websites. All of us got rid of them for as much or more than we bought them for. Just go and you will have no problem getting one. We were never stopped once by the police in one month. If you ever pass them just wave like a dorky westerner and they won't give you a problem. None of us had insurance. When you buy the bike, the person will give you a small little registration/title card. This was one of the best times of my life, such an incredible time. Be very careful, the roads are some of the most insane, and big trucks and buses will run you over if you don't yield to them. Many people die on the roads. We saw a couple very bad accidents, but don't let that deter you.
Ryan

on a thread here on the HUBB, I remember reading to get your bike into and out of Vietnam there was only "one" border crossing you could use, I also need to dig up that thread, to see if the info is still correct, as for my own adventures. something about that specific crossing, you needed to enter and exit from only that one, but overland riders where going into and traveling around Vietnam..

let the digging begin

Question Ryan, if you get one of those local bikes can you ride into the nearby countries??

I rode there in 2012 (or was it 2013).
There is one border between Laos and Vietnam where you might be lucky (road #12 goes to Vietnam).
Several bikers got through that year, but at some point they put a stop for this again.
It is not officially allowed, so it all depends how the people at the border feel during that time...

Ok thanks! I read on another thread that you can get a bike in Malaysia and get around to other countries with a bike from there; might try that.

Other SE-Asia countries are not a problem for big foreign bike, only Vietnam.

this is a copy of a report I have but I cannot say how old or accurate today this is;
Cambodia 2 Vnam,it was a real pain crossing Ha Tien border with a big bike. Went to and fro the 2 immigration checkpoints SIX times, and had to pay 20USD bribe + 10,000riels tips to get the ok for the bike.
(Ha Tien border crossing - 10.426914, 104.453480)

Thanks; i have a big bike I left in Ireland as I finished up my north Asia- Europe trip but I thought it would be the easiest/ cheapest to just fly into one of the SE Asia countries buy a 2-400. Local bike and go from there.

There is a border crossing down in the middle. I can't remember the name, my maps are at home. But it is known as a bit of a dodgy crossing if done at night. A lot of illegal loggers and dog smugglers run this border as it is corrupt as hell. I'll check the name and come back.