Is it complicated to buy a motorcycle? How does it work?

[snowridr]

I've seen a few proper motorcycles on the SLEX on the weekends when we go to Alabang or Makati but it is rare.

[snowridr]

On 12/14/2016 at 7:14 AM, Gator said:

Rules of the road? The rule there is that the bigger vehicles have the right of way. Other then that there are no rules; it's just one giant fee for all! 

@Momo034

 

You will need to get a Philippines driver's license after 60 (or 90 days?) or get an international license as they're valid for one year. Make a copy of the OR and CR (title and registration) and always carry the copies with you when riding; store the originals in a safe place. 

 

The current batch of new hires had to wait until we had our 47a2 Visas (good for 2 years) before we could we get a Philippine Driver's license. Supposedly late last year there was a law change where a foreigner had to have a visa that would be good for at least one year before you could get a DL.  We were able to get them in Binan just before Christmas, took 3 1/2 hours for the license conversion and cost about 850pesos.  However they do not have the special plastics available for the DL - so they are printed on the back of our receipts from the payment.  We were told we could swap those out and get the correct plasticard version in the spring.

 

AAA has Intl DL good for a year for $20 iirc, so that may be a better option for you.

 

(sorry for the double post - thought this was worth saying.)

[robert k]

2 hours ago, snowridr said:

AAA has Intl DL good for a year for $20 iirc, so that may be a better option for you.

 

 

From what I understand the AAA international license is good for a year in any country which doesn't have licenses printed in English? If your license from your home country doesn't need translating the effective period of an international license is 0. You are still only supposed to get 90 days on your foreign license in the Philippines. (unless something has changed) Not to say that you might not bamboozle a traffic enforcement officer who is not paying attention.

Someone mentioned in jest what I think might be a great idea. Get a drivers license with a lot of squiggly lines and play dumb.

That said, nobody ever asked for my passport to see how long I had been in the country except BoI. Fortunately I did get my Philippines drivers license before the law that you must have a 1 year visa took effect and I am grandfathered under the new law...so far.

Edited January 27, 2017 by robert k

[snowridr]

We were told by our employer the US driver's license is only valid for 90 days of driving.  This is why you need an Int'l Driving Permit (I was wrong in describing it as a license) until someone could now get a Philippine DL (not that it stops people from driving with the permit or a PHI DL)  It is good in over 150 countries including the Philippines.  You can find a list here:

http://www.drivers.com/article/937/

 

We don't carry our passports with us either  since we have two forms of ID no need (and no risk of having it lost/stolen/confiscated illegally)

 

[AlwaysRt]

1 hour ago, snowridr said:

We were told by our employer the US driver's license is only valid for 90 days of driving.  This is why you need an Int'l Driving Permit (I was wrong in describing it as a license) until someone could now get a Philippine DL (not that it stops people from driving with the permit or a PHI DL)  It is good in over 150 countries including the Philippines.  You can find a list here:

http://www.drivers.com/article/937/

 

We don't carry our passports with us either  since we have two forms of ID no need (and no risk of having it lost/stolen/confiscated illegally)

 

As mentioned before, since your US license in already in english an international driving permit is worthless in the Philippines.

I went to Staples before I left the US, had my passport photo and info pages shrunk down to credit card size and laminated front and back so it looks like an official passport card. I have used it to rent motorcycles, apartments, and prove ID. I use it anywhere except airports, immigration etc. "Others" will accept it as official ID and I don't care if the $3 copy is lost, stolen, or held for "ransom" to make me do something (bribe).

[Dave Hounddriver]

9 hours ago, snowridr said:

We were told by our employer the US driver's license is only valid for 90 days of driving.  This is why you need an Int'l Driving Permit

Don't ya hate it when the boss is wrong.  

[momo034]

Hello all, thanks for all the advice.  Im the guy who posted the original message.  Just thought I would explain how things went for me for the record.  So all my plans changed.  I originally was looking for a "bigger" dual sport type bike like an XR200, and I was looking on OLX.  After not finding anything decent and getting fed up with the whole process and realizing I just wanted some wheels and didnt need to be so picky (something reliable is all I wanted), I ended up buying a honda TMX 125 repo from the official Honda Dealer.  I had a local friend who was helping me out with it all.  Actually I think I got a great deal.  New they cost 49,000.  Mine was pretty much brand new, only had 1,300k on it and I got it for 35,500.  

The process was super easy, I gave them my ID, they do all the registration stuff, in a month I get the official papers in the mail, in the meantime they send you off with the deed of sale and orignal receipt which is all you need.  All very painless.  I did find out quite quickly the bike was not running so well and needed a new "stator" (apparently thats what they call an alternator here).  I took it back to the dealer and bitched and moaned and they agreed to install a new one for fee if I bought the part, which aftermarket was only 500p.  Since then no problems at all.  Definitely a dinky little bike, geared for torque and not top end...not gonna win any races but hey, it works!  

As for drivers license topic, all I can say is that Im 100% sure you are good for 90 days with your foreign license (and if you only carry a copy of passport front page and anotehr form if ID how can they prove how long you have been here).  I bookmarked the page that says so on the official government website in case any cop gets the idea to give me a hard time I can show him: http://www.lto.gov.ph/frequently-asked-questions/license-permit

I have already made it as far as Vigan, via Baguin and Sagada.  I will use the bike the next 5 weeks to tour the country, then will sell it at a loss.  So if anyone is interested in buying it let me know, you'd get a great deal.  

Thanks again for all the help!

 

 

[snowridr]

Hope you have a safe trip!

 

LTO says it is only 90 days.  This may be different than when other people entered the country in the past.  Things do have a habit of changing around here ;)

http://lto.gov.ph/frequently-asked-questions/license-permit.html

 

I saw this - "4.5. Original copy of drug test result issued by DOH Accredited Drug Testing Center;"   which we did not do, no one ever mentioned it either time we tried getting a license.

Is that recent?

 

 

[sonjack2847]

3 hours ago, momo034 said:

Hello all, thanks for all the advice.  Im the guy who posted the original message.  Just thought I would explain how things went for me for the record.  So all my plans changed.  I originally was looking for a "bigger" dual sport type bike like an XR200, and I was looking on OLX.  After not finding anything decent and getting fed up with the whole process and realizing I just wanted some wheels and didnt need to be so picky (something reliable is all I wanted), I ended up buying a honda TMX 125 repo from the official Honda Dealer.  I had a local friend who was helping me out with it all.  Actually I think I got a great deal.  New they cost 49,000.  Mine was pretty much brand new, only had 1,300k on it and I got it for 35,500.  

The process was super easy, I gave them my ID, they do all the registration stuff, in a month I get the official papers in the mail, in the meantime they send you off with the deed of sale and orignal receipt which is all you need.  All very painless.  I did find out quite quickly the bike was not running so well and needed a new "stator" (apparently thats what they call an alternator here).  I took it back to the dealer and bitched and moaned and they agreed to install a new one for fee if I bought the part, which aftermarket was only 500p.  Since then no problems at all.  Definitely a dinky little bike, geared for torque and not top end...not gonna win any races but hey, it works!  

As for drivers license topic, all I can say is that Im 100% sure you are good for 90 days with your foreign license (and if you only carry a copy of passport front page and anotehr form if ID how can they prove how long you have been here).  I bookmarked the page that says so on the official government website in case any cop gets the idea to give me a hard time I can show him: http://www.lto.gov.ph/frequently-asked-questions/license-permit

I have already made it as far as Vigan, via Baguin and Sagada.  I will use the bike the next 5 weeks to tour the country, then will sell it at a loss.  So if anyone is interested in buying it let me know, you'd get a great deal.  

Thanks again for all the help!

 

 

I have the same bike only black.I have been more than happy with it.I wish I could have got the deal you did.I will remember the repo deal if I buy in the future.

[mogo51]

On 12/14/2016 at 10:14 AM, sonjack2847 said:

I thought I was going to find it difficult transferring to the other side of the road but it was quite easy mate.I did try to drive responsibly but in doing that I was cut up all the time. Now I drive the same way(just not as dangerously) as they do.One thing to watch out for is when you are turning left some twits will still overtake you even if there is plenty of room on the right.

I had just that problem here in Pattaya Kev, only the opposite, turning right, a young d...head come flying down on the wrong side of the road, clipped me and knocked me A over head.