Southeast Asia motorcycle travel costs. Dave Robinson breaks down the real costs of shipping a motorcycle across Southeast Asia in this report. From shipping fees to border bureaucracy, fixers, and unexpected rentals, Dave shares his first‑hand experience to give riders a clear picture of what to expect…
Contents
Shipping, Border and Rental Costs in Southeast Asia
By David Robinson
Dave Robinson AKA Bike Guy Dave
Born in 1972 and raised in leafy surrey, lucky enough to be able to retire after 30 years working for the government, with a bit of a pension that enables me to have this massive adventure.
I left the UK to try and ride around the world solo on my Yamaha Tenere World Raid and am still on the road today.
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This report covers the costs of moving a UK‑registered motorcycle across Southeast Asia and keeping it there for extended periods between 2025 – 2026. It is written from the perspective of a UK passport holder with a UK‑registered bike and a Carnet de Passages en Douane (Carnet).
All figures are presented in US dollars, as that’s the standard denomination used internationally for shipping and border fees. Importantly, this guide focuses solely on the motorcycle – visas and travel requirements for riders are a separate issue and not included here.
This article by Dave shares the numbers, lessons, and border battles from his ride as well as what we would do differently if riding Southeast Asia all over again…
Thailand
I shipped my motorcycle from Chennai, India to Bangkok, Thailand and it cost $1,200 in 2025.
I stood outside the port in Bangkok and could see the warehouse the bike was stored in through the fence. I could almost touch it. But to get my bike the last 100 metres cost an additional $1,130.
That fee included the foreign vehicle permit, customs clearance, a runner, fixer, van to transport and a guy to guard me while I was in the customs area.
As always, use a fixer where you can. They know where to go to get the stamps done. This was my introduction to the bureaucracy and corruption in Southeast Asia. I found it different from other places around the world, as it’s like they are trying to be official but just have no idea what they are doing due to outdated trade policies and the petty disputes between the countries in the area.
Bike entry into Thailand
To get the bike into Thailand you need a foreign vehicle permit (FVP) or as its sometimes called a Temporary Import Permit (TIP). Always included in this cost is the insurance for the month, the official stamps that are required and the printing of the papers and sorting a QR code for the bike.
This cost can range from $200 to $600 depending on the speed you require it or the amount of lead time you give. Also, you will have to take into account weekends and the 15 public holidays the Thais have every year.
The FVP lasts 30 days from the date of the stamp. And because mine was stamped 13 days before the bike arrived in Bangkok, I only had 17 days on my first FVP. You can extend the FVP for 30 days and this one cost me through an agent $500.
I gave the 15-day notice but as my original one ran out on a Sunday, and I didn’t want to risk not getting the extension, I renewed on the Thursday so on the original one I paid $500 and only got 11 days.
Once the bike is in Thailand you can leave, but the FVP becomes void on exit. When I handed my FVP in at the Thai Malysia mountain border crossing, the customs office there did offer to hold it for me as I still had six days left on the pass so I could come back into Thailand to use the days up.
You can if you require and it suits your plans just get one FVP when you first enter and then overstay. But, if you have overstayed your 30 days, when leaving you will have to pay a $30 fine per day up to a maximum of 10 days or $300. This will suit some people, but the real kicker is (and the reason I didn’t do this option) that the bike will be banned from Thailand forever (blacklisted) also you will not have any insurance as it only lasts the length of the FVP. The police can fine you for this if they feel like it or know the rule.
Note that you are only allowed one FVP and one extension FVP on a rolling 12-month period and they are very strict with this.
Total cost to get the bike into Thailand from India for 45 days was $2,930 (this included the shipping cost as well, and I won’t include that in the rest of the countries)/
I also ended up renting a bike for a month to look around the bits I missed as I was rushed with my bike and that cost me $500.
Thailand cost: $3,430
Further reading on Thailand
If you are planning a motorcycle adventure in Thailand, whether on your own motorcycle or with a rental, check out the Thailand Motorcycle Travel Guides page. You’ll find shipping companies, rental companies, route guides, FVP and paperwork guides, border info and everything you need to know to ride there.
Malaysia
If you are going to ship a motorcycle to Southeast Asia – the easiest and best country is Malaysia. Send it to Kuala Lumpa (KL). All you need is a Carnet and you can have the bike there as long as it’s valid.
The Malay insurance costs $37 for six months and is linked to your visa, so if you get a new visa, you can extend very easily at the many insurance shops at any border.
Note that small borders will only insure bikes under 500cc. As mine is 700cc, I was given a note from customs to show at police check points that I was given an exemption. I had to ride to the bigger Padang Basar town to get the larger bike insurance.
I did end up renting a bike with cross border access in Malysia to get back into Thailand I as I had friends there and wanted to spend Christmas with them and this cost me $700 for the rental.
Malaysia cost: $737
Further reading on Malaysia
If you are planning on riding in Malaysia, check out the Malaysia Motorcycle Travel Guides page first. You’ll find everything you need to know about riding and shipping there as well as info on how to cross between Malaysia, Borneo and Indonesia.
Singapore
Don’t bother. I have ridden in many countries around the world and I have to say Singapore was the hardest. Basically, they just do not want foreign vehicles there. I tried for six weeks to sort the paperwork. In the end I could not get in because I couldn’t enter my UK driving licence details on their Toll Road system. They also wanted to see my UK bike tax. I had been away for 19 months at this point and had placed my bike in what we call in the UK a statuary off road notice or a SORN, so I have no UK tax on the bike. I even had an agent go to the customs and toll office to explain this and I was still told no.
In the end I got a bus across to do the tourist bits.
Singapore cost: $2 (bus fare)
Myanmar
This is the biggest disappointment I had in Southeast Asia. I managed to find an agent that could organise a three-day trip for me with my bike across and back again around the mountains in the north for $1,750. This included paperwork, insurance, guide, hotels, and a fixer to cross the border.
But the bike was now in Malaysia and I couldn’t get a FVP to cross back into Thailand. I was gutted about this as with the FVP to get back into Thailand my intention was to cross Laos and back west through the stans.
Potential cost: $2,750
Actual cost: $0
Laos
The bike was in storage in Malysia. 90 days storage cost $145 but I gave my border fixer a $50 tip to keep an eye on it over three months and to send me photos of it all safe and secure once a week. He ended up being a great guy and I used him a lot over my time in the far east with free luggage storage to insurance extensions and even accommodation.
I got back to Bangkok and rented a 500cc Honda to go and have a look around Laos and Cambodia.
The bike rental cost $480 and an extra $100 (plus a massive deposit) for the paperwork to take the rental out of the country.
So, I arrived at the Laos border and paid $45 for a visa plus $5 for 16 days of insurance (the maximum you can get for a Thai bike entering Laos. For a foreign registered bike you cans stay longer).
Plus, the usual $10 incentive for the border guards that were working very hard on a Sunday afternoon. I had to pay $2 for the paperwork to be entered on some ancient computer system that I couldn’t read so I probably imported a lorry for all I know.
When I arrived at the border, I told the officers right from the start that I wanted to head straight to Cambodia and cross for 10 days then come back through the same two borders. After four hours at the border in Laos, and just after the last stamp was done, the guard said” “Oh, by the way, you can’t take your Thai registered bike into Cambodia”. Why he didn’t tell me that four hours ago I don’t know.
So, I spent a little time in Laos and then headed back into Thailand. Cambodia came later in the trip and I just rented a bike locally.
I managed to get the FVP to transit Thailand and found a fixer that could get my bike into Laos without a guide and escort for $100. If you do it officially it can cost a lot.
Laos cost: $637
Further reading on Laos
If you are planning on riding in Laos, whether on your own motorcycle or with a rental, check out the Motorcycle Travel Guides for Laos. You’ll find rental companies, border, paperwork and route info and everything you need to know to ride there.
Cambodia
All the borders closed the week after I arrived due to a war that started between Thailand and Cambodia. So, I couldn’t get across with my bike or a rental. This meant I had to fly in and rent a bike instead.
Rental bike: $50
Further reading on Cambodia
If you are planning on riding in Cambodia, check out the Cambodia Motorcycle Travel Guides section. You’ll find rental companies, shipping info, border and paperwork info and more.
Vietnam
Don’t bother trying to get your own bike in. Again, I have heard some stories of people getting in but it all involves big incentives for officials and even then you will have to dodge the many road blocks. I just flew and rented.
Rental bike: $50
Further reading on Vietnam
If you are planning on riding in Vietnam, the Vietnam Motorcycle Travel Guides page lists the best rental and tour companies, detailed guides on the best routes and packed guides for travellers with important info on paperwork requirements.
China
My plan was to go through Thailand and Loas into China. But I didn’t do it this way because I couldn’t get the FVP. My research for China and potential costings were as follows.
Once at the border there are two options: solo or in a group. With both they will make you stick to a route they choose and monitor you along the way. The cost for both includes fixers at both ends and support along the way. It can take between 9 and 27 days and you can opt to not do part of the designated route.
Cost: between $1,700 in a group and up to $7,000 solo
Actual cost $0
Further reading on China
If you are planning on riding in China, visit the Motorcycle Travel Guides for China section. You’ll find guides explaining how to ride there in a group and how to ride solo with company recommendations.
Indonesia
My original plan was to head to Indonesia and ship to Australia and then return to Southeast Asia. I opted out of this route because the costs mounted up too highly.
To get from Malysia to Indonesia is $500 each way for the bike and a flight for yourself $100. To get from Indonesia to Australia each way is around $3,500 unless you can find a group and wait around for them to all arrive in Bali to pack the shipping container plus a flight for yourself.
Projected cost: $8,400
Further reading on Indonesia
If you are planning on riding in Indonesia, whether on your own motorcycle or with a rental, check out the Indonesia Motorcycle Travel Guides section for shipping info, entry requirement and top routes. You’ll also find guides on how to ship from Indonesia to Australia.
Total costs
- Shipping in – $1,200
- Shipping in admin – $1,130
- Shipping out – $1,500
- Rental bikes – $2,100
- Administration – $764
- Total cost – $6,694
What I’d do differently in Southeast Asia
So now, with all this knowledge I’ve gathered after eight months trying to ride around Southeast Asia, what would I do differently? First, I would have left my UK bike in Nepal after finishing India, flown to Thailand, rented a house, applied for a year‑long multi‑entry retirement visa, and got the Thai (Isaan) driving licence. This licence allows you to ride all over the Far East in all the countries I’ve mentioned without any other paperwork, and it costs about $30 for a two‑year one with no test required.
I would then have purchased a brand‑new, fully kitted‑out Honda Transalp for around $6,000. With this setup you can do most of Southeast Asia with just a few incentives for officials and a small bit of red tape.
At the end of it all, you could then sell the bike for perhaps $4,500 with 5,000 km on it — and a smile on your face knowing you had a great time.
READ MORE: How to Buy and Sell a Motorcycle in Southeast Asia
Read more on motorcycle travel in Southeast Asia and Shipping
Thanks for checking out the Southeast Asia costings report. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycle travel in Southeast Asia that we recommend you read next.
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Are you planning a motorcycle trip in Southeast Asia? Do you have any questions or tips? Let us know in the comments below.
When you say, “$5 for 16 days of insurance (the maximum you can get).” you mean 16 days is the maximum time a Thailand registered bike is allowed, right?
I think that distinction is important because a bike registered outside ASEAN can be there for longer and you can certainly get insurance for longer.
And the $10 “incentive” and $2 computer entry fee are not official. I certainly didn’t pay them!
Thanks for the addition Henry, you’re right, well noted and ammended.
Cheers
Thank you for the detailed description!
Mehmet