buying a bike

Yes, you can try to negotiate a price. It is a bit cumbersome, but you might safe for a bit gasoline.
As for the differences: I have no clue, which one might be the better one - it depends primarily on your needs.

As for paying/owing, yes, you can own normally a bike in your name, if you can have a driving licence here. Many shops still will refuse you, so it might be more easy to "own" an owner (a Vietnamese friend) gives a full permit, to use his/her bike.

l3ully wrote:

it might be more easy to "own" an owner (a Vietnamese friend) gives a full permit, to use his/her bike.

I agree with this. I have "owned" two motorbikes here, and both were purchased by me through a trusted Vietnamese friend, in their names. I don't want the hassle of Vietnamese official "red tape" just to have a motorbike in my name.

Important thing to remember: Make sure your trusted friend is someone who will always stay in the area. You will need his/her signature on the necessary paperwork required to sell the bike to it's next owner.

oof! well, I could have my driving license converted, it's just a bit of a hassle to have it translated and then notarized and whatever else that's needed before I can apply for a local driving license.

But owning a bike in my name is do-able then? I don't actually have any Vietnamese friends here.

lauryn6061 wrote:

But owning a bike in my name is do-able then?

Yes

lauryn6061 wrote:

I don't actually have any Vietnamese friends here.

Then you need to get busy and get to know some Vietnamese who can be your friends. They will be a big help to you in everything you do in Vietnam. I have as many Vietnamese friends as I have Western friends.

Jaitch wrote:

To drive in VN you you need a Vietnamese licence. "Trading rights" that exist for citizens of ASEAN countries do not benefit non-citizens; ditto for any vehicle privileges.

As to whether you can 'trade' a Thai licence or not for a VN licence I don't know the answer. Traded licences have restrictions that don't apply to outright theory/driving test licences.

As for getting pulled over, the cops main interest is in collecting money. I know some Foreigners who have driven for years and have never been pulled over or have a VN licence. It depends on how you drive and if your lights are working.

When you have documents (Residence/Work Permits) valid for more than one year you can register a vehicle in your name. There is no connection between a VN driving licence and ownership - duration permitted in VN determines how you register it.

Got this off a thread in the forum: https://www.expat.com/forum/post.php?ti … qid=890446

Hm... all of this just sounds complicated!!
Thanks for your advice.. and appreciate if there are any other suggestions.

If you have a long legs..i thing Yamaha cuxi is not good..it very small..and not easy for u take someone with you.

So you want to buy a new one or second hand? If buy a new one, very easy...have a lot of Store for every branch: yamaha, honda, sym...If you buy a sencond hand...you need to know very good about machine or you will get problem later.

Yuli.

lauryn6061 wrote:

Question: Are both motorbikes dependable and which one would be the better deal? What about maintenance costs? Resale value?

Resale value is very low both Yamaha and Kawasaki here in Vietnam. Same as maintenance. Better choose Honda which has a good image in market and the maintenance is low.

Saigonmonkey,

Don't you know the word, gullible, is not in the dictionary? 

Wild_1 wrote:

Saigonmonkey,

Don't you know the word, gullible, is not in the dictionary? 

Allow me to clarify my gullibility (is that also not in the dictionary?):

Western friends
Vietnamese friends

And then there's Howie - in a category all his own, and impossible to define....

saigonmonkey Oh you can define him alright, the problem is that the mods would delete the post.....

Thanks for the useful advice.

Yuli, I am Asian so nope.. no long legs However I would be transporting my boyfriend around (or perhaps him driving me around) so perhaps it won't be a good idea then. he's quite tall.

Not too keen on spending too much money on bikes (new ones or that  Yamaha Cuxi that I saw but in the ad it looked supercute). Planning to stay another 9 months here, but who knows, it would probably be extended.

A colleague is selling his Yamaha Nouvo only after a month of buying it off another colleague.... So I am a bit suspicious of why he's trying to sell it off again.

Thanks again for the useful advice peeps!