need advice: license convert & buying new bike

[allAboutJay.net]

Hi all,

 

Sorry that I am noob, I was just in Singapore for 8 months and the biking ideas has just come out for a couple of weeks.

 

I want to convert my home country's riding license (Vietnam) to a Singapore one, and also buy a new bike (of course ). I've done a lot of search around but it seems to be so difficult because I don't even know the exact keyword to search for.

 

1. I need to study the Singapore street rules & regulars for the basic theory test and also for my own safety on the road. Is there any online resource that I can have a reading?

 

2. I'm interested in the Honda Phantom (yes, I saw a Phantom Knight community here) since that's the most suitable bike for 2B license. Does anyone know how much that I need to pay to get that bike hit the road?

 

3. Can a foreigner (staying under student pass) own a bike after all? Can I apply for monthly installment basis, and how?

 

4. Parking in Singapore is such a headache thing . I've read through the HDB website and understood about season parking, but what do I need to do when going somewhere and need to park the bike? I saw so many people just part their bikes on the side-walk, is that allowed? What's the meaning of the white and yellow figures painted on the parking slot surface?

 

5. It's a good idea to buy an used bike, but my knowledge in bike's mechanism is very limited (I used to have the specialists to take care of those things in Vietnam). Therefore, I do need some advice to check the bike's condition when buying, and to do a proper owner transferring.

 

6. Can I go to a Honda official outlet to buy a Honda bike? is there such outlet in Singapore or they only sells cars? Will the price be different?

 

 

If these questions bother you than please just ignore. But it would be so nice if anybody can spare a few minutes to help me out.

[DM]

for bike selection:

http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164254

since you are interested in the phantom, go and read up in the phantom knights section.

 

parking anywhere else besides a carpark will result in a fine of ~$25-$150 SGD

depending on the severity of the parking offense, demerit points will be issued as well. please do a search on Driver Improvement Points on google and this forum. not all parking offenses will result in deduction of DIPs. parking in designated motorcycle lots will usually require parking coupons that can be purchased by provision shops/ gas stations.

 

you will need to convert your license to a local one by taking a riding/ driving test at the appropriate driving centre. try searching for bbdc or ssdc. these are 2 driving schools within singapore that provide courses for what you requested

[allAboutJay.net]

thank you for your reply.

 

I don't think a riding course is necessary. Just need some kind of reference... or book that can help me understanding the rules.

 

Do you know whether if a foreigner is eligible to own a bike? and how to apply for monthly installment plans?

[DM]

as long as you are a paying customer with a registered address in singapore, it is possible. if you are not here on permanent residence, i don't think it is possible unless you pay for the vehicle in full which means no instalments. monthly instalment plans are a 1-1 deal made between you and the shop selling the vehicle and terms; conditions vary from shop to shop. you have to check with LTA to see if your license is recognised here just to be safe. if it is not, you might need to convert it. besides, bike shops need to verify your license before selling you the vehicle.

 

as for the book on riding and driving regulations, you can buy it at the driving centres which i mentioned earlier on.

[aRcHeR]

as long as you are a paying customer with a registered address in singapore, it is possible. if you are not here on permanent residence, i don't think it is possible unless you pay for the vehicle in full which means no instalments. monthly instalment plans are a 1-1 deal made between you and the shop selling the vehicle and terms; conditions vary from shop to shop. you have to check with LTA to see if your license is recognised here just to be safe. if it is not, you might need to convert it. besides, bike shops need to verify your license before selling you the vehicle.

 

as for the book on riding and driving regulations, you can buy it at the driving centres which i mentioned earlier on.

 

just some corrections, it is possible to own a bike on a hire-purchase basis, even if you are a foreigner(work permit, student pass, etc). as long as there is a local guarantor, there is no problem in getting the hire-purchase agreement.

 

most licenses are recognised in sg, provided that they are translated into english for processing at the TP office located at CDC, SSDC and BBDC.

 

cheers!

[allAboutJay.net]

that's good information. thanks all you guys.

 

I think I can manage to get a sponsor .

[scoobydoo]

see my comments in green

Hi all,

 

Sorry that I am noob, I was just in Singapore for 8 months and the biking ideas has just come out for a couple of weeks.

 

I want to convert my home country's riding license (Vietnam) to a Singapore one, and also buy a new bike (of course ). I've done a lot of search around but it seems to be so difficult because I don't even know the exact keyword to search for.

Before we start, you must be at least 18 years old

To convert a foreign driving license to a Singaporean driving license, you must pass the Basic Driving Theory Test in order to prove you have an understanding of the Singaporean Highway Code.

 

do read this from SSDC regarding the conversion requirements/process:

http://www.ssdcl.com.sg/Conversion_of_Foreign_Driving_licence.htm

To do the conversion, you must first enroll (apply in person) and pass the Riding Theory Test:

Singapore Safety Driving Centre Ltd

3, Ang Mo Kio Street 62

Industrial Park 3 Singapore 569139

Tel : (65) 6482 6060 Fax : (65) 6482 8808

http://www.ssdcl.com.sg/

Bukit Batok Driving Centre Ltd

815 Bukit Batok West Ave 5 Singapore 659085

Tel: (65) 65611233 Fax: (65) 65611266

http://www.bbdc.com.sg/

 

Comfort Driving Centre Pte Ltd

205 Ubi Ave 4 Singapore 408805

Tel: (65) 6841 8900 Fax: (65) 6841 8913

http://www.comfortdrivingcentre.com.sg/

 

1. I need to study the Singapore street rules & regulars for the basic theory test and also for my own safety on the road. Is there any online resource that I can have a reading?

 

there is no online resource as yet... the inexpensive "textbooks" could be purchase over the counter at the driving centres, you need to go there for registration anyway

2. I'm interested in the Honda Phantom (yes, I saw a Phantom Knight community here) since that's the most suitable bike for 2B license. Does anyone know how much that I need to pay to get that bike hit the road?

 

new ones (left over stock since no longer in production) should cost around $7k +/- depending on your age, inclusive of everything (e.g. machine price, 7% GST, COE, registration, insurance, IU, etc.), commonly known as On The Road

used ones are much cheaper. you can get a reasonable good 5 yrs old for around $2k or less (see garage sales/used bike section & Phantom Buy & Sell 2007 (http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/images/misc/multipage.gif 1 2 3 ... Last Page), but need to be very careful on the bike's condition. don't just go for price coz may end up spending hundreds in repairs. bike with accessories and mods will cost more

3. Can a foreigner (staying under student pass) own a bike after all? Can I apply for monthly installment basis, and how?

 

someone has answered this earlier... as long as there is a local guarantor, finance company will go for your guarantor if you run away

 

4. Parking in Singapore is such a headache thing . I've read through the HDB website and understood about season parking, but what do I need to do when going somewhere and need to park the bike? I saw so many people just part their bikes on the side-walk, is that allowed? What's the meaning of the white and yellow figures painted on the parking slot surface?

 

here, we have season parking, paid parking, free parking (include going through gap), take-chance parking (parking lot but didn't display valid coupon) and illegal/unauthorised parking (pavements, walkways, void decks, etc, park at your own risk).

check this out for where to park free/pay whenever you wanna go out... very useful parking in shopping centres... (http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/images/misc/multipage.gif 1 2 3 ... Last Page)

different colour markings have different implications. generally, white is normal, yellow is within CBD area or restricted, red is reserved or only season parking. think for bikes, just be careful of the red ones

5. It's a good idea to buy an used bike, but my knowledge in bike's mechanism is very limited (I used to have the specialists to take care of those things in Vietnam). Therefore, I do need some advice to check the bike's condition when buying, and to do a proper owner transferring.

 

best to get friends who are knowledgeable to check the bike for you. DIY ownership transfer is pretty simple (see this). easy way out is to go bike shop and let them do transfer for you for a fee of around $20-$30 (think you don't have a choice if taking loan from bike shop), you need to get insurance for bike as well... pay for convenience and time

6. Can I go to a Honda official outlet to buy a Honda bike? is there such outlet in Singapore or they only sells cars? Will the price be different?

 

the authorised distributor/agent for Honda here is Boon Siew Singapore Pte Ltd (http://www.boonsiewhonda.com.sg/). yes, you can buy from them but their deals are not as competitive as bike shops and they don't carry phantoms anymore. some bike shops along serangoon road still have left over new phantoms for sale

If these questions bother you than please just ignore. But it would be so nice if anybody can spare a few minutes to help me out.