Buying a motorcycle with my USA license?

[abnson]

Hi there, I'm here for the next 12 months on an Employment Pass and I want to buy myself a motorcycle. I have a class M1 California Drivers License which is unrestricted and drove a KZ1000 Police Edition and a Harley Davidson Fatboy for many years there. I just called NTUC INCOME I can get insurance with my USA license, so I must be able to buy a motorcycle too, right? I may convert my license at some stage but since I'm only here until the end of next year, why should I bother? Especially since I met a Finish guy over the weekend and he has been driving his Harley over here for the last 2 years on his Finland License without issues.

 

Any advice much appreciated,

Regards,

Alan Benson

[velocity325]

http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/showthread.php/243441-Classes-2B-2-singapore-license-conversion-from-foreign-rider-license-thread...

[lauhs8]

Driving with a foreign licence in Singapore

 

Visitors (without student pass, work permit, employment pass or Singapore Permanent Resident, or other social passes) who have been in Singapore less than six months may drive with their foreign-issued licence citation needed. Conversion to a Singapore licence is often possible by passing only the Basic Theory Test if the foreign issued licence has not expired citation needed. No practical test is required citation needed.

[GuiNNeSS]

Regards to the Finnish guy in Singapore w/o a converted licence.

 

Good luck so far. Lets hope his luck holds.

 

For the TS aka Threadstarter. Yes. You can buy a motorcycle in Singapore with your current US licence. But if you are going to be Singapore for more then 6 months. Please, just go for the conversion and get a Singapore Driving/Riding Licence. Treat it as a collecting items hobby. You wont want to be put under scrutinization 6 months later. Either by your employers, the expat community or whatever else. Not worth it. People will want to know you because you are sauve, sexy(I am trying my best to change your mindset.) Rider. Not because you are riding in Singapore with a foreign licence, for more then 6 months.

 

If your vehicle is rented, its understandable. But if not (you want to buy yoru own), its totally too subtle a effort to get around the the law and legalities. And local insurances might turn around to denouce your actions. In Sg, we need to read the fine prints, finely.....

[GuiNNeSS]

BTW, we drive, ride on different side of the road from USA. And the signs are different. Might be fun to learn the differences thru the conversion.

[abnson]

BTW, we drive, ride on different side of the road from USA. And the signs are different. Might be fun to learn the differences thru the conversion.

 

Hey, thanks for the info. I've decided to go ahead and convert. I chatted with the Kawasaki dealer here and he was nice enough to explain to me the process. Tomorrow morning I will go to the driving centre and book my BTT so I can convert :-)

 

I'm from Ireland originally so I'm used to driving on both sides of the road ;-)

[Pulser]

Hey, thanks for the info. I've decided to go ahead and convert. I chatted with the Kawasaki dealer here and he was nice enough to explain to me the process. Tomorrow morning I will go to the driving centre and book my BTT so I can convert :-)

 

I'm from Ireland originally so I'm used to driving on both sides of the road ;-)

 

Hey dude, You dont need to convert your license right away. You are allowed to ride on your foreign license for 1 yr. Its only after 1 yr that you are reqd to convert it to a Singapore License.

 

Cheers!

[abnson]

Hey dude, You dont need to convert your license right away. You are allowed to ride on your foreign license for 1 yr. Its only after 1 yr that you are reqd to convert it to a Singapore License.

 

Cheers!

 

Hey Pulser, as far as the year allowance goes, does the time start ticking from the time you enter Singapore, or when you register a motorbike in your name?

 

I wasn't going to even get a motorbike as I expected to be leaving in March, but I was informed last week that I will be staying for another year so I want one now.

[Pulser]

It starts ticking from the day you step into Singapore. Regarding the Finnish guy, dont even think about taking a chance! I heard that if you get caught riding without converting beyond a year, you pay a hefty fine like 2k dollars and not just that, You also lose your previledge to convert your foreign license!!!!!!

[Doomxxx]

Just convert the license. Go register for basic theory. After pass can convert is easy and cheap.

[abnson]

It starts ticking from the day you step into Singapore. Regarding the Finnish guy, dont even think about taking a chance! I heard that if you get caught riding without converting beyond a year, you pay a hefty fine like 2k dollars and not just that, You also lose your previledge to convert your foreign license!!!!!!

 

My appointment is Jan 16 :-) I will convert. To get my license in the USA, I completed the California Motorcycle Safety Training Course, so I would be a hypocrite not to learn all the rules of Singapore and do it right! Great course by the way!

[abnson]

Just convert the license. Go register for basic theory. After pass can convert is easy and cheap.

 

Thanks Doomxxx

[samuelftw5]

Welcome to Singapore! (:

[Pulser]

My appointment is Jan 16 :-) I will convert. To get my license in the USA, I completed the California Motorcycle Safety Training Course, so I would be a hypocrite not to learn all the rules of Singapore and do it right! Great course by the way!

 

I come from India. In India we dont go to driving school to learn riding, we learn by ourselves in open grounds and then on the roads

Driving a car, we do go to the driving school, but again, thats not compulsory. You just need to appear for the driving test and if you can prove that you can drive then you get the license.

Another thing is having license there doesn't mean you know driving and the vice versa is also true. You pay money anything is possible. Good old India

The best part is an Indian driving license can also be converted in Singapore Thats why I dont want to go for class 2A. I got class 2B and class 3 so effortlessly, not worth the hassle for going for 2A

[Biker77]

cya on d rd!

hope u heard abt Singapore fav cab-drivers.

watch out for them.

[GuiNNeSS]

Hey dude, You dont need to convert your license right away. You are allowed to ride on your foreign license for 1 yr. Its only after 1 yr that you are reqd to convert it to a Singapore License.

 

Cheers!

 

6 months lah. The other 6 months, they give you grace to have your licence converted. If he only got his sg licence after 365 days, he will be deemed to be riding w/o a licence. Even though his foriegn licence is still valid. Unless, he been travelling in and out of the country and he was driving a rented vehicle.

 

Sg very ngiow........little bit they want to count, they will count.

[Dnish]

My appointment is Jan 16 :-) I will convert. To get my license in the USA, I completed the California Motorcycle Safety Training Course, so I would be a hypocrite not to learn all the rules of Singapore and do it right! Great course by the way!

 

Make sure they convert to Class 2. Its for bikes 400cc and bigger. If they give you a class 2b (under 200), then its pointless to convert if your planning to buy a big bike. You will be out of here before you get a class 2.