Buying used Motorbikes in the Philippines

Lord Finchley tried to mend the Electric Light
Himself. It struck him dead: And serve him right!
It is the business of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan.

Hilaire Belloc

When in the Philippines, do as the Filipinos do...employ a driver...his job is to look after you and to find out what is going on by talking to other men's drivers...

thats what i hope to do hire driver till girlfriend can drive .
but do not want take driver with me when girlfriend and me go touring as i am going be there nearly six months hope after couple months girlfriend will be able to drive.
hope i can use it just around the village area mostly motor bikes very few cars i so when there.
if i do not buy car after advice on here will buy bike .
But surly it could be same if i ride bike they could use me as cash cow?

jim been looking on varies internet sites but can not see a new one for 160,000 plenty second hand ones though and others they say been imported and reconditioned.
they look good but not new so how many miles they done. if you know where i can get a new one for that price let me know dont mind paying that but not much more

To a good degree, that depends on how strong your girlfriend is in dealing with her family and hangers-on. Tell anyone who asks for money to deal with your girlfriend and give her a strict budget that she can use for family loans. Make it clear that when one family member has repaid their loan, then the next can borrow.

I doubt you will find any on the internet, they are imported from Japan as spares so not to have any import duty, then assembled in the Philippines. You need to ask around when you arrive. I know they have them in Cebu. Don't know about Luzon.
Some examples. http://www.istorya.net/forums/vehic.../125877-newly-assembled-suzuki-multicabs.html

thanks for that jim i will wait till i am there before buying was just looking at sites see how much they are.
I am not in Luzon i am on the island of Panay nearest big city is Roxas about one and a half hours away
If can not find one there or Iloilo,Cebu not far away will have weigh up if its worth going there and paying ferry to transfer one back to Panay.

Markham I see where you are coming from no one yet has asked for money from me,
I have bought girlfriend house and also started store for her in local market so she has her own money coming in and dose not ask me for any money.
she never asked me start store but kept saying she was bored with not having any thing to do.
Gave her choice go university learn something or store, she choose store.

Some examples. http://www.istorya.net/forums/vehic.../125877-newly-assembled-suzuki-multicabs.html
jim are they new or second hand imports as it says we can assemble for you?

Hi Frank, as for as I know they are second hand parts. There is a link to a good forum about multicabs. https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=28&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CFQQFjAHOBQ&url=http://www.dumagueteinfo.com/board/general-chat/suzuki-multicab-questions-7834.html&ei=uYBOU4CnAueS7Qb6tICwCw&usg=AFQjCNH7ATcvN3n0rdQpvrRv14l40i9JTA
Theres a guy called Larry, he knows a lot about them.

Personally i don't think the small multi cab vans are much safer than a motorbike if you were to have a frontal collision.
The thing you also have to remember is they are brand new 'refurbished'
After saying that a few of my friends have them and the ones with the 5 speed 4x4 say they are great fun. The pedals look to close for my liking, however you should be okay if your feet are not to big.

And if you are not to large a guy, the cabs are small. Best thing to do while over in Britain, go for a test drive in one.

Also known as "Shadow" as he runs a detective agency under the banner "Pointman Cebu", the purpose of which is to check the background and bona fides of Filipinas that his clients (mostly American) may wish to marry. He's also highly knowledgeable about US Visas and does consultancy. And yes, he does know all about Multicabs.

That's completely true Mark, I'v met Larry and he is a genuinely good guy. Though don't know how much his rates are!

He's more expensive than a shop here but what he doesn't know about Multicabs isn't worth knowing. He's stripped-down and rebuilt a few in his time.

thanks for a lot of good advice guys will look at site later jim.
as regards how big i am and feet size i am six feet but slim with size 10 feet.
while i was there at girlfriends house guy next door had one for his water business it was an old rusty thing but was still going every day, never thought to have a sit in it as at the time i was not thinking
of buying one.
Now i think i am going down the Rusco way at least want get wet when it rains which it seems to do a lot.when i check the weather every day at Estancia its nearly always raining.

me going to buy a new bike when I get there but I checked on direct.gov it recommends u get a international driving permit before u go there

That advice would be true if you're going to (say) Indonesia, Cambodia or Thailand , where English is not an official language, but for Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines your UK drivers' licence is all that's required. If intend to ride a motor-cycle, your (UK) licence should include that group. Your UK licence will be valid here for, iirc, 90 days during which time you are expected to apply for a Philippine licence at your local LTO.

LTO i am buying Suzuki suv when there dose it take long to get Phill licence only planing stay in manila three days