Korean Job Discussion Forums

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

Hello Motorcycle owners,
I am thinking about buying a used 125 cc Motorcycle that looks pretty good (in the picture) and the price seems OK. The problem is that the motorcycle is not registered. The owner never transfered the ownership from the previous owner, but has the previous owner's papers, and a signed note verifying the sale. And, like I said, the bike has no plates and is not registered.
Any idea what it would take to get something like this sorted out and get the motorcycle registered with plates. How bad is it to ride a motorcycle with no plate and no registration? I do have a Korean Driver's License (maybe not good for motorcycles though). Often I would only be riding to the subway station and back and parking the bike there.
Thanks,
Drew

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Can you trust the current owner? I'd be suspicious it's stolen.

I drive a 50cc and there's no registration required for that.

thekingofdisco · Joined: 29 Oct 2004

If he has the papers (even if it was the previous guy on the papers) - there should be no problem.

Just go to the local gu-office and sort it out. Easy

The evil penguin · Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 4:41 am Post subject:

Guess it depends on how narky the coppers are in your part of the country.... Been riding for over 2 years now in the SE parts and never had a problem. Been pulled up once or twice for breath tests but never a concern raised about the obvious lack of plates. And its a 125 bike- not scooter.

But maybe the pimply teenagers in uniform are a bit more diligent where you are. Shouldn't be any problem getting rego however if you have an alien card. And a trustworthy korean friend to help you. You'll need to go to a bike shop first.... Not sure what else is required after the intial paperwork from the mechanic is recieved...

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

I read in some old posts that to register the bike (I am buying it from another foreigner), the seller must go with me to the local DLA office. I am attaching that post below here. So I guess the post #2 above that says everything should be OK if he does have the ownership papers (even with another's name) makes sense. We would just both go the local DLA office and get it straightened out.

from an old posting -- -- -
as a foreigner if you're a SELLER, you MUST go to the buyer's (along with the buyer, of course) local DLA office and they can transfer it all over right there.
In short, if you're selling, you MUST go to the _buyer's_ local DLA office.
end old post -- -- -- --

Does this mean that I cannot register the bike if the seller does not go with me? If I have the ownership papers, can I go to the DLA office myself and register it?

What is this in the Post #3 that says I have to take the bike to a local mechanic and get some paperwork from the mechanic? I haven't heard of this before. Is that necessary to register the bike and get plates?

Thanks,
Drew

The evil penguin · Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:14 am Post subject:

thekingofdisco · Joined: 29 Oct 2004

Like I said before:

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

So it seems that registering the bike and getting plates doesn't involve the seller, only the buyer (new owner). The new owner takes the ownership papers and proof that the bike is roadworthy to the DLA office, stands in the right queues, and gets plates. That makes sense.
What about the transferring of the ownership papers? I think when I read that previous post (quoted here)
-- -- -
as a foreigner if you're a SELLER, you MUST go to the buyer's (along with the buyer, of course) local DLA office and they can transfer it all over right there.
In short, if you're selling, you MUST go to the _buyer's_ local DLA office.
end old post -- -- -- --
now I can see they were talking about transferring the ownership papers, not the registration. Is that right? Is the transfer of ownership done at the DLA office?

Thanks,
Drew

IlIlNine · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Location: Gunpo, Gyonggi, SoKo

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=47204

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

The link given above is very informative, thank you very much.

The link above says that: -- -- --
If the selling party is not present when you actually register the bike at your DMV, he will need to provide his dojang (chop) and the form 'in gam jung myung suh' that goes along with it.
-- -- -- --

What if the previous owner never had the bike registered and licensed? Do I still need his "dohang (chop) and the form 'in gam jung myung suh' "?

It looks like what I need to do is to complete the title transfer with the owner at my DMV (Is DMV and DLA the same thing?) Then get the bike registered, after getting the mechanic to approve the roadworthyness.

This was starting to make sense, until I see that to register the bike (after the transfer is finished), I will the previous owners "dojang (chop) and the form 'in gam jung myung suh'". I don't know what that form is but somehow it doesn't sound easy if the previous owner didn't register it.

Can I register a motorcyle on my own with only the title, insurance, alean registration card and nothing else from the previous owner?

Thanks,
Drew

IlIlNine · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Location: Gunpo, Gyonggi, SoKo

Ah .. sorry.

The last legal owner will have had to chop the transfer papers... the form 'in gam jung myung suh' is the form that legitemizes the chop.

In answer to your question --

I'm pretty sure the answer is no. You can alwyas try though - can't hurt! In Korea, there is always that element of chance....

mysteriousdeltarays · Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:58 am Post subject:

In a rural area they probably wouldn't care, but I'd say 125 cc is the max. Don't take it on a main road out of town or a highway.

They wouldn't care in a rural area if you are just buzzing around town. Look to see if the other scooters and small bikes have license plates, the delivery people etc. If they don't, which they very well might not, don't worry about it. Don't forget in a small town they know all about you.

That is one of the good things about small towns. In a small town it is informly registerd. Don't get in an accident where anybody is injured, including yourself.

If you are not really in very rural area, people buy these things in Seoul then the inevitable happens.

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

Thank you everybody for your help. It looks as though once an unregistered bike is sold, it is always unregistered. It is not a rule, and I am not an expert. It just seems practically it will be that way for us foreigners anyway. OK, so I can accept that.
I need a bike to take from my apartment to my University, both of which are in Gangnam and neither of which is on a subway line. And then to take from my apartment to the subway and park there if going into the city. So it seems that an unregistered bike may be just fine for my local use, even though I am in Gangnam. I can accept an unregistered bike.
Now (after seeing it) just deciding if the bike was what the one I need. It looks nice and it would be a good first bike. But it maybe a bit heavy for the short distances I need to go.
Thanks everybody!
Drew