Bicycle Registration

[Harvey]

Hey guys,

I bought a used bicycle from a gaijin who left, does anyone know how to go about getting it registered?

I know with new bikes you can do it at the shop you bought it from, but not sure about used. I'm worried if I take it down to the police station they will say I stole it and kick me out of the country! (Or just kick me.)

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Mike Cash]

I don't suppose you bothered getting any documentation from the dearly departed that would prove transfer of ownership?

Go to the police station and ask about it in a hypothetical sort of way. They're unlikely to think you a crook for approaching them about this. It's the times when they have to do the approaching that can be unpleasant.

Think about it, even if you can't prove how the bicycle came into your possession, to give you a hassle on it being a stolen bicycle they're going to have to have a 窶敕ｭﾅ?Q窶愿債出 of the thing being stolen....which shouldn't exist unless the thing actually was stolen at some point and a report was filed on it.

At the absolute worst, what you do is report finding an abandoned bicycle. They hold it for six months, it goes unclaimed, and then it's yours.

 

[epigene]

I don't think there is anything wrong in just approaching a koban, pleasant and smiling, and explaining the situation, claiming not to know anything about such things.

 

[GaijinPunch]

Stupid question --- does it have a registration sticker on it already?

 

[Maciamo]

Harvey, you should go to your local Koban (police box) with the person who sold it to you and explain the transfer of ownership. That is the easiest way. If you can't do that and can't get a written proof that you have bought the bike, you are in trouble, because it will look just as if you had stolen it (which means emprisonement, torture then deportation - no just kidding )

 

[Kirirao]

sorry to revive this old thread,
just trying to get some clarification on something, as maciamo said a local koban is he refering to the nearest koban to where you live, or any koban might do? since i dont want to get caught right after buying the bike and riding it home or something. (since its pretty far from the seller place to my place)
thanks

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Bicycle crime prevention registration
It is necessary for this to register you at a bicycle store.
Expense is 500 yen.
A necessary thing
A bicycle
A certificate of a bicycle or a transfer book
An identification card.
一般社団法人 東京都自転車商防犯協力会 | 東京都の自転車防犯登録に関する業務をおこなっております。
This is registered with a database of the police
Even if it is questioned the police
You can prove that it is your bicycle immediately.
This registration is decided by a law
However, there are not penal regulations.

 

[Kirirao]

Bicycle crime prevention registration
It is necessary for this to register you at a bicycle store.
Expense is 500 yen.
A necessary thing
A bicycle
A certificate of a bicycle or a transfer book
An identification card.
一般社団法人 東京都自転車商防犯協力会 | 東京都の自転車防犯登録に関する業務をおこなっております。
This is registered with a database of the police
Even if it is questioned the police
You can prove that it is your bicycle immediately.
This registration is decided by a law
However, there are not penal regulations.

thanks, im sorry if I didnt explain it more clearer, I meant when you buy it from someone else like the person who's about to leave Japan. Do I need to register it at the nearest koban near my place or anywhere would be fine.

 

[Mike Cash]

You will almost certainly need to have some proof of having purchased the bicycle from the person. Details here: 一般社団法人 東京都自転車商防犯協力会 | 東京都の自転車防犯登録に関する業務をおこなっております。

Registration doesn't necessarily need to be done at a police box. The more normal place is at practically any place that sells bicycles.

 

[Kirirao]

ah thanks Mr. Cash for pointing the site out, I didn't saw that site the last time i read Hiroyuki Nagashima post, my bad(was in a hurry).

 

[driani]

ah ... anyone could help me?
i bought this bike from a friend as she already moved and gave it to my ryobo-san. And now ryobo-san forgot where the certificate of document is so i kinda lost, and i now i'm about to move. I'm confused, no certificate and transfer book with me. Am i safe?

what should i do?? any suggestion?

 

[epigene]

ah ... anyone could help me?
i bought this bike from a friend as she already moved and gave it to my ryobo-san. And now ryobo-san forgot where the certificate of document is so i kinda lost, and i now i'm about to move. I'm confused, no certificate and transfer book with me. Am i safe?

what should i do?? any suggestion?

I think you just need to take the bike to a bike shop and explain, have the current registration invalidated and register the bike in your name. Maybe, having the ryobo-san to back you up will help. I don't think it's a big problem--just a hassle.

You are safe as long as you're not stopped by a police officer and asked for registration check. This may happen frequently or rarely, depending on your area (high frequency in populated areas with high burglary rate) or some other factors I don't know...

JFYI, I've never been stopped, but my husband has been stopped and checked a number of times--we're both native Japanese & long-time Tokyo residents. The difference may come from:
1. Myself being a middle-aged woman (least likely to be a burglar! lol)
2. Husband rides a really old bike he keeps for nostalgia's sake (high possibility of having been stolen) and cruises the neighborhood to check out gardens that are pretty and well tended and flowers/plants in season. (He appears to the police to be checking and selecting homes to be targeted for burglary.)
3. He's usually dressed in his old jeans and jacket. (Very suspicious! heheh)
Of course, he checks out OK, so the police officer usually apologizes and is courteous. In one stance, however, he got into a bit of a trouble when he went out on his daughter's bike (registered to her name). It took time for the police to check out that she and my husband live in the same address!

 

[driani]

wow thx epigene .. it cheers me up. coincidently, i finally got d certificate. however, when i got it i was too excited and i didnt check d transfer book. now, i just knew there's no transfer book.

well, defining my ryobo-san, she is not the type who will help me bout dis stuff as she doesnt speak english and i cant speak japanese.

any idea to get dis transfer book assigned by my name? should i just go to the bike store? my friend who sold d bike has been back for good to her country...

 

[epigene]

wow thx epigene .. it cheers me up. coincidently, i finally got d certificate. however, when i got it i was too excited and i didnt check d transfer book. now, i just knew there's no transfer book.
well, defining my ryobo-san, she is not the type who will help me bout dis stuff as she doesnt speak english and i cant speak japanese.
any idea to get dis transfer book assigned by my name? should i just go to the bike store? my friend who sold d bike has been back for good to her country...

If you have the papers, so much the better!

Just take your bike and papers to the bike shop and have it registered. If you can't speak Japanese, get someone who speaks fairly well with you if you want to get it done quick.
Even if you go alone, I don't think it will be a big problem. Bike shops do that (registration changes) very often and can figure out what you want to do, if you show them the paper and the bike.

Another thing you need to know is that change in owner name is not entered in the police database as quickly as you might expect it to happen. So, be sure to carry your paper (with your name on it) as proof of ownership when you ride your bike, in order to avoid complications when stopped by a police officer. I recommend you do this at least for a couple of months or until you feel comfortable without it, just to be on the safe side.

 

[driani]

hey epigene, i did your advice going to the bike store, bringing wid me d ken, paying for 500 en. Wow it works and so easy! thank you .. now i'm in my new dorm nakano .. thinking to bike around

 

[owh]

hi driani, while u r still fresh on this, i hope u don't mind i get some details from u before i try it myslf

what documents did u bring to bike shop? did they issue u any documents? the licence plate remains unchanged? i m in tokyo, n will find a seller in tokyo, does it matter whether i go to a bike shop at seller's location, or it has to b at my location, any bike shop will do? i haven't see one around my place though ...

with your information, i will know what i require from the seller

i hav been browsing around to find what need to be done when getting a 2nd hand bike in tokyo, there have been different suggestions (going to police station, vehicle office, etc) and epigene's advice is the most comfortable and doable (for people new in Japan), many thanks to epigene for such helpful advice