Royal Enfields: True & False


True, you can get Enfields for just a few hundred bucks in Nepal and in India, BUT only with Indian number plates! As soon as you register a Enfield (or any other bike) in Nepal, you have to take into account the 130% Nepali government tax and the price of the bike will suddenly double. It's true that you can ride an Indian registered bike in India and in Nepal, no problem. BUT as a foreigner you won't get a carnet de passage for Indian plates which you need to enter Pakistan and Iran. BUT it is possible to register a bike under your name in Nepal and therefore you can get the carnet! At least I got it. (I've heard that if the Indian bike is pre '81 you apparently don't even need a carnet, but you will have obvious problems at borders "where're your papers" etc).


Paperwork

First of all - don't panic, it is possible!


1. Find the right bike for you.


2. Then all you need is to get the blue owners book (equivilant to V5 documents in UK and the Fahrzeugschein in Germany) transferred into your name at the registration office. This can be done in Kathmandu at the ministry of transport or in Pokhara at the tax office, depending where the bike has been registered before. Ask one of the local "guides" outside of the office for some help in return for some Rupees.

To register a bike in Nepal under your name isn't a problem! All you need is a "no objection" letter from your embassy in Kathmandu. (The letter will basically state that the embassy has 'no objection' of you buying a bike in Nepal). This letter isn't hard to get. Also make sure that there is no outstanding road tax due on the bike. You will have to clear any outstanding before they transfer the ownership.

You need: some passport pics, a photo of the bike, the engine- and the frame number, a copy of your passport, a copy of the invoice of the bike, the no objection letter from your embassy, some time and your finger prints.

3. Then you have to get the blue owners book translated, since it is only in Nepali. This will be done by your embassy. (I know of a guy who just typed up an English translation of the blue book in a Word document which was good enough for the RAC).


4. In order to get the carnet de passage (necessary if you want to cross Pakistan and Iran) your home country motoring club (RAC in England, German equivalent is the ADAC) wants to have a proof, that you're actually living in Nepal. But it is enough proof for them if you manage to get the bike registered in Nepal under your name. I got my carnet from the German ADAC, no prob. A British friend of mine got his carnet for a Enfield a couple of month ago. Apparently you can also get your carnet in Nepal - there is a counter part for the Austrian motoring club ÖAMTC in Kathmandu: The Automobile Association of Nepal (AAN), P.O. Box 2184 Kathmandu, Tel. (00977/61) 21 088, Fax (00977/1) 415 593. They are supposed to issue carnets as well, but I found it impossible to get a hold of the responsible officer.

To apply for the carnet you'll need to ask your home bank to freeze in a amount of around 3000 Euro. This deposit has to be paid in advance! So make sure you talk to your home bank first, put some money on the side (normally double or three times the amount of the bikes value) before you apply for the carnet. Keep in mind that the carnet is something like a visa for your bike and it will free you from paying any import/export tax by entering/leaving a country with a vehicle. If something happens to your bike (accident, stolen, etc.) and it is impossible for you to export the bike again, you obviously won't get the necessary exit stamp and therefore you won't get your full deposit back.

Papers required for the carnet: your passport, the blue owners book, the translation of each page of the blue owners book, the bank statement of the deposit and the completed carnet form. The whole process will usually not take longer than 10 days, including the sending via DHL. (Fax copies, or scan copies as email attachments).

- Payment info: carnet, either 5,10,20 pages: 150 pounds or around 200 Euros.
- Refundable deposit (paid back when you get to your home country and return the carnet ): depends on the
RAC/ADAC and the value of the bike - roughly double.
- Insurance indemnity: also based on the value of the bike. Minimum fee 200 pounds. (Go minimum!)

To get more infos on the carnet de passage, check the RAC/ADAC website.

5. If you have all the visa (you can't get the Iranian visa in Nepal and the Indian visa will take some time and good nerves!), international driving license, passport, carnet de passage, international insurance card (green card), copies of all the documents and some passport photos and cash for Iran (no ATM's for foreigners) then you are ready to hit the road!

Note: it will take AT LEAST one month to register the bike, get the blue book translated, apply for the carnet de passage and to get the necessary visa. Not included to search for a bike.


Good luck and a great time on the road!


Ride safe. Phil

Phil Dera Photography