Which central american country I can leave my bike?
 

Hi all,

Planning to have a holiday from my RTW, so I would like to leave my bike somewhere in central America.
Are there any countries in Central America where I can leave my bike for a month or so?

check this link
 

Recently posted to this forum:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ighlight=store

I see this question posted a lot on the South American forum, over and over...

Hi, you could leave the bike in CR for 3 months, or what the permit says, but be aware to get out the bike before expire the permit, otherwise you got to pay all the taxes, which are very high.

Other thing is that you could leave the country without the bike with no problem.

bonded warehouse
 

Follow the link provided for details about a bonded warehouse in Costa Rica, which will store your bike.

Apparently it will stop the clock on the importation...but I don't really know. Check it out and post what you find.

:smiliex:

Hey Peter
Ride Hard Ride Far here ....... I see you have posted a link for a bonded warehouse in Costa Rica but I can't seem to find it. I have the same issue as this guy, I want to leave my bike in CR ....... but for much longer than the allotted 3 months. Can you please forward the link to the warehouse to me at joha@telus.net

Thanks again,
Hank

two weeks ago...
 

Hank,

I dunno what I was thinking a few days ago, let alone what the hell I was posting about two weeks ago. Ok, I think it was in reference to a link mentioned here...

Recently posted to this forum:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ighlight=store

...but looking at the link on that page, well, it looks more like a mini storage, than a bonded warehouse. Not what you want.

I pressed on and conducted a little search to see if I could find (again) a post on ADVRider.com about a successful storage story. Instead I found what I believe is better general advice in a post by mziegler who is (re)posting someone's message. All convoluted to describe but it looks like the key phase for the needed service, in Costa Rica. Other countries may use different lingo. Go to Google and search for "Almacen Fiscal" and Costa Rica. In English, "fiscal warehouse."

I have read several times that bonded warehouses plentiful around international airports, so shop around. I am guessing that not all are interested in storing a motorcycle. Don't lose faith, there are stories of riders storing their bikes near the airport in San Jose.

Here are portions of the mziegler's post:

"I found a decent way to store a vehicle in Costa Rica. You are allowed to suspend the temporary vehicle import paper if your car is stored in a registered government storage facility (Almacen Fiscal) These are run privately, and there are many by the San Jose airport. We shopped around and found one for 3$/ day. It seems pretty legit. So first, you store the vehicle, then you go to the customs office at the airport (aduana), and suspend the permit (this is free). Then you are allowed to leave the country. When you return, you go to the customs office to reinstate the remainder of the time you had left, then you pick up your vehicle and pay the storage warehouse. Seems pretty straightforward. We are storing our vehicle from mid April 2012 until we finish work (likely in September)"
"I did the exact same thing as Susie and Paul (see post above) in Costa Rica and it worked fine.
Stored my motorcycle at the almecen fiscal "Coco's" which is pretty close to the San Jose Int airport. You can store it indoors (moto only) for $3/day. They give you a paper, with it you go to the customs office and they freeze your TIP for free. Pretty simple. "

Almacen Fiscal El Coco

The link is believed to be service used. Like I suggested above, shop around. Leave time on your original TIP to get your bike out of the country when you return or start the extension process before retrieving the bike from storage (my seat of the pants suggestion, not based on knowledge of extending TIP in CR. The suggestion is inspired by the poor sod who recently was put through the wringer in Nica when trying to extend his TIP with a couple of day left on the ticket...) And be prepared to get fresh insurance...

did you find a warehouse
 

Were you able to find a reasonably priced warehouse? Im currently looking and what I've found so far are pretty expensive. Any help would really be appreciated.
Thanks. Joel

I actually ended up leaving bike to US for few months.

If you enter Nicaragua you will get a 30 days permision for your bike. You can renovate it for 30 USD for another 30 days.

If you leave the country you have to pay a fine from 50,- USD plus 1 USD for every extra day. I paid it several times :(

But they won't confiscate your bike. And that's important.

Saludos Jürgen