Hi all

As I was wanting to know what bikes you can buy where as a foreigner a couple weeks ago, I figured I would confirm that I was able to buy a bike in Costa Rica in June 2014 as a foreigner on a tourist visa only and crossed into Nicaragua today.

10 days wait for plates for me.

Presumably this would also work for a car as well.

I bought a new ybr125 e Yamaha for $1900 us dollars from the Yamahadealer in San Jose. They allowed me to use their temporary plate so I could ride in Costa Rica during the 10working days they quoted me for my plates to be ready.

It was actually ready in 6 working days or 10 days as it was two weekends. Friday to Monday.

Other dealers who didn't need the sale cough Honda cough were quoting three weeks.

I needed a permisso de salida to exit which was another $15 and you have to go to the registro for that.. Google it and you will find instructions.

I'll update as I go north especially if I have issues.

Very interesting - I have visited C/R a couple of times. I could see buying a small cheap bike and then riding it back home, though I think once I reached Canada I might have a hard time trying to register the bike here.

If the Yamaha dealer was more helpful than Honda, maybe you could give us some contact info or other details?

What are your long term plans? Are you riding up to the States, or returning to C/R sell your Yamaha after touring?

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Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

Yes selling it. My plan is to worry about that later, am currently waiting for TravelBugBlues who is riding a cgl from Chile. We are heading north to the states ditection

I wanted to ride it to new york, but I mightt not make it that far, my research from the actual government website says that I should be able to get a 12 month entry for the bike to the USA.

That would allow me to come back and ride it South later. Have got friends to leave it with.

I am in the fortunate position that I don't need any money out of it at the end so I may sell it between the us and Canada border for parts. That's really plan b.

Definitely can't register it in the states. Need dot approval including epa which it doesn't have. Hadn't really thought about Canada, might do some research.

A smarter person who wwas doing this might have chosen to buy a 250 dirt bike that was imported from the us down here. I had the option to do this but it was $4k for a drz250 and whilst I probably could have got maybe $2k out of its an in the usa and been able to sell it in the states as it used to be in the State, I chose not to take that path That might be an option for others.

Oh another thing the $1900 included a helmet shifty no name one and the 500and 2000km service not including the oil. I didn't argue with price either. Maybe you could get it down. Though the Suzuki gn125 was being quoted at 2300 so 1900 was a deal I thought.

If i do get the ybr back to Costa Rica bikes hold their value so it will probably worth more than $1500. If someone wanted to do a three month trip to say Cancun andback they could eeasily do this for less than $5000 usa without camping or cooking themselves, less if they choose to do that or if there were two people on two bikes.

I'll ask Yamaha what their best contact is. They didn't speakeEnglish btw. Google translate is your friend

You did great!
I would not part the bike out. I don't think there is a market for that bike, parts won't fit anything sold in USA. (not positive on this but doubtful)

Why not sell it off to someone heading South? Put the ad up here on HUBB.
You will be able to keep it in the USA as long as you want, but as you know,
it cannot EVER be registered in USA. The buyer might have to fiddle the paperwork to get a Mexican TVIP ... but could be done. Or with your notarized permiso? Not sure.

But for a traveler it could work out. They don't need to register it in the USA.
Have them transfer the title/registration into their name once they get to Costa Rica. With your documented/Notarized permission, should be possible, no? Perhaps your Yam dealer can help out with that?

Once transferred the Yam is good to go anywhere and title will be in NEW owners name.

Anyway, just a suggestion! Good luck! Hope it works out!

When I say part it out I meant put it on eBay for $1 and hope someone bids on it for the engine for a go cart. It's better than nothing.

Actuallyt what you suggest is plan b, in fact. If i can find someone. I would probably even go halves on thesale price for taking it back for me.

I'll probably put it up and see what happens.

As I said I am not that worried, lots can happen between now and then. I might only make it to Mexico.

If you bought a brand new BMW for this trip you would devalue it more than 2k. That's what people spend on panniers, Realistically it won't need chain and sprockets or brakes. Only oil no oil filter even, just air filter. That and the 100mlg plus it's getting. It's cheaper than a bus almost. If i have to give it to the us government to get out off the tvip. So be it.