Looking to fly into Mexico, buy a bike and continue south through to Chile.

The reason for the post is can I pick up a decent 250cc dirt bike and then ride free through all these countries on an Australian passport? Is it simple to insure etc at each border crossing for the next country?
Also depending on whatever country the bike was bought in, how does one register it as a foreigner?
Then following such a trip, can I just sell it in whatever counttry I am in without hassle and depart on my merry way?
Perhaps Mexico s not the best place to begin from, but if you follow a north to south line, it makes sense on a map...

Thanks!

Hi JD_303,

The only traveler I can remember buying a bike in Mexico and riding to South America was Simon Gandalfi some years ago. He purchased a Honda Cargo for the equivalent of 1500 AUD in Veracruz. Buying the bike new, the dealer helped him with the paperwork. You may want to search for that thread for more particulars. Mexico sell the Honda 250 Tornado dirt bike. I have rented one in Costa Rica and it was quite a nice minimalist tourer. Electric start, easy to find tires and parts for, tough little motor, but rather expensive to buy new by U.S. standards. Over 5000 AUD I believe. For that money you could buy a nice Yamaha WR250R in the U.S. A far more fun and capable dirt bike.

Most foreigners buy travel bikes in the U.S. where they are considerably less expensive than Latin America.

I'm not from Oz, but many of your fellow countrymen fly in, buy a bike and travel to South America.

Best to do a search here and over on ADVrider.com for ride reports and contact them for details if they don't chime in on this thread.

Cheers,
John Downs

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South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076

Very hard to buy and register a bike as a foreigner in Mexico. Not easy to sell in most countries along the way. However, easy to cross borders and temporarily import bikes at each, and easy to insure when necessary at borders.

These subjects are written about here and on ADVrider--frequently and at length. Searching will yield lots of information.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

I am from México, and I am about to start my RTW on a 220cc Bajaj Pulsar (indian made Motorcycle very popular in Mexico, CA and SA).

At the bottom of this message is a link for the most famous site in Mexico where you can get a glimpse of the prices of bikes here

I opted for a Pulsar 220cc for the cheap maintenance (cheaper than honda, and yamahas 125cc) Fuel economy and dealer suport along the route.

About the paperwork for a Foreigner, I do not think is a big deal... HERE EVERYThing is possible... believe me! (just do not ask me HOW I know that!

Regards!!

Ed AKA: Dudû


http://motos.mercadolibre.com.mx

repited post, carry on

You'll find much more to choose from in the US, the prices will be rock bottom. Make sure you get a bike that has at least some measure of parts support throughout the region where you are traveling. That is going to be the hard part. You will find everything easier to do in the US rather than in Mexico or any other country the farther south you go. Don't expect a Mexican dealer to help you with registration, it is not always the case and it can get expensive if you are new to this and stumbling through the registration process here. It is fairly easy for Mexicans, but not so much for foreigners without an FM document other than the normal tourist document.
Most people I know who have gone this route have bought a good used KLR 650 in one of the southern or central US states, checked it out, and have had no problems. A 250cc dirt oriented bike is not easy to find in Mexico, you will either pay through the nose for a Kawi or Yamaha modern enduro bike, or pay twice what it is worth for a decade old Honda XR. The Indian made Kawis or whatever they are called are ok, but again, you can get a much better used bike in the US closer to what you will need for the trip for that kind of money.
Think very carefully about what you'll be riding and how you'll be fixing it.
Your paperwork for the ownership will have to be properly done or you could find yourself paying a lot of bribes at border crossings.

Yeah right...good advice.
On another note then, if I was to pick up a better bike, more reasonably priced in the US, ride it through to Chile, would it be simple enough process to sell there after?

Alternately, can the same be said for Colombia? Simple enough to buy and register a bike there then ride through to Chile over a few months and flog it there also?

This stuff about proof of registration / ownership is confusing not actually being a resident...In case of an accident for instance I wouldnt want to get refused by the insurance company for not having correct paperwork etc...

Would it be easy? In a word, no. I have not personally tried to sell a foreign registered bike in Latin America but it sounds anything but easy.

From what I have read, even if you don't mind bending rules and photoshopping a fellow foreign travelers name on a title and handing over the bike at the border after getting the bike stamped out and cancelling your temporary import permit, or riding to Paraguay and selling at a discount to a dealer near the border, or declaring the bike a wreck to get your import permit cancelled and selling to a junkyard for parts, it does not sound easy.

But people do it all the time.

There are no easy answers to your questions. Buying a bike in a foreign country is confusing and subject to change over time.

Currently many Europeans ship their bike over and back to avoid these problems with registration/ownership. That is very expensive.

Others fly to the U.S. and buy a good used bike and ride south. Because every U.S. state has different rules for buying a bike, that is confusing but less expensive. No U.S. citizen knows the rules for any state they haven't lived in, but it sounds like California is relatively easy with a larger selection of good used travel bikes.

Buying a bike in South America sounds like a good idea. But only certain countries are less difficult like Chile or Paraguay. And bike prices are high due to high import duties, so rather expensive. Unless you buy a bike from a fellow traveller and bend the law with fake documents.

Worrying about insurance is the least of your problems. If someone runs into your bike, the best thing to do in Latin America is to pick the bike up, brush yourself off and continue riding if you can as quickly as you can. Foreign travellers generally get shafted if the police get involved. If you run into someone, better to appologize for the dent, pay on the spot and get moving even if you think it was their fault. Vehicles get impounded if the police get involved.

If it were easy, what would the fun be?

Kindest regards,
John Downs

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South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076

Selection here is very limited and you'll pay top peso for whatever you are looking at unless you get very lucky.
Having paperwork that is less than legit can work, but it can also cause a few headaches and get expensive.
I assume that you don't speak or understand Spanish, my bad if you do by the way, so an insurance policy is something you want to get squared away correctly and make sure you understand what you are paying for and what you might actually get some day if you have reason to use your policy.
I do know people that have easily done the following:
They flew into Denver.
Shopped around and got some cheap KLR's and did them up right.
Bought their insurance (minimum) for Mexico.
Spent a month here.
Then rode on to Guatemala and points south.
No drama, no problems, easy titling and insurance in the US, etc...
Do as much of your bureaucratic and insurance and paperwork in the US if possible and then you will have less headaches with Latin American bureaucracy which can be trying at the best of times and unless you are accustomed to it, can severely dampen your spirits and your trip.
Think more about your health insurance (making sure it covers bike accidents) and less about insuring the bike, you'll get nothing near what the bike is worth to you. If you have an accident with injuries and you are at fault you will really be glad you have the insurance, if you are injured by another party, again, you'll be glad you have insurance because so few drivers in Latin America are actually insured or will stick around after they hit you.
If you are seriously planning this, think it through and shop around on line and you'll see what is available here for bikes and insurance.

I just bought a bike last week in Zacatecas easy as pie.
Went to the secretaria de finanzas with 330 pesos, the sales receipt, 4 copies of everything including passport, dl, AND a comprabanto (electrical reciept from the place I was staying, and rent receipt from same) - don't forget the copies.
walked out with Zacatecas plates.
peroid.
Zig - demoted to Honda CGL125

cost of cgl 15000 pesos on sale
honda tornado 250, 48000 (had one these are GREAT bikes for travel)
honda falcon 400, 83000 (poor mans Transalp)
Yamahas also available everywhere
Suzukis in some places

Forgive me for re-stating the obvious:

It is easier to buy as a resident (of any sort) than as a foreign tourist.

Your vehicle registration fee was only $330 pesos for the year?
Cheap.
Did they ask for your FM document?
Pizza bikes are the ones most stolen in Mexico.

Hi JD_303,

The search function on this site isn't the best. Using google to search is a better idea.

site:horizonsunlimited.com:buying a bike in the U.S.

By entering the above in the google search box you will find a wealth of information such as:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ke-in-us-37335

and other past threads that will give you an idea of what it takes to buy a KLR in the U.S.

craigslist.org is the best online classified ads site for finding a good used bike in the state or city of your choice in the U.S.

progressive.com is a good site for free online motorcycle insurance quote. With insurance cards and documents available online for you to print out. And payable online with e-mail reminders and reasonable rates.

Wheatwacker used to offer to look at bikes in California for foreign travelers, but I believe he has moved back to Ireland. Contacting a HU community would be how I would proceed with finding a contact to provide a mailing address so you can register a bike as a foreigner. And forward your bike title when it comes so you can head out and explore the countryside while your paperwork is working its way through bureaucracy.

Cheers,
John Downs

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South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076

Why wouldn't office print you your new registration/title when you go to the office and pay for it? I've never had a title come in the mail, I've always been given it the moment the registration takes place and is paid for.

When it comes to DMV rules, the U.S. is balkanized with 50 different ways to do things. I have only ever registered anything in Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington and Nebraska.

In Oregon where I lived the longest and registered the most bikes it was temporary registration on your first visit to pay the fees ( although no sales tax) along with new plates and tags if it is from out of state and permanent title and registration mailed a couple three weeks later. Every state is different.

One of the reasons you get so many different ideas on how to go about buying a bike in the U.S.

Best,
John Downs

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South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076