Hi horizon dreamers!

The idea of riding Sulawesi is getting ever bigger in my head and off course this brings some questions with it.

Is it allowed for foreigners to purchase and insure a motorbike in Indonesia?

How busy are the roads in Sulawesi?

This crazy shaped island is fuelling my mind right now.



Thanks in advance!
Vander

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"Cosas que escapan a los que sueñan solo de noche..."

Without having the total knowledge of the question you ask - I am quite sure that it is possible for a foreigner to buy a motorbik in Indonesia. Ask HUBB-member Rocketz who is an indonesian bikemechanic and bikerider who lives and works in a city called Solo (also known as Surakarta) on central Java. I know he have hlped foreigners buying bikes in Indonesia.

Rocketz own thread: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ndonesia-76018

About insurance I dont know, most likely not...

About riding Sulawesi - yeas that island is exactly as wild as it looks on the map.
I rode approx 5000 kms in one month there earlier this year. And on my trip from Norway via eastern Europe, central Asia, China, southeast Asia and right now Australia I can say it is one of the highlights if not the highlight of my trip.
Its so wild, its so diverse, its so little travelled by foreigners and its people are amazing when it comes to helpfulnes, hospitability and general frindliness - that I can never forget it. Even the local police fed me, paid my hotel - two nights actually. Where else in the world would that happen? Also other people invited me to stay in their homes and helped me along the road when I needed it. I wasnt allowed to pay meals when I ate with locals.

The traffic is quite intense on Sulawesi but not as bad as on Java and Bali. Similar to Sumatra I would say. But it is wilder - vehicles without reggo plates, without lights and with underaged drivers. And people drive exactly where they want on the road, left, right in the middle. And they turn whenever they want without looking. But its not so bad north of Palu until 100-200 kms before you reach Manado. And around the central eastern parts its just magnificent beautiful and low traficced.

Just send me a pm if you need more information...

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

Many thanks Snakeboy

I've never been to Indonesia. My SEA travel experience is limited to Thai, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Vietnam traffic was bad at times... but not worse than crossing Florence in rush hour, if you ask me!
How does Sulawesi roads/traffic feel compared to these other countries?

I bought a Reise Know-How map of Sulawesi. Couldn't resist it.
It is what you're saying, the island seems to have everything. Off course the phantastic coast (island!) but dozens of peaks too. I'll have to carry goggles and walking boots along with my helmet.

What's an aproximate daily budget, and how did you managed accomodation? Are guest houses common?

Thanks for your offer on first-hand info. I will write to you when I have concrete questions.

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"Cosas que escapan a los que sueñan solo de noche..."

Sulawesi traffic can be bad at times and Indonesian traffic is much worse than any other asian country I have been in - and thats most of then including India, China and Vietnam - didnt ride in Vietnam though. But Sulawesi is one of the better places in Indonesia after all. I sweared all day inside my helmet - but in the evening I stil had a big grin on my face.
Its the shear amount of vehicles and the narrow roads that are the biggest problem and then there are the chaotic and jammed traffic in addition.
But dont let that scare you from going there. Its worth to swear a few times pr day to have that experince.

My average budget in Indonesia was around 30 Euro a day. You can do it even cheaper. I didnt stay in the rock bottom priced accomodations and I did eat others than rice and noodles now and then. So as I said - its possible to do it even cheaper. Its possible to find a room from around 100 000 rupiah - which is around 6-7 Euro pr night. An average rice or noodle dish is 10000-20000 in cheap eateries. Dinner with a bit of meat or seafood and vegetatables around 30-60 000 rupiah. More if you go to a upscale restaurant of course. Gasolin 88 octan is fixed price (government subsidized) 7300 rupiah pr liter - 0,5 Euro.

There are enough guesthouses and cheap hotels to get on by. Theres no need to bring camping gear. There is a long stretch from Palu to a small town called Marisa which I think is around 400 kms where its quite remote and no towns and thus no accomodation. And 400 kms is a very very long days ride in Indonesia. So that day you have to start early from Palu.
And dont ride in the dark. There will be vehicles without lights, cattle, wildlife etc on the roads so its dangerous.

__________________
In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

For future people interested: It is not a problem for a foreigner to buy a motorbike in Indonesia.

I am riding Sulawesi right now, have been stopped by police in several routinary controls and all is good.

There is the government registration, and the motorbike papers. This and your international driving license is all you need to have the police happy. That, and taking pictures with them. Everybody loves selfies in Sulawesi.

No bureaucracy is needed. The seller gives you the bike and the papers, you pay, and the motorbike is yours.

I don't know about the insurance. Did not try that.


PS: the bike is for sale. If anybody is interested, check the ad in the HUBB and PM me.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...266#post531782

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"Cosas que escapan a los que sueñan solo de noche..."

Glad to hear that you enjoy riding in Sulawesi Vander. Such a wild and beautiful island and such friendly and helpful locals.

The north-south or south-north road between Poso and Wotu in the central moutainious area of the island are just georgous and totally wild. A must do when on Sulawesi. I think you can bypass the town of Poso if you dont want to go into that town.

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

Hi Snakeboy!

I am really enjoying it

Still not sure whatt to do: to Palu and then te looong stretch to Marisa near Gorontalo in one day, or bypass by taking a ship to the Togians.

On one side, crossing the equator just has a great appeal to me. On the other hand is a day of simply watching the kms go and go and go.

I will go to the Togians anyway, but the question is if I will ride from Palu to north, then park the bike in Gorontalo and hopp-on to the Togians, or take a boat from Ampana to Togoans, then another to Gorontalo.


If I'm not selling in Manado I'll just take the ferry Bitung-BaoBao and from there to Makassar again.

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"Cosas que escapan a los que sueñan solo de noche..."

If going to Palu I might avoid Poso by getting to Lore Lindu NP from Tentena. It's shorter in km, but I don't know how the road will be like between gintu and Gimpu. I seem to remember there could be a muddy piste in pretty bad shape.

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"Cosas que escapan a los que sueñan solo de noche..."

I think I wasnt quite right about that long stretch from Palu to Marisa. I do think there are accomodation in a town called Moutong which is approx 100 kms before Marisa. I just did a google search for "accomodation Moutong" and got several hits - so there are most probably accomodation there. Cheaper accomodation in Indonesia are often called "Wisma" or "Losmen" so you can looknfor such signs. But remember that from Palu to Moutong its still approx 350 kms and that is a long stretch and that the roads are not very good up there, very narrow and lots of road construction and repair. So I still recommend to start early from Palu.

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

Hi Snake boy.

Made it to Manado.

I finally choosed to go to Ampana, then take the ferry for the Togean Islands. Really worth it. Had a great time there with good people and the total eclipse was something unique. Very happy to have chosen this route.

Rantepao-Palopo-Tentena-Poso-Ampana-(ferry to Togeans)-(ferry to Gorontalo)-Gorontalo-Manado.


For people seing this in the future: From Ampana to Togeans you have the KM Puspita Sari. It carries bikes also (everything basically), but getting a heavy bike on it would not be easy task. There is also a ferry, the KMS Tuona Tomini that connects Ampana with Gorontalo, making a stop in Wakai (Togeans). This is a normal ferry, so OK to everything on wheels.

This boats are also a great place to take hundreds of pictures. They are slow, but very interesting.
You can buy fresh fruits in Ampana. I recommend to eat as much fruit and anything except fish there, because fish is 50% of what you will eat in the Togeans (the other 50% being rice).

The Togeans are a great place to relax. Park your bike and go snorkeling. It's no place for bikes.

Gorontalo to Manado: the road is a rollercoaster. Great fun, just be aware that the private vans there drive completelly mental. Those guys should spend the rest of their lives in jail. Some od them will have a very short life anyway...

Have fun!

__________________
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"Cosas que escapan a los que sueñan solo de noche..."

Great to hear that you made it to Manado.
The southern route between Gorontalo and Manado is definetively a rollercoaster. The northern one are much better.
Most drivers in Indonesia should have their balls spanked with rusty dirty barbed wire - and then put to jail. In the end one just have to laugh of them anyway.

__________________
In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....