1 Year SA - Shipping vs. Buying vs. Car
 

Hello everyone,

after being a silent reader for a good time I need your help but don't know where to start.

My girlfriend and I are going to SA for a one year sabbatical. We are from Europe-Austria. At this time we both have been traveling for a bit with our motorcycles (Italy, Greece etc.) as well as with our car (a Berlingo 2wd modified as Campervan). We really like both. The car due to its comfort and the bikes for the feeling (not for packing and unpacking the tent every day :D)

She has a CB500X and I have a 2001 Transalp. Both would be too heavy for us, as we really want to leave the beaten paths and explore what the continent has to offer. Therefore, we have several options now in our mind and really struggle with our decision.

The plan is to start in September 2020 in the south of SA (Montevideo or Valparaiso).
For us there are two criteria, one is the financial aspect and the other one would be the "comfort" one.

Our questions now would be:

• If we are buying a new motorcycle in Chile or Uruguay what costs do we have to expect? As I read it is hardly possible to sell the bike for example in Columbia within the legal regulations. Provided the bikes are in normal conditions how much less would we get for them? Also what are the overall costs for buying those bikes in the mentioned countries (incl. bureaucracy )?

• From what you guys have experienced while traveling SA with your motorcycles and going a bit of the beaten track. Could our 2wd Citroen Berlingo, which will be probably be a bit modified (suspension lift, undercoating, differential lock, AT tyres), manage these dirt roads?

• Is there really a big difference in terms of costs between shipping the bike vs buying a new (!) one in SA? Shipping from Europe would cost us about 2,5k each both ways. But we could modify the bikes according to our wishes in our country.

We really appreciate some input from you guys.


Cheers from Austria :thumbup1:

Imo there are too many variables to give any clear answer to your questions.

A good write up about the costs of buying a Honda Xr190L in Chile is found here: https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...tiago-45637-12

If you can ship your bikes from Europe to South-America and back for € 2500 each without further costs at the destination it sounds like a good deal to me.

shipping Hamburg- Santiago
 

We recently shipped our bikes from Hamburg to Santiago with "In-Time" for $1050 each. Price included all port handling charges, we paid no extras. Excellent professional service, highly recommended. They also handle cars. You will find them on HUBB.

Buy and sell
 

"...it is hardly possible to sell the bike for example in Columbia within the legal regulations..."

To be clear it is possible to buy and sell a motorcycle in many places in South America. The issue is with selling a foreign-registered motorcycle, which is possible is many countries if the buyer is willing to pay the importation taxes. Often the taxes make the total price too high.

There are three choices: 1) bring your own 2) rent 3) buy. I have done all three.

BRING YOUR OWN
Traveling from the US, overland to Panama, crossing the Darien Gap by boat, then the full loop around South America, returning to Mexico, again by boat, then home. The boat was the Stalratte (Hi Captain Lulu!) It is great to ride your own bike. On the other hand, you don't need or want a large bike of you are riding off the beaten path. It took me YEARS to believe a small bike is better when traveling off the tarmac.

RENT
I have rented a bike for a self-guided tour in Ecuador (Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental) and joined a tour in Peru (Around the Block Moto Adventures.) Both were fun short trips. Neither were as long as you are planning and you can't leave most SA countries with a rented bike. Taking a tour in Peru changed my mind about small-bore motorcycles. Ripping around on gravel and dirt on a 250cc bike was a blast.

BUY
Moto Colombia
They do a good job of explaining the key import, rent, buy, and selling a bike at the end of your trip issues. They have a buy-back program.
https://motolombia.com/planning-to-tour-south-american-by-motorcycle-our-guide-to-buying-and-selling-a-used-motorbike-in-colombia/

Colombia Moto Adventures
They offer a buy-back program and more.
https://www.colombiamotoadventures.com/buy-a-motorcycle-in-colombia

Around the Block Moto Adventures
I joined a tour with friends and got to know the owners well. The next step, I bought a 250cc Chinese bike and have returned to Peru several times to ride it. When the time comes they offer a buy-back program. I am considering leveraging the buy-back to upgrade to a 300cc. I know the quality of their service and how well they maintain the bikes.
http://www.aroundtheblockmotoadventures.com/moto-purchase-buy-back/

There are probably other companies that offer a buy-back program. I found the two outfits in Colombia with a Google search and I know Around the Block Moto Adventures personally. Try searching for motorcycle tour companies and explore their websites. The buy-back approach saves the cost of shipping a bike and avoids the hassle of trying to sell the bike yourself at the end of the trip. It does mean starting and ending your trip from the same country.
If you buy a bike in Argentina, I understand you can't leave the country with it.

One important consideration you should make is whether there are parts available for the vehicle you plan to ship to South America. It's a drag to have to wait 2 or more weeks for parts not available in SA.

I'm in agreement with PeterB about Around the Block. I've had good experience with Toby. You'll spend at least $2000 round trip shipping, per moto, vs buying and selling back.

IMO you'll have a lot more freedom to explore the back roads on a moto, vs a car. Each is a very different experience. A car is better in the rain and cold but limits where you can go. It depends on your style of travel, your passion for motorcycles vs a car, your traveling companion, and your need for comfort.

hotels vs. camping
 

czi,

You mentioned packing and unpacking a tent. If you are keen to camp, go for it. I carried camping gear for 9 -months, use it 5 or 6 times. Hotels in many South American countries come with a shower, wifi usually, a safe place for our bike (you have to ask sometimes) and perhaps breakfast...and mostly they are very inexpensive.

I'm leaning towards your Citroen Berlingo idea. The nice thing with the Berlingo is that you can lock your valuables up in there and not have to worry nearly as much about it standing out to thieves. You can also sleep in it with a lot more security than camping in SA. When I traveled on a motorcycle in Latin America, I was always afraid that someone would steal my motorcycle.

Since you are doing your sabaticals, I think having a car will be more helpful during that time than the motorcycles. The motorcycles are harder to store and you always have to worry about them getting stolen.

I remember the Berlingo, because a few years ago I decided to buy a car in Europe and do some touring. The Berlingo was one of the models they recommended. I ended up going with VW Golf Wagon which ended up being a good choice.

If you end up doing the motorcycle idea than just buy the motorcycles once you get there. It is unfortunate with the timing of Covid, because you can normally find foreign motorcycle travelers in Buenos Aires who are selling their motorcycles for very cheap because they finished their trip. The Hubb has a for sale section where you can find these deals.