Hello everbody,

We both Dutch and are planning a trip through South America by motorbike. We would like to buy 2 motorbikes in Argentina or Brasil and travel from Argentina, through Chili, Bolivia, Peru, Equador, Brasil and Venuezuela.

We would like to know what is the best bike to buy and where. I saw that Brasil builts the mini dominator which sounds good to do the job. To cross the Andes we need minimum 250 cc. We are now preparing and the type of bike is important for the lugage system we choose.

Furtheron we need some information about crossing borders. What can't of preparation on paperwork do we need ? Do we need a carnet de passage ? And how can we get this on a bike bought in a foreign country ? Are there problems or risks we possibly might not know or should be aware of ? We bought the adventure motor cycling handbook which gives a lot of information but not on the way we want to do our trip.

Who has motorbikes for sale ? and can give us some information ?

Thanx

Gerjan & Tamara

Welkom Gerjan & Tamara

Unfortunately Brasil is not the place to buy a m'bike, unless you're a resident or now someone who is...

You don't happen to know someone from Holambra do you? This is a little dutch village in Brasil (Where my girlfried is from). Anyway when are you planning to be there? My G/F and I are in Europe now, but we probably be back home (Brasil) in December/2006 and would be able to help.

The mini dominator you mentioned is the Honda Falcon 400cc, VERY good and reliable m'bike and would do the job just fine, plenty of parts readly available and pretty easy to fix.

I don't think it's easier to buy a m'bike in Argentina either, IIRC you can't leave the country in the first 8 months, but don't quote me for that, do a search here and you'll come with a more precise answer. I think the easiest country to buy a m'bike in SA is Chile, but again, do a search...

Tot straks
Fernando

__________________
www.mfnaeuropa.blogspot.com

Hiya Gerjan & Tamara,

Im on my way round some bits of S.A on a brilliant 2001 Yamaha XT600e (Based on the old 3AJ teneres so super reliable and everyone knows how to fix em here)

Ill be selling it in July in Peru most likely.

Its a 2001, about 45000KMS full history or services etc.
Now has larger 24l Acerbis tank giving a range of about 500KMs! (the normal XT has only 15l)
Has 3 German made Hepco and Becker Panniers
Hepco and Becker windscreen
No longer has the tank bag as in the pic as it wont fit the new tank.

Pics are here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorcy...7594097836629/

More here but yll have to wade through the trip photos! Might see some inspirational roads though!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorcyclediaries


Letme know if you want to know anymore.

thanks,

dave

I am from US. I have two KLR650's in Temuco Chile. I am now at home in US. Will be going to Chile in December(probably) and will end up with bikes possibly in Arica Chile(far north tip) just before Christmas. I will consider selling the two bikes there. Transfer of bikes will not be a problem. I purchased them in Chile. Registered in Chile. Have experience with the insurance etc etc. No need to worry about carnet in SA. Borders are professional and easy. Contact me here or do a personal email to me for more details.

Hi Guys,
My Girlfriend and I travelled through Argentina and Chile Last year on a Africa Twin which we bought in Santiago Chile.

The main bit of info I can give you is DON´T BUY A BIKE IN ARGENTINA!
Argentina is a fantastic place to travel on the bike but you CAN NOT go out of Argentina with the bike if you are a forigner and you bought the bike there.


Carnet is not needed in any of South America you just need the bike papers and the temp´import papers for the bike which the customs will give you.

The Brasillian Mini Dom is not such a strong bike. Its looks good but it´s not got the right stuff on it...eg. not Alluminium wheels and not good suspension. The Brasilian XR250 is much better or if you go for Chile you should have no problem finding Japanese XR250´s...they are everywhere you look!

But I have to say that the bike we got in Chile was a bit expensive so don´t beleive what you read on Marcado Libre, we found the prices a bit more expensive that UK.

As for the paper work...It´s not difficult but you need to speak spanish or get a friend to help.
First you need a RUT number (it´s like a national ID number) you can get it from the SII office. Again people can show you where this is.
It´s not a difficult proccess and it can be done quite quickly but I would allow at least a week to do it.
We were lucky to find our Africa Twin in the first day and get started on the papers stright away. we got the bike and moved on in 7 days. BUT it takes a month for the permanent papers to come but we didn´t bother to wait.
But you can leave Chile with the temporary papers. I don´t know what will happen if you try to sell the bike with the temp´papers though...

I hope that´s some help....I just read through it and it sounds complicated but it´s really not as bad as it sounds.
good luck...zade

I'll be buying two XT600s in Santiago next week. Arlen is absolutely right, the process (from here in the UK) seems very straight forward. I will get a letter from the sellers confirming all the details, but again, even though they suggested it - it should not be necassary. Benefit for me is that I can pick up the bikes, do the notary part and start the paperwork and travel to Argentina the next day (again, I've been told the sales contrct should be enough for this). Temporary papers can be picked up at the registration offices throughout the country. All computerised. TEmporary papers can allegedly take up to a month to come through...or so the seller tells me.

I shall post the real experience once the deed is done.

Chin up, it'll work out, usually does...

JEns

__________________
You can never have too many bikes......

BMW R100GS
Triumph Tiger 885
Yamaha XT600e

Jens is gone, but not forgotten.

Jens, thanx for your answer. Can you give us some adress details where you bought the bike in Chile. Maybe alsome some details ? Sounds good, it sounds exactly what we need.

I have my chin up, but so far not so good.

Thanx Jens.

Gerjan & Tamara

Ok thanks Zade. Don't buy them in Argentina. I keep that in mind. Thanks also for your tip for the XR250. Good option, we seriously gone think about that.

Gerjan & Tamara

Hi Fernando,

Thanks (obrigado) for your information and also for you offer to help us out. Unfornately we have planned our trip from June to September so December will be late. Thanks anyway. Nice site by the way we are trying the opposite 4 months South America. No rush eigther it's holiday. Yes!

Tot ziens
Gerjan & Tamara

Hello Dave and girlfriend (?),

July is a bit late for us. We wanted to start in June actually. Maybe it is possible, what do you want for your bike ? By the way nice site and very nice pictures. We are thinking about the same tour so we are very interested in your experiences and difficulties (what that prepare ?, how are the border crossings and how did you cope with the insurance problem ?)

Wish you a nice adventure.

Gerjan & Tamara

Hello Arlen,

Sounds very interesting and two of these type of bikes is exactly what we are searching for. Can you give us some details of your bikes ? We want to make our trip from June to September/October. So for us December is too late. Is it an option if we buy (or maybe hire) these bikes before you planned your trip ?

Gerjan & Tamara

Try this sites:
www.chileautos.cl
www.procircuit.cl
www.colvin.cl
www.motonet.cl

Newspaper: www.emol.com, link:Autos .


XT and other single 600´s arent so popular in chile.

Other bikes that you easily can find here are Xr250,XlL250,XR600 and XR400 in that order.
Also:
Africa Twin, F650, you can always find a used one in a week.

Regards from Chile
Joe

__________________
Jose Valdés

http://caminossecundarios.blogspot.com

Also note the "Similar threads" at the bottom of the page - lots of VERY good information there, especially one on the complete procedure for buying in Chile.

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Hi all,

I hope you can help, cause I am quite inexperienced in making such a travel I am about to do...

I am planning to go from Lima -peru- by motorcycle to buenos Aires , starting at the 20th of june in Lima.

I wonder wheter it is easy to get a motorcycle in Lima and if I can get a reliable one for under 500 dollar. I hear a kawasaki KLR 650 is a good motorcycle for the job but I have no clue on what to pay for it in a city like Lima and where to get it.

Thanks Rutger

If you are not planning on carrying much baggage or traveling at a fast rate, I would strongly sujest that you consider buying new Honda Tornados(the Brazilian XR250).
At $4100 U.S.(out the door price here in Costa Rica), they are currently one of the very best deals in Latin America.. The Honda 400 Falcon is $5700.
Like most "made in Brazil" Japanese bikes, the engines are made in Japan. They also, like most made in Brazil bikes, have steel rims.
At the end of your trip, they could be re-sold for almost what you payed for them(providing they weren't too beat up
The Tornado is a very sweet and comfortable ride(for a 250) and only slightly under-powered.

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Motomech
Playas del Coco
Costa Rica

"..an attaching bike on which one rolls serenly along."
(Google translation of a French R100GS review)