Just bought 2 bikes without papers in Argentina...please help!

[El Aleman - Jens]

So guys, decision is made, we just bought 2 suzukis without correct paper work in Argentina.... We will fly there beginning of January, for about 3-4 weeks. Start in Mendoza and in Osorno/Chile. So far the theory...will there be a lot of controls? Police on the road? Border controls...the bikes are for 2 years in the country...

Where should we go, what is the best route? What shouldn´t we miss?

Thanks for all your help...

We will tell you all our experiences including pictures at the
2nd HU Meeting Germany, 21.5. - 24.5.2009
30 min. north of Heidelberg!

See you - Jens and Udo

[El Aleman - Jens]

Insurance?

Do we need insurance? Do they check it? I was in Argentina already twice on a different bike, 10 years ago and both trips I did without insurance.

I went through Chile without insurance too... How is it now?

Thanks...

[xfiltrate]

I have great admiration and respect for your adventurous spirits.

You might want to read my thread above How to purchase New or used motorcycles in Argentina and tour. There you will find the list of needed documents for an Argentine registered vehicle or motorcycle.

For any additional comment, I need to know what license plate you will have, an Argentine plate, a foreign plate or a cardboard cut out plate claiming you lost your plate?

Since you mentioned that the "bikes are for 2 years in the country" I am assuming you have purchased bikes registered in another country. Argentine registered bikes can stay in Argentina without a Temporary Vehicle Import Permit, but that is issued to all foreign bikes at the border, for a maximum stay in Argentina of 8 months.

Police controls in Buenos Aires and other large cities depend on the number of motorcycle involved crimes committed, such as robberies or car jackings. The police controls today have been greatly reduced from a few months ago when there were many road blocks specifically for motorcycles, that resulted in the police impounding thousands of motorcycles for improper documentation or lack of liability insurance.

In the provinces there are generally agriculture check points between provinces and near there sometimes federal or provincial police will stop and check vehicles/ motorcycles.

Ruta 14 is noted for some particularly harsh police controls. See the thread this region on Ruta 14.

Your motorcycle documentation will be checked by both countries at every border.

Be sure to buy insurance for each country. Here in Argentina, the police, investigating any accident with serious bodily injury or extensive property damage, do not make determination of fault, and as a result everyone involved is arrested, including the injured.

Once in jail, a verification call to your insurance company is generally your get out of jail free card. Once it is verified that you have at least the minimum liability coverage you will probably be released. Otherwise, you will stay in jail until a judge determines you are not at fault in the accident. Argentine courts are back logged and this might be months , not weeks.

As a foreign tourist and as a permanent resident of Argentina, I have toured Argentina and 5 other South American countries on a motorcycle purchased and registered in Argentina and my documentation was checked at every border and about once for every week in any particular country, but I never had a problem. The police were always very helpful and even escorted me through a 50 K stretch of mountain trail (Central Andes , Peru) known for armed banditos and narcotrafficantes.