Yea, I'd like to know this as well! Surly with all the Latin America experts here, someone would know??

Xfiltrate? Where are you man!

The question of the legality of a foreign tourist, entering a South American country with a tourist visa, on a foreign plated motorcycle with a TVIP (Temporary Vehicle Import Permit) and then leaving the motorcycle in the country when the foreign tourist exits might vary from country to country.

The question of enforcement is unpredictable.

I will need a few days to do a proper study and will publish the results here.
I will look at motorcycles with current TVIPs that will be exited from the country prior to the expiration of the TVIP.
We can assume that leaving the country on a motorcycle with an expired TVIP will be problematic.

Speaking from personal experience Argentina does not enforce any laws regulating a foreign tourist leaving a foreign plated motorcycle with a valid TVIP in Argentina, while the foreign tourist exits Argentina. But, the motorcycle must be exited by the foreign tourist prior to the expiration of the TVIP.

To wit: Argentine tourist visas are generally issued for three months, but Argentine TVIPs are issued for as many as eight months.
Logic dictates that the foreign tourist will exit and return to Argentina prior to the expiration of any TVIP issued for more than three months.

Note: If the foreign plated motorcycle is involved in an accident while the foreign tourist is out of the country, the foreign tourist will still be held responsible for damages.

Again, from personal experience rosa del desierto and I left our Argentine plated motorcycles in Colombia only after contacting the Colombian DIAN (customs) and jumping through a series of hoops that included - documenting the injury that necessitated our leaving the bikes behind, photographing the bikes and the "storage" where they will be parked, identifying and providing a photograph of the Colombian who was responsible for storing the bikes, having a *specialized paper etching made of the serial numbers of the bikes and signing a document of responsibility for the bikes.
This process took more than a week and required a medical doctor's signature verifying rosa's injury plus a frustrating wait for authorization from the DIAN.

*the Spanish word for the etching is "impronta," I think.

For all other South American countries, I will to do the research and report what I find here as I find it. This could take a while.

Thanks for the question, sorry I can't be more helpful at this time.

xfiltrate

__________________
Motorcycle Parking Buenos Aires, Argentina
www.xfiltrate.com
Discover how to legally Buy, Tour and Sell a motorcycle in Argentina

Xfiltrate (and others) - thanks for the input thus far. Yep - not worried about the insurance $$ claim side of it, and doesnt involve me personally overstaying in a country.. just purely the logistical process of leaving a bike (potentialy abandoned) in a country, exiting that country via overland border crossing (and potentially never returning again). could be scenario where bike is a mechanical write off, or bike keeps breaking down breaking down breaking down that makes the trip a pain in the butt, or i get a broken leg hiking, or it just gets too damn cold to continue riding the bike and i wimp out of the journey (by bike at least).. thanks a lot sweeeeet

Yea, simple request.
But don't discount greed and corruption. Now add in just how little most Aduana officials are paid ... and the opportunity for them to extract a "small fee" for themselves and clog the system with "make work" ridiculous paperwork. So, so inefficient!

Ideally, One should be able to show up at Aduana office, border or other Govt. office and simply hand over your TVIP, your title and be done. The state gets a free bike. They can now either store it, sell it off or crush it.
(In California ... the state PAYS YOU $1000 for retiring an old car.)

The main thing Latin govts are trying to do is collect TAX on the sale or importation of any foreign vehicle.

Imported Cars and bikes are taxed anywhere from 100% up to 400%. This is why cars/bikes are SO bloddy expensive in Latin America.

Outrageous taxes, no? So ... you would think these same Govts would make it VERY easy for a foreigner (or anyone else) to "donate" their bike. But corrupt officials get in the way ... and add LOADS of paperwork and fees all along the way.

I'm surprised Xfiltrate could not answer one of our main questions here:
Which countries stamp your bike Info into your passport, thus linking YOU and your BIKE together and meaning BOTH must travel together.

As of now, looks like NO Latin States do this ... but as said earlier, not sure!

I recently rode 20k miles around South America in every country with the exception of Venezuela and the Guyanas and in none of them was my motorcycle ever mentioned in my passport.

Passport is immigration. Vehicle is customs. In South America in my recent experience, the twain have yet to meet. It won't however stop random chit chat getting in the way of facts.

__________________

TBS.com

During my last Latin America trip 6 years ago, the countries which stamped vehicle information in my passport were Honduras and Venezuela.

I'll add the obvious: just because it's not in a passport doesn't mean the information isn't linked to a TIP. Most countries allow departure in the absence of your vehicle, and most don't appear to cross-reference when they do so. That doesn't mean they're incapable, should they see a reason.

Mark