I've been stressed to the point of getting blurred vision and feeling ill. Mainly because 2 weeks from setting off to South America for an 8 month ride, after lots of research, i find i can't get my motorcycle license in California as planned (I'm Australian). There it's a weekend course and a ticket to ride within a week or so.

In Australia it's a weekend course, Learner's Permit for 3 months and then another test to get your License (a 12 month Provisional one at that).

So now i've found out that i can't get one in LA unless i have a 'work visa', despite 4 riding schools there telling me it will be no problem. I've booked in for a riding course and to get my Learner's Permit this weekend in Australia (a week before i leave!) and it looks like i can ride with a Driver's License (+International Driving Permit) in Mexico, Peru (and I'm guessing Bolivia) but in Argentina, Chile and Columbia i will need a Motorcycle License to be covered by my travel insurance and third party insurance that i buy at the borders.

So after telling my buddy 3 times this week that i'm going/not going/going again and so on, I am so over the stress of it that i've decided (despite being someone who has to tick every box) to just go, buy a bike in LA, dash to the Mexican border and hope for the best.

I'm open to comment, or a kick in the backside if that's in order, but to get this close to an 8 month tour of South America only to get held back by BS redtape that really shouldn't be there between 2 countries such as America and Australia.... argh! I'm even considering a $2000 flight back to Australia for a week in December just to sit a test to get my full license!

My main concerns are hitting someone or something and the compulsory third party insurance i buy at each countries border not holding up to cover someone or something i might hit, and the other is not being covered myself for medical with my travel insurance in an accident. I've heard on here that bribe or a date with Photoshop opens doors, but... ????....

Other than the longwinded concerns above i think i can feel the tiny inklings of excitement creeping in...

Any thoughts appreciated?

PS. I have found a travel insurance company that will cover me for medical in a mishap IF i have entered into a country 'ignorant' of the license requirements there and as long as the officials grant me entry. Just as long as i don't 'find out' that i need i a motorcycle license in that country and stay under 200cc...

Hmmm, so you have planned for quite a few months to do a trip and never bothered with one of the most important bits? I hope the rest of your planning is better than that!

Despite the above, there are some countries I went to that did specifically ask me for my licence, Honduras, Mexico, Nicuagua are 3 off the top of my head, and of course in the US a few times.

I gave them my international licence, but they wanted the proper one, which I then showed them. I had two wit different addresses.

I am not sure I would like to be in your boots if you have a prang and hurt someone. Am I scaring you, sorry but I think you are right to be concerned, maybe you should ride a very small bike, what is the minimum you can ride with just a car licence, a step though?

That said, some people never got asked at all during their travels, or they had other means to get around the issue, a good understanding of Spanish is a plus, have you learnt any?

Sorry for being so negative but a heads up now is better than a bubba up later.

TS

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Get a license in Mexico, you would need someone to give you a home address and a (comprevante) which is electrical or Telephone bill and you can get it the same day, maybe it would help if someone could translate the test in Spanish for you. You actually have to do a small riding test. Good luck!

It's possible for an Australian to get a motorcycle license in Mexico? If it is will that give me license to ride South American countries legitimately?

Photoshop, some card and a laminator could maybe get you past the cops that pull you, but I wouldnt want to be in your shoes if you actually hit (or got hit) by someone.....

Could be a hell of a story though.

I doubt any local insurance you buy in S. America is going to know the difference between a regular license and one with a Motorcycle endorsement.
All they need is something official looking with a photo and a number. Your address should match the bike's paperwork and passport. All matching info is a good thing if possible.

Most times any sort of "official" looking license is going to be just fine and in most cases your Passport will be all anyone wants to see. Be careful about handing it out to random, so-called "officials" Your Passport is worth a bundle down there ... guard it. Give out copies when possible. I would make photo shop copies of what ever you need and laminate them. Hand these out when possible.

The Mexico license would be good, as its in Spanish. Get one if you can ... Not sure they'll issue one to a Tourist. You might need a work permit or something ... hard to get?
can't hurt. The more Spanish you speak the easier and less stressful things will be. Once you get a feel for the system and sus out the ins/outs, she'll be right mate.

I will have an Australian Motorcycle Learner's Permit, tho i believe this is not actually valid abroad.

So if i'm crossing a border, they see my australian driver's license and passport and i'm granted entry i will be eligible for third party insurance in that country and simply pay for it then and there? AND it will hold up in the event of an accident in that country? That's my main concern here. In the event of an accident would the government insurance company track back and then render my Driver's License and Learners Permit from Australia invalid and therefore decline cover? Or, once i'm thru and stamped i'm covered in that regard?

Re injuring myself, the insurance company i'm going with will cover me if i ride without knowledge of the licensing requirements for that country until such time that i come to know about such things. Strange i know, but this being the case, it would seem i have enough of a loophole with this and the third party cover purchased at borders to actually be riding legally.

Sorry, i realise these things may be difficult to answer. But I'm hoping i might be able to at least gauge the situation. I appreciate all your comments so far.

I am Canadian and I have a Mexican Drivers license and a Motorcycle license.

Hi Booysen,
How did you go about getting the Mexican Motorcycle license? Was it then recognised in South America also?

As you seem to think it is so easy to get a license in another country, why don't you just take the test in your own country and go with a full one ?

Surely this would be simpler than trying to faff about with taking tests in another country ? Unless you think you will not be able to pass the test in your own country ....... :-)

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Coz as i explained in my original post, I don't have 3 months to wait to get a full one here in Australia. I leave for LA in a week and had booked my ticket on the basis that 4 different riding schools in California told me i could get one there as an Australian. The fifth reply, which came much later, told me i couldn't train there and get a license with a tourist visa. So at the time i believed i was doing the right thing.

Still wanting to do the right thing i'm doing everything i can to train and get a full legitimate license anyway i can, hence the Q's about Mexico.

Oh sorry ! But I do have my Canadian Motor cycle license. I did my Mexican license in Queretaro, I took my passport (Canadian) along with a comprevante ( CFE electrical bill) which had the address on of where I shared a house(rented) OH please take a helmet with to do the test. And by the way I also own a motorcycle in Mexico which I bought there after I got my license.
Have faith some people seem to think nothing is possible, Try it.

You are over thinking this whole thing. Just take the license that you have. make nice laminated copies to hand out to the cops so they dont take your original.

You tell them its good for a MC and a car. They have no idea what an Aussie license looks like, much less what the MC endorsement is.

The fact is, on most licenses there is a code that says if its good for a MC, and no one outside of that country, province or state usually has any idea about the MC code.

If you stress about stuff like this on the trip, you will have a nervous breakdown before you get out of Mexico.

Just go ride dude, it will be fine, its Latin America.

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