so I made it out. FINALLY. I went to the AFIP with a local who was a bit more pushy than I had been. He insisted in speaking to a boss and said that we understood there was a fine (I had hoped they would understand my medical reasons and waive it - but at this point, 3 weeks later, I just became desperate to get going again) and demanded to know how much it was so we could pay it. The boss of the AFIP sumarios talked to the boss at the deposito and within a day they assessed the value of my bike ($3000, despite KBB value of $2k). I had to pay 30% plus 50% import, or roughly 90% of what I actually originally paid for the bike. But I got a bit lucky. Somehow when it went to the accounting clerk, and she gave me the slip I had to take with cash to the bank, it was only 86m pesos (~$1300). Still a ton. I had a friend western union me the money, and ran to the bank, but it closed at 1. Went back the next day when it opened, waited for 3 hours, paid, got a stamp, went back to AFIP accounting clerk, she did her magic with tons of stamps and photo copies, then took it to the Sumarios, who did more stamping, then it had to be signed by a judge, and finally sent to the Deposito to fill out a new import form giving me 48 hours to leave. Timing was very tight, but once people actually started working on it, it only took 2 days. They said most people wait 6 months! Also the fines are generally too high for anyone to actually pay. Thank God I have an old, cheap motorcycle! Leaving the country took a bit longer but all my paperwork checked out and I finally was free. Nightmare experience, and cost me thousands and thousands of dollars in lost time, hotels, food, changed flights, fees, taxis, etc. If I had to do it again, I'd save more time to get back in time (I only gave myself a week, and then when I had my accident I lost it), and I'd try to run through a small boarder vs go to the aduana in town. No idea if itd work, but it seems to have for others and my way sucked. Lesson learned

Thanks for the update, it will help future riders

Smiles

You made it, very good.

You were lucky, the boss of the deposit did not want to keep it.

Thank you for posting your story here, as Kino Jeff said, its good for others here on the Hubb to learn.

Enjoy your journey.

mika

Boy that sucks, but glad to hear that you can continue your journey. Thanks for the writeup, always interesting to read about how stuff like this works out.

Never have your bike overstayed...

a few years ago i did it for one day... my temporal importation was ending on a sunday and went on tuesday to renew it...bad idea

Basically the girl from the desk told me that normally bike is blocked by customs, some tribunal procedures can follow as it is considered as fellony...
Fortunatly for me she told me to go to a medic, made him made a certificate i was ill, went to the big biulding on 9 de julio to have the signature of the medic certified and came back after having all these papers.
In case you had an accident in Argentina and was sent back to your country i guess you could have used the paperwork related.

With all the COVID thing i guess it is going to be less strict... but at the same time Argentina s government need money...

There is always a way when you know the correct persons (but i don t so i can t help you with such things).
The 50%+30% are in fact around the same thing i paid making the offical import (the 30 are 21%VAT + some others things) based on a value referenced in what is called the blue book of customs. You can however "fight" this based price if you can show what is the actual value of the bike in your country of origin. (to which you ll have to had costs of certified translation).

PS Value will be set in pesos at national bank rate, Western Union uses another rate wich is nearly twice the official one (1u$ = 85 pesos officially, western union makes it at around 1u$=150)