Transferring ownership of an foreignly registered bike between tourists
 

Hello everyone,

I am currently looking into purchasing a bike in Santiago, Chile in the first week of June. I found that there is a lot of info about purchasing a bike from a Chilean, be it a dealer or a local. What is no clear is if it is possible to buy a foreignly registered bike from another tourist. From what I understand this is common practice but you become the legal owner of the bike. My questions boil down to this:

1. Is it possible as a citizen of country A to legally transfer the ownership of a motorbike registered in country B from another tourist in Chile.
2. Is there a solution so you can still purchase the bike and ride through SA without transferring the ownership of the bike (POA or lease or something?)
3. What are possible issues with an temporary import paper?

It would be awesome if someone could shine a light on this topic. I am looking for helpful advice, I know xfiltrate has a strong opinion on this subject and it is dearly noted, I am on the other hand also looking for succes stories so I can weigh the risk.

I can also be contacted by e-mail on: marijnbruins@gmail.com.

Thanks in advance!

Don't know about 1 and 3, but on 2 I have read that it's OK to travel with a notary letter from the owner of the bike (even if you're not the owner) in Chile and Argentina and Bolivia. However, you cannot take the bike into Peru this way.

Hope this helps.

Hi,

thanks for sharing!

Since I'm going to do the same in few weeks (i.e. to ride a Chilean bike owned by a friend of mine, with a notary declaration) please, could you detail a bit more? Are you sure about this?

By chance, do you know if it is possible to import the bike owned by a different person in Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil?

many thanks for your help,

regards,

Nelik

I haven't tried to do this so I don't know much more I'm afraid.

I did however read this chap's blog here Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers' Stories - Two Pegs to Patagonia in South America Revisited (Pegless to Peru)and he appeared to be trying to (and failing) to get a bike into Peru that wasn't his but with a notary letter.

That's all I know I'm afraid. The chap is BruceP on HUBB - maybe better PM him.

Good luck!

I managed to enter Peru with a bike not registered on my name paying about 10 $ bribe (did not get a RUT in Chile so had to register my bike on someone else but at the boarder they did not accept my notary power of authority. This only worked to leave Chile). Ecuador and Columbia were no problem.

Hi,

many thanks for your reply, as well thanks to s445203

I'll tell you how my entrance will go, I should arrive in Perù around mid of July

regards,

Nelik

Hi im shure everything will work well if your patient and friendly. Enjoy Southamerica...i miss it so much :)

"I have this friend" who has been traveling in SA and other countries on documents created on the computer. Fake Registration and Insurance docs. This friend even created duplicate plates and traveled for years on simple, non-official plates.

Of course I would never recommend doing something like this, but pm me know if you want the templates used.

A real policy!!!
 

"I've got also a friend" who travelled around SA inf January and had no insurance, so he got a fake policy and photoshoped it, as he didn't exactly know the countries he was going through, he was stupid enough to write on the policy "valid in all countries of South America", this funny policy saved him a few hundred dollars.

Of course I would never ever recomend someone to use fake docs, first because it's illegal, specially insurance, there's no need to mention that if you get involved in an accident you will be in serious problems plus the peace of mind that a real insurance policy gives you.

But you know, I would at least consider about carrying a policy that covers you in accidents even on the milk way or maybe in the moon in case a stupid and corrupt officer says your documents are not valid, so I would, maybe, show him my super policy and wait for him to check at the head office of the insurance company in Greenland.

Ride safe

Rod