I am looking to travel in South America next year during the month of June or July for a month if possible. I can almost pay for my ticket entirely with frequent flier miles I've earned. I was thinking about purchasing a bike in SA and selling it there again. A loss on a bike wouldn't be a big deal to me.

In any case, I was wondering what the feasibility of purchasing and selling a bike in SA would be? Are there restrictions I should be aware of (such as a carnet for crossing borders if I so choose)? I am mainly interested in Argentina and/or Chile as destinations. Recommendations for places to see and where to go are welcome. The lingering question I have is, will $4,000.00 USD be enough in either Argentina or Chile to purchase a bike and ride around for a month? I don't mind camping, but security comes to mind. I could also shorten the duration of my trip. If one knows of a link that might direct me to a motorcycle classifieds listing (if that exists) for these two destinations I would be grateful.

Right now, it is a bit tricky for me to sit down and plan this trip, but I figure I might as well get the ball rolling. I'm gone for a week at a time for a month so, if I don't get back to you immediately don't worry, I'll be able to reply at weeks end. Just so people don't think I'm lazy and trying to avoid doing research myself, I have read through Adventure Motorcycling Handbook by Chris Scott a few times. I have also visited this site on occasion (please link relevant info within HUBB if it is a must read). Otherwise, I'll be reading through the regional forums when I get back. All help is greatly appreciated! Happy trails and feel free to include anything that I should know that I haven't mentioned.

Best, Kai