Urgent: about to buy two bikes in Colombia!
 

Hi there!

We're about to buy two Yamaha XTZ 250 cc in Colombia, TODAY! We want to travel with it to Chli:). These are the bikes we're about to buy:

Yamaha XTZ 2012 - 60.000 kilometers - 8,200.000 pesos
(insurance till september 2017)

Yamaha XTZ 2015 - 20.000 kilometers - 10,000.000 pesos
(insurance till december 2016)

Both bikes are in good condition. Do you think this is a fair deal? They will make contract for us in order to put the bikes on our name. What should we take in to consideration? We'll let the contract check by a lawyer from Colombia(someone we know). Any tips or comments are very welcome.

Hopefully hear from you a.s.a.p. Thank you very much in advance!

buying
 

Check the frame and engine numbers on the bikes and compare them to the docs.

mika from bolivia

Buyers in Colombia
 

We have traveled Colombia and know something about the DIAN - customs and
about the country.

As per a previous SELF IMPOSED agreement, I will not express my opinion here, but ask several questions instead. I am not sure what your question is? If your question is in regard to "insurance" just because a policy has been written for each bike does not mean it covers a new owner. This is sort of a no brainer, so I suppose your question has to do with the legality of purchasing a bike, bikes, in Colombia.

This question would be impossible to answer without knowing the country of registration of the 2 bikes and a little of the history of ownership/nationalities of the previous owners and the bikes.

Are the bikes Colombian registered? Or, were they entered into Colombia on a TVIP.
(Temporary Vehicle Import Permit)? And, what are the buyers nationalities and official status in Colombia? This question could have several answers... Colombian, tourist , permanent foreign resident, etc. Each of these answers might effect dramatically the purchase of 2 bikes in Colombia.

As you are aware, by previous post it is mandatory to compare actual vin and license plate data with any documents that come with the bikes. And, know if the bikes were entered into Colombia on TVIPs you must check the dates on the TVIPs to make certain the bikes have not overstayed in Colombia. Also, if Colombian registered bikes you must check to see if persons with your official status in Colombia is permitted to exit a Colombian registered bike/bikes from Colombia.

The DIAN was very helpful to us when rosa del desierto suffered an injury that required us to leave our Argentine registered bikes in Colombia and go to Spain for her medical treatment, but the process of obtaining this permission for our bikes to overstay their TVIP limits took almost a month. And, if the bikes you are intending to purchase were entered into Colombia on TVIPs, you might want to check the legally of purchasing the bikes.
There, I don't think I have overstepped my agreements with the HUBB not to discourage the sale of bikes in South America, but I cannot in good conscience let this post pass without my comment. You seem to be in a rush. My suggestion is to ask yourself Where am I? - and What am I doing? Please slow down you are in South America!

xfiltrate. eat , drink and make absolutely sure your insurance is valid.

ps I think there is thread on the HUBB set up to advise in which countries it is legal for tourists to purchase motor vehicles/bikes. Make sure you use the services of a local "hestor" ( one who is qualified to transfer titles ) for any title transfers.

Thank you for your answer! In the end we just bought one bike (Yamaha 2015) with the help of a hestor. The other bike had some "paperwork" issues. We're taking our time buying the second one.

Some history of the bike we bought: it's Colombian registered, one owner. We got the following paperwork with it:

- Licencia de transito card on our own name
- Previous licencia de transito card of the women
- Insurance paper with the name of the women valid till 28-12-2016
- Certificado de emisiones

We're both from Holland and on a tourist visum (90 days). I'm wondering what you mean with "If your question is in regard to "insurance" just because a policy has been written for each bike does not mean it covers a new owner. This is sort of a no brainer". Does it mean we have to take a new insurance? How/where do I look into this?

Then, just one more question. We would like to sell this bike in Chili on a TVIP to other travelers. Do we have all necessary papers?

Thanks you in advance!

If ownership has changed then you would need your own liability insurance. We noticed frequent police points along the highway and they were always only stopping motorbikes and checking papers.
Also need to check if it is mandatory to have the license plate number stenciled on to your helmet as it seemed universal. Perhaps other regulations requiring reflective strips or similar.

"We would like to sell this bike in Chili on a TVIP to other travelers. Do we have all necessary papers? "

No.

Follow up
 

wemotobike,

Congrats on your Colombian registered purchase - and good you are checking paperwork on 2nd bike.

I apologize for not answering promptly. Tony Lee did respond and I agree with his response regarding insurance and re-sale of bikes in Chile.

Generally, in South America, insurance issued to an owner lapses when that person is no longer the owner. The bike is insured only if the registered owner purchases the insurance in his or her name.

You were very wise to check paperwork - the DIAN in Colombia is cracking down on the sale of foreign registered bikes in Colombia - this is illegal just as it is illegal in most South American countries. rosa del desierto and I had to leave our two Argentine registered bikes in Colombia beyond our TVIP expiration and the DIAN required a local Colombian to sign for the bikes as a guarantee the bikes would not be sold or ridden in our absence.

The problems with not having valid insurance are many.

1. One never knows if an officer manning the road blocks is academy trained or just local police, in many cases insurance validity is not an issue, but in some cases without valid insurance your bike(s) will be confiscated and it will take months to get before a judge to sort out the issue.

2. The very first thing the insuring agency will do is verify that the registered owner is in fact the purchaser of the insurance, if not, the insurer has a legal loop hole and will not verify insurance in case of an accident with substantial damage to personal property or personal injury - in which case the rider will remain in jail until a court date is set - generally 6 months to a year after the arrest for no valid insurance. Unless of course - well I don't think I have to spell out "morditas" "bites" or bribes. I do not suggest to anyone to bribe South American officials - as this in itself is a punishable crime.

3. Valid insurance will provide a trustworthy barrister/attorney and most likely "bail" to get you out of jail - on the street police in Colombia and most South American countries arrest everyone involved in an accident resulting in a death - no matter who is at fault and the case goes in line/que behind years of other cases before it gets to a judge - who determines fault - and all parties without valid insurance remain in jail.

Sorry again for the late response and thanks to Tony Lee for the covering post.
I have worked for the International Red Cross and have visited foreigners incarcerated in foreign jails waiting for a judge to determine their guilt or innocence - because, while they thought they had valid insurance - their insurance company was more than willing to prove they did not.

Thanks Tony Lee

xfiltrate

Where to get insurance?
 

O.k.! So we need to buy the liability insurance as soon as possible. We've been driving on one of the bikes through town last couple of days. We had to show our papers only once (they said nothing).

Do you have any idea where we could purchase this insurance? Just to be sure: this insurance paper will only cover Colombia, right? At the next border (Ecuador) we'll need to buy a new one for Ecuador.

I'm sorry to ask all these questions! Hope you'll have time to help us out quickly!

Greetings

Marleen

Insurance in Colombia
 

https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/col...icle-insurance

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...ce-in-colombia

Overland Colombia Travel - WikiOverland

The key word is SOAT -
"The cover provided by the SOAT in the event of a traffic accident is as follows:

Medical and surgical expenses, up to the amount of 800 minimum statutory monthly wages
For permanent disability, up to $3.4 million.
In the event of a death, 600 minimum statutory monthly wages, plus $2.8 million in funeral expenses
The cost of this insurance depends on the make, model and year of the car"

Coverage quoted is in Colombian Pesos - $1.00 equals about 3065.42 Colombian Pesos....

Find further information about SOAT as well as information about costs
ask any gas station owner/attendant , department store, auto club etc
and explain you want to purchase SOAT. write it out if necessary. The SOAT is the vehicle insurance that is mandatory in Colombia. It is inexpensive, but must include your name/names if you are operating the bike/vehicle in Colombia.

You will be given a sticker - as I recall to stick on your bike. The local police see the sticker and believe that you are insured - it is a whole different ball game when it comes to the insurance company paying out liabilities.

Get your SOAT in your name. MANDATORY!!!!

Hope this helps. I think we bought our SOAT at a department store that had an insurance agency inside.

You might look at your insurance paperwork and discover the name of the company issuing the SOAT and then locate an agent for that company - explain you are the new owner and need a SOAT.

xfiltrate

As for insurance further south, unless things have changed very recently, Ecuador now includes liability insurance in the annual "registration" fee and all the insurance sellers closed down over a year ago. The official word then was that a foreigners vehicle covered by a valid TIP (which I believe requires the back-home registration to be also current and valid) will be automatically covered by the government system.

Peru - will be available at the main border crossing of the panamerican highway but certainly not at La Balsa to the east and maybe not at the other one between those two either. Police are well aware of the roads where insurance is not available and may enhance their christmas party fund as a result.

In May/June 2016 I rode about 3000km in Colombia. Yes there were lots of military looking types on the roads (I just waved to them cheerfully and they usually waved back), but I only encountered one police checkpoint where they tried to pull me over for a check.

As I didn't actually "see" the policeman (I was looking the other way :innocent: ), I didn't stop there either. Also I never noted any other bikers being checked anywhere in Colombia.

Tomorrow we will get the SOAT on our name.

I want to thank everybody for all the advices, they have been very helpful. We really appreciate it!

Can't wait to start the journey. If you're interested in following us: www.wemotobike.com.

Solo Rider?
 

Not so amazing that chris rode 3000 km through Colombia and was never stopped at a check point. Here is a possible reason why.

I suppose he was not accompanied by a woman, either riding her own bike, or as pillion. The fine officers and men manning the Colombian checkpoints seem to "check out" every woman rider with foreign plates. This has been my observation while riding Colombia and talking with others who also have extensive experience riding Colombia.

I was wondering, chris is your bike foreign registered? Were you traveling with a woman?

xfiltrate

Mr Filtrate
Thank you for taking the time to read by words. Must be a slow news day in your country.

Riding solo. Foreign plate.

Sexism is clearly alive and well in the Colombian plod. :thumbdown:

The fine ossifers and cnutstables manning the check-out-the-talent-points only have eyes for the ladies.... Outrageous! What about sweaty hairy ar$ed bald unshaven males? (Maybe that's why I was riding alone?...) :mchappy: We have needs too you know! :palm::freezing:

Or maybe said upholders of law and order are psychic: I had not desire to talk to them, so reciprocating, they didn't want to talk to me either. It's a man thing, you know.

Have you any idea how hard it is keeping a straight face when doing the "No fumar Espanol" routine?