Hi Everybody,

I'm new on this site and would like put up this post, because I will show up in Uruguay in Jan. next year and would like to see the country on a bike. I have tried to look up some rental options but think its a bit expensive (maybe I'm looking at the wrong page?) so I was thinking that buying might be the way forward (XT4-500) in ideas?

Hoping to get a helping hand....

Purchase of new moto's in SA is not possible by foreign individulas
in a reasonable period of time.

Option is to buy and assume ownership of a moto already imported into South America by another rider from your home country (or elsewhere if you like longdistance paperwork ordeals).

Foreign owners can purchase and register vehicles in the USA in many states, just need a "where garaged" address to which the Title and annual registration notice will be sent and insurance.

Good Luck

Purchase of new moto's in SA is not possible by foreign individulas
in a reasonable period of time.


This is a blanket statement that is really not true. Of course depends on what is reasonable amount of time for you...


Two years ago I bought a motorcycle in Uruguay on a Monday and had the sale complete and registered and insured and papers in my hand before the end of the week.


It was dead easy.


However the price was ludicrous and resale was very difficult and I would strongly advise against doing it.


Rentals are expensive and any bike over 150 cc is considered large and there aren't many of them. Most bikes 400 cc and over have out of country plates.

I've been wrong before but just last month I had a rider who wanted to join me in Uruguay or Argentina and he was told that purchasing a motorcycle was NOT possible.

Still looking for details on how it could be done ????

This is all very interesting to me because I'm trying to plan an "Americas" trip myself starting late next year.
I am currently weighing up the options of buying a KLR650 in Canada (it's cheap at £3350 new) and riding it all the way down against shipping my own bike (Tiger800XC) straight to SouthAmerica somewhere.
Until reading this thread I WAS also considering buying a bike in SA because the thought of wearing out/wrecking my own bike along with the shipping costs doesn't really appeal but it's looking like that's becoming the best option.
I will say that time isn't a problem because I'm taking early retirement next March.

__________________
2002 Tiger955i @ 72000 miles.
2013 Tiger800XC (2nd one) @ 15000 miles.

buy in USA

You can also buy a bike in Argentina but can't take it out of the country for first year.
Chile also an option that many use , see the sticky topic, but selling it outside Chile is a problem.
Options in other countries too, all with their own particular advantages and downsides

__________________
Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

Prices Tony, prices are x3 in Argie

Pshaw! What is mere money to a rich gringo.

But yes, given other costs in say, Chile, expensive bikes are to be expected if you insist on getting a 'famous' make.
Buying in the US sounds cheap, but add in the. cost and time to get down to countries you are interested in, and it might not be a bargain. We weren't fussed about any of the central American countries so it was far cheaper to pay a bit more and get something that was already there

__________________
Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

You can also buy it in Colombia: dozens of models and sizes, from 50cc scouters to 1.200cc full-gear, Germans, British, Japaneses, Chinas, Indians, Colombian assembled, Americans....

Ten incredible days from Colombia to Uruguay, after enjoying hundreds of beaches http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...lies/beach.gif http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ilies/palm.gif.

But you must come back to resale it here.http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...es/scooter.gif

Santiago

There are a lot of people who ship or ride bikes to So. America from other countries and don't want to ship them home. I am one of them. I rode my DR 650 to Santiago and will ride for another 3 months but do not want to ride it home. It is not worth shipping home so I indend to leave it with a friend in Santiago, fly home and return in November to ride some more. I have been thinking about buying some of the bikes people want to sell here (from the US) then sell them to people who want to fly in , ride then fly home. without the high cost of rentals. South Dakota allows you to register vehicles in their state by mail without being a resident or ever having the vehicle in their state. So I figure if I buy a bike registered in the US somewhere, then register it by mail in SD. I would then sell it to someone coming down, let them register it in their name in SD then when they are done I'll buy it back with enough of a price difference between buying and selling to make it worth my while and cover the cost of depreciation. I just need to come up with the capital to do this. If you are interested in a particular bike, let me know and I will see if I can arrange something. Hopefully this could work and cost less than renting.