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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
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  #1  
Old 24 Nov 2009
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Carnet - what is a motorcycle?
it sounds like an odd question but the idea is this: we want to travel from Togo to Kinshasa. Having limited time we have to get our transport in Togo or another place in WA.

To avoid the hassle of import taxes and carnets we thought about buying small motorcycles / motos / scooters in Lome or elsewhere in that region. This would give us a local registration (a Togolese registration of our car two years ago gave us an easy time in Benin, Niger and Chad)

Do you think there is a certain size (100 cc?) below which it will pass as too small to require a carnet?

Obviously we will pass ECOWAS (Togo, Benin, Nigeria), Cameroon, Gabun, Congo (2x). Maybe we will leave the bikes in Kinshasa and then head on to Cape Town later. How far will we get with our idea? Namibia? Or even ZA?


Thanks for any help!!
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  #2  
Old 24 Nov 2009
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Location: johannesburg - south africa
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Carne - Cc
Hi Scholle,
As far as I know it's really not about engine capacity but the fact that it is motorised. If you contact your country's version of the Automobile Association I'm sure they'll be able to give you the right info.

When are you planning to go?
Gottoride
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Old 24 Nov 2009
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Hi Gottoride,

thanks for your answer. We want to start in March.

My question wasn't mainly about the official definition but mainly about the size of a bike that can get through with friendly words and maybe some little monetary incentive. Probably no local has ever needed a carnet for his bike - and at least our bike will be a local, too.
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  #4  
Old 25 Nov 2009
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The UN classifies vehicles by type. I can't remember the exact letters and numbers but a 1-49 cc machine, a sub 125cc and bigger are the limits for bikes and scooters (amongst other bits of definition). However, just about every country has it's own rules, so the UN classifications which are meant only to allow you to design a bike that can be sold to a qualified rider in any UN country become meaningless except as a starting point. The only practical value is to discourage a country that roughly obeys the rules deciding the higher tax rate starts at 124cc the day the local manufacturer launches a 123 to compete with Japanese 125's. You'll find a lot of weird Italian scooter sizes as their governments were fond of this trick, a 175 Lambretta or similar was faster than a 125 Honda but taxed less than a 250 Honda.

As far as import and export go I wouldn't have thought it would make much difference. As you say a local will probably ride a 125, but chances are he gets through because he has local plates and a 125 that looks like it belongs rather than any rule. If a local guy bought a new Tenere the guards would let him through just the same.

Andy
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