Hi guys

This information is based on my own experience and was gathered during August 2014. It is best intended for tourists/foreigners looking to buy a motorcycle in Johannesburg.

I went through this process in order to buy a bike for travelling around Africa.

3 Files are attached.

Attached Files

	FOREIGNER'S GUIDE TO PURCHASING A MOTORCYCLE IN SOUTH AFRICA (JOHANNESBURG) AND REGISTERING IT I.pdf (649.7 KB, 5004 views)
	Empty Invoice - Accoustix backpackers RANDBURG.docx (57.0 KB, 831 views)
	Rental_template - Accoustix backpackers RANDBURG.doc (38.0 KB, 742 views)

This info is great, just what we have been trying to sort out. Hope to head down there late this year. All we need is a friend in South Africa! Any takers?

Thanks for posting this!

I am heading out to South Africa in less than a month and will be buying a Toyota Hilux from a private owner and the registration issue is causing me a headache. I just have this question: I understand that eventually you just printed the lease and invoice for your accommodation and filled in the details but how did you get a signature of the owner (on the lease) and the cashier (on the invoice)? Did you just ask the people at the hostel to sign it? Did you actually have to pay the 25k Rand or did you tell them it's for the purpose of registering the bike?

How did other people actually pull it off in Johannesburg? Has anyone had a friend actually write a letter that the foreigner actually stays with them perhaps?

Seems to me a good motorcycle dealer may be able to apply for and receive all the required paperwork, forms and do all the work for you. You just supply him your ID, Passport, et al, you get legal bike registration and ride away.

Possible?

Usually dealers know these systems well, know all the staff at govt. offices and all the "shortcuts" to make it quicker and easier. You supply the money, dealer gets it done.

What about buying used bike from private party? I guess you just leave the registration in owners name, get permiso from
Police and go? But how would you sell it off again?

Hi Vanshar

To answer your question - i signed all the documents myself - i didnt ask for assistance from anyone at the hostel as they were very unwilling to help . And no i did not pay the 25K rand .
(The documents were created to satisfy the requirement for the application of the TRN. When i handed them in the supervisor didn't spend more than 2 seconds looking at them before confirming. They are interested in the Visa/Stamp issue .

I've heard of a few other people that also went through this tiring process and eventually after 3 weeks they were able to hit the road. I do not know how they made it happen but im guessing it was similar to my way.

Because you are buying from a private owner im not sure how you'll be able to present them (traffic dep.) with a proof of payment for the vehicle ( I bought from a dealership so they just printed one out for me )- but thats something you can ask them when you're there .

Regarding what Mollydog said - its true that the dealers know the system very well and they will do all the work for you, but you have to have a local Traffic Registry Number (TRN). They cannot sell you a vehicle if you do not have one. I met with quite a few dealers and they all confirmed that. They are very willing to help but are usually quite limited with what they can do for foreigners.

Thank you very much for this clarification Ido! The guide is extremely helpful for me and i will happily buy you a pint if we happen to be in Joburg at the end of March.

Vanshar - how'd it go?

I ask as several people have found it impossible to register a vehicle in their own names. They were on tourist visas but now the TRN regs require a work or students permit. In order to pass it on I would be interested in when and where you got it done. Thanks,

enzo

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Enzo

Hello world,
I would like to buy a motorcycle in South Africa and travel all the way up to Europe than maybe all the way to Asia. The questions are:

1- Can I register a South African motorcycle to my name with a Canadian passeport?
2- Can I have problems travelling around with a South African license plate?
3- Will I have problems to sell the bike in Europe or Asia?
4- Any other pertinent information about travelling in Africa with a motorcycle is very well appreciated.

Thank You!

Pinned to top.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...le-south-80508

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julian

1- Yes you can register the bike with Canadian passport

2- No problems to travel around with South African license plate

3- No, I don't think there will be any problems

4- Go to Crossing Africa - a journey from Cape to Cairo to read up about a couple that went right through from Cape Town to Cairo with their bikes

Just to echo what has already been said.

We just picked up our TRNs today. It was quite painless. We used the information on this government web page:

http://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Conn...ister%20number

We are two Canadians, just arrived in Cape Town a couple of weeks ago. Last week, we went to the Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing (Civic Center on Hertzog Blvd) and handed in:

- Filled out Traffic Register Number Application Form (download PDF from the link above)
- Passports
- Two passport-sized photos
- Proof of residence

The lady at the counter did not seem satisfied with our papers. Officially, they want to see a proper 6-month or longer visa (work or education preferred) in your passport. Instead, we had a 90-day tourist visa exemption stamp. Strike one.

Also, we handed in a printed-out copy of our AirBnB reservation. It was only for two weeks... She shook her head and said that "hotel reservations" did not count. Strike two.

However, she took all our papers and told us she would forward them to central processing and they would determine whether we would get our TRNs approved or not. She warned us that it was doubtful that it would happen, but to come back in 7 days and check. So we left a bit dejected.

Went in this morning, and to our surprise, the TRNs were approved!

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Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

Hi!!

Did they ask you about your drivers' licenses? I wonder if I need to show them my drivers license or if I need international drivers license.

Actually, no. They didn't ask to see our drivers license... Just the passport was the only official document they asked for.

I suspect that the registration of the vehicle has nothing to do with whether you are legally allowed to operate it or not. That happens when you get pulled over by the police. *Then* you'll need your drivers license or IDP.

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Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

Hi everyone!! Has anybody recently gotten the TRN at the Traffic Department in Randburg? I will be arriving in Johannesburg in late March and looking to get my TRN asap. Was wondering if the process of getting the TRN has changed or not.

Hey fellow riders, I would like to buy a bike in september/october in ZA to travel to Nairobi and back. Does anyone know if the method described here will still get me TRN?

Pieter