Hi Kathmandu,

thank you for the comprehensive post. You mentioned somewhere in your post saying that you need to prove to your home automobile association that you have living in Nepal in order for them to issue a no objection letter for you to buy the bike. So does that mean that a tourist cannot buy a bike in Nepal or do u have some way around it?

Cheers

Hi, interesting report, thanks for posting.

Couple of questions:

Do I understand you correctly, that there is a 130% tax when registering a bike in Nepal?

Also: I'm planning on touring India, Nepal and hopefully Pakistan and Iran for six months on an Enfield. Intend to buy rather than rent. Would it be possible to enter Pakistan and Iran with a Nepalese-registered bike? Could I get a Carnet in Nepal (I would eventually return it there and sell it)?

Thanks,
Julian

__________________
Where is Julian?

Hi Julian,

yes, that's right: 130% or even more, depending on the bike.

As a matter of fact, I'm doing Pakistan, Iran, etc. at the moment. In Syria right now on a nepali registered bike! No prob. But you will need a carnet! Which I got from the german ADAC. Carnet in Nepal seems to be possible in theory, but I didn't manage to get one.

Good luck!
Phil Phil Dera Photography

Phil - Thank you for taking your time to type all of that out. Gold! Just what I was looking for.

One thing though: Most embassies these days have made a new policy of refusing to issue letters of non-objection. It is a protest against the Nepali bureaucracy, and they are tired of having to spend time on issuing them for every little thing. I managed to plead my embassy to write me one, so that I would be able to get a student visa for my studies here. I do not think they will issue one for the sake of a carnet or IDP. But then again, that's just my thought and it never hurts to ask - right? There are other ways of course - which is exactly why the bureaucracy will never change.
Anyways, just thought I would post the update on the issuing of letters of non-objection.

Again - thank you so much!

Hi man,

first of all: you are very welcome. Like I said, the hardest thing in Nepal is to get the right information.

second: I was working for the embassy before I went on this trip, so obviously that helped. But I know of a couple of guys who managed to get the no-objection letter from theire embassys - the last one just a couple of weeks ago.

Good luck!
Pi

Hi, 'been working and running and riding an Enfield in Nepal for three years. I'd agree with all the above, but a few points to add.

With a bike simply forget importing (due to cost) or buying secondhand (due to appalling mechanical skills). If you're coming and wanting to ride back, or on doing any big ride, plan to be buying a new bike. Yes tax is high but my brand new disc brake 5 speed Bullet cost me less than 1,600GBP (same in Euro these days !). You could ride it home sell it, and just about cover your costs.

As said previously on this string though, that'll take the best part of a month 'cos once you're registered you'll have to get you Carnet sent out from what ever country you're going to arrange it with (your own). In UK this simply isn't a problem, that much I know. Anyway there are worse and more expensive places to stay for a month than Nepal

The last thing is a word of advise on Enfields. There are a lot of foriegn riders on Enfields in Nepal who simply don't ride them and dont know the back wheel from the front. Yes they get ripped off, but they deserve to when they go shouting into workshops wanting this that and the other tomorrow so they can do their annual 5km ride (a lot also dont seem to know about the tax issues which mean spares parts are much more than in India - though still way cheaper than Europe, etc).

This is Nepal so come with a view to sit around a lot and drink tea..things happen when they happen in regards to paperwork, bike repairs, etc. I previously worked about 200kms from 'Himalayan Enfielders' and on three occassiosn they called me out to deal with 'problem foriengers'. i.e shouting, ranting, raving idiots, who would only accept mechnaical adivse, etc, from a white person..very sad, but act like a prat here an you'll be treated like one and get ripped off (and will deserve it).

'Enfielders' is indeed not what is was, but Imtaz IS OK as a mechanic (ask for him specifically), but No mechnics here have 'mechnianical sympathy' so they're OK to bolt things together, but never let them near an engine rebuild or anything (though Raju in Pokhara is OK) !

one last thing. I'm just about to set off back home - India, Pakistan, Iran, etc (to UK) but may have an Iran visa issue due to previous work experience there (I work for NGOs, and they have 'issues' with anyone they know was involved in the Bam earthquake response). Anyway, if I fail to get my Iran visa (I'll know in three weeks) my bike could be up for grabs. This a 30K (no problems, I maintian it myself and have changed the oil every 1000kms - crazy I know, but I'm like that with engines !) Enfield Bullet, with 30k KMs done over three years, Givi panniers with re-inforced frames, 18 (rather than 14) lires tank, UK Dunlop K181 tyres, gel seat, full spare ignition system and on-the-road spares, etc, all set up and ready to go (even has a carnet, but obvously in my name, but all reg papers, etc are already lodged wit the RAC in the UK so issuing a Carnet in your name would take them only minutes - plus your cheque of course). Blue book is in my name and takes only a letter from me to tranfer it to you. Anyway keep your eyes on the site if your interested, as if its up for sale it'll be in about three weeks. If you don't see it I got my visa and 'am on my way

Cheers

Pete

PS. If anyone is serious in a new bike put up a post as I'm going down the importers on monday and can ask new prices for wat ever they currently have in stok (in the past they have run out of new bikes for MONTHS so be warned. Don't turn up and expect there to be rows and rows to choose from !)

Kudos for the great thread. I've been bumming around the india/nepal scene on an enfield for a while, but never found this information. I might well buy one this summer and head back to blighty on it...

Just a note:
the url for Hearts And Tears above, doesn't work. Its spelt right in the post, but not the link itself. This one should work: Hearts & Tears Motorcycle Club Pokhara, Nepal :: Bike Adventures In The Himalayas

Looks like a good place - I'll give them a shout when I'm next in Pokhara!

Hi there,

you got me wrong. Since there is no such thing as a registration office in Nepal, it will be enough for our home outomobile club if ou are able to register the bike under your name, which is not a problem in Nepal! Even as a tourist.

Hope I could help.
Phil Phil Dera Photography