buy a bike in Russia and tour Europe/Africa
 

I am an American currently living and working in Moscow, Russia. I will be here for a couple years. Yes I have a Visa to allow for me to stay here 2 years like this and not leave every few months. I was looking to get a motorcycle. To do some touring around while I'm here. I also want to tour Europe and Africa upon completeing my contract with work.

My question is how much of an issue will it be to travel around Europe and Africa with a Motorcycle with Russian papers while I have a US Passport.

I have tried searching for info similar to this, if anyone has bought a bike in a foreign country and then toured around on it please let me know.

Thanks in advance!
Monty

Not really a problem in Europe.
Countries require that you have the original Registration document and, if not in your own name a letter of Authority from the registered owner.
Similarly you must have your own Drivers License and Insurance Certificate or Green Card (insurance, not US/Immigration!). Your Passport is irrelevant to all this other than cross-checking your identity.

Crossing out of Russia into EU there are several stages. Each is really only interested in their own specific personal area of responsibility and their own country's rules -
- Border customs, when considering the vehicle, will ask to see your passport to ensure it is yours or are authorised to use the vehicle and therefore can temporarily ex/import it.
- Border Immigration are only interested in your Passport/Visas. They may seek confirmation Customs have let you pass with the vehicle.

Once into the Schengen Area (greater part of the EU + some other countries) there are no borders as such that require you to stop, you move freely between countries, just sometimes slowing down a little at the actual border line.

EU State's various Police and Driver/Vehicle enforcement agencies are generally only concerned you have authority to use the vehicle, and have insurance and a licence. Again Passport is for identity only.
Do something wrong and they will be after you for more - but generally not in the Russian tradition of bribes!


If you want to chat over a beeror 2, PM me. I am back next week.

I am a Hungarian traveling on Irish plates. I only had a few officers scratching their heads in Ukraine, checking my engine number and chassis no for an hour... other than that no probz.
As an American you might find it difficult to get visas to some of the African countries.. check the threads on Mauritanian visas for example.

Thanks for the quick replies. Ya I know I will have some issues for some countries in Africa. I am just planning at the moment and seeing what the logistics are. It would be nice to get a bike here instead of getting one shipped here from the states. ride it here for a couple of years then do a big tour of Europe and Africa. Thanks again for the info it really helps!

Hi, I'm also an American in Moscow, I have two bikes here, one with US plates and one with Russian. Bikes in Moscow are crazy expensive because of customs duties, and there is a very limited selection, especially of dual sport type bikes.

New GSs cost about $28k (!), there are also new KTMs but none of the Jap dual sports as far as I could find. For instance, no 2010 DRZ 400s were shipped to Russia, and in mid 2010 new 2009 models cost about $10k! If you can find a decent used bike here for a good price, buy it, otherwise I'd consider buying in the US and shipping to here or Europe and riding from there.

Touring here is fun, the roads are pretty boring but it is nice to visit some of the regional cities, etc.

PM me if you'd like further info.

I am an Australian that often rides Europe on an African-registered bike.

I've not had an problems crossing in and out of the Schengen region with bike papers in the same name as my passport. Customs tends to check the Engine and Chassis numbers match the bike paperwork so I find it easier to offer them the use of a torch (sorry flashlight for you) to find them easily.

15 minutes would be the longest I've spent at Customs (on bike issues) and that is more about chatting with the guys who are curious or are bikers.

You'll need to have the round oval disk of your country of registration prominant on the bike for some countries in Europe (ie Austria). This always confused people - "what does RN stand for?"

My disk was created with a PC and printer and sticky-taped over for waterproofness before attaching. I always show colour photocipes of the African registration papers (Customs don't know if they're real or not). So if the numbers and names all line up and they've got no other reason to stop you then its pretty cruisey.

Enjoy your travels