I bought my Honda Cargo 150 at merimoto in Merida Mexico for 1800 usd. But luckily i got a local resident who bought my sailboat to vouch for my plates. You see any foreigner can purchase a mptorcycle, but they give you 7 days of riding before you are required to buy the license plates and put them on. You have to goto the mexican dmv but heres the catch...you have to have an address with a light bill or a bill with your name on it in Mexico to get the plates.

So what I did was i asked my Mexican friend Picci to let me buy the motorcycle and put it in his name on the title when I made the purchase at Merimoto. (He was not there with me during the purchase). So with the motorcycle in his name we went to the dmv and he took a light bill of his and got the plates. Now the interesting part...In order to get the motorcycle in my name I had to show I purchased it from him. So we wrote a note on the back of the title stating the motorcycle and all associated documents were transferred to Me and he signed it. Then we went to find the "president of the town. (Dzilam de bravo) and this president stamped his seal on it and signed it and I was on my way.

One more catch. In costa rica they wanted to be hard heads so I kinda got into a quarrel over where i was parked with the aduana. He wanted me to put my bike with all my stuff on it out of my view on the side of a building and I told him no because there were several other vehicles parked where i was parked. Long story short he decided he didn't like the way my title was signed over to me. He laughed as he said it and sent me to the superviser in another building. After a lengthy wait. They said I needed to go to the lawyer across the street. (Imagine that) and get another document typed up and stamped and sealed stating that the title was legit....so for two hours I sat and watched this costa rican attorney modify a document to satisfy them and gave him. $30 usd. He said they were just giving me a hard time and he had only done this twice in his career. It did come in handy in Ecuador too though. Beware you have to buy insurance (seguro) at each border crossing, but don't worry it's cheap and readily available usually next door to the aduana.

So there you have it. This was the best $1830 I ever spent. Took me a year to go 17000 miles through twelve countries on super honda and never had a problem. Sold the bike to a guy from Israel living in Bolivia for $450 and a set of $1500 Judaica kosher knives. It's easier if you sell it to another foreigner, just get an attorney to transfer it to them for $20. Then i bought an American Airlines ticket home in La. Paz and flew back to Houston. And by the way I had never ridden a motorcycle. I had a lot to learn. Good luck. volunteer at buenas cosas in flores guatemala. To see the place click here --->. http://helpx.net/host.asp?hostID=13517&network=9

Volunteer on an island in Panama click here ---> http://www.helpx.net/host.asp?hostID=12125&network=9

Sail with the Stahlratte on a 120' 1910 steel ship click here --->. http://www.stahlratte.de/prices-disc...arta-biker.pdf

Volunteer at ONCA in Rurrenabaque with vanessa and andres at the animal rescue center --->. http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/org634180.jsp

Hi there.

I am just about to do exactly the same as you. I have put a deposit down on a bike in Honda in Cancun - merimoto. I will pay the remaining balance when the bike becomes available. I have a friend that has put the placas in his name and then we will also write the compra de venta and have it stamped. Did you have any problems at border crossings at all? I would prefer the bike to be in my name, but as long as this way is legitimate, I will procede as planned!

Hope you're still around on the forum!

Chris.

interesting question.
did you make it ok through the borders ,and to south america? just signing the compra-venta with the bike still in your friends name?
cheers

Hey Guys,
So I did the same thing in April 2020. After being two months in the Monterrey area I bought a used motorcycle (Honda Cargo 150cc 2016) of Facebook Marketplace. This seems to bee the easiest solution to buy used ones. Navigate to Facebook, enter the name of the city you are at + moto (for example Motos Monterrey) and join the groups. The buying process was easy and quick, just be aware that you are in Mexico and that people repair stuff 1000 times before they finish it. So check or let your new motorcycle be checked by a mechanic carefully before you buy it! Also make sure that you get the original faktura, the paper of circulation (big one, Din A4) and registration certificate (small one, fits your wallet). I bought it without having a permanent residency, but the plates where still running for 2020 so we left the plates in the name of the guy it belonged to and just filled out a selling contract (you can buy preprinted ones in the tiendas or papellarias) just for me to have a piece of paper that shows I bought it. Regarding the insurance, you do not have to get one but I decided to get one from Qualitas which coveres the costs of repair for the other vehicle if one is involved in a crash. I did it all without having a motorcycle license just a car license from Germany. I was driving the motorcycle for two months in Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí and was never stoped so I can not tell you if smth would have happened but as far as I see the situation the Police does not care, this was also confirmed from the Mexicans I consulted. I drove it also through highways and military checkpoints with out problems, no borders where crossed in those two months. Basic spanish is in my opinion necessary for the buying process otherwise you will really have a hard time. It was also my first time riding a motorcycle, I had shit loads of fun learning to drive it and the Mexican roads around the mountains and desserts are beautiful. But of course I was driving to fast and testing out the limits which resulted in me straight flying over a tope (speedbump) with about 30miles an hour. I needed my foot to get stitched up in the hospital (3 stitches) but was really lucky I didn’t break anything. Oh and my helmet broke because I landed straight on my face, so I suggest you to not follow the mexican trend and to wear a helmet if you can, it probably saved me a lot of time in the hospital. Driving at night it also dangerous because a lot of people smoke weed and drink while driving. All in all it was a super fun experience, I got to see beautiful places in the mountains and the dessert and the feeling of traveling on the motorcycle by my own was super awesome. I would do it all over again! (but with a bigger motorcycle (at least 250cc) this time)!
Selling was also easy, just talked around the pueblo I was at that moment, printed out some papers with a picture and hang them at the shops and then sold it to a local Hotel owner ^^.

Daveed, NomadicChris, MainDave, Thanks for posting this info and giving me inspiration to book that flight - UK to Mex. I have no friend in Mex but I hope to buy a moto around 250cc and try to register it the same. Wish me luck, and thanks again.

Another way is to get an address in Mexico.

From your friend, the MC dealer or....

And than you can get the bike in your name.
And no problem with anything




https://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Bike-...s=books&sr=1-5

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My Experience in Mexico.
In December 2023 I bought a brand new Honda XR 150 in Cabo San Lucas at the Honda Moto Shop. Problem was that they changed Rules in BCS (maybe other States of Mexico, too, I dont know) so you cant get the Placa(License Plate) as a Tourist. They want to See an Immigration Card. Besides that you need a Motorbike Drivers License and some Kind of Invoice to prove that you live there, I had both but brought me nothing as Tourist. In the End the Trick as described in the Post above worked, I found someone Local that I trusted to put the Bike in his Name and then he sold it back to me. But to find someone trustworthy wasnt easy cause I came there knowing noone and with very limited Spanish Language Skills.
I wanted to have a New Moto as I am intending to Go all the Way down to Southamerica and did not want to mess around with something Used but if you dont know anyone for the new Bike Trick I highly recommend buying a good Used one. But make sure that the Seller will give you the Placa with the Bike as well, otherwise you will have the same Problem as with a new Bike. Let him write a Letter with Whitnesses to confirm he is giving you the Plate in your Name and He is Not having any responsabilitys anymore.
Also keep in mind a new Placa costs around US$75 in BCS. Basic Seguro(Insurance) with Qualitas is only given in a yearly Rate with no Refunds If you cancel before the Date and costs around US$180 with a $200.000 Liability.
I got Insurance with ANA in the End with 100.000 covered for US$120 anual and could pay without Credit Card at their Bank in cash. There is also HDi, AXA, Atlas, GNP and Mapfre Seguro Offices in bigger Citys. Just ask around they all got different Options and Prices. But this is for Mexican Plates only, dont forget. I am still not sure if its mandatory to have a Moto Seguro in Mexico. I would highly recommend getting one anyways, you dont want to argue with Police about that, also in case of an Accident if you cant pay and have no Insurance its possible they put you in Jail.
By the way the little 150XR is a great lightweight Bike if you travel with less Equipment and go off the beaten Path here and there. Also you wont be recognized as a Foreigner. Crossed beautiful Mx from the Baja to Cancun 8.000kms in 10Weeks.
Good Luck*and*Ride*On

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