Canadian passport, US bike, open title, headed for Mexico - problemo?

[ChristinaIsHookedOnFreedom]

Hello,

Just got referred to the site and by the looks of it this is the place to be!

I'm a Canadian rider. We have bought used bikes in the US (soooo cheap right now) and the plan was to ride them down to Mexico and back home.

On the paperwork front, the plan was to:
- get title signed over (but no time to actually register the bikes in our name, which takes 4-6 weeks and we don't want them registered in the US anyway)
- get a signed bill of sale
- hit the Mexican border with US plates registered in the former owner's name, signed and clear title, and Canadian passports.

Has anyone tried this move before or have any idea what we can do to make it more likely to actually work?


BTW, we're getting insurance for Canada & US from our home province (already sorted out).

Thanks!
Christina

[Walkabout]

Hi,
Welcome, and well found!

Nope, not done it myself, but that type of question comes along quite regularly (and it interests me for those cheap prices in the States!).

Try this:-

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...o-i-need-29608

If you look back in this thread there are more discussions of this type.
BTW, you can do a search for any key words that take your fancy and get everything that has ever been posted with those words contained therein.

Cheers,

[ChristinaIsHookedOnFreedom]

Thanks for the welcome, Walkabout. I did discover the search function earlier today and had a look around, and while there is lots about getting bikes into Mexico and how to get insurance, so far I can't turn up anything that applies to my specific circumstances. Usually the person either has the title fully registered in their name, or is on a lease, but no open title on a bike from a different country than the person riding it.

Probably I'll be the one posting the answer to myself in a couple of weeks' time

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by ChristinaIsHookedOnFreedom

Probably I'll be the one posting the answer to myself in a couple of weeks' time

That's one of the many nice things about the HUBB; you can have a conversation with yourself and no one (well not many anyway) think it is a bit strange!

Can you register the bikes in Canada via the mail, or even online?

[Sjoerd Bakker]

Poor preparation here. Just last week a post with the same topic of handwritten registration papers came up on the HUBB and described the frustration of getting turned back at the Mexico border.
For this border , and any other border for that matter , always have the final proper official paperwork typed or printed in order to save yourself headaches. They have their rules, if you do not like them it is no excuse to resort to forgery to get fake documents and open yourself for bigger problems later. The saving of buying as you did may prove less than originally calculated if you factor in these problems.
If you do get refused entry you may yet be successfull if you epxplain your situation and are willing to post a refundable bond payment with BANJERCITO at the Mexican ntry point.

[Riq]

Check your insurance closley. Most Canadian Insurance is not valid in Mexico. You can purchase insurance through the AMA if you are a member or purchase from somebody like Sanborn online or at an outlet before you enter Mexico.

Just a point.

Rick

[kmet]

you may raise attention re-entering the US from mexico, think about it, a canadian with a US reg. bike , title in another name....."pull over for an interview"...no different then any other country really. u might stop in the US side before going into mexico and ask US customs

[CDNRider]

Christina, how did things work out for you? I'm looking at doing the same thing in April: flying to SF, getting a bike (I may fly down and get the bike in advance if the paperwork takes weeks, storing the bike with a friend), riding to Baja (and/or Copper Canyon), then back to Canada.

Did you put a California plate on the bike?
How long did the registration paperwork take?
Did you purchase at a dealer or privately?
Were there any issues at the Canadian border?
Any places in particular you'd recommend in Mexico, or suggest avoiding?

Thanks
Luke