selling bike in russia?
 

Hi all,
I'm new to all this but planning a trip from london to moscow on my honda cg125!! I want to get on the tran-siberian but need to sell bike before I do so.

Is this possible? What are all the legal requirements/costs, who do I sell it to and how?

Is this trip too far on my little machine?

And can I get to moscow from the border in the three day visa registration limit?! (on average top speed of 55mph?!)

Hope you can help!
Elena

Hi Elena,

welcome to Horizons Unlimited BB.

first I want to say, yes this is going to be a very interesting trip for you.

I have travelled many times in Russia and I have sold an XLR250 in 08/2003 in Magadan (the far far east of Russia)

- yes, you can make it in three days to moscow from the border, but ride only in daytime.

- in Brazil, where the cg125 is the most popular bike, I have seen in mc journals reports of travellers doing 35.000km all around south america. yes, you can do it on a cg125

- selling in moscow is a bit difficult. I sold my small honda in magadan without papers for 400 usd to a local biker. the cg125 is not a popular bike in Russia and the price will be very low if you can sell it. maybe you should try a CBR1100XX ;-) just kidding. paperwork is a nightmare in Russia if you dont know the right people.

- why do you want to sell the bike before getting on the train ? just take it with you on the train - possible

- ride the bike if you get off the train, maybe at Lake Baikal.

- if you want to fly back or go to China, just try to sell the bike in Siberia, I would say easier than in Moscow. Or give it away to some biker friends.

- leaving the country without the bike is no problem, just make sure you dont have it in your declaration, or you lose your declaration.

- Russians are the best mechanics in the world, they will fix your bike with no spare parts - no worries

- contact some of the guys from the HU Communities in Russia, they will be happy to help you and show you around their towns.

- enjoy

mika from the dominican republic



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Hi Mika,

very interested about your experience. Do you have contact persons in Magadan?
I want to do it officially, in order not to have problems with the customs the next time I enter Russia.

I am going to Magadan this summer, and I am looking at sombody to buy my bike there. A KTM 640 Adventure. I will have only 4 weeks to ride from Ulan Bator to Magadan, so no time to go back.

Holy thread revival!! More than ten years, that's got to be a record...

Mika's contacts might be in the nursing home at this point, but in any event so much has changed in Russia in the last ten years I'm not sure that any experience from ten years ago would be very helpful at this point.

IIRC there have been several other more recent threads on this topic.

Thanks for your reply, ok I will have a look to get more information!
you are right, things have probably changed a lot in all these years

Yes, I assume in ten years a lot has changed in Russia, I will find out next year, as I will go back to the Far East in 2015. Zimi, sorry i cant help you with selling your bike, good luck. Greetings from Berne Switzerland. mika