Hi, good idea to ride back North!

I've been through something similar some years ago, bought a 640Adv in Canada for export to Haiti, rode the Island for a few years and shipped the bike up to Canada after before shipping it again elsewhere. I have in Switzerland now, still a fantastic bike!

Tax-wise, I did save some bucks because the bike had been registered in a foreign country for more than a year, but I had to demonstrate that. I also got very lucky because I could normally not have imported the bike in Canada if I hadn't bought it there in the first place.

One thing that really got me nervous in the process is the impossibility of insuring the bike for shipment to Haiti, no insurance company would do it. In addition to some import taxes and administrative fees I had to pay in Haiti, I also had to face unexpected charges of all kind, and not the kind I accept to pay for by nature. It took almost 2 months getting the bike out of the port, time during which I chose to pay protection for the crate. Let's just say that I got very nervous at some point, and frustrated. Local authorities seemed to believe that if I had the means to import a bike like that, I obviously had the means to support their children education.

The bike revealed to be an interesting choice for Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The bike draw attention, more than I thought initially, and way too much in any case. Apart from being lucky not to get injured in various situations, I guess I was very lucky not to get it stolen, but it required a lot of attention on my part. I'm mechanically inclined so could do maintenance on the bike (initial comes at 1000km on a 690R), drain the fuel system and clean, fix punctures, etc. BTW make sure to find quality oil locally. My 640Adv could deal with very poor quality fuel -- to some extent -- but my more recent 690R (2012) does not, so I suggest you be careful taking that bike up the West coast.

I can understand the urge to ride a great bike and discover this area you've been working in. Beyond the fiscal issue, you might wish to consider other factors as well. I'd suggest considering sparing yourself some trouble and find a decent XR, DR, XT or maybe a 640 Adv) with papers in order locally and ride that one bike up to France (or at least to Morocco if you have difficulties getting it into Europe). You'll find plenty of spare parts and the risk of getting it stolen or damaged won't be that significant, I think.

As far as a safety deposit, you'd probably gain ensuring this is done using a Carnet de Passage en Douane (CDP) that you'll get from France if you buy the KTM there. Otherwise, I am not aware of any particular difficulty for temporary imports in that country but it's worth digging in. From my understanding, without a CDP, you'll be required to leave a deposit with the responsible authority upon entering the bike in the country, which deposit you'll normally get upon getting it out. Make sure to check the duration limit, and seek an extension if needed.

I'll follow your story, this is where and when adventure begins! Good luck!