Panama - Disposing of a bike
 

Hi All,

Planning on riding on a pretty old bike from Mexico down to Panama, however I don't especially want to be bringing the bike back with me. Anyone tried to officially scrap a bike, or found some way to get a stamp in the pass prt that shows you haven't sold the bike in Panama, or any of the central american countries?

Or am I leaving it on a street corner with the keys left in it?

Cheers

ff

Donation can be a solution.

Hmm, do they really stamp it in your passport? Can't recall that they did when I was in that neck of the woods.

Thanks for the responses. Donation is a good idea, gladto see it go to a good home.

If there's no record of it in the passprt then I guess it's fine, just assumed there would be some kind of record of the bike entering the country, would rather not rock up at the airport only to be quizzed about it, and even worse have to pay :-)

Cheers all

ff

Message to Geoff if you're reading; it seems I don't have enough posts to send a response, if you PM me your email address I'll drop you an mail.

Cheers

ff

I know this is an old thread, just thought I would add some info. It has been 4-5 years, but I TRIED donating an old bike in Honduras. Didn't go so well. At that time, bike had to be a 1999 or newer. My passport was stamped, and they said they would not let me leave with out the bike. I did succeed in leaving, via the airport. I believe my bike was parts out, instead of used for transportation as intended. I would check on the donation/importation thing before you go. Sorry I can't provide any more info for Panama.

If you want to get rid of the bike for no money, the trick is to do that between the borders. Ride to the border, check out of Panama (or another country) then park the bike, leave the keys, walk away and get onto a bus to the airport of the neighbouring country.

That's not possible between Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua because they're a bit like 4 states in a single country when it comes to vehicles.

Currently, I'm in Costa Rica and the bike is parked on the border because CR won't let me bring her back. After 3 months in CR the bike has to stay out for 3 months before getting back in. I'm trying to sell her in Panama now, but I'll post another thread on that. Anyway, I've left Panama with the bike and entered Costa Rica without it, the border folks have no issue.

Chmac,

I'm just a bit curious how your situation came about. Did you stay in Costa Rica exactly 90 days to the end of the temporary import?

If you had left on the 89th day would you then be permitted to return with the bike for another 90 days after being out of the country for say a week?

I did stay 89 or 90 days. I believe that if I had stayed say 85 days, I could have brought the bike back for another 5. I met a Panamanian woman on the border. She lives in CR with her husband from the US. They go to the border every 90 days to renew their tourist visas, and they have 2 cars. They stay out for 3 days each time, then come back with the other person driving the other car. That leads me to think if there was a way, she'd have found it. Seems like after 90 days in CR, a vehicle must be out of CR for 90. Craziness... :-)

CR is a nightmare, where are you now as there are a lot of bikers coming to David on thursday for the weekend, I live 20 mins from the border give me a call 66885901

KLR 650 for Sale
 

I'm interested in your bike. Could you drop me an email with the price and where it's currently registered.

I sold the bike on Friday to halfthrottle in David. We're working on the import paperwork at the moment. Hoping that I can sign a power of attorney this week.