Africa Twin Vladivostock

[Patrick1]

I am travelling from Berlin to Vladivostock, going through Mongolia. I will be in Vlad around June 20th and intend to sell my AT RD07 2001 there, together with some spare parts and accessories. If anybody is interested, drop me a mail at patrickleroc@yahoo.fr

Cheers

Patrick

[colebatch]

Are you looking to sell it to a another foreigner or a local?

When you enter Russia, passport control take full bike details and note you are entering with a motorcycle. If you leave without one, they will need to know why. Also when you enter, Customs will give you a temporary import permit, which will have anything from 2 weeks to 6 months on it ... after which time if the bike is still in Russia then it will be deemed to have been imported, and you will be liable for customs duties.

If you sell your bike in Russia, you will need to contact customs in Vladivostok and work out how much import duty you will have to pay. When you enter Russia you dot pay duty because you enter as a temporary entry, on the condition that you take the bike out. If you sell the bike in the country, you need to pay duty as you have then imported the bike.

There is a healthy demand for Africa Twins in Russia. They are popular.

If you sell to a foreigner, you will still have the problem of proving to immigration and customs that the bike has left Russia and has not been permanently imported.

[Tony P]

Originally Posted by colebatch

When you enter Russia, passport control take full bike details and note you are entering with a motorcycle. If you leave without one, they will need to know why.

Not exactly, not in my experience.

Passport control is the first in the process and their passport stamp showing a car indicates you are entering at a road border - even if you were on foot or as a passenger.

The customs control, the next office, do however take your passport details and link it to the vehicle. As with most Russian burocracy, the separate offices do not communicate unless something goes wrong - like the Temporary Import Permit expiring without the vehicle exiting.

[colebatch]

Originally Posted by Tony P

Not exactly, not in my experience.

Passport control is the first in the process and their passport stamp showing a car indicates you are entering at a road border - even if you were on foot or as a passenger.

The customs control, the next office, do however take your passport details and link it to the vehicle. As with most Russian burocracy, the separate offices do not communicate unless something goes wrong - like the Temporary Import Permit expiring without the vehicle exiting.

Hey Tony,

In my experience, Passport control ALSO has always taken my "tech passport" (V5 / carte gris) and entered the details into their computer. I cant see the point of them doing that unless there is some sort of cross check when you exit.

I used to wonder why passport control wanted to see my tech passport, but I believe the reason is they enter it against your passport details.

I dont know what would happen if you exited the country without being on the vehicle you entered, but I would be pretty sure it would be flagged ... otherwise the whole process would be meaningless and no-one would pay duty on the importation of vehicles, and there would be an endless stream of foreigners entering Russia one-way with vehicles (and russian car dealers just inside the border offering to buy foreign vehicles - with a courtesy minibus service back across the border).

[Tony P]

Hi Mate!

On my 4 entries to 'mainland' Russia on a bike (from Estonia & Latvia x2) and once Kaliningrad (from Lithuania) Passport Control never once asked for vehicle info. The various Control points are at different places along the road and indeed at Narva/Ivangorod (Est) they were practically (if not totally) out of sight of each other.

I always watch carefully because I want to understand burocratic processes and systems and thereby learn how to 'navigate' within or around them!

Last summer, when negotiating with Customs for a longer period than the 3 months vehicle permit they wanted to limit me to, they pointed out the 90 day period Visa limit.
I told them I wanted a further month (not just to ride with you!) in case of bike problems in which case I could fly out and return.
That satisfied them (Customs) as a possible and permitted scenario and they granted me 4 months.
This was well after Passport Control in terms of location and time.

"As with most Russian burocracy, the separate offices do not communicate unless something goes wrong". The Invitation/Employer Letter/Visa/Registration process demonsterates this wonderfully!!!!



Off Topic - Hope to see you soon, we need the space!!

[motoreiter]

I have my bike here on a temp import certificate and regularly leave on business trips and vacation, while the bike stays here. No one has ever raised a concern, at least while the temp import is valid. Not sure what will happen if the temp import expires, hopefully I won't find out!

[Patrick1]

Sorry for only replying now, but I am on the road and only have access to the net now. I have been speaking to a person travelling quite often in and out of Russia. He told me that the Russian customs does not cross check the import permit I got and that they do not trace it via a system. He told me that if I am asked for the import declaration, I should state that I was a passenger. That´s as far as I know, I do not have any direct experience with the russian customs.
As fas as a potential russian buyer goes I do realise that he will have to go through some loops to get the bike registered, but if he buys it I would assume that he know what he has to do. But he will get a bike at a very good price.
In the mean time I am on my way to Mongolia (in Omsk at the moment) before leaving for Vlad.
Thanks for your replys.
Patrick

[Tony P]

Originally Posted by Patrick1

in Omsk at the moment

You now have the most mind numbing ride (to Novosibirsk) in the World. Straight, flat, featureless road across Siberian grass and woodland.

Back to topic - to protect yourself against the unknown, I would urge you to attend and ensure the Customs accept the new owner.

You will get lots of help from Andrei of Iron Angels MC in Vlad. He regularly imports used bikes from Japan. PM me for indirect contacts.

[Patrick1]

You are right I am now in Krasjonarsk and the route was straight, flat and wet. I am now going to the lake Baika. Then into Mongolia to attack the second leg to Vlad.

By the way, if you know a good bike mechanic in Ulanbaatar, please let me know.

I will drop you a mail when I have a better Internet connection.
Cheers
Patrick

[colebatch]

Originally Posted by Patrick1

You are right I am now in Krasjonarsk and the route was straight, flat and wet. I am now going to the lake Baika. Then into Mongolia to attack the second leg to Vlad.

By the way, if you know a good bike mechanic in Ulanbaatar, please let me know.

I will drop you a mail when I have a better Internet connection.
Cheers
Patrick

Vait Scholz at Steppenfuchs (Alles zum Thema Reisen in der Mongolei) has a couple of mongolian bike mechanics working for him. GPS ... N47.91558 E106.98146

[Patrick1]

I have been in contact with Vait Scholz, but I wonder if there are alternatives. I'll open a seperate threat for this question. Thanks anyway.

Patrick

[colebatch]

Good luck.

I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to find ANY bike mechanics in UB.

be grateful for small mercies.

[Kennichi]

Seek and yee shall find, near the Golden gobi hostel is another hostel the Chumbee, the woman in there knows of a mechanic, cost you 5000togrog to get her to call him, then 5000 TG to have a bike or a flatbed to pick you up.

He'll take you to the master (he ignores you if you dont call him master) the bike grave yard in the shanty north of UB, he has about 500 dead bikes which you can pick through for spares. He also welds and fixes things Russian style.