Moving to Mongolia
 

Seeking Helpful Advice:

Flight is booked. I will land in Ulaanbaatar on August 28. My plan is to live there for at least two years and ride as much as possible. So, what bike should I buy? Would I be better off buying the the US and shipping? What is the longest realistic riding season there? How can I convert my American motorcycle license to an acceptable Mongolian MC license?

I truly appreciate having a place to just toss out these types of questions, and I hope I can be helpful to Horizons as well.

Best from DC, USA,

Peter:freezing:

Congrats on the move. I think you'll enjoy it. Scott? (IIRC) might be along with more.

Licensees.. you'll be able to use your American one for some time .. but best to get an 'international drivers permit' that info in the FAQs across the top - in those blue bar thingys (blue "GET READY' - paperwork) .. some will tell you to 'retain' your American license for when you return .. so 'loosing' your current license and getting a new copy so that you can hand in your 'lost' license to exchange it for a Mongolian one may work...

Bikes .. upto you. If you import one then you have customs to deal with, and servicing and parts may be a problem. Buying there you avoid those problems. If you don't have many skills to work on your own bike then buying there is probably good.

Contact the locals and see? Try using the HU 'communities' (blue 'CONNECT') to see what they say?

In UB itself they do have big sports and road bikes but the roads are atrocious

After riding a heavily loaded Vstrom across the country I reckon it would be more fun doing it slower, so buying a local Chinese cheap bike would be a good idea. They are not big, around 250cc max I think, but all the locals use that or smaller and seem to do fine

The added bonus is repairing by any local in the middle of nowhere would be a distinct probability

Ask at the Oasis, if someone wants to sell a bike.

Oasisi is sold to new owners, bat the service should stay the same.

And keep it light
Something with maximum 600cc, 1 zylinder and high exhaust and air intake:D

I'm in UlaanBataar now and just finished seven days of big enduro riding. There are Husky & Royal Enfield here for sure I can't speak for all the other brands. Talk to Nordic Offroad to get an overview. They might be able to help with local contacts. Ask for Davaa or Timo. ATMs everywhere. The weather was everything except snow in seven days, Have rain gear. I can't help with your other questions. Departing tomorrow. Grear riding, big fun, friendly people, watch out for livestock.