Any BMW (motorcycle!) in the region around Northern Argentina/ south Brazil (sao Paolo/ Rio) or Paraguay? We are currently in Bolivia and planning to exit via northern Argy then up to Rio.

We are starting to run out of spare parts. We would need a lot of work done before going south to Patagonia in the next few months...

I´m pretty sure I read in someone blog that there was a dealer in Rio or sao Paolo. Pls send me contact details if you know something!

Many thanks,

__________________
Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Smellybiker put together a good list of BMVoo dealers.

Hi
i´m in Rio now. Amazing city but the BMW prices will make you cry then break your bank balance. I was told Sao Paulo was cheaper for sourcing parts, as there are many more shops and importers. It is the industrial centre of Brasil after all. But the killer here is the 120% import tax!!!!
Buy all you need in BsAs. Dakar Motos and Javier can help you souirce cheaper parts as well.

I didn´t want to go to Sao Paulo so i spent 2 or 3 days here finding things. 30 dollars for an oil filter for example. some shops wanted 100 dollars for it!

I was expecting to finish my trip near here so i decided not to stock up on spares in Colombia or Venezuela where everything is cheaper. Save weight and room. But now i have to keep riding a few weeks more, so my wallet is also lighter now too ;o)

hope it helps!
Rio is amazinf though ;o)))))

mike

thanks guys. I found the BMW address in Bob website indeed.

Mike, thanks for the advice, (120%!!!!!!!!) I will get in touch with Javier when we get closer to BsA. By then the bikes will need a lot of gentle care!

How is it to orientate yourself in Sao Paulo or Rio? I always dread entering big capital cities! It is usually a nightmare!

Cheers,

__________________
Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Hi Maria,
hope you make it to BsAs with out problems. I think there is another BMW place in Porto Alegre in the south aswell. Big German population buying BMW´s possibly.


I´m giving Sao Paulo a miss. I didn´t really like the idea of visiting teh 3rd biggest city in the world, done with out any city planning!
And Rio has sucked me in. Its brilliant. And really is quite easy to find your way round.
Most of the places to stay are in the Zona Sur. ie the richer (supposedly safer) districts. more or less everything you want to see can be got to from the coast road that goes all round the bay and to Copacabana and Ipanema. The only problem i had was when looking for hostels as they are quite discreet with no glaring signs outside them, in Ipenema at least, and i didn´t have the numbers for the recommendations i had .

Some of the Wealthier people i met when i was invited for night out with some of the BMW people in Barra da Tijuca ( nuevo rich zone) consider the coast road the only safe road to take in Rio if you drive a flash car or bike! Stray inland or near favelas and they think you risk being car jacked! But i have had no problems.
They also said if you ride a BMW you are less likely to be stopped by police as teh only brasilians that ride them are rich people of influence that can cause more trouble than teh bribe is worth to the police men!
It was an interesting night out that was!

There are a few independant bike shops in Barra da Tijuca aswell , one of which has parts like tyres,brake pads, and oil filters at ok proces ( by brasilian standards!)

If you need teh addresses post or PM me.

cheers
mike