suzuki in south america?

[andrewmclagan]

so... I have am old '90 model suzuki gn250 that i restored. Thinking me shipping it to chile and riding from there north. I just came back from riding around iran, india, nepal.. And a few other places does anyone know if parts will be hard to find? Www.andrewmclagan.com

[TorPedro]

I rode in SA for 3 months on a KLR Feb-Apr this year ...it's only anecdotal, but it seemed to me Suzuki was far more prevalent than any other Japanese brand.

[markharf]

Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda are very prevalent in South America. But that doesn't mean you can find parts for a 1990 GN250.....

In general, you can have parts Fed-exed to you from Europe or America if you get desperate. Sometimes these parts get delayed in customs, sometimes not. Best bet is to search out local shops working with imported bikes and cars---usually there's someone who's got a supply chain set up which bypasses customs in mysterious ways. That way, you can have parts sent to their contact in, say, Florida, who forwards them on to your friends in, say, Salvador. This is obviously your last option, not your first.

Sorry I don't have more specific information.

Mark

[Mickey D]

Andrew,
How attached are you to this bike? My guess is shipping cost from Oz to Chile will be far more than the bike is worth. Might make more sense to buy a similar bike locally once in Chile? Just a thought.

Most OEM's provide parts support for 15 years, although Honda does a bit more on some bikes. But if dealers in Oz can still source parts, then you could have them sent in ... but at some hefty expense with shipping and duty.

Quite a few travelers finishing up trips sell off their prepped and tested travel bikes in either Buenos Aires or Santiago. Have a look on the For Sale forum.

Good luck, safe travels.