buy a bike, register it and travel !?.

[m-cinek]

Hello
I’m planning my trip to South America and I’m thinking about buying amotorbike in South America or USA.
1. Do you think it is possible (for foreign) to buy one and register it and travel with no problems?
if not:
2. I have a friend in San Francisco and she could register a motorcycle on her name, but still I'm not sure if I can cross the borders on not registered on mine name motorcycle.

I will be greateful for your help.

hanks
Marcin

[haggeo]

you can not enter mexico with someone else's name on the registration without explict written, notarized documents. possible but probably a hassle. better to have the vehicle registered in your name which may also be a slight hassle but a hassle in san francisco instead of the border offices of mexico. this link has good information on this topic.

http://www.sanbornsinsurance.com/entry_customs.html


this is a link to used motorcycles in the san francisco bay area.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/mcy/

[Atwoke]

Plenty of threads covering buying (and selling) bikes in SA.

Try the search tool in the top right.

Jens

[BCK_973]

Hi,the cheapest and best way!Bikes in SA are too expensive!And very dificult to register.Buy a nice KLR in the north and travell south!
Saludos
KH

[m-cinek]

ok. It's better to buy one in North America - it's cheaper and better condition. but what than? Do you know where to go what documents do I need?
One guy told me that it takes 30-45 days to register a bike. Is it true?
And I guess the problem is that I'm not the US citizen.

thanks for your posts
Marcin

[haggeo]

Originally Posted by m-cinek

ok. It's better to buy one in North America - it's cheaper and better condition. but what than? Do you know where to go what documents do I need?
One guy told me that it takes 30-45 days to register a bike. Is it true?
And I guess the problem is that I'm not the US citizen.

thanks for your posts
Marcin

buying the bike and registering it is not hard. in fact if the registration is still valid from the seller then it's only a transfer of ownership, or whats called a title transfer. when you look at ads they will say something like registered until june of 2008 or something like that. in california when you are doing the title transfer they may or may not ask for proof of insurance at the desk, i've never been asked. the insurance companies notify the DMV electronically. the dmv is supposed to have proof of insurance within 30 days of issuance of the registration card. what does this mean for you? once you get your registration card, head for the border. this link has good info about the california DMV. you don't have to be a us citizen and i don't think this should take 45 days.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures...18.htm#accevid

[cal]

hello there, i live in panama. (im a foreigner and do not have residence) i bought a bike here about 6 months ago. it was a new bike, its near impossible to find used ones. anyway i was charged 75dollars to have the bike registered and the plates for it. bikes here are cheaper than in costa rica and colombia, but probably not the US. i have taken the bike to costa rica and i had to get a document at the border saying the bikes taxes had been paid in panama. well thats about it, good luck. c