enfields & india border crossings
 

I am in the process of planning a self-supported Enfield tour starting in Oct 08.

Questions:

• Is it possible to take a rented bike over the border into Nepal and/or Bangladesh or is my only option purchasing a bike? It looks like Bhutan is out of the question due to the requirement that US citizens book with a tour agency. I'm aware of the visa requirements & entry points (in addition to nuances of Indian driving - just visited Bangalore & Mumbai).
• Is there an advantage to hauling a bike via train versus riding over the border(s)?
• Would it be easier to pick up a bike in Delhi (v. Kolkata)?

thanks

Yes...
 

Hi mate,
It's possible to ride from India into Nepal, the border at Sunali (day's ride from Varanassai) or Mahendragar (near Delhi) are the easiest way. You have to pay an "import tax" at the border, but this is easy to avoid, especially at Sunali.

Why would you ship a bike by train?
You can pick up a decent Enfield in Delhi or Nepal (let me know if you're interested and I'll give you contact details for Nepal)

I've just returned from 6 weeks in Nepal and I've uploaded a video of me and a mate in Kathmandu on an Enfield. YouTube - Thamel By Bullet

Feel free to ask any questions.
Aidan

hey ampr1150gs
just found this post even though it's a few months old, so i hope you guyz are still online from time to time...
i'm planning to drive a motorbike across the banbasa mahendranagar way. any tips and tricks???
like what do you do about 3rd party insurance? do you need to do anything with your license plate?? any recommended places on the drive to kathmandu? also i've heard about petrol problems in maoist nepal... is it possible to enter the country with spare petrol? is it the kind of trip you'd venture on alone? http://www.indiamike.com/india/images/smilies/shock.gif
can you recommend a place to stay in kathmandu with SAFE PARKING???
well, actually, ANY info is most welcome...
thanx
d
ps: oh and how do you avoid paying the import tax????

thanx thanx thanx

East of Turkey I don't bother. I have been told they don't pay out for foreigners anyway.

Like what?

Bardia National Park. Tansen. Pokhara, despite all the tourists.

I don't know for sure, but customs never asked about it. When I was there petrol seemed readily available anywhere outside Ktm, but in Ktm itself all pumps were shut for several days.

I did.

Kathmandu Peace GH: N27 43.089 E85 18.531 (If you don't have a GPS you can plug this into GoogleEarth or GoogleMaps to see the location.)

Being a foreigner I need a carnet, which means I don't pay any import charges.

wow, thanx for the speedy reply!!!
i hear the indian embassy is making it difficult to get back to back visas now so i might have to scratch the whole plan!!! but hopefully i'll find a way...

Perhaps you can get a double-entry visa?