Buying a bike and riding through ECOWAS countries

[arjwilson]

Hi there - I'm a new member. I've searched through a bunch of old threads and have some good info, but there's nothing exactly covering my question that's recent, so here goes:

I want to buy a small Chinese bike (125cc or so) in Ghana, Burkina Faso or Cote d'Ivoire and drive it around ECOWAS countries for a few months, then sell it when I'm done.

That should be possible (easy?), yes? Buying the bike, getting the right papers for it and driving it around neighbouring countries, then re-selling it when I'm done.

So, for instance, I could buy a bike in Ghana, drive it across the border to Burkina Faso, then into Mali or Cote d'Ivoire, then into Guinea and Sierra Leone, then sell the bike in Freetown. Is it reasonably straight forward to figure out what sort of papers are required?

I've also read that if you buy your bike in an ECOWAS country and travel through other ECOWAS countries you don't need a carnet, just temporary permits.

Ignoring for the moment issues re: visas and borders and safety and road conditions, etc., just the logistics around the bike purchase and travel should be doable, yes?

Any hints or words of warning or encouragement?

Thanks - Andrew

[Zombie025]

Even though Ghana is part of the ECOWAS their restrictions on temporary vehicle importation are tougher than the rest. My bike was plated in Nigeria, for Togo and benin you just need the laissez passer, for 10,000CFA each. In Ghana i had to temporary import the bike, lot of paper work, approx. 50EUR fee to be paid, valid for short time only (i recall sth. like 6 weeks, but cant remember correct). I assume it's the same the other way around.

As these chinese brand mini bike (okada) are very cheap to get there (500EUR max) the registration would be also cheap. So maybe you get your bike registered again outside ghana, to avoid above mentioned hazzle.
Anyhow you would be the only one who will do some paperwork for these bikes, as the cross border traffic for these bikes normally goes without even stopping. But i guess you have the wrong skin colour for that.
Official you need insurance, driving license, registration and valid vehicle permit with license plate.

[arjwilson]

OK, thanks Zombie. I'd almost certainly not buy the bike in Ghana, but Burkina or Mali, so that might work out fine just buying laissez passer. I'd most likely go into Mali (assuming I'm buying the bike in Burkina), Guinea and Sierra Leone, then sell the bike in Freetown.

Thanks for the help.

[cruiser guy]

Your biggest hassle will be paperwork at either end, assuming it is all legally done.

[ddziewan]

Hi

Did a trip through West Africa a few years back on bikes bought in Liberia and sold in The Gambia. 150cc Royals, Chinese made. Very easy to sell. Did it in three days using our hotel staff to spread the word. For paperwork we had title to bikes, registration, laissez passezs (for some countries), Liberian insurance, and ECOWAS brown card. No Carnet - were never asked for it.

Hope that helps.

[arjwilson]

Great, thanks for the info. Sounds more or less exactly what I want to do. If you don't mind, could you let me know:

*What is an ECOWAS brown card?
*Was the bike you bought used, or new? How much did it cost?
*What would be the most typical sort of problem you'd have with the bike - flat tyres, mechanical issues, etc?
*Related to that, if it had problems was it easy to have it repaired, or did you have to do everything yourself?
*In general is it fairly easy to find quieter roads, or do you have to drive on busy, nasty roads most of the time?

Thanks a million for the help.

- Andrew

[ddziewan]

Hi,

1) Re: the Brown Card: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interna...ce_Card_System

2) The bikes cost USD 1,200 each. It were new.

3) I had a couple of flats, which I repaired myself. Took a bunch of tools, cables, bulbs, etc. that we never used. The person I was traveling with had to have half of her engine replaced (with scooter parts) in MiddleofNowhere, Senegal. After a particularly long and hot day, had the intake valve break off and wear away the top of the entire piston head after bouncing around in the engine for a few hours. This was fixed by mechanics for us. Too better part of the day, and the bike burned oil like crazy. But that was with three days left in the trip. Problem with Chinese bikes: potentially suspect quality. That said, my bike was fine - was the same bike. *That* said, I owned a Indian-made Bajaj Boxer and ran that thing like crazy (including Freetown-Monvoria) in eleven hours (redlined for much of this) and never had any problems.

4) Not sure about quieter roads. We were pressed for time. Typically I imagine that you'll be on main roads. But I'm sure it'll depend on where you are.

You'll have a great time. Love West Africa. Never had any insurmountable problems. Just don't go in rainy season like we did; though we didn't have choice. It's miserably wet - though still a great experience.

D.