I just entered Russia with my United States registered VStrom 650 yesterday. At the border they wanted my motorcycle passport {whatever that is} and it was quite a hassle getting the motorcycle in without one. I could show them my Illinois Registration with next year's sticker still attached. They had never seen such a thing and did not really want it. I also had a copy of my vehicle title which I needed when I brought the machine into Germany four summers ago. This seemed to be a document that would work at the Russian border, but they wanted the original title which I did not have because we keep the original safely stored away in the United States. So, I got the motorcycle in finally, but now I am worried that I might not be able to enter Mongolia when I get there, or go back into Russia as I leave Mongolia, or take the bike to South Korea from Vladivostok where I plan to ship back to the US.

So, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I have checked on getting a Carnet du Passages but Russia is on the list of countries not needing one. Besides, how do I get one now that I am in Russia.

Iam going to St. Petersburg for a few days, and then on to Moscow from where I will start my ride to Vladivostok.

Any advice or hints?

Do yo blame them??? you are trying to enter other countries you need the "PINK SLIP" I think it's called in the USA.
You are not in the USA you are in Russia?
Sorry mate for being to the point but I wish you well and hope all things can be worked out.

Get the correct Motorbike document sent over by DHL is the first step IMO

I agree with Nuff Said customs have the right to expect original documents not copies.

The copy should be fine to show to any police in a traffic stop but yes, for customs you will need the original. The "vehicle passport" is the original registration document.

I agree with what others answered.
Anyway, can you report us how long your temporary import papers for custom union are valid?
thanks!

You know what guys, I was asking a serious question and I didn't really expect sarcasm or supercillious comments. Of course the border officials have the right to demand whatever they want to demand---that has nothing to do with the situation. What I need is a response from Americans who, like me, do not have pink cards because we don't use them there -- it is a European thing. Also, Russia does not require a carnet. Furthermore, losing an original title would be a terrible thing in the US. We don't travel with such things. However, we do have certificates of registration which we have to show police if requested to do so. When I imported the bike into Europe four years ago, it was a copy of the title that I needed to produce, not an original title.

Americans, if you have taken your motorcycle into Russia, I would appreciate hearing from you regarding documents you had to produce. I am in Russia, and so is my bike, so my border crossing is solved. My concern is going into Mongolia and then back into Russia as I ride to Vladivostok. Any suggestions of things I should try to get sent from home?

Europeans, I love you all, but I need only helpful suggestions please. Thanks for your aid and undrstanding.

Ron, you did not answered my question, please do it.

Regarding your problem with Russian customs, I don't know how it works in USA, but I think you already understood that in Russia, as in Europe, as in every country I visited on my bike, you need some paper with basic infos about it.
Number plate, VIN number, Honda or Yamaha, the usual things which need to be on an official document. THAT is motorbike passport. On a piece of paper.
I don't know what a pink slip is, so it's not a european thing.
Ask someone to ship yours or produce it (I'm sure there are some very good printers in Russia) and everything will be fine.

you're the one who could be in the shit mate, not the people who are trying to give you advice ok.
You might not like some of the commits but everyone is trying to help.
It is the general consensus that when you travel around the world on a foreign bike you TAKE everything related to that bike, I mean everything.
For some reason, you believe keeping the PINK CARD back in the USA which as you say is an importance Document that proves you are the owner.
So is a passport an importance document which allows you to entry a country but you still take it along.

Sorry I am not an American just some stupid English guy living in China who travel all over the place on his motorbike who has the common sense to take everything related to the ownership of his bike along with him JUST IN CASE.
Now my final word on this matter if you can't take some sarcasm or supercilious comments (not supercillious) then DONT POST.

NUFF SAID.

The HUBB PUB RULES.

The HUBB PUB Chat forum - no useful content required!

BUT the basic rules of polite and civil conduct which everyone agreed to when signing up for the HUBB, will still apply, though moderation will be a LITTLE looser than elsewhere on the HUBB.?

I have said it several times: I did bring every piece of paper related to my bike that American law allows me to carry. What I have with me are original government documents showing VIN numbers, ownership, official signatures, Etc. However, these documents are not the European forms the border agents were familiar with. That said, I am happy to report that, thanks to the miracle of the internet, I now have a copy of my bike's title that will look like the real thing once I find a place to print it. I also have an international attorney as well as a shipping expert trying to track down other ideas.

I repeat, Nuff Said, that we do not have pink card bike passports in America, nor do I have the ability to obtain one. How many times do I have to say it. You need to work on your attitude, sir. I do admit that my typing added an extra letter to the word supercilious. Perhaps a typing error is not something a college teacher like me should do, but I bet sometimes things like that slip by all of us. Not wanting to argue with someone I don't know, I won't be returning to this thread. However, I do want to thank those of you who actually made an honest effort to answer my questions.

My attitude is fine DUDE
Q:
What is a pink slip for an automobile/motorbike?
A:
Quick Answer

A pink slip is a piece of paperwork that is required to prove the ownership of a vehicle in Canada and the United States. A pink slip is also known as a vehicle title. Continue Reading
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Wonders of the internet

Full Answer

The pink slip provides information about the vehicle, such as the year, make and model of the vehicle, its license plate number and technical information about the vehicle to determine its taxation regime.

Vehicle titles are not necessarily pink, as implied by the informal term "pink slip." In California, vehicle titles were once pink, but now come in many different colors, such as blue, green, yellow or teal with purple or blue borders.

Did I not say on my first post.

And ..
But now it **** you Dude, that's what I call attitude

Ron, the original is a typical customs requirement, you will need it later as the confusion at the border increases. Maybe DHL it to a known location.

Yes, get your original title send by DHL (or any other company) to anywhere you are sure you get it in Russia.

Dont forget American laws do not apply in Russia. You were lucky to enter Europe with a copy of your documents. Do your homework for the following countries and you should not have a problem entering them.

And relax, everybody here on the Hubb is trying to help you.

And learn as much Russian as you can, it helps you to enjoy your journey more.

Dasvidanje
mika

Was there a couple of years ago rode from Vladivostok through all stans to Turkey found having good colour photo copies of original documents worked no trouble at all give this man a call when you get to Vladivostok he was so helpfull
we shipped our bikes from NZ and he made life easy for us.
Yuri Melnikov Links Ltd
+79025243447 office (423)222-08-87
Email ymelnik@links-ltd.com
Hope this is a little help stay safe
Allan

I am an American who has traveled extensively within, in, and out of Russia with a bike with US plates. Several comments:
1) Not to nitpick, but this subforum is not where I would have posted this query; there are "Route Planning" and "Trip Paperwork" subforums which would have been a better choice; sometimes responses in this subforum are not especially helpful.

2) I have to agree with others that the fact that you have all the documents required in the US is not really relevant--you're not in Kansas anymore... This side has many threads about what documents are necessary for crossing various borders, so more advance research would have been helpful.

3) As an aside, at least in my state, it is possible to get a duplicate title, so you can keep one at home and bring one with. Maybe you can get a duplicate title issued and sent to you.

4) Now for the good news--while I always had an original (duplicate) title with me, it was getting a bitty ratty so usually kept it in my document pouch and gave the police, and sometimes the border guys, a color copy on thick paper (I think I put some kind of embossed stamp on it for extra effect). This USUALLY worked, although I did have problems at a couple of borders, in particular entering Ukraine and leaving Latvia, where they seem to look for the watermarks which are present on the originals but lacking on copies.

In Ukraine I just told them it was all I had (I actually thought I've given him the original) and he finally let me through, but in Latvia, where I also gave them the copy by mistake, they didn't seem to want to let me through until I realized my mistake and gave them the original, then I was right through. I don't recall ever having a problem at the Russian border, and IIRC I usually gave them the copy. I speak Russian though, so that might have helped.

I can tell you a bit more about moto paperwork in Russia via pm if you are interested.

Whatever happens at borders, don't get frustrated, it doesn't help, just tell them that "that's how they do it where I come from".

5) I have no idea what a pink slip is and have never had one.

6) I think you might be wasting your money on an "international attorney", you are much more likely to get accurate, helpful, and free (!) advice on the Route Planning or Trip Paperwork subforums on this site.

I rarely check this subforum, if you have further questions post in the other subforums I mentioned or pm me.

Before about 1970 the titles in California were pink in colour and the name pink slip has stuck and even spread to refer to titles from other states even though they never have been. We have a similar thing in the UK where the registration document used to have a log of previous owners, a practice that also ended in the 70's but they are still refered to as a log book, history lesson over.