Cheapest country to buy a bike?
 

Thinking about buying a new Honda CRF250L and also want to do some travelling for about a year. Live in the UK.
So am thinking where is the cheapest place (where it is possible for an overseas national to purchase a bike without too much hassele) in the world to buy one and maybe ride it back to UK? Would it be worth it? - rather than buying new in UK? Am thinking bike would depreciate in price whilst riding it back to UK - so import duty etc would be less
Would there be hassles like getting a Carnet for a bike registered in a country that I am non-resident in? or any other hassles in doing this?

Is it really that difficult a question to answer?

Yes actually it is.

If you plan to travel for a year in the western hemisphere it makes more sense to buy a new Honda in the states. In the U.S. the CRF250L lists for $4499 new which is about £2830 in your money. It would cost a lot for you to ship it across the pond at the end of your journey if you traveled North, Central and South America for a year. No need for a carnet in this hemisphere so that would save some money and hassle. But import duties may negate any savings. I have no idea. It might make more sense to sell it at the end of the year and fly home.

The UK is probably the cheapest country in the EU to buy a bike. The CRF250L sells new for around £4000 or around $6350 at current exchange rates. If your travel interest is more Trans-asia or Africa, it probably makes more sense to buy and prep the bike at home.

If money is tight and you have good negotiating and mechanical skills, it is much more economical to buy a good well cared for used bike. You can find good deals on used bikes in any country.

Cheers,
John Downs

Hi,

Just bay it where you need it...its allways difficult to register a bike in a country where you dont have a adress but many people here are willing to help. I bought my Honda GL 125 to cross Southamerica with for 800 Euro in Chile...

Motorbike trip around Southamerica: Chile and Argentina part 1

Travel save, Tobi

John D is right; a problem is that you have a multitude of explicit questions in your post and a whole load more implicit questions.
And, your questions relate to a load of other fora such as "which bike", "trip paperwork", "trip transport" - hopefully you can see that you should do some research in here i.e. not in the bar! and ask more specific questions that are better targetted.

Hope this helps your research.

You can buy 180cc Pulsars or second hand Enfields without much fuss and even get them into Nepal relatively hassle free. India's certainly big enough to keep you interested for a year.