Motorcylce licence in South America..
 

I'm planning on travelling 'round SA next year and at the moment a friend is interested in joining me for about 3 months.
The problem: My friend doesn't have his motorcycle licence just yet. Now he can get it before he leaves, however here in Western Australia you are restricted to 250cc for a year (which makes sense - though the LAM laws over the other side of Aussie make more sense, but i digress). I am riding a 650 and was hoping if he could make it he would ride the same type of bike. Obviously he won't be able to get his restricted licence on time (I leave in January).
Is there any way we can get around this???
Does your international licence show what your are allowed to ride?
Worth trying to get a licence in, say, Argentina - where we plan to start?
Any suggestions/ Comments/ experiences??

no worries mate.....
 

i wouldn't sweat it.....we went through EVERY country in SA in 05/06.....super-easy border crossings, no international drivers license, just our normal Canadian (BC) drivers licenses....they don't know the diff...as long as it's valid, you're golden!

T&T

carnets for Africa
 

what's the deal-eo with carnets in Africa? I'm hearing conflicting reports about countries relaxing their regulations, etc. Is it absolutely neccesary to travel through Africa with a carnet? Can you get by without one?

Is there anybody out there who is either on the road in the Dark Continent or has just returned and can fill us in on the situation? we really don't want to go throught the hassles and costs of getting one, but also don't want to be screwed at every border.

We're starting from SA in early 2008, our 'planned' route thus far is SA, Lesotho, Swazi, Namib, Botswana, Zim, Zam, Mozam, Malawi, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco.

Thanks for the input.....T&T