send my bike or buy one in south America ?

[Nomad sans frontiere]

Hello every body !
Sorry for my english writting, French are not good in other languages...
Maybe it's not the good place to ask that, but I didn't see where I must put...

My question is : I don't know if I need to take my transalp 650 to South Amercia or buy a bike when I'll be there...(6 months Colombia to Ushuaia to Santiago or Buenos Aires)

The positif points with my moto are : I know it well (fiability), I can prepare it at home quietly, when I'll come back with it we'll have many souvenirs with it.

the most negative point is the price : more than 2000euros France>SA>France, and a long and difficult organisation (transport, euros for carnet de passage,etc)

If I buy the moto in Chile for exemple I don't have to spend this money, but is it difficult to make the paper and all administrative ? (I haven't been able to found this information)...

What's your opinion ?

Thanks for your help !!

[pecha72]

According to many travellers, it is not mandatory to have a carnet for the Americas.

Shipping vs. buying, well that´s a tough one. I don´t think there is one definite answer to that. If you plan a 6-month trip, you could probably do it either way.

My friend has done two trips in the Americas in the past two years, both times he was there for 5-6 months, and he always sent his own bike over to SA and back (so he´s done the shipping thing twice as well). He has used both air and sea freight. If I remember correctly, he paid about 1500 euros to send his 1200GS by air from London to Buenos Aires, and less than 1000 euros to send back to Europe, also by air. Can´t remember exactly, what seafreight cost him, but it was not a whole lot cheaper.

[dstehouwer]

you won't need a carnet, but you also will not be able to fly your bike to Europe for a 1000 euro's.

I think it is smart to search for a nice KLR650 or something in Buenos Aires, and buy it off an American. Try to sell it when you are done.

[yvestt39]

no need of carnet
best for a french is to send by air and back by boat (or sell, or let in uruguay)
you have a MP in your mail box

[kito]

hi ,from france I would ship to french guyana . the are lots of french people shipping there cars there . big advantage for you is its in the EU and speek french.
Or when do you plan to start your trip ? I will be selling a UK registerd BMW x challenge in BA or santiago in january or febuary if that would be of any interest

[pecha72]

Got to admit less than 1000€ for airfreight really does sound incredibly cheap. He must've hit a jackpot. Probably wise to budget more than that.

[kito]

I got quoted over 1500 for BA to amsterdam over 3 years ago . hate to think what it costs to fly a bike these days .

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Nomad sans frontiere

Hello every body !
Sorry for my english writting, French are not good in other languages...
Maybe it's not the good place to ask that, but I didn't see where I must put...

My question is : I don't know if I need to take my transalp 650 to South Amercia or buy a bike when I'll be there...(6 months Colombia to Ushuaia to Santiago or Buenos Aires)

The positif points with my moto are : I know it well (fiability), I can prepare it at home quietly, when I'll come back with it we'll have many souvenirs with it.

the most negative point is the price : more than 2000euros France>SA>France, and a long and difficult organisation (transport, euros for carnet de passage,etc)

If I buy the moto in Chile for exemple I don't have to spend this money, but is it difficult to make the paper and all administrative ? (I haven't been able to found this information)...

What's your opinion ?

Thanks for your help !!

Nomad S F,
I am sure that your nationals are better with non-French languages than we Brits manage to achieve with foreign languages
That has certainly been my experience while working abroad.

For buying in South America please look over the forum for that part of the continent:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/south-america-3
It contains a lot of posts/threads about buying, and selling, in many of those countries. Especially those countries where it is relatively easy and painless, such as in Chile. Check out a few threads, because there can be a few about similar subjects.

Also, if you look in the bikes for sale forum there are often bikes advertised in there with the sellers offering to help with the paperwork.

to the HUBB by the way, with a good set of questions in your first posting.

ps. With the costs of intercontinental shipping mentioned in earlier posts, and the paperwork involved in that, it makes a lot of sense to buy at the destination - it works for me anyway.

[Nomad sans frontiere]

Thanks all to help me !!

Good information about the carnet de passage..I was not shure to understand well..You confirm it, perfect !

I want to send my bike by air and let it go back home by boat...but you're right the right price must be certainly 2,5-3 000 €..
It seems to be a lot for me and 6 months riding...

I'll read attentively the link for buying and selling in south amercia !
thanks a lot !!

I need to find the budget necessary for using a bike during 6 months, if I buy a bike at 4 or 5 000 $ to go to Colombia to Ushuaia to Santiago or Buenos Aires...

Kito : thanks for your proposition (I saw your bike on the hubb but I plan to start my trip in september 2013).

Very very happy to found a place where I can found answers at all the question I have !! Thanks for your reading !