Buying a Bike
 

Slightly off area, I have a KLR650 for sale in Mongolia that is EU registered and can be ridden out and back if this is of interest to anyone.

Hello, Sir.
I'm living in Vladivostok. The most bikes here are importeted from JAPAN.

There is thee way to purchase bike
1. Private partys (not recommended, maybe ditry documents, and you can`t check it because you see it first time)
2. Used Bike dealers (good way if you can check technical condition by yourself. There is a lot of "dealers" who lower real milleage, repair JUNK motorcycles and sold it like undamaged)
You can check japaneese motorcуcle history here
MotoBAY.SU but it`s not 100% guarantee, because here only auctioned bikes.

3. Preorder bike from Japan. (recommended way. ) It takes about 1 month to deliver bike from Japanese bike auction (best prices and technical inspection provided in Japan, real milleage). So you know what you buy. And you can buy what you want. Delivery rate about 750$ + customs fees (200-2000$ depends ccm and production year)
Also. Mind about russian and japaneese holidays.
Here is sold bikes (market prices)
Статистика продаж — MotoBAY.SU

4. Forget about used URAL in Vladivostok. You can find only 1970-1989 production in JUNK condition. I think you can preorder brand new URAL But remember. There is no URAL dealers, no parts, service etc. And it is not high quality bike.

5. You must register bike in 10days at Road police. (Now it is possible in any region). You must purchase 3rd party insurance before (40-100$). You need an assistance in registration because all registration forms and instruction in Russian language. I think you cant fill it by yourself. Reasonable assistance price 100-150$. Registration fee about 50$.

6. Also you can purchase "transit license plate" especially for EXPORT.
It is the best way if you want to export bike to EU in future. But not good if you want to visit Mongolia.

7. If you want to sold bike here in Russia.The best way is register it for russian citizen

8. Russian import fees and VAT are not refundable. So if you want new expensive bike you will pay import fees twice (in Russia and in EU)

And finally. You can send your bikes to Vladivostok in 20FT container or ro-ro ferry (transhipment in Japan). I think it will be cheaper at all. 20FT container from Europe to Vladivostok costs about 3000$. It is not so expensive if you and your frends send 3-4 bikes.You do not need to pay import duty (only declaration fees) and there is no problems with registration.

Thanks for the very informative post.

Personally, I struggled with your last paragraph wherein you switch to bringing an already-owned-bike into Russia from another country - at least that is how I read that paragraph.
Is the registration that you mentioned in that paragraph exactly the same as that for buying a bike in Russia (or do you refer to some form of temporary importation)?

Octopus catcher, thanks for the post.

Walkabout, I think what he's saying that if you bring in your bike, you do a temporary import and don't register it or pay customs duties in Russia.

Octopus catcher, are you sure that riders with tourist or business visas can register bikes in Russia? As far as I know its not possible, but I could be mistaken. For instance, I've never looked at a transit plate, maybe non-residents could register with one of those?

You don`t need to register bike in Russia if it already regestered in EU.
You do net need to pay a duty and VAT for temporary importation (only for paperwork).

Also there is a cheap solution if you want to cross trans-siberian route one way.

You can get from EU to Vladivostok via border in Western part . Then send bike via railroad from Vladivostok to Moscow or Saint-Petersburg. And get Back to Moscow by jet. You save 9300km`s

It's really cheap.
Inland delivery to Moscow -170$.
Airfare starts from 180$ in economy class. Very cheap for 9hour flight.

Note: June July and August are peak season months for Vladivostok-Moscow air routes. And it`s very hard to find cheap tickets. And there is a lot of cheap tickets since 5 september. Here is summer temperetures in september.

Just checked

1. You can register as foreigner until your visa ends. You must have migration (registration) card. You need to take it at migration office. There is no info in open sources what types of visas eligble to take this card. I can call migration office if you want.

2. I checked about temporary licence plates for export. In fact this is case of deregistration. You'll get export licence plate, and registration certificate with stamp that says "You must export vehicle whitin 10 days."

Types of licence plates in Russia

1. ordinary licence plate (cars and trucks)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ussia2.svg.png

2. ordinary licence plate (motorbikes)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...n_Russia_4.png

3. temporary licensce plate for export
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ehicles%29.png

4. Police
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...8police%29.png

5. Taxis and public buses
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...C_buses%29.png

6. Military vehicles
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ehicles%29.png

7. Diplomatic vehicles
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...lomatic%29.png

2-3 digit codes it's region of registration
for example
78RUS - Saint Petersburg
25RUS - Vladivostok

Also you can purchase REGISTERED BIKE (with licence plate)
You must change owner in registration certificate within 10 days(or make derigistration for export) .

Sumary you will get 20days to transit Russia absolutely legally.

You can make open date in contract(don`t fill the date field). So you get more than 10 days.

If you can't negotiate with seller for open date and don't change owner in registration certificate within 10 days - no problem the penalty is not so expensive 1500rub (~ 25$)


But in this case you can leave Russia only one time.
I Think it is impossible to get to Monlolia then get back to Russia and then get to EU.

I tried to do this in summer. First, I wanted to start in Japan, it did not work out. Neither did Vladivostok, eventually I got lucky in Ulan Bator and travel on a Belgian Kawasaki back to Europe. I can sum up briefly, why it is a bad idea to look for a bike in Vladik.

1) The laws of the Russian Federation do not allow foreigners to register a motorcycle. You can always find a workaround, but it takes time and money.

2) Ural and Dnepr bikes are crap. I wanted to ride them, a lot, but they are. One consequence is that you do not find those on the eastern shore - they only drive and ride Japanese machines in there.

3) They do ride all types of Japanese bikes there and you can buy those (cannot legally register, though). But the thing is, Russian import taxes are so high that the prices are insane. You can check yourselves here: Фарпост во Владивостоке — Доска объявлений Владивостока - I bought an excellent KLR 650 with loads of accesories from a Belgian traveler in UB for the same money you pay in Vladik for a crappy, worn out KLE 250.

4) If you decided to pay for this, found a Russian to register it for you in their name, you still could not legally import it to the EU if the bike is older than 8 years.

My advice is, don't do it. If you want to travel this way on a bike you don't have yet, post ads and comments on forums like this one and find someone going the other way and selling their bikes. That worked for me eventually.

If you find a bike with EU plates anywhere in Asia, it solves your problem of course. And shipping it across Russia costs virtually nothing compared to your other expenses.

Thanks Matej for the report from the ground; I already suspected the kind of things you said, but it is good to hear from someone who has been through the process.

Buying used bike in Vladivostok
 

All: Thank you for your time and effort to post the information provided in this thread. If a non-Chinese or non-Russian tourist (American foreigner) held a Chinese driver's license and purchased a Russian registered, insured and plated motorcycle, would a Russia-China border crossing be possible with a notarized letter of authorization, in various languages, from the registered owner? I am hoping to tour China and may have potential contacts in Vladivostok. Recently, I read somewhere on the forum that Russia and China have relaxed border crossings between the two countries to improve relations and commerce. Do Russian vehicle owners need to purchase Chinese vehicle insurance prior to entering China? Would crossing China and entering SE Asia be possible? Thanks in advance! David

Hi there. Similar question in reverse effectively - Can I ride a motorbike from Ireland one-way to Vladivostok and sell it there? Something like a 2008 DL650 V-Strom. Would/could a dealer or private individual buy it for a reasonable price (and import & register it themselves)? Thanks - DJ.