Bike Price Arbitrage
 

Hi Folks,
Thanks for creating an amazing resource - it has really helped turn the slow niggle of an idea of a long trip across South America more and more real :-)

I have a question on Bike Prices. I can't be bothered with shipping and would like to buy my bike in South America. Given that the trip currently has no constraints on it whatsoever, I was wondering whether it makes any difference which country you buy your trusty steed in. From perusing second hand bike prices, from what I can see, there's a massive price (as much as 50%) between Chile and Argentina. Some examples of prices I've found are here:

Argentina bikes
7.58
Make Model Year km Price local Price £
Honda Transalp 2008 1850021500 2,836
Kawasaki KLR650 2012 5100 89000 11,741
BMW F650GS 2007 1350014500 1,913
BMW GS800 2008 5084 25000 3,298
BMW F650GS 2009 2100023900 3,153
BMW F800GS 2012 3000 28000 3,694

Chile Bikes
760
Make Model Year km Price local Price £
Kawasaki KLR650 2010 11000 3700000 4,868
BMW F800GS 2009 14000 7690000 10,118
BMW F650GS 2007 17000 3200000 4,211
BMW F650GS 2007 52000 4950000 6,513
Honda Transalp 2010 21000 5800000 7,632
Honda Transalp 2009 20000 5100000 6,711
Honda Transalp 2008 180005350000 7,039

I guess my questions are:
1. Is there anything obvious I'm missing? Like "You don't want to buy your bike in XXX because of headache YYY", where YYY is any of paperwork headache/they sacrifice goats there/there's an little known rule you have to donate your left pinkie when buying a bike there?

2. If there really is such a big price difference, where in SA is anecdotally cheapest to start from?

Many thanks in advance for any help.

Stephan

PS. Sorry for formatting - can't get thread post to align the table....

Hmm. After a few more hours of reading it would appear that taking Argentine bikes out of Argentina is impossible, or at least not that easy, making the price advantage a moot point.

How to not buy a motorcycle in Argentina - Argentina - WorldNomads.com

Hi s445203

Apart of the KLR, all Argentina prices you are mentioning are in American Dollars, so all calculations are wrong… (for all Argentina searches: U$S or U$D or USD are Dollars, $ are Arg pesos.

Most countries in South America have restriction for foreigners buying local vehicles. Have in mind that usually when people make a mistake and get in troubles then they fill ashamed to share their experience with other…

Air Freight from home is simple and will be your best choice if you don’t like restrictions and do the right things…
Shipping the bike | Horizons Unlimited

The best recommendation, invest all your time on read here on the HUBB before to ask, then ask if you have doubts…
Regards

Wow! I feel like an idiot now - there's a mistake you don't want to build a plan around!!! So in actual fact, Argentine prices are astronomical! Looks like I'll need to rethink the local purchase plan - buying in UK and shipping seems way cheaper.

Thanks for this invaluable help @javkap