There has been some good advice given in this thread. I have heard that a foreigner can inexpensively buy a Chilean bike in one of their free trade zones.

I still think the Grey Market option is the best one. Kito, already commented about how this method is done. Note: The Hubb does not endorse this method and I am not recommending it. The buyer and seller usually cross a local border together. Before crossing the border, the buyer borrows the sellers original title, registration, and Temporary Import Permit. He photoshops the sellers name, DL# and address and swaps his own in for them. He then makes good color copies of the paperwork. The seller and the buyer usually ride together on the bike and cross the border into the neighboring country. The Buyer uses his set of paperwork and gets an exit stamp for the bike and himself in his passport. Note: if your passport is brand spanking new than you don't want to try this most likely. It would be a better idea to rack up some stamps crossing local borders and make it look like you have been traveling in the area for a bit.

I watched my Australian friend sell his Canadian KLR to a Polish guy in Mendoza, Argentina this way. They crossed the border into Chile together and completed the sale this way.

I think it is important that you make the deal contingent upon the seller successfully crossing into the next country with you. Offer him a ride back but don't give him any money until you have good paperwork.


Another, less grey market option would be for you and the seller to have a Power of Attorney made up by a local lawyer which allows you to use his property for some good reason (he was injured, family illness, serving active duty, etc) but the seller might not be comfortable with the liability involved with a power of attorney. Also, I heard of someone who successfully used a Power of Attorney to cross borders but I think it would be difficult in a few countries and with a few personalities.

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http://www.journeyrider.net Latin America blog (07-8)