Yes i agree, which is why i turned up with my own bike.

In hindsight plenty of people buy in Chile and ride out, so i would recommend doing this and it is what i would do myself if i did it again. I read those reports of being turned back at the Peru border, and don't doubt it is true, but it is not the norm at most borders. Chile has many borders so you will get out at one of them for sure. I Don't know the details, but at worst expect a problem or two up there into Peru, and expect to go out into Argentina or Bolivia without problem. I met many that have done so. At worst you need to try a few border crossing and pick the smaller remote ones to suceed. Just suggesting stuff.

Once you are out of Chile (after having a good look around because it is beautiful) then every other border crossing will be between two countries of which neither is Chilean... so you will be fine.

3 weeks to buy a bike might seem like a lot, but If you imported your bike you might expect a bit of down time anyway - some imports by boat and air go perfect and happen exactly as hoped... sometimes they get delayed a bit.

All the best

We bought an English bike in Buenos Aires, got a registration on a friends´adress there and did a little trick at the border Uruguay-Argentina to get the bike into the country under our name. We´ve been travelling to Chile, Bolivia and Peru since then and haven´t experienced any problems. The bike is also legally insured. So buying a foreign bike in BA is definately possible, you´ll just have to find a solution for the registration! Good luck!

Suzpot, when you say "got a registration on a friend's address there" I assume you mean an address a friend's address in England... and thus the bike might be legally registered in your name in England. If this is correct, could you please enlighten us as to where you purchased the insurance???

In all but perhaps one State of the United States the new owner must not only present an address in the State of registration, but the bike itself for inspection. Does England not require an examination of the bike before legal transfer of title? Is there not inspection requirement?

Let me assure you, whatever insurance company that sold you insurance will in the event of an accident with personal injury and/or major property damage will be investigating all aspects of the bike's historical registrations, inspections , etc in an effort to avoid payouts for damages.

Look, this is not my first rodeo , I have been an advocate for more than one foreigner who really believed he was "legally insured," only to discover that not only was he not legally insured, but he did not legally own the bike. And, because more often than not the foreigner was in jail, could not just walk away from it all.

None of this has anything to do with the ability to cross borders with legal or illegal documents. Once an accident occurs the wheels of justice begin to grind slowly, but very, very finely, examining each and every aspect of the bike, the owner(s) and the rider.

Please, give a little more detail when advising others... thanks

xfiltrate

PS: an afterthought: if asked by the judge "where was the bike when you purchased it?" and you respond " It was in Argentina" the very first document that your insurance company will present will be the TVIP i(Temporary Vehicle Import Permit) issued to the former owner that clearly indicates the bike cannot be sold in Argentina. After that it will be all downhill for you..... why? Figure that out on your own....

I'm just here to point out that this particular part of xfiltrate's post is nonsense, and that it has always been nonsense in the past when he's posted the same misinformation.

What implications this might or might not have for transferring bikes in Argentina or elsewhere I'll leave alone this time. But it's worth knowing that the topic has been repeatedly done to death on the HUBB, and a search might therefore prove informative.

Good luck.

Mark

Mark , I know for a fact that 49 of the 50 United States require inspection of vehicles prior to registration of out of State vehicles. If you want to label my post "misinformation" please post the Motor Vehicle regulations for at least two States of the United States that do not require vehicle inspection. I have visited each of the motor vehicle department web sites for each of the fifty States. Have you, if so just post the States that do not require inspections or personal appearance of the buyer and we can put this to rest.

I notice you have avoided the subject of TVIP bikes transfers in Argentina, I suppose you also believe that that is possible legally?

I am not looking for a dispute with you , I admire most of your contributions to the HUBB, I am only providing legal information for those who might base important decisions on this thread.

xfiltrate

PS If you did not know, the new regulations have been in effect for years.....

We've been through this before, and I don't like talking to cement walls.

You can check motorbike registration in Washington, Arizona and California; you'll find that in-state transfers of ownership require no inspections (except in a few smog-prone Arizona counties). It ain't rocket science. I've got better things to do than to run down the other 47 states, but I do know that many require inspections, while others do not. Many require proof of residency (utility bills in your name, leases, even in-state licenses) while others do not. Etc.

"I notice you have avoided the subject of TVIP bikes transfers in Argentina, I suppose you also believe that that is possible legally?"

Take your feeble straw man arguments elsewhere.

Mark

Mark, here are the vehicle transfer regualations for the Dept of Motor Vehicles State of Washington..... please note bold print emission inspection required.....

I will next post Arizona and California title transfer reulations.
Let's keep it real here OK xfiltrate

Transferring ownership when buying from a private party
If you buy from a private party or receive a vehicle as a gift, you’re responsible for transferring ownership of the vehicle into your name within 15 days.

What you’ll need
When you buy a car, motorcycle, or other vehicle from a private party, make sure you receive all the documents required to transfer the title. These documents may include the following:
Vehicle Certificate of Ownership (title) — The seller must release ownership by signing in the appropriate place on the title. Everyone listed on the title must sign it.
Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest — If the title is lost, the seller must complete an Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest and sign it in the presence of a notary public, county auditor, or licensing agent. Everyone listed on the vehicle record must sign it.
Bill of sale — Both you and the seller must provide information about the sale on a Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale. This information includes the sale price, which is used to calculate the use tax you must pay.
Emissions testing report — Emissions testing is required in urban areas of Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane counties.
Vehicle Title Application — If you mail your documents to us, you must include a notarized Vehicle Certificate of Ownership Application.
Odometer Disclosure Statement — If the vehicle is less than 10 years old, both you and seller must state the mileage and sign, either on the title itself or on an Odometer Disclosure Statement.

Note: Because the Odometer Disclosure Statement form is printed on tamperproof paper, it’s not available online and we can’t fax or email one to you.
If you need a copy of the form, there are 3 ways to get it:
Pick one up at any vehicle licensing office.
Send a request with your name and mailing address to titles@dol.wa.gov. We’ll mail it to you within 2 business days.
Call 360.902.3770. We’ll mail it to you within 2 business days.
If you’re a vehicle dealer and need multiple copies of the form, please call the Washington State Dealers Association at 800.998.9723.
How to transfer ownership into your name
At an office
Bring all the documents listed above that apply to you, and cash or a check for the fee. The licensing agent will help you through the process.
Visit any vehicle licensing office to get your new title in 8–10 weeks.
Visit a Quick Title office and request a Quick Title if you need your new title immediately. There’s an additional $50 fee to get a Quick Title.
Note: Quick titles aren’t available for snowmobiles, vehicles or boats reported as stolen, insurance or wrecker-destroyed vehicles and boats, or vehicles with ”WA rebuilt“ on the title.

By mail
Mail us your completed, notarized Vehicle Certificate of Ownership Application with the required supporting documents and a check or money order for the fee (payable to the Department of Licensing).
To get your new title mailed to you in 8–10 weeks, mail your application, supporting documents, and fees to:
Any vehicle licensing office
or
Refunds and Title Services
Department of Licensing
PO Box 9909
Olympia, WA 98507-8500
To get a your new title mailed to you immediately, request a Quick Title for an additional $50 fee and mail your application, supporting documents, and fees to:
A Quick Title office
or
Refunds and Title Services
Department of Licensing
PO Box 9909
Olympia, WA 98507-8500
Note: Quick titles aren’t available for snowmobiles, vehicles or boats reported as stolen, insurance or wrecker-destroyed vehicles and boats, or vehicles with ”WA rebuilt“ on the title.

Fees
Please contact a vehicle licensing office to find out exactly how much it will cost to transfer ownership of the vehicle into your name.

Deadlines and penalties
You must transfer ownership into your name within 15 calendar days from the date of purchase, or pay the following penalties:
$50 on the 16th day.
$2 per day for each day after the 16th day, up to a maximum of $125.
See also:

Replace a lost title
Get a title if the lienholder is out of business

To avoid being turned back in Peru, after buying in Chile, make sure the bike paperwork is in your name.

If you buy the bike in Santiago, have the paperwork started and make arrangements to have it sent to Arica. Then, if the bike is still in someone else s name have a notary provide paper work to allow you to leave Chile with the bike. This works for Argentina and Bolivia.

Collect the paper work in Arica and enter Peru.

This is the recommend guide
Guide to Buying a new motorcycle (or a car) in Chile for foreigners | Ondrej Jurik

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http://www.ytc1.co.uk

I have been listing methods that have been working for travellers not willing to go thru the hassles of importing a vehicule to South America to travel on the continent.

I am not willing to start an everlasting quote or arguments struggle you engaged with other members trying to share their experience, question of time and motivation. The answers will be as a matter of fact succinct, from what i understood the travellers i met did to avoid the roro/container step and its zillion of middlemen.

1/ Buying a vehicule in Chile, Bolivia or Paraguay.

"travelling around" indeed means travelling around South America, since this the topic of the section. Corruption is inherent to the latin culture, it s up to every travellers culture to adapt to this reality or ignore it.

2/ Since the bike is bought off a foreigner it has a foreign registration. The argentine notary act gives you a legal right accepted by customs officers to drive the vehicule. Then indeed there is a question of mutual trust between the buyer and the seller that the seller will never claim the vehicule back and the buyer will be insured for all risks. Since usually travellers travel for fun, not for business, they respect those basic principles of mutual trust as a counter part for facilitating their travelling needs.

3/ To find out more about the facilities in Colonia, i suggest you contact the owners after a quick internet search, since any commercial link is very soundly prohibited here. I just witness it works, since they regularly sell foreign registered vehicules to foreigners, be them from the same nationality or different ones, and they seem to go fast (which means the demand is high). I wanted to buy a canadian Mitsubishi l300 this spring advertised here in the 4x4 section but i got too late, and a new zealander already bought it at distance, knowing the facilities in Colonia.

4/ Zonas Francas : here again, a quick search on internet might help you find a listing.
http://html.rincondelvago.com/zonas-...udamerica.html.

One last remark, latin america has its own culture regarding laws enforcement, and indeed everything is more blur than in our "first world" environments. Your obsessive riskfree approach doesnt make much sense in this part of the world. Some travellers travel to experience this feeling of freedom given by more loose and interactive logics. For those not at ease with this cultural difference, there is indeed the option to send their own vehicule, prepared for their own special needs. After all, the travel starts way before stepping on new lands, and the preparation of the travel, that can last more than the travel itself, can be more enjoyable than the travel itself.

May you find your Graal one day , I for one am happy each time we have reports on this forum of travellers who found a simple way to find a vehicule to travel around South America thanks to other travellers reports.

Vorteks, I do agree that the temporary import of a motorcycle by sea into an Argentine port and most other South American ports, for the novice, is frustrating and costly. Of course this process can be easier with the assistance of a reputable dispachante.

To ride a foreign registered motorcycle into Argentina, if you have proper documentation for the motorcycle and a passport is easy and inexpensive. And, you will be issued up to an 8 month TVIP - temporary vehicle import permit.

Now, without malice and as brief as I can be here is my response to your last post. For years I have wondered what enables a man to break the law, to commit crimes. The answer is very, very simple - the criminal believes everyone else is breaking the law, or stealing, or manipulating the system, or being dishonest and therefore justifies his own illegal behavior. This is a fair characterization of your last post and it is crap!

As for my experiences in Latin America, I lived and taught in Costa Rica for 2 years, have worked and lived in Mexico for 5 years, have traveled through every Central American Country at least 5 times, have ridden more than 40,000 K through 6 South American Countries and have been a permanent foreign resident of Argentina for 6 years. Furthermore, I have lived in Spain for 2 years, Japan for 3 years and Turkey for 2 years. Please do not insult me by lecturing me on the differences between 3rd world culture and any other culture you might have imagined as my culture.

I am an anthropologist by trade and have spent much of my Central and South American experience engaged in research.

I know thousands of Latin Americans, many of them my students ....very few, who live in Spain, Mexico, Central or South America who would agree with you that these regions are inherently more corrupt than let's say the first world countries.. For example: yes, in Mexico, ex Presidents have been know to empty the national treasury, but the amount of money stolen pales in comparison to the ongoing graft and corruption of U S corporations stealing the resources of, let's say Chile, or Ecuador, or perhaps Costa Rica.

We are obviously coming from very different backgrounds and yes, very different different cultures.

Did you know that the legal owner by law.... of the motorcycle - even if the rider has the permission of the legal owner, can still be held libel in a court of law, if the motorcycle is involved in an accident resulting in substantial property damage and/or personal injury. Guess not.

You have continued to neglect answering my question regarding the "professionals" operating the parking lot in Colonia, Uruguay regarding how they transfer titles for foreign registered motorcycles. Why?

Remember an illegal motorcycle title transfer - photoshop etc- leaves the original owner libel.

I have investigated in detail the "Zona Francas" you mention and found nothing to indicate that the transfer of foreign registered vehicle titles would be in any way legal. the Zona Francas have a completely different purpose - but in the interest of your time I will not go into that here.

Look, the only "Graal" I am on , if you mean "Graal" as in Holy Graal is to take responsibility for the information presented here, so that others are not misled, mostly by you and the others I have engaged on the HUBB, regarding the legalities of the title transfer of foreign registered motorcycles that are in a South American country.

No offense, we just have very different points of views and that is good so that those who read here can choose an appropriate course of action.

xfiltrate, eat, drink and buy insurance

As promissed I wont get involved in an endless quotes struggle. Since you are/were in the parking business why dont you try to get the informations directly from the source (without mentioning you are a potential competitor obviously).

I m pragmatic and factual. I m looking at what works and share informations for those who are interested in leisure travelling in South America, this doesnt include professionals willing to make a business out of this leisure.

Over years, I was pleased to see that more and more reports of travellers who opted to buy a chinese motorcycle in Paraguay and Bolivia where I gathered informations and found out foreigners were allowed to ride a local motorcycle and get a temporary permit. I loved to read their reports and videos. The latest report from the two Americans in Bolivia exceeded my expectations, since they confirmed you could cross the bolivian border without problem, while i thought from the informations gathered in Tarija they would be limited to travelling in Bolivia. This is how you improve your expertise of local customs, opening "new horizons" every year with the experience gained shared between travellers.

Follow their example and investigate by yourself. We know for sure that foreign vehicules are being transfered in Colonia between foreigners from different nationalities. Then feel free to share to the community and help it improve its expertise or keep it if you want to make a business out of it...but leave your agressions at the door step, they are unwelcome in any community, basic question of social intelligence.

I have no competition in Uruguay. Your lack of perception is not my problem.

Uruguay offers parking for up to one year for foreign registered motorcycles entered with a TVIP.

Argentina offers 8 months. Those who need to park for more than 8 months I always send to Uruguay with a happy heart. I am sure the parking lot "professional" are returning the favor as business is GREAT!

Just because you are antagonistic does not mean I am antagonistic or the "professionals" are antagonistic.

I know the answer to the question I asked you, my goal was to determine if you knew what you were suggesting to those who read here. You either don't know or are in hiding about it.

I am only concerned with posting what is legal in all countries involved, and you rejoice in promoting whatever works, or has worked in the past.

I have no problem with your posts unless, unless, based on my understanding of existing law, you are suggesting illegalities.

This my friend is the difference between your posts and my posts. All expertise worth following begins with the basis of being legal. Sooner or later you will figure this out. Meanwhile, I am sure some still might consider you an expert.

Until then I hope you follow your own advice and stop responding to my posts with suggestions that you know are illegal.

xfiltrate

Voteks, you appear to be an intelligent man, perhaps you might consider creating your own business. I would be pleased to help you determine the legalities of your venture.