Is there ANY country is South America that I can sell a bike?

[FREE SPIRIT]

Hi! I have been reading all of the valuable information on this site and this is my first question (I am sure 1 of many to come).

I am looking at doing a trip leaving Australia, buying a bike in USA and travelling through Central America and South America. Is there ANY COUNTRY in South America that I can sell my motorcycle (apart from selling to a fellow traveller)?

I will be travelling with an Australian passport as well as a Uruguayan passport as I have dual citizenship (does this help?).

If I can’t sell a bike for more than spare parts it will make a big difference to what I buy in the USA at the start. I had wanted to buy a new or near new bike to improve my chances of not having breakdowns as I am not experienced on the mechanical side.

I don’t currently own a bike in Australia so taking one from here is not an option.

Many thanks
Maurice

[Cinquegrana]

Hi Maurice,

From what I've read it looks like Chile is the place to sell your bike.

Good luck on your voyage,

Giampaulo

BTW, I also have a Uruguayan passport, along with a US and EC passport.

[AndyT]

I have read that Paraguay is the easiest to sell a foreign bike in, but i have no personal experience.

[FREE SPIRIT]

Thanks for feedback

John 3 passports!!! Talk about having all bases covered.

Cheers
Maurice

[pajaro]

Hi Maurice
I have an XT 600 E, year 2000 for sale in Colombia. It is Victoria registered and need to sell it before october 21. It has 80.000 km on it but its in good condition. You could take it home with you after the trip.
If you're interested let me know and ill give you more info and pictures.
Cheers
Juan

[DiasDePlaya]

Here in Chile is ilegal to import used bikes and cars, then is not possible to sell it here.

[FREE SPIRIT]

Originally Posted by pajaro

Hi Maurice
I have an XT 600 E, year 2000 for sale in Colombia. It is Victoria registered and need to sell it before october 21. It has 80.000 km on it but its in good condition. You could take it home with you after the trip.
If you're interested let me know and ill give you more info and pictures.
Cheers
Juan

Hola Juan

Thank you for the suggestion but I am looking at starting my trip in the US and then going through Mexico and Central America first so not really an option for me. I am also looking for a much newer bike with lower kms. If it already has 80,000kms it may not be worth taking back to Australia at the end of my trip.

Cheers
Maurice

[manzini]

hola maurice
i'm currently trying to sell my bike and i know for sure that you can sell it in iquique,chile,cause it's a zona franca,will try in april if nothing else turns up.
paraguay is the next place,where you can sell a bike,didn't fit in my itinery,but be careful in paraguay,they do have their own sense of making business.
all the best geri

[2fortheroad.co.uk]

how'd it go?

[jordan325ic]

I know this is an old thread but it is certainly a commonly asked question so I will post a response I gave to another traveller who asked me the same question.

Here is my list of unreliable hearsay:

It's legal to import a motorcycle in Peru if it's less than 5 years old. However I sold my motorcycle which was 10 years old to a Peruvian friend with connections. I flew out of Lima without the vehicle I entered with. I have another friend who lives in Peru, rides a motorcycle with tourist tags, and flies 1-way out of Peru all the time with no questions asked.

Read on internet that it's legal to import a motorcycle in Paraguay if it's less than 10 years old. Fellow motorcycle traveler said bikes often fetch high prices.

It's illegal to import into Colombia, but motorcycles are hugely popular and I received many cash offers for my bike. Colombian boat captain said they'll switch the tags with another bike and have no problem. I cannot verify but I suspect you would not have a problem flying out

Heard that in Chile it is impossible to legally sell a motorcycle, and Chile will keep track (and issue fines) if you leave the country without your vehicle. The exception is the free trade gray zones. Motorcycles can be sold/purchased there but I don't know the specifics.

Argentina it's also impossible, but also heard that somehow many bikes do sell their bikes to other travelers in Southern Argentina and then fly home. Cannot verify if this is true.

[Finskii]

Originally Posted by jordan325ic

I know this is an old thread but it is certainly a commonly asked question so I will post a response I gave to another traveller who asked me the same question.

Unreliable hearsay:

"Heard that in Chile it is impossible to legally sell a motorcycle, and Chile will keep track (and issue fines) if you leave the country without your vehicle. The exception is the free trade gray zones. Motorcycles can be sold/purchased there but I don't know the specifics."

Hearsay is wrong, or mostly bullshit.

I have lived in Chile for many years and I buy and sell used bikes. Including buying from tourists.

I know many people sell their foreign "temporary import" bikes and then leave the country without a word being said. I buy those bikes and import them legally through the Zona Franca.

Here are your options:

1. If you are in the Zona Franca regions (extreme north, extreme south... the latter being basically the region south of Puerto Montt) -- then both foreigners AND local chilean residents can buy used bikes. The sale is usually handled through a legalised transaction recorded as a "compraventa" ( bill of sale - essentially) or just a declaration at a Notaría. What the buyer does with that bike is then no longer a concern of the seller (e.g., whether the buyer imports the bike legally or not).

2. In a non-Zona Franca region (the rest of Chile) then legal residents may NOT buy a used bike (well, they do, clandestinely, but it's a Customs and tax-evasion violation). However, non-residents (tourists) can buy a used bike from another tourist, and the transaction is usually recorded at the Notaría, for documentation for both seller and buyer benefit. Be aware that the bike is subject to the temporary import time limit and a bike that overstays can be seized. So if you plan to buy a used bike, do check its import status. However, all you have then is a Chile-legalised bill of sale and no normal registration paper, so you might (or might not) have trouble down the line, esp in other countries.

3. If you wish to BUY and legally transfer and register a chilean-registered bike in Chile, as a tourist or otherwise, you must first obtain a tax ID, called a RUT, and the bike will need to have current tech inspection ("revisión técnica") with emissions certification, and the mandatory insurance called SOAP. Once you do the legal title transfer you will need to keep the "permiso de circulación" current. An expired permiso de circulación can result in the bike being impounded. Normally if you cannot prove that you are a legal, permanent resident of a Zona Franca then you can't buy a bike and get the tax (19%) exemption --- though occasionally people have managed that. This whole purchase issue has been discussed elsewhere so I won't 'splain it again.

[FREE SPIRIT]

Originally Posted by 2fortheroad.co.uk

how'd it go?

My Original post was in 2006. I ended up ridding 2006 to 2008 from Los Angeles to Argentina but left the motorcycle in Uruguay. In April this year (2012) I picked the bike back up again and have ridden Uruguay to the north of Brasil. I will shortly be heading down and this time I am looking at either

leaving bike in Foz Iguazu
selling bike in Paraguay
leaving bike in Uruguay once again

From what i have read on the Hubb it seems Paraguay is the best place to sell but until I try I wont really know.

Cheers
Maurice