South America viable on a Honda Rebel?
 

I've been looking at a trip from Arizona to Panama and the logistics and cost of shipping the bike make my head hurt. So I was thinking why not buy a used Honda Rebel 250 for $900.00, ride it South and then just leave the bike with some lucky hostel worker.

My question is can a street bike handle the road surfaces? And is Panama a country you can bring a bike into and fly out of without the bike?

keep riding,
dave

As far as I know no country wants you to just drop you bike off in them. It is the taxes and fees and fines and money there not getting you see. That is why there is something called a Carnet something that is vary nasty and will drive you nuts it will pay the tax and import fees on the bike for you. Good thing you do not need one. You may be able to sell the bike to a bike shop for any amount they give you and fly off, the tax is payed, import fees payed and you are free to go off (save all the paper work!!) Or get a Carnet or pay the fees and fines and tax and all the paper work you will need to fill out. Baring all that you can try a cop shop and tell them you must go home and do not need the bike but need to your paper work fixed. Most places will have you fill out a "temporary vehicle import" and you must have that stamped in out out of a country leve with out it and if you ever go back you can held till you pay up (+more fees and late fees and fines and more tax and hell bribes) or bared from ever going back.

BUT you can do it. Sell the bike to a shop (for parts) or ship it back is the fast easy LEGAL way to do it.
But a Honda Rebel 250 can do the job gust fine. You will need to pick you way around a bit more that is all. You top speed may be bit slow for some of the roads but not near as bad as in the USA. Not the best bike for the job but if you can get one for $900 and do the ride or get 650 and stay home get the 250 and go.

While I'm not advocating it.. Panama is the easiest country to dump a bike. When I shipped my bike to Colombia from Panama, I went crazy insisting that SOMEONE stamped my temp import sticker that I shipped the bike to colombia and was obsessive about having correct paperwork.

No one cared.

When I left panama, no one looked for the vehicle stamp.. when I talked to the customs people at the airport, they looked at me like I was crazy for wanting them to cancel my import permit.

In addition, I know a couple of sold one bike in Guatemala (legally imported it I think) and then they sold their last bike in Panama and didn't do paperwork.

Regarding roads: No problem. Central America has paved roads everywhere. All the major cities and sites have paved access. You'll encounter some unpaved construction zones.. but thats it. As long as you keep your load light, you'll have no problems. If in doubt, don't bring it!

Thanks for the replies guys. I know the top speed on the 250 would be limited, the one I use for commuting tops out at 65-70mph. That would probably drop down to 50-55 with cargo. But it's about the journey and not the destination, If I was in a hurry I would fly. The slower speed would force me to see more of the country I'm riding through. But it is nice to have the extra hp when you need it. Like passing another vehicle ...

With the rebel's limited suspension I was concerned about the road surface, but sounds like it wouldn't be a problem. What about altitude any steep climbs from Mexico to Panama?

Also because of work I'm limited to traveling during July & Aug, what kind of weather am I going to get?

Re Weather: Hot. Very hot.... until you get to central america at altitude. It won't be cool, but it won't be hot either. The problem is that it will be rainy. In CA, they call July-Dec winter because it is the rainy season. Because you're so close to the equator, seasons don't matter too much... just elevation.

I left Houston in July and was only hot until I got out of Mexico.

Re Speed: In the US/Mexico.. you'll be on the slow side, but in CA.. not a problem. I never made it over 55 mph in CA. I'm not a fast driver by any stretch.. but really I like to keep my eyes open for people/livestock/chickens/topes/potholes.. plus you get better gas mileage and use less tire. While I could do 100mph, I rarely went over 55mph on the entire trip.

re climbs: Doesn't matter.. if you're having a hard time, there will be other ppl having hard times too.

As long as you're not too picky about schedule, you'll have a great time. Getting an older bike to Panama is as big of an adventure as actually riding there. You meet the nicest people when you have a broken bike :D


You'll also realize that having a 250 puts you in the top 5% of big bikes down there.

My Spanish is non-existent but I think the following from the Panamanian website says that the import duties for a motorcycle are 5-15%

87.11 MOTORCYCLES MOTOCICLETAS(INCLUDING (INCLUIDOS THE LOS
MOPEDS) CICLOMOTORES) And Y Velocipede VELOCÍPEDOS
EQUIPPED WITH AUXILIARY MOTOR, WITH EQUIPADOS CON MOTOR AUXILIAR, CON
Or without sidecars, sidecars. SIDECAR O SIN ÉL; SIDECARES.
8711.10
Engine piston (piston) alternative Con motor de émbolo (pistón) alternativo de
cylinder capacity exceeding 50 cm cilindrada inferior o igual a 50 cm
8711.10.10
New (os) Nuevas (os)
15% 5%
8711.10.20
Used (os) Usadas (os)
15% 5%
8711.20
Engine piston (piston) alternative Con motor de émbolo (pistón) alternativo de
cylinder capacity exceeding 50 cm cilindrada superior a 50 cm
, But not , pero inferior o equal to 250 cm igual a 250 cm 15% 5%
-- --
With a cylinder capacity exceeding 50 cm Con cilindrada superior a 50 cm
to 125 hasta 125cm
including: inclusive:
8711.20.11 --- Technology (I) 8711.20.11 --- Nuevas (os) 15% 5%
8711.20.19 --- Other 8711.20.19 --- Las demás 15% 5%

I think a $100-150 charge to import and sell the bike legally is not a bad deal. However I don't know how they calculate the value of the bike. I prefer to be legal whenever I can ...

If a native Spanish speaker can confirm my conclusions, here is the link:

http://www.ana.gob.pa/portal/images/...IVEnmienda.pdf

Thanks,
dave

One thing you must do is cancel your Mexican Temporay Vehicle permit on the way out of Mexico, especially if you will be getting rid of the bike. Otherwise you will have great difficulty if you ever try to enter with another vehicle in the future.

As you leave Mexico, depending on where you cross into Guatemala or Belize, you may need to search to find the aduna office and have the permit cancelled. Chances are no one will ask you or remind you. Save the receipt.

I have witnessed a couple of people denied entry with a vehicle simply because they did not check out the last vehicle, even though it was several years before.

Good work... go for it...
 

Falconer, great that you provided the "law" regarding Panama import taxation, I think? Could you provide the home link where you found that information? I need to do some research to discover if these percentages pertain to new vehicles/ bikes only or not, and if a "foreign tourist" can register a bike in Panama for the purpose of selling it in Panama?

A problem foreign tourist owners of foreign registered bikes (USA, EU, Britain etc) encounter in Argentina, is that only an Argentine or a permanent resident of Argentina can pay import taxes and register a foreign registered bike in Argentina. There may or may not be a similar restriction in Panama.

I rode the Pan American highway from Costa Rica to Los Angeles 1968 .....on a Honda CD 175, it was the largest bike I could buy/afford in Costa Rica in 1968, after 2 years as a Peace Corps volunteer. The pan American still had long stretches of gravel.

I tucked in behind buses while crossing the Mexican desert and was pleased not to have a larger more complicated bike because all parts, tires etc were readily (3 day bus trip for some parts) available in Mexico and Central America. I bush camped and worked loading fruit and herding cattle and met a Yachi shaman, who gave me spiritual guidance. And, I was invited to attend a few events during 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

Today, the Pan Am is paved, and slower speeds will help you avoid the pot holes and speed bumps, especially in Costa Rica. The ride took 4 of the happiest months of my life.......Go for it!

Please do send home page etc for the regulations you cited above. thanks

xfiltrate Eat, drink and Be Careful

Xfiltrate, Sorry my original link didn't work I will try again.

The home page for Panamanian Customs can be found here:

Portada Principal

The web page for tariffs is here:

Aranceles

The web page for motorcycles specifically is here:

http://www.ana.gob.pa/portal/images/...IVEnmienda.pdf

I hope one of those links is what your looking for.

Thanks,
dave

Do it ! > A 250 Rebel will be considered a BIG bike in most areas- the standard is 100- 150cc singles .
Top speed will not be a problem, just stay off the highspeed sections of freeway near the big cities. Going with either of my bikes, 650cc and 1100 cc it is very rare that I exceed 110km/h , and then only on short stretches, while in Mexico and CA. I like to take in the landscape as I chuff through,much more enjoyable than trying to race around. If I do encounter some neat road then I often turn around and run thru a section of it back and forth to enjoy the curves, then back to modest pace. You can go nearly anywhere on pavement.
Also as Backroadexplorer suggests, do cancel your Mexican TVIP before you exit if you EVER intend to visit Mexico again.
I don't think you mentioned which season you want to travel, but the weather will all be fine- if you pick your route according to the time of year. Elevation has the same effect as higher lattitude,
so in summer pick a high country route south through Mexico, very temperate. Stay away from high northern Mexico in winter Dec- Feb
In Central America the highlands will always be pleasant temps, but wet in rainy season. In lowlands it is warm in summer and warmer during winter , the sunny dry season. .
If getting rid of the bike do it the legal documented way , to protect your own record so that in future you do not cause problems for yourself if you return to that country .Don't try the scam of selling it and then claiming it was "stolen" .Perhaps look into donating it to a worthy legal charity who can then either use it, legally ,or sell it legally after they do the required paperwork for you .

I ride a CB250 Nighthawk into Mexico routinely. It shares the same engine as the Rebel. It's reliable old technology, and the fix it yourself factor is pretty high. Just make sure you do a very thorough pre-ride maintenance on the bike and replace anything that looks suspicious. I love the Nighthawk for my rides down there and the two cylinders make the ride smoother than a single thumper. I have pegged it a 85mph, but it only seems to get that speed at 1,000 ft. ASL. Don't forget when you get to an altitude of 6,500 ft, you will have to give the pilot screw a 1/2 turn and then reset your RPM to 1,500. I carry a TinyTach in my saddle bags to do this.

I say yer fine on one..... but then again me and my buddy are bout to set off for there on Postie's LOL

I know an English couple that have come down from the States to South America on a Harley Davidson 208 Road Glide, a big heavy road bike, and have had no problems, but they've had to stick to main routes, obviously limited to where they can go. But the fact is it's got them through, Rebel should hold up no problem, especially if you don't care about it...
Enjoy!