Traveling SA on a bike reg in someone else's name
 

Hey All,

Bit of an unusual one perhaps...I'm an Australian citizen hoping to travel to South America soon with a bike that is registered in someone's else's name (the boss of a motorcycle touring company based in Italy). Bike is currently in Europe.

I have an authorization letter from the company/owner that states I can use the bike in Italy or any other country. Official looking letter, coloured letterhead etc. Can anyone see any issues with this at border crossings in South America? I am hoping to travel to most countries except Venezuela.

I have so far had no problems (in and out Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco), in fact I think I have only shown the authorisation letter once.

Any thought and advice very gratefully received. With thanks, Jim

Jim, this is complicated. Perhaps it would be better for you to PM me, where I will be much freer to share my thoughts. Elisa and I have been permanent foreign residents of Argentina since 2006 and have ridden our Honda NX400 Falcons through 8 South American countries - About 60,000 K. Please PM me for an answer to your question.

Sounds like you are asking for trouble if you try that in South America.

There is a larger problem with motorcycles being stolen and resold in Latin America, so at some of the border crossings there is more scutiny like checking that the engine VIN number matches the engine frame number.

That sounds like a bad plan to pay for shipping it to South America when it isn't in your name.

In South America it used to be easier to get this thing from a notary called a Poder, which is kind of like a power of attorney and it would allow you to be able to cross borders with someone else's motorcycle.

A lot of the South American countries no longer accept Poder's.

Now, many of the countries in South America have fairly automated computer systems, so if something looks questionable/ fishy there is more risk. You used to be able to just photoshop the sellers title and registration into your name and also do the same with the TIP, but with AI and all the computer BS in today's world it is easier to just not cut any corners.