Wear your vest in Colombia
 

Motorcyclists are required to wear a bright orange or yellow vest with reflective numbers of their license plate, and to have the plate number on the back of their helmet. DO IT!

While coming from the airport in Bogota after flying the bike from Panama we were actually on the way to get vests made. They are cheap, and available from about $8. Without the vests, we were suddenly surrounded by eight police with drawn weapons, and patted down. A bit disconcerting, to say the least!

Evidently there is a history of assassins and robbers on motorcycles, which is why the identification is required. If they see people on bikes without the vest or numbers on the helmet they assume the worst. After an explanation that we were just coming from clearing the bikes from customs they were friendly enough and let us go (showing my old police identification didn´t hurt either), but it´s not something you want to take a chance on.

As the ad said ´´Don´t leave home without it¨¨ !

Indeed
 

I just got mine!!!
When are you coming to Medellin,I,ll tell you it,s worth the visit.Just got my apartment today,feel free to drop by.
Al theturtleshead

Colombian police must be cracking down.
We rode all through Colombia last year without vests or helmet numbers...

Tourist
 

As a tourist you don,t have to,but as I,m going to have the bike here for six months,it just stops drawing as much attention to myself,as here in Medellin the cops are quite sharp!
Al theturtleshead

The police have definitely tightened their patrolling, since a car bomb went of here in Cali and destroyed the Justice Building some weeks ago. I too have just bought west and number for my helmet (but mostly because I just nationalized my bike and now have Colombian license plates) but like Albert, I recommend all tourists buy this west and numbers for their helmet when driving in Colombia to avoid problems, even though its not mandatory. I paid 6 dollars!

Low profile
 

Your advice about wearing the vest make sense. Maintaining a LOW PROFILE in Colombia helps to drag less attention from everybody: authorities, thieves and other no-recommendable guys, a situation much better for a quiet an peaceable trip. Don't use shinny-diamond jewellry, Rolex and high-cost items, they will drag attention from somebody trying to make the day. Low profile again, is the best behaviour to avoid problems. If your bike is dirty, let it as it is, less shiny items. I'm Colombian and know about that. We have a saying: No dar papaya, means, DON'T GIVE THE CHANCE.

Santiago

Ecuador Peru
 

I,d say that tip goes for most places around here.
Al theturtleshead

I rode into Bogota from the North East and had no problems without a vest. Even at police checkpoints, no one even mentioned it.

Its more for the locals than gringos.

Well yeah its mandatory for locally registered bikes or the police will confiscate the bike on the spot. But tourists don't have to!

Its also illegal to ride two guys on a bike. Applies to both tourists and locals, in an effort to bring down the number of drive-by shootings and robberies. Its OK bring a chica along or two chicas on one bike though ;-)

Hola Steve,
5 weeks without a vest & ney worries. Even had a few police escourts here in Columbia & They never asked Alex or me for it. I did ask once but they were not too fussed about it for tourists.

On another note, the Carettera police in Columbia are great & helpfull. If lost just stop by them & they love us motorcyclist & are allways willing to help.

Cheers for now see you soon, Cheers Mo.

Where do you buy those vests?
 

We will get to cartajena in 7 days..
And where you can buy insurence as well?
Thanks

You are bound to see shops that make these vests up for you, anywhere that there are moto shops.

SOAT, (insurance), is available in lots of places; gas stations, supermarkets and couriers like Servientrega.

Get a vest
 

My new ridding buddy, Chuck, got stopped this morning in Cali, less than a kilometer into his ride to the local BMW dealership.

It appears that many Policia are not aware tourists are exempt from the vest rules. After checking his documents they insisted he get a vest and escorted him to the BMW dealership. They went inside with him and made sure the dealer orderd numbers for him.

They are cheap and there is little reason not to get one. This afternoon I purchases 2 vests and stickers for the helmets. Depending on the vest you choose, it comes to between $5 and $10 for each rider.

Hi, Robert!

My buddy and I are in Bogota now, but can't get our bikes out today (Monday) because it's yet another holiday. We were wondering about the vests, too, because the police at the airport told us they were mandatory. Another policeman disagreed, and we left while they were still arguing about it.

The customs guy told us they were not mandatory for tourists just passing through.

Its not mandatory for tourists, but save yourself the hassle with igonorant young police officers and buy one. They are as cheap as 5 dollars including stickers for your helmet. One guest here Steve had his bike towed north of Cali by Police that didn't know better. Got it back no problems, but anoying. And like Robert said Chuck was escorted to the BMW dealer to make sure he ordered a vest.

Just a small correction to the previous post. I didn't get my bike towed because of no vest... I got it towed because I didn't have the SOAT insurance certificate with me. What I got for not having the vest (along with two other members of this group) was surrounded by eight cops with drawn guns, and then frisked and questioned! They let us go with no problem when we explained we were just coming from the airport after picking up the bikes, but it was an adreniline rush I didn't need.

Two up in Colombia
 

Hi Mike, you mentioned that it is illegal to ride two up (men) in Colombia.
Does this apply for tourists too?
My wife and I are two up on a GS and plan to ride through Colombia by March next year.

Johan

Hey Johan

Yes, its illegal to ride two men on a bike in Colombia due to the amount of drive by shootings and car hold-ups by bike in the past. But unless your wife is a man you don't have any problems. Two girls are OK too!

See you in Colombia the nicest country in South and Central America ;-)