What bikes to get where?
 

I'm looking to leave the end of next month to Caracas. I would like to either have a bike shipped down from the states, or to buy a bike in South America and use that to ride through as much of South America as I can.

I've read here that it is possible to buy a bike in Chile. Does anyone know anywhere else that it is just as easy to get a bike? Unfortunately Chile is in the wrong location for me.

If I ship a bike from the US, how do I go about doing that? Do I need to send it from Miami or something like that? If I have a bike from the US, with US plates, is that going to cause problems?

Also, what kind of bike do people recommend getting? I'm going to be travelling a lot, but don't want to spend very much on a bike, up to $2000. I want high reliability, some comfort, but nothing cushy.

You ask a variety of questions, the answers to which are in various other parts of the HUBB. Please check under 'trip transport' or 'which bike' to name just two threads.

Please also do a search by key word, if necessary.

ChrisB

If you are only wanting to spend 2000 on the bike then save the money and hassle you would otherwise spend for transport (several hundred dollars) and certainly buy in SA.

You can buy a bike pretty much anywhere down here - even La Paz, which is where I am now, seems to have a fairly good bike scene.

The more westernised countries will have better bike shops and a bigger used market.

Consider getting a smaller bike if your travels are short and you are doing more off road. Basically you can do this sort of travel on anything that goes - some bikes are easier (and more expensive) than others

When you get to the city where you want to buy the bike look around and see what all the locals are using and buy that - easier to get support.
luck

beg to differ with yer y_kiwi! (How's things, anyway? I'm in London now).

Bike are very expensive in La Paz. very high taxes. Peru and Ecuador are a little cheaper, but a long way off prices in the US and parts of Central America.

I heard ages ago that Venezuela was a good place to buy a bike, and given the time/costs/stress of shipping a bike, you might enjoy yourself more if you travel light to Venezuela and wing it.

If you want to ship from the US, Miami would be the best.

Happy travels

hi,
I am travelling with my girlfriend in Colombia at the moment. we are on two bikes and she is going back to Switzerland around 18.09. - than I want to sell her bike.

Honda XR200R white/black 22.000km year 2000 argentinean papers and plate, good condition, only a few scarches

the bike is for sale at 1500 USD in Bogota.

maybe I can take it for you to Merida in Venezuela, if you don´t want to come to Bogota.

where do you want to travel ?

intrested ?

send me an email.

hasta la vista MIKA

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[This message has been edited by Grant Johnson (edited 06 September 2002).]

I defer to T0by on bike prices - I have not been checking them out, just seeing what is on the streets.
I would guess that if you go for a smaller bike (e.g. the 200 above) then you would do better in SA, as the shipping costs would be a greater component of total costs.

L

Living in La Paz I like to give an example.
I bought a brandnew AT in Germany for 13.500 DM (around 6750$US). It was a bit reduced for being a 99 model, bought in 2000, oficial price was 16.300DM I think.
Honda here in La Paz had the same 99 (!!) model in dec. 2000 for sale - price was 13.500$US.
You may find smaller used bikes here. A five year old 250ccm cost around 2500$US ("with papers" - but could be faked). BUT the condition of these bikes....
Very often they put together what they can find - do you really want to risk your life on "I don't know what"?
My advice is, wait, safe, buy a bike in your country and bring it over!

Frank

hi
i agree with frank. i wouldn't buy a used bike from a local. a good strategy however might be to buy a bike froma traveller (see travel bikes for sale thread).

clearly you need to trust him/her that you're not being sold a dog... as a rule, i would however tend to trust a bike traveller rather than a local.

check with the local HU communities. if they recommend somebody locally, maybe that is a positive angle to follow.
good luck,
ChrisB