Selling Bike in Magadan
 

I have read a ton of blogs/forums on ways of getting a bike back from Magadan to the States, all of them a pretty big hassle. What are the prospects of a US citizen on a Visa exiting at Magadan and just selling the bike there? I'm taking a newer DRZ400. Any ideas/comments?

I got some feedback that Magadan is pretty distressed. How about selling it in Vlad?

magadan
 

hi there, you have to sell the bike cheap cheap ... less than half of what you would get in the US ... I sold my honda 250 in 2003 in magadan for next to nothing (... 400 usd) ... and was happy with that ... all the best ... mika

Fred:

Unless the motorcycle was originally purchased in Russia, you might run into problems leaving the country if you cannot demonstrate that you have also exported the motorcycle.

I've entered Russia numerous times (with a large aircraft, which I was delivering to eventual owners in other countries), and the Russian customs & immigration folks are very meticulous about documenting the tax-free temporary import of the vehicle (aircraft, in this case) and linking it to your visa and your own personal entry into Russia.

At the other end, when leave Russia, you have to present the document you were given at the time you temporarily imported the vehicle (or aircraft), and prove to the authorities that you have fulfilled your promise to export the vehicle out of the country at the end of your visit.

The Russian customs & immigration tracking system is very modern and very sophisticated (all computerized & online). I don't think it would be prudent to try and leave a temporarily imported vehicle in the country. At the very least, even if you managed to get out of the country whilst leaving the bike behind, you would put yourself at considerable risk if you ever attempted to enter Russia again in the future.

Michael

Certainly, I would want to keep it legal. Im taking a DRZ400 so not worth any trouble like that.

1) Find someone in Magadan/Vladivostok who needs parts for the bike.

2) "Accidentally" drop the bike off a cliff.

3) Get the police to witness that the bike is essentially totaled and that you are selling it for scrap.

4) Exit the country with documents saying the bike ceased to be a viable vehicle. Bring the license plate and title with you to show them.

There is, or used to be, a cottage industry in Russia of importing "kits" to fit an existing vehicle's documents - the only bits left from the original will be the frame where the VIN is stamped.

Hell, just scrapping an old DRZ that you have no sentimental attachment to might be cheaper than getting it out of the country.