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Need help buying a bike in India (probably Kerala) in December Need help buying a bike in India (probably Kerala) in December
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It's going to be a long 300km...
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  #1  
Old 25 Jun 2023
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Need help buying a bike in India (probably Kerala) in December
I'm an experienced adv rider and have several times bought bikes (Europe and Australia) to use for trips and then sold them after anywhere from 3 months to 3 years, but I am getting confusing and conflicting information about buying a bike in India. I am planning on arriving in the south (probably Kerala) in the middle of December and exploring India for 4 to 6 months (going north as the weather improves). My preferred bike would be a Royal Enfield Himalayan (for various reasons, including that I'm short!).
The confusion is over what I need to do to get a bike, and then be able to sell it in a different location at the end of the trip. Some videos I have seen have said it is possible to buy in my own name if I can show an address and a document that also includes my father's name (an Indian oddity!), while others have said I need to have someone else buy in their name, or leave the purchaser's name blank. I'm open to either a new bike or a late model used one.
Anyone who has experience with this -- or even better, lives in the Kerala area -- who has some definitive information would really be appreciated. Thanks
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Last edited by stbarnett; 25 Jun 2023 at 19:18. Reason: Make more specific
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Old 27 Jun 2023
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Famous Youtuber and overlander Itchy Boots aka Noraly bought a bike in India and wrote about it in her blogg….

https://www.itchyboots.com/blog/bike...ke-to-malaysia
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Old 29 Jun 2023
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Originally Posted by Snakeboy View Post
Famous Youtuber and overlander Itchy Boots aka Noraly bought a bike in India and wrote about it in her blogg….

https://www.itchyboots.com/blog/bike...ke-to-malaysia
Thanks, Snakeboy.
I've seen her post, but it is a bit short of detail. She was going to take the bike out of India (I'm not) so I really can't figure out how she got the carnet and was able to cross borders.
I would also like to be able to sell the bike at the end of the trip (in a different location in India), so I'm not sure how that would be done if it's registered in someone else's name.
Still looking for information....
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Old 29 Jun 2023
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Maybe get in touch with Natethenomad. He is in India right now and is trying to buy a bike there. He was in here a while ago, but he posts often on Instagram…
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Old 29 Jun 2023
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That would be "gnarlynate," last seen here: https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...a-feb-103874-2

The general impression is that what you're trying to do will be difficult at best (and maybe impossible), but of course you'll draw your own conclusions. Hope you'll report back here.
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Old 29 Jul 2023
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Gnarleymate aka NatetheNomad has just been succsessful in purchasing a bike in India. He ended up with a Hero X-pulse 200. He had been in India more than 100 days trying to buy a bike there - so obviously there is minefield of dimensions for a foreigner to purchase a bike in India….

Hopefully Nate will make a writeup in how to do when buying a bike in India as a foreigner - and maybe what not to do as well….
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Old 29 Jul 2023
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Originally Posted by Snakeboy View Post
Gnarleymate aka NatetheNomad has just been succsessful in purchasing a bike in India. He ended up with a Hero X-pulse 200. He had been in India more than 100 days trying to buy a bike there - so obviously there is minefield of dimensions for a foreigner to purchase a bike in India….

Hopefully Nate will make a writeup in how to do when buying a bike in India as a foreigner - and maybe what not to do as well….
Good to hear that he got sorted and an excellent choice of bike, in my opinion one of the best for India.
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Old 30 Jul 2023
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I second Mark's comment. The 180-200cc bikes are a good choice. Older Royal Enfields have a poor reliability history, but here's a comparison of the Hero vs Himalayan.
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