Foreigner purchasing a bike in SA?

[assafdv]

Hi,
I am leaving the US for an Africa trip in January. I got everything ready to bring my Beemer when I thought why not purchase a new or used KLR in SA and sell it when I'm done. That would save allot of time and hassle in shipping. Can anyone give me feedback on whether or not that's doable. I hold a European and Israeli passport. The plan is to follow the Zambezi from Zambia to Moz and also travel in SA and Namibia. Will the KLR make it through the rainy season on the Zambezi (well, along side)?
I greatly appreciate any input. Thanks. Assaf.

[GIDEON]

Firstly
Hi there
Secondly
Why not if you have the $ use your bike think off all the scares you can show your friends.
Last thing
About your ride, youll get feedback shortly just wait for South Africa to wake-up  



My 2c
The KLR will do EVERYTHING
Avoid Zimbabwe   :shock:
The buying of the bike have no Idee?
Sell it to one off these forum people.

[shark_za]

Welcome dude.
The KLR does not have such a long history in the country, the A model we now love so much has only been here for about 3 years.
But its show itself to be a great performer for all tasks African.
In the rest of Africa you dont need to ride at 140kph a lot, only covering long distances in South Africa/Namibia/Botswana does this requirement pop up.
For the rest of Africa t0he roads are the ideal terrain for the KLR.
Add the reliable torquey engine with cheap and easy to maintain components and you get an awesome Afrika Bike!
The performance offroad will not dissapoint you like an 1150 Adv and then cruising on the tar will not be as much of a pain as a 640 Adv.

There is a list of precautions I would take however.

Doohickey
Waterproofing (t-mod , new sealed bearings)
Tyres something knobbly, spare tubes. (Maxxis 6006 for R400, cant go wrong here)
Re-route dual control cables , clutch at least
Radiator guard , maybe bashplate and pump guard.
Spare levers, metal reinforced handguards.
IMS tank on the ultimate Africa tourer, but standard does well enough.
Some form of rack for bags. Helps when pulling or pushing the bike through rivers/mud too.
Louis one for sale on this Forum is pretty close to ideal. Just slap in a doohickey, do the waterproofing, tyres and you are good to go.

[Lito]

if you like, i can buy louisxanders bike now (klr for sale in the shop section of the forum)

and then you can buy it from me in january.

how does that sound?

but I would need some sort of guarantee from you if youre itnerested.

pm me  

[assafdv]

Good morning all (at least here).
Wow, great stuff. Thanks for the replies.
Right after I wrote this I found a 05 640 Adventure with 1200 miles for sale. It?s really stupid of me to even consider the whole expense but I just can?t hold myself from doing so. Anyway, if that doesn?t work out this weekend, I will be very interested in that used KLR. Basically all I?m looking for is something that will cross the muds of the upper Zambezi in the rainy season and not break down in the middle of nowhere. I want to end it all riding a bike or parachuting or something but not as food for lions.
How would a purchase work without a local address or something of the sort? Would I still need a Carnet? Would there be a problem selling it after the trip? Where can I do the modifications suggested by ?Shark?? Why not Zimbabwe for Gideon? I know of the problems there, but do you think that it should affect a traveler? Finally for Lito, I will wait to see if I get the KTM before I waist your time discussing the matter. Anyone want to buy a 640 in a years time ? Thanks again all.

[Lito]

howzit mate

as much of a ktm fan i am, i would suggest forgoing the expense, and getting the cheap ass klr. the ktm would be more expensive by more than double?

24K in your language is roughly $3.1K which is seriously cheap

and you get a nice reliable bike, cheap to run, and fix if you need.


anyway, i am happy to chat further but as you please

[shark_za]

The mod to the adjuster mechanism and the protection bars you would have to bring from the states.
The rest can be done here. Cables, tyres, etc.

In SA you could take the bike on a few week trips and see what else you feel like modifying, here parts and fixes are available.
Once you are happy it will be the right stuff for the rest of africa.

[LuckyStriker]

Registering a bike is quick and painless and can be done in an afternoon.
Give the address of a youth hostel or a that of a friend

[Lito]

its true, i registered a car yesterday, took me all of 1hr

[assafdv]

If any of you guys see or hear Louis, please ask him to either post pics here, or email me at assafdv2000 at yahoo.com. I sent him a private and followed his thread and it seems as though he disappeared.
I would really like to see it.
Thanks.

[Grootseun]

If any of you guys see or hear Louis, please ask him to either post pics here, or email me at assafdv2000 at yahoo.com. I sent him a private and followed his thread and it seems as though he disappeared.
I would really like to see it.
Thanks.

Assaf... he checks in regularly... he's not online as mutch as us forum Whores...else i am sure he will pitch up for beers this afternoon, and the guys there will tell him.

[LouisXander]

Hoezit, I eventually got a chance and busy sending some pictures.

Lito, you interested? I'll get it through the test and all for you, legally, and maybe meet you in Bloem. Go to the farm in Ventersburg regularly.

[Lito]

Hi Louis

Sure am Interested, if the foreign guy wants it, I will do it mate.

Lastly, I am also getting someone else interested in it, who might buy it for ewig and a day.

I will keep in touch!

[assafdv]

I just picked up an LC4 and road it back 1100 sub zero miles in 36 hours so I am a hooked on that crazy machine. Hope I'm not wrong.
Thanks for all you help. Can't wait to land in Cape Town.