Chile Forum

Ok, so I'm in the process of having my motorbike cleared through customs in Valparaiso, I'm not importing it into Chile per se as I don't intend to stay and live here or have the bike re-registered in Chile much less attempt to sell it in Chile. It's for personal use only and will be coming with me when I leave.

I understand I'll need some sort of insurance for while I'm here? Anyone know where I can get quotes for that and what it's called? Is there any other special documentation I'll need in order to appease any curious law enforcement officials just trying to do their jobs?

Thanks!

slojo wrote:Ok, so I'm in the process of having my motorbike cleared through customs in Valparaiso, I'm not importing it into Chile per se as I don't intend to stay and live here or have the bike re-registered in Chile much less attempt to sell it in Chile. It's for personal use only and will be coming with me when I leave.

I understand I'll need some sort of insurance for while I'm here? Anyone know where I can get quotes for that and what it's called? Is there any other special documentation I'll need in order to appease any curious law enforcement officials just trying to do their jobs?

Thanks!

It's called "SOAP" ( SEGURO OBLIGATORIO DE ACCIDENTES PERSONALES) for Chile and for a bike it will be about 38.000 CLP, perhaps a bit more. There isn't much variation between prices of policies of the various insurers. In Valpo there are offices for Mapfre and some other insurers though not all insurers will cover bikes. For Argentina you will need their insurance as well. Sometimes they will demand evidence when crossing the frontiers, sometimes not. And sometimes it's a long ride back to a town where you can buy if if the Argies are being insistent.

BTW - what model bike are you bringing and what sort of farkles does it come with?

Thanks Patagoniax, is this 38,000CLP SOAP valid for a year? and is it valid only for Chile or can I get a policy that will cover me for a few different countries?

As for the bike, it's a 2010 Tenere, with standard hard case panniers and top box, barkbusters, Leo Vince exhausts (how strict are the authorities with emissions and noise?), the usual stuff I guess?

slojo wrote:Thanks Patagoniax, is this 38,000CLP SOAP valid for a year? and is it valid only for Chile or can I get a policy that will cover me for a few different countries?

As for the bike, it's a 2010 Tenere, with standard hard case panniers and top box, barkbusters, Leo Vince exhausts (how strict are the authorities with emissions and noise?), the usual stuff I guess?

That is an approx insurance cost - it may differ this year. And it will expire in March. The massively intelligent Chilean government haven't figured out how to run vehicle registrations and insurance from the date of purchase, but instead both expire at the end of March each year. So that 38,000 CLP will be for a policy just lasting til the end of March.

Chilean SOAP is for Chile only, and a separate policy is required for Argentina. Some carriers (e.g., Mapfre) offer "international" policies which cover several countries outside of Chile. Right now GASCO is sponsoring a 30-day policy for Argentina only for 10,500 CLP (at least that is what I just paid at the Mapfre office for the Toyota pickup truck). Not all of these things are to be had at every office or in every region. "Standard national practice" is a bit of a myth here. In fact we have developed the legend of Tuesday's Rules to account for the unpredictability of how the rules will be applied.

Regarding the exhaust, not likely to be a problem in Chile unless you do something deliberately untoward. Emissions will probably only be an issue for a bike to be registered (and thus tested) within the country.

The Tenere is probably wired for always-on lighting? If not, mind the rules about running daylight low beams when out of municipal areas, for both CL and Argentina.

I am guessing that you fitted new dual-sport tyres before shipping the Tenere since getting replacements outside of the metro region can be challenging.

I am going to be on the road in Argentina and out of contact for a while after today but will try to collect messages in the evenings.

Saludos

I'm aiming to reach Southern Patagonia around late November-ish or so, pretty vague planning that hinges a lot on when the bike clears customs and the assumption that it survived the voyage completely intact and the legalities of riding in a foreign country get sorted etc.
Now that you mention it, I most likely will need new tyres soon, from memory I think the front was on the way out before I left, I saw that since the XT660Z is officially imported into Chile anyway I could probably get spares for it including tyres from Santiago at least, is there anywhere else that's likely to have spares outside of there?

slojo wrote:I'm aiming to reach Southern Patagonia around late November-ish or so, pretty vague planning that hinges a lot on when the bike clears customs and the assumption that it survived the voyage completely intact and the legalities of riding in a foreign country get sorted etc.
Now that you mention it, I most likely will need new tyres soon, from memory I think the front was on the way out before I left, I saw that since the XT660Z is officially imported into Chile anyway I could probably get spares for it including tyres from Santiago at least, is there anywhere else that's likely to have spares outside of there?

Just because a bike is imported here doesn't mean that spares are available. Or enough spares. Chile is not known for "logistical support" in many areas. Bike parts and tyres is one of them. And if there are spares in-country, they might be at one place only and that is typically Santiago. Don't expect to find parts in Peor Es Nada. The local scheme is this: regional shops don't stock parts inventory. Your bring in a bike, they tear it down to find the faulty item (maybe, eh?) and call in an order to Santiago. It's usually delivered in 24-48 hours if the shop is near the Panamerican highway, longer if weekends and holidays. Down in southern Patagonia, items are air-expressed if a distributor has them, and you have a 2-3 day delay if you are not too remote.

In the past I was able to get reasonably priced Metz Sahara Enduro-3 tyres for BMWs and KLRs at a shop called "Mx. Metzeler Neumáticos Y Motos"- on Avenida Presidente Kennedy 7890 in Santiago. Those tyres were the Brazilian made version and not as long lasting as the German made tyres. This company was the major supplier for tyres for the Paris Dakar here last year so I would suggest getting in touch or possibly visiting before heading out into the hinterlands. You could also arrange to have a new set shipped to some place down here to allow you to wear out the present skins before replacement. If you don't have heavy duty tubes already then this shop might also be your best bet.

http://www.mx.cl/

Try to arrange for new tyres in Stgo . Not much in reliable supplies in the regions. When a shop does have your size, it is usually either a street type or a motocrash or trials tyre -- the dual-sport tyre business here is very poor.

KTM has their headquarters in Chillán and they have been known to carry Metz dual-sport tyres though not necessarily your size. They have branches now in Temuco, La Serena, and Santiago. http://www.spaarwater.cl/ By the way I have had clients that rented KTM LC4 bikes for a long tour around Patagonia.

There is also a motorbike adventure-tour group in Osorno and they use BMWs for their tours. In the past I have been able to buy Metz tyres from them but in recent years they have gone to Pirelli for their tour bikes. They are MotoAventura. Ask for Sonia. Her email there may still be this: sonia@motoaventura.cl Beware - if they are out on a tour it is possible nobody will be in Osorno to sell you tyres.

Picture is part of a MotoAventura tour that I guided to Ushuaia back in 2009 . We were on our way to Harberton to let the clients visit a penguin rookery. If you might want to add that sort of thing to your trip, let me know. If you have time, you might stop at Harberton since it's a pleasant side trip and the place figures into the history of the island. Recommended reading: Lucas Bridges: "Uttermost Part of the Earth." ( you can download PDF version but it's 32 MB http://oudl.osmania.ac.in/handle/OUDL/11616 )

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Sure enough, foro member Rod did make it to southern Patagonia, suffered a punctured tyre, and promptly enrolled in the Patagoniax Advanced Tyre Change Seminar.

In the course of things we have drunk our share of Austral lager but still managed to change the rear tyre and tube on the Tenere after a great deal of struggle with one of those round, black Metzeler Sahara Enduro 3 items (the tyre of choice for the gravel down here). The famous Patagoniax Memorial Garage and Cachivache Museum, rarely known for its sense of order, this time came through with the necessary items (including the motorcycle lift in the foto), compressor, tyre, tube, valve core remover, tyre levers, and all the usual sundries. Of course, in the end it was the skill and daring that made the difference.

Rod (originally from NZ, now resident of NSW, Oz) will be heading for Ushuaia in a few days, then turning around and riding to Alaska.

Wishing him success and no more punctured tyres.

Another good connection as a result of allchile.net

Massive thank you to Patagoniax for his help and wonderful hospitality to this green tourist

As for the tyre changing.... let's hope I don't have to do that too often again... :/ haha

Three cheers to Px' for his selfless giving of time, experience, and expertise to needy forum members on all things Patagonian!!!

john wrote:Three cheers to Px' for his selfless giving of time, experience, and expertise to needy forum members on all things Patagonian!!!

Don't know if it's entirely selfless. After all, the Px persona is due a beer should he ever make it to Oz.

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The continuing adventure of newish allchile participant Rod, who after leaving Oz with his Yamaha XT660 Tenere, rode down the Carretera Austral, along Ruta 40 in Argentina, and in time made it to the Patagoniax Compound just outside Puerto Natales. After installing a new rear tyre for the Yamaha, and enjoying a bit of Austral lager and Patagoniax's cooking (Rod can elaborate) he set out for Torres del Paine. There, not content with trekking the "W" and wearing large holes in his feet, he elected to also hike the entire Circuito (which the great Patagoniax himself has not done since 1994). While Rod was in the park, Px was busy locating a new Metzeler Sahara Enduro 3, 90/90-21 tyre for the front of the Yamaha, something rarely accomplished in XII Region by mere mortals. And then there was the business of finding a decent motorbike mechanic for the 20,000 km service for the Yammie. All in in day's work for the mighty Patagoniax. Oh, and the service was completed for about half of what it would have cost in Vancouver.

Rod now prepares his trusty bike with its new 2.5 litres of part-synthetic Yamalube oil (where'd you get that??) for a trip to Punta Arenas, then Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia, then north to Bs As and ..... anyone in Colorado? ..... he expects to pass that way on his trip up to Alaska. He can't post his trip blog so I will get it and post later. The image shows former KTM Paris-Dakar mechanic Samuel Barrientos, and on this side of the Yammie is Rod.

Good and safe and fast riding, Rod --

/px

and this was on day 3 of 8...