Info Please For Carnet Virgin

gbags

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Hi,

I'm looking to do a three month trip and will need a carnet. I've never needed one before so here are some questions. Can you more experienced people give me advice?
1/ The RAC is now shut so I need to apply through the German group ADAC. Roughly how long before I ship the bike should I apply?
2/ Can I wander through any countries that are in my carnet group (Iran, India etc in one group; South Africa, Botswana etc in its group; other countries in the third group) as long as I have pages in my carnet? Or must I pre-print pages for specific countries?

I may have more questions later but let's keep it simple now.

Thanks

GW
 
I am currently using the 6th and my last of the RAC carnets issued just before they closed. Apply at least a month before you travel.

You can drive through any country on your carnet group. Customs will complete pages as you enter and leave.
Get a carnet with the Max number of pages, because customs officials will make mistakes and invalidate pages.

On entering a country where a TIP is required, ensure that the top left hand ENTRY section is stamped and signed (the bottom tear off taken by customs)
On exit, make sure the top right hand EXIT section is stamped and signed and the middle tear off kept by customs.

This will leave the top section which will contain 2 stamps and signatures for every country you enter and leave.
Make sure they don't stamp them the wrong way round or you will have agro and problems.

If your travelling through Southern African SADAC countries, don't let them say a carnet is not required within SADAC (they will). That is only true if your vehicle is registered in one of the SADAC countries..

Finally it's customs and not immigration that must complete your carnet; an immigration stamp in the carnet is also agro and problems.
 
Carnet's for SADEC

Hi,

I'm looking to do a three month trip and will need a carnet. I've never needed one before so here are some questions. Can you more experienced people give me advice?
1/ The RAC is now shut so I need to apply through the German group ADAC. Roughly how long before I ship the bike should I apply?
2/ Can I wander through any countries that are in my carnet group (Iran, India etc in one group; South Africa, Botswana etc in its group; other countries in the third group) as long as I have pages in my carnet? Or must I pre-print pages for specific countries?

I may have more questions later but let's keep it simple now.

Thanks

GW

Morning mate,

Have you thought about leaving your bike at home and buying a bike in the regions you're thinking of going to? We regularly get guys from the UK, US, doing this. The exchange rate is so good for GBP against ZAR that it may well be the sensible course of action for you. Plus there's no shipping costs involved. You can then sell it before you go back. Just a thought.

Alex Reid
Motorrad Sales Manager
Sandton Auto BMW Motorrad
Johannebsurg

:tarka
 
I am currently using the 6th and my last of the RAC carnets issued just before they closed. Apply at least a month before you travel.

You can drive through any country on your carnet group. Customs will complete pages as you enter and leave.
Get a carnet with the Max number of pages, because customs officials will make mistakes and invalidate pages.

On entering a country where a TIP is required, ensure that the top left hand ENTRY section is stamped and signed (the bottom tear off taken by customs)
On exit, make sure the top right hand EXIT section is stamped and signed and the middle tear off kept by customs.

This will leave the top section which will contain 2 stamps and signatures for every country you enter and leave.
Make sure they don't stamp them the wrong way round or you will have agro and problems.

If your travelling through Southern African SADAC countries, don't let them say a carnet is not required within SADAC (they will). That is only true if your vehicle is registered in one of the SADAC countries..

Finally it's customs and not immigration that must complete your carnet; an immigration stamp in the carnet is also agro and problems.

Thanks Rusape,
This is exactly the sort of info I'm after. Everyone is explicit on getting the pages filled out properly so I'll keep your reply and figure it out more when I have the carnet book in front of me to refer to.
Again, thanks for the full comprehensive explanation.
 
Morning mate,

Have you thought about leaving your bike at home and buying a bike in the regions you're thinking of going to? We regularly get guys from the UK, US, doing this. The exchange rate is so good for GBP against ZAR that it may well be the sensible course of action for you. Plus there's no shipping costs involved. You can then sell it before you go back. Just a thought.

Alex Reid
Motorrad Sales Manager
Sandton Auto BMW Motorrad
Johannebsurg

:tarka

Hi Alex,

Thanks. I thought of your plan first but have read that registering a bike for a non resident foreigner is hellishly bureaucratic. People say South Africa is one of the finest countries on earth but not for officialdom. I haven't a clue as this will be my first trip but I do trust my bike and know it's history too.
If buying a bike proves easy, I'll come and see you on my next trip.
 
My point exactly.

Cheap. As. Chips here.

A new 2016 R1200GS LC Triple Black full spec with Keyless Ride and Gear Shift Assist PRO. 211,185 ZAR = 8968 GBP.

:tarka

'Kin Hell! My 800GS cost that in England four or five years ago!

Where are you again?
 
'Kin Hell! My 800GS cost that in England four or five years ago!

Where are you again?

Hi Gbags,

We're located right in the heart of Sandton, Johannesburg. The richest square mile in Africa.

Sandton Auto BMW Motorrad, we're a new Motorrad dealer under the 'Daytona Group' banner ( now just called 'Datyona') which includes Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, McLaren, Brabus, Audi, Mini, BMWi, BMW and now BMW Motorad.

Feel free to send me a mail to alex.reid2@bmwdealer.co.za if I can be of any further help, I've just sold a GSA to an American arriving shortly for a trip. The registration isn't too much of a difficulty, I myself am a foreigner (expat British, spent many years at North Oxford Garage BMW Motorrad in sales, left in 2010 and have been working for Motorrad in SA since then). You can either register the bike to yourself (involves getting a Traffic Register Certificate) or register it to someone who lives here and then get a letter of authority from them in terms of taking the bike across borders. It's not too much a train smash.

If you need any info, please feel free to drop me a mail.

Alex

:tarka
 
OK, got the carnet. I went the new German route and it was very easy.

We aim to head off in late June or early July, depending on family commitments.

We'll ship the bike to Nairobi and fly in a few days earlier. Then, decisions, decisions. Up to the Abadares or down to Kilimanjaro?

That's why we'll turn up early, to chat to people and get a feel for things, then play it by ear. For us, itinerary is a dirty word.
 
OK, just a note to explain how it went.
We had some initial problems, nothing to do with the carnet, so we started in Cape Town after shipping the bike there.
The carnet was cheap and extremely easy to get. It restricted us from riding in Libya. That's it. The whole world for a year, no countries higher than others. Easy peasy.

We rode through SA, Swaziland, back into SA, then up to Zimbabwe. We were a bit anxious about this (we: my wife and I on one bike) because everyone in SA tells you horror stories about Zim.
I think we either met people who got there views from the news or perhaps Zim used to be much worse than it is now, as it was a breeze. It took three hours to get through the border at Beit Bridge but it took everyone that long, whether white, black, local or trucky. They were perfectly happy with the carnet.
Next was Zambia then Botswana and Namibia and back into SA and we sailed through all of the borders.

I will definitely use the ADAC carnet again.
 
Hello gbags, If you don't mind me asking - how do they value a vehicle? Do they look at the insurance valuation?
 
Hi Kuriemp,

I guess they just look at a guide book.
 
Hi Kuriemp,

I guess they just look at a guide book.

Hi gbags, not done this either. So if they take a guide book price how much, as a percentage of the bike value, do you have to fork out to get your carnet and how much do you get back?
Thanks
Glenn
 


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