So my friend Andy and I headed out on the great motorcycle search Saturday morning after a coffee. We saw a few bikes that looked nice but they were only sold in Colombia, a lot of good that would do if you broke down in southern Argentina. So we kept going until we found a Honda dealer. I think it was the NX250 that looked promising but we couldn't get any help from the sales folks so we pressed on. Later we went downtown to the motorcycle mecca area of Medellin. This area has a ton of different dealers and blocks and blocks of accessory and mechanic type shops. If you need anything they have it or can fabricate it.
We hit the Honda shop down there and the young kid told us that we couldn't purchase the 250, so we asked about the 190 and he said No again. I think we even asked about the 150 and no again. Finally, we asked WHY? He said there is a 3-4 month waiting list because they are all sold out. This happened in the Royal Enfield dealer as well and we went into the Suzuki dealer and the 250 VStrom looked perfect but.......... 3-4 month waiting list for it as well. They had some on the floor but they wouldn't sell it to me. They did however have a 160 VStrom so I said I'd be back on Monday for a down payment.
So Monday rolls around, I go there and put a deposit on it. OF course I use one of my debit cards and it is declined after I had already paid for my Spanish class. Grrrr.... So I call, finally get through to a lady and explain the situation. I tell her I'm going to make the final payment in a few days and then purchase some accessories as well. She makes a note of it and assures me everything is OK.
In the purchase process you have to sign about 6 pages of paperwork. Then you have to put your fingerprint next to each signature. I asked for copies of EVERYTHING because that's the kinda guy I Yam! (as Popeye would say).
I did this entire process in a reverse order. The first thing you are supposed to do is get a RUNT. The National Single Traffic Registry (RUNT) is a vital system for traffic in Colombia. You have to do this at the Ministry of Transportation.
Now you'd think this would be in some special government office building but SURPRISE! It is actually in a HUGE mall in the heart of the city. After class I got off the metro in downtown and started heading for the Premium Plaza mall. I knew it was huge but didn't realize it had 400 shops. People take their pets there and there is a place for them to play as well. I'll leave out all the searching and asking people IN SPANISH that didn't have a clue like the security guy who had me type it in translator.
Anyway, you go to this place in the mall. There was a husky woman with a metal wand to check you out but she waved me in and told the people sitting to MOVE DOWN and for me to sit their. Everytime a person would go up to the row of desks, she would bark out for us to MOVE DOWN again. I thought it was quite comical. I finally got up to the first desk and the gal took my name and maybe my passport to put into the system then gave me a number. I sat down and waited for my number. Then went up and talked to this really hot young gal that spoke English. She did stuff with the passport and I had to give a bunch of other information on where I was staying, a local phone number, etc. Then she gave me a piece of paper and said to go pay this at a specific bank in the mall.
I wander down the hallway and there are full size banks in this mall. One right after another, at least 6 different ones and so I went in the designated one and paid the bill.
Then back to office and get another number. This time I got the same young lady and she did a few things on the computer and said I was good to go. NOW you can purchase a motorcycle.
I went in the next day to pay the balance and of course the card was declined and I had to call again. I wasn't happy about it and let the guy know. He said he would put a travel notice on my card that would be good for 2 weeks. I said that isn't going to help. I'm going on a multimonth trip. I don't even want to be calling in every 2 weeks. Ugh! I got it paid and now just waiting to have the accessories installed at a shop (today) so I can pick it up tomorrow.
The accessory process...........
The stealer only sells the bikes. If you want any accessories they have a shop that installs them for you and you purchase them there....
To cut it short, after to much time in the stealer that afternoon another salesdroid tried to help me out. So we walk over to this place and it's kinda like every other place. Then they started to hard sell me on the aluminum vs steel bash plate. I said I want the strongest and figured it was the steel (which was cheaper) and they convinced me the aluminum was, so I picked that. Then they wanted to sell me a top case and gave me a price of 750,000 COP which was just the box, and I said NO, YOU GUYS ARE GIVING ME GRINGO PRICE! The salesman laughed and the guys in the shop looked like I slapped them. So I paid for the crash bar and bash guard. I think they ripped me off about using my card as well.
Those are supposed to be installed today (Thursday 1/8/26).
After I get those installed I'll take the bike over to the guy who owns the Teknik shop. Those guys are GOOD and have excellent prices. They are a full fabrication, electrostatic paint shop and handle everything. Awesome mechanic who can fix or fab anything as well. I'll have them install the hand guards and top box for at least $200,000 COP cheaper. Pictures to come.
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