In October 2010 I decide to take a two year deal to manage a radio station in CR. The owners of the station agreed to move everything, in the beginning I wanted to store the bike (2009 Fatboy) in Texas and ride when I'm back home as I go back ever 3 months or so.

The owners agreed to take care of the bike, shipping, etc. as it would be my only for of transportation.

The bike arrives Jan 25th 2011 via ship, I go down and complete the required paperwork, get a 90 day tourist visa, off I go, all good.

Now the 90 days limit is fast approaching, so I inquire about registration, it's roughly $4,500.00 or I'm told I can get an extension on the tourist visa, good for another 90 days but that it will be $800.00

Once again the owners of the station tell me go for the extension, we are going to get an attorney to lower the taxes for registration.

Now I have the second extension, all good or so I think, it expires on June 13, 2011 at which point I have to take it down to the facility for registration. I meet with the fellow who got me the second extension, we meet, hand in all the paperwork, I will need to leave the bike there for 2-3 days, they run all the papers, etc.

After multiple phone calls, and 3 weeks later the guy that handled the second extension tells me he is bringing me my money back, he doesn't want to work on this any more. I contact the guy that helped me when it originally arrived, he said no problem, bring me everything and I can get this done for you.

It's now mid July, bike been in storage since June 13th. I get a call from the original guy telling me we have a problem, seems the second set of papers I have are fake, the authorities are thinking I had a hand in this, says it shows the bike was brought in via Nicaragua and of course I've never been to Nicaragua in my life.

We set an appointment with the import facility, I bring an attorney just in case, they go over my story, verify I've never been to Nicaragua, and tell me I need to file a report with OIJ, their version of the FBI.

I go and spend several hours downtown making a full report, then comes the waiting game.

I was finally given the okay this last Monday to go and pick up the bike, but guess what it's gonna' cost about $2k more because it's been in storage, a "special place" they say.

I get to the bike, it's covered in about a half inch of soot, one of my keys for fork and ignition lock is bent up, won't function any more, battery is dead, it's been in a special place alright.

I take the seat off, try and use a jump start kit to start it but no luck. I take battery out and grab a taxi to HD in CR and of course they have it at double the cost ($300.00) of the USA, and I did try a couple of other battery places but no one had anything that would work.

I finally get back, get the new battery in and it starts right up, runs like a champ and I get out of there.

Now it's in my garage and I'm counting seconds until my two years is up, I plan on sending it back to Texas, it has low miles due to being locked up, great shape but what a nightmare.

And the report I filed has gotten no where, I'm sure the guy is still selling fake papers.

Just needed to vent my crazy story of a gringo and his HD in Costa Rica.

 

Wow. What a story. Get you and your bike back to Texas ASAP!!!

 

I have spent a significant amount of time in Costa Rica...both the Caribbean and the Pacific side. Not only are the local drivers completely careless, the condition of most roads is less than desirable. Couple this with the fact that half of the year is a "wet" season, not a lot of decent riding time without a regular soak.
In my opinion, send the bike back when done and buy you a bike locally to ride. This saved me many headaches and nightmares.
Sorry to hear about the BS you had to go through..however, you are in another country with a completely different set of rules and regulations.
Pura vida amigo!

 

I haven't had many problems from the cars, mostly the other "motorcyclists" and the missing manhole covers in a lot of the roads, luckily I've not dropped a front wheel in one. It can be stressful at night with roads being in the condition they are, on the plus side it will make riding in the states again almost too easy.

 

Just spent a the last week of Feb in Costa..A freind of mine parents live their..stayed at bejuco beach just outside of Jaco...

Prob. my favorite place in the world thus far..Fishing was unreal among other things..

I highly reccomend the trip..Just wear ur seat belt and do not speed..Keep a copy or your real passport on u at all times...

Pura Vida will take on a whole another meaning when u leave!

 

A week here and there it's great, do 24/7 for a couple of years and you'll get it.

 

See you at the Del!