As Promised...Our Motorbikes!

Ok so, here's the story:

This was essentially a 2 week process. Since we are not residence we could not register and legalize the bikes, we can buy them but it all had to be in the name of a local. It's been a big problem with the brothers because when you buy used, who knows how many owners it will go through by the time you buy it and when it's registered the same name has to match all the paperwork. To prevent this we decided to buy new... little did we know, it didn't matter.

Day 1:

A special pioneer (we love our specials!) was willing to help us. On Tuesday we got to Rivas at 9am with the brother and started the process, thing is they sold the scooter we looked at for Jessica the week before so they had to call the closest distributor to send another. The salesman said 45min, it was already 11am. We left to eat lunch, which in itself was an awesome experience, Bro. Mendoza’s experiences were so encouraging we talked for 1.5hrs. So we thought, it was more than enough time for the dealer to get the scooter. Ha! The scooter came in on a chicken bus and was left at the bus station because the battery died and they couldn’t ride it to the dealership which is 5 blocks away. They pulled the battery and set it to charge. (now 2pm).

We still need to register the motorbikes (that is the inspection, circulation and insurance paperwork), so I decide to try to start the process at the police station. Fortunately, I found a copy shop across from the station that knows the system. Instead of us going to the police station and waiting in line, trying to ask for paperwork and going back and forth to windows and banks, he does it all for us. Yeah! By 230pm I had the sales paperwork from the dealer on both bikes so we went back to the copy shop so he could start the process. He was able to get insurance $70 for both bikes for 1yr. The problem is in order to enter the registration paperwork they need photos of the VIN # on the chasis and motor of each bike, the battery for Jess’ scooter is still charging. The salesman drove me to the scooter so I can take the pictures. Now 330pm the paperwork has been submitted but we can’t do the inspection until we have both bikes. The bike finally roles in and they take it to the mechanics shop for a once over (4 strokes are sticky when they haven’t been turned on or run, they are hard to start, ours only had about 3-5mi on them).

By 4pm..ish we had both bikes we waited another 30min for the official to inspect the bikes. One little problem, Bro. Mendoza’s ID was from Bluefields and his address needed to be changed to Rivas, the official wouldn’t sign off on the paperwork, NOOOO! Bro. Mendoza had to go to the next town over to try to get an address change. He came back about 5pm and said we needed to return the next day @ 3pm to pick up his new ID.

We rode home took 45min, because they are new we can't drive faster then 37mph, we have to break in the engines for 1000km. Needless to say it was a long day and ride home. (6:15pm)

Day 2:

At 2pm the following day this is Wednesday we pick up Bro. Mendoza at the Kingdom Hall in San Juan and ride back to Rivas to finish the paperwork. In was nerve racking because this is the first time I have someone ride on the back of the motorbike and it was a 45min ride.

We arrive and Bro. Mendoza picks up his new ID that takes about an hour. Another hour later we get news that the inspections can’t be done. The police station is closed because there was a car accident and everyone…I mean everyone decides to close up and go home, whether or not they went to the accident!

We rush back home and barely make our 6pm meeting, I had the #3 talk.

Day 3:

The copy shop guy told us to be back at 8am, we arrive at 8:15, and he didn’t arrive until 8:30am. We waited another 1.5hrs to get someone to inspect the bikes after paying the $C50 (about $2) to do it. The copy guy took the paperwork and returned in an hour and told us he couldn’t complete it because Bro. Mendoza needed to pay for a police record, it’s like a background check. They go to the bank to pay for it, that’s where they pay for everything that’s government related, we had already been there 3 times during this process. When they return it takes the copy guy another hour to complete the paperwork. Finally! Almost, we are now legal but it will probably take about a year to get our plates. The last thing we have to do is have a lawyer fill out a contract between Bro. Mendoza and I that states something to the affect that although the motorbikes are under his name legally we paid for them and they belong to us and Bro. Mendoza is not responsible for anything that happens regarding the bikes.

Are you as exhausted reading this as we are? Lol, here are some pics of  our bikes, first ride and first oil change.