German TÜV - Horizons Unlimited

**Gijs** · #1 15 Apr 2004

this is a question, I reckon only german HUBB-visitors can answer...:
I own a KLR650C and am preparing the bike for a panamericana trip. Herefore I let Ernie of Overland-solutions in the UK make some pannier frames and toolboxes. Since I live in Germany the bike needs to get approval for every part which is installed/mounted by oneself. The part frome Ernie do not come with a TÜV-approval. Which problems can I expect if I go and try to approve the parts I have let fabricate ???

Worst case scenario would be that I have to register my bike in my home-country,the Netherlands, where this TÜV-thing does not exist for motorbikes...
Any hints more welcome....!!

**Steve Pickford** · #2 16 Apr 2004

Are you able to remove the additional parts for the TUV & re-install them afterwards or are they permanent

Steve

**pantrybear** · #3 16 Apr 2004

I work for a company that makes saddlebags here in the US and we export some to Europe. I'm not completely versed in all the issues, but I know the two biggest things we have to take care of is visibility of the rear brake and directional lights and side reflectors.

We homologate our bags for all of Europe so I can't say whether the following is true in Germany or not but it can't hurt.

The rear lights need to be visible directly from the side. So, if the boxes block the side view of the lights you will need to relocate them. There has to be one reflector and one reflector only on each side of the rear of the bike. If the boxes have covered your reflector then you should find some stick on's. I believe there is also a specific size (area) constraint for the reflector but I don't know what that is.

**beddhist** · #4 17 Apr 2004

Simple:

Pannier frames don't need TÜV-approval (yet). Panniers do IF they can't be removed without tools. So, in the latter case you don't have them mounted when going to the TÜV.

I always have to change a few things before I go for the TÜV inspection every 2 years. ;-) The cops don't care, as long as your tyres are legal, etc. My bike doesn't spend much time in Germany anyway.

Other than that, once your bike is outside Germany nobody knows or cares about tech inspections, like the TÜV.

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Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.