leaving a UK registered bike in the states
 

im planning on leaving my bike in anchorage for approximatly one year then returning to pick it up to ride south...... the M.O.T will have expired, so i was wondering if i would have any problem getting the bike M.O.T`d in the states, not being a US citizen and having a foreign machine.... ive tried a search on this topic with no joy , any ideas ?

No joy because you have no need - they don't even know what an MOT is in the US. They do have vehicle inspections for smog etc but only applies to locally registered vehicles - as a foreign vehicle your bike is exempt. So ride and enjoy!

DO remove the expired sticker in case you run into an officious policeman who sees something expired - can't do anything, but can cause aggro.

Rule 27 - All docs should be current with nothing expired. ;)
Rule 28 - they don't know what docs are specific to your home country.

nice one grant... thank you

The US is very loose about vehicles, especially Alaska.

thanks mollydog....... the insurance company shown on HU will insure me for the time im riding across canada, which was a relief because i wasnt havent any good responses from canadian companies. they all said (about 5 of them) that they wont insure a foriegner................its good to see , by your post that i might not have grief getting insured in alaska when i return to pick the bike up for the next trip...... im so used to the rules in england being so stiff about everything, its good to know that your side of the sea is more relaxed...

My bikes rego may expire while were are overseas .. I rang and asked the Australian NSW goberment here that does the registration thing .. they said

get 'someone' to inspect the bike and have then fill in some paperwork to say the bike is roadworthy - they should be registered for this purpose by the government there...
So about a month before the rego expires - get some paperwork done.. send it to Australia .. pay over the internet (at least that is now fast and easy) and the bike is registered .. humm may take a few weeks to get the paper work back to me .. so 6 weeks before it is due start the process? Humm Turkey .. sound good to me .. they can post it to me in umm Pakistan? Or would Iran be better?

At least the licence is 5 years .. must check the date it is due too!

Good luck in Turkey! :smartass:

Insurance, yes.

It's a biggy here.
I'm apt to do some not-so-sensible things myself, but suggest that you get Ins coverage. It can be a serious thing, depending on the State or Officer that may grace you with his presence, roadside.
One time in CN, I didn't have proof (valid hard copy) and the mountie actually called it in, using my old expired card, to check.

You could always 'wing it', but it might make you feel more comfy to have some coverage.

"Sir, License, registration and insurance, please." All 3 go together....

You say a Canadian insurance company won't insure a foreigner. Well, they don't even insure a Canadian when we ride out of the Americas. The only place I can get international insurance is from USA or somewhere in Europe.

I sometimes wonder if it would not be a good idea for eec citizens to register their bikes in France. Registry is until the vehicle changes owner. No road tax. No MOT for bikes. It can be bit of a hassle, but I have 'imported three vehicles from the UK now. Agood tip, check on the insurance companies database for vehicle types, and ensure you export certificate says a valid known French model :) then everything will be simple. Importing Vauxhalls is difficult becaus ethere is no Vauxhall in France only opels, but a Vauxhall astra is not and opel astra.....they very difficult to get in, have to use a certificate of non-conformity which is tricky.

You are allowed to import the vehicle into the U.S.A. for up to one year.

I just did some research on this issue before bringing a Honduran-registered vehicle into the U.S. There is a government website with excellent info that you can access through http://www.customs.ustreas.gov or http://www.cbp.gov. The relevant article is "Importing or Exporting a Car: Guidelines for permanent and temporary purposes."

Under the section "Free Entry," it says:

Nonresidents may import a vehicle duty-free for personal use up to one year if the vehicle is imported in conjunction with the owner's arrival. Vehicles imported under this provision that do not conform to U.S. safety and emissions standards must be exported within one year and may not be sold in the U.S. There is no exemption or extension of the export requirements.

Siggsy
If yours is UK registered and out of the UK you need neither an MOT nor UK Road Tax. The UK authorities are only interested in these if you use a UK registered vehicle on the public roads within the UK. They consider it to be off road if it is outside of the UK.

BUT...
don't forget to submit a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notice) to the UK Vehicle Licencing Agency, and renew it a year later, otherwise they will demand Road Tax and will impose automatic fixed penalties fines which increase as time goes by. They are quite unlistening afterwards and only interested in the money - just like the Parking Ticket system, but without a right of appeal.

taking it to Canada and back into the US SHOULD reset the clock to zero and start your one year.