Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Planning, Trip > Trip Paperwork
Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 9 Feb 2011
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: perth,australia
Posts: 40
oz bike in uk and europe?

hi,just wondering if anyone knows the cunning plan for australian bikes in uk.i arrived from the americas by plane using motorcycle express after my americas tour.the bike is registered in australia.i was told i have six months as a temporary vehicle import.so...
1.is that extendable in uk (read kid in a candy shop and soo many people to go and places to do etc)??
2.i am in between spain and france right now so does this count as being out of the uk??(they have different vouchers here so...?!?!?!)
3.is it possible just to renew the uk or the eu temporary import by doing a weak excuse tour of morocco?(oh ok if i really have too....)and will this satisfy the bureaucrats and tree molesters?

if any of you learned motorbike porn enthusiasts have any pearls of wisdom please feel free to deluge me wiv info.
many thanks.:confused1:
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 9 Feb 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: London
Posts: 542
Technically, you are only allowed to have the vehicle in the UK for a maximum of six months during a twelve month period, so your trip to Morocco would not re-start the six month clock. The link below has further info:

Temporarily importing a vehicle : Directgov - Motoring

You are also supposed to fill in a C110 form and send this to HMRC recording the temporary importation of the vehicle.

In practice, if you cross a land border into the UK, you will never be required to physically complete the C110 form. The last time I shipped my non-UK registered vehicle back to the UK, this form was also not completed.

If you are stopped by the police, they are generally more concerned whether you have valid insurance (either UK or a green card).

Therefore, whilst the law only allows you six months, the enforcement of this rule is extremely limited.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 9 Feb 2011
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: perth,australia
Posts: 40
so does that apply for all EU countries ....that is 6 months in each or is it separate rules for britain and then the rest of EU.
is it at all possible to extend the uk 6 month thing or will they insist on changing the rego to uk plates IYHO?
thanks ,al.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11 Feb 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Wessex, UK
Posts: 2,136
If you are planning a longer trip in Europe, a year or more you could register it in the UK. This requires you to have an address and get an MOT test, this is for roadworthiness, an Ozzy bike with left dipping headlight shouldn't be a problem nether will a KM speedo. I am not sure what it costs now but it was £25 a few years ago and it should make insuring it easier, whether this means it will become "unregistered" in Australia I don't know but if you don't tell them they won't know. It is worth looking into.
Once you are physically in the EU with your bike it is in and as Matt says you should be able to ride it around almost indefinitely as long as you get insurance.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11 Feb 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Aussie expat in Switzerland half way RTW
Posts: 611
NSW plates and unregistered in Switzerland

Since our arrival in Europe in 2009 we still haven't done the official and permanent import of our bike which is NSW registered. Basically Switzerland (not in the EU) gives one year, 12 months, from the time you decide to import the vehicle (and get a customs import number) until they start to hassle you.

But as I haven't got the customs import number I'm just riding around on my NSW plates. I have however bought a 3rd party GreenCard Insurance from MotoTouring in Milan so that if I get involved in an accident, heaven forbid, or pulled over by the cops that I have the min required cover.

Neither has happened and I've been riding quite regularly but not commuting with the bike. The bike is now unregistered in NSW so it could be a little tricky to explain my way out of it if I get pinned down by the boys in blue.
__________________
TurboCharger + Francois (our BMW R1200gs) '07
www.riding2up.net, blog.riding2up.net
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 15 Feb 2011
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: perth,australia
Posts: 40
thanks for the tip i will need to replace my green card in october for a longer stay in the EU. i dont really want to register my bike on a pommy plate as i will be taking it home eventually and its hard enough to deal with australian customs as it is without any deviations.i am sure if i did re register my bike i would be put on the government hit list for trying to destabalaize the whole ozzi economy.i been away a yr and still am trying to get my importation license to take my aus bike(bought ,registered,ins) back into oz.go figure!!
"everyone has the right to be stupid but some people just abuse the privelidge"
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 15 Feb 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Aussie expat in Switzerland half way RTW
Posts: 611
Re-importation into Oz

Quote:
Originally Posted by ajmac View Post
thanks for the tip i will need to replace my green card in october for a longer stay in the EU. i dont really want to register my bike on a pommy plate as i will be taking it home eventually and its hard enough to deal with australian customs as it is without any deviations.i am sure if i did re register my bike i would be put on the government hit list for trying to destabalaize the whole ozzi economy.i been away a yr and still am trying to get my importation license to take my aus bike(bought ,registered,ins) back into oz.go figure!!
"everyone has the right to be stupid but some people just abuse the privelidge"

Hi Ajmac,

I'm interested in knowing how you get along with the re-importation into Oz as I will be looking to do the same down the track. Please post what happens.

Cheers!
__________________
TurboCharger + Francois (our BMW R1200gs) '07
www.riding2up.net, blog.riding2up.net
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 15 Jul 2011
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by TurboCharger View Post
Since our arrival in Europe in 2009 we still haven't done the official and permanent import of our bike which is NSW registered. Basically Switzerland (not in the EU) gives one year, 12 months, from the time you decide to import the vehicle (and get a customs import number) until they start to hassle you.

But as I haven't got the customs import number I'm just riding around on my NSW plates. I have however bought a 3rd party GreenCard Insurance from MotoTouring in Milan so that if I get involved in an accident, heaven forbid, or pulled over by the cops that I have the min required cover.

Neither has happened and I've been riding quite regularly but not commuting with the bike. The bike is now unregistered in NSW so it could be a little tricky to explain my way out of it if I get pinned down by the boys in blue.
Turbocharger...i like your work!
Would the swiss cops actually check for valid ergo if its outside Switzerland? I ask because I've just moved to Norway and am looking at buying a bike in the UK and riding it back here. Im hoping to leave it on UK plates for a year before paying the outrageous Norwegian import taxes. Im having trouble getting UK Third Party insurance to maintain the UK ergo. I can however get Green Card insurance for everywhere outside the UK(eg Alessie). If the UK rergo should get cancelled but i have GC insurance will any officials (cops/any EU customs) outside the UK ever check/care whether or not its actually registered in the UK??.....this is all assuming i NEVER ride the bike back to the UK intil its on Norwegian plates
Cheers
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 3 Aug 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Aussie expat in Switzerland half way RTW
Posts: 611
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmyd View Post
Turbocharger...i like your work!
Would the swiss cops actually check for valid ergo if its outside Switzerland? I ask because I've just moved to Norway and am looking at buying a bike in the UK and riding it back here. Im hoping to leave it on UK plates for a year before paying the outrageous Norwegian import taxes. Im having trouble getting UK Third Party insurance to maintain the UK ergo. I can however get Green Card insurance for everywhere outside the UK(eg Alessie). If the UK rergo should get cancelled but i have GC insurance will any officials (cops/any EU customs) outside the UK ever check/care whether or not its actually registered in the UK??.....this is all assuming i NEVER ride the bike back to the UK intil its on Norwegian plates
Cheers
Within the schengen zone you will have different laws that apply. I know for a fact that a resident cannot drive a foreign registered vehicle in Switzerland or Germany. This might be the same for other countries. If you are caught then it would mean a heafty fine at the very least. The things that you will be checked if controlled or in an accident are :
  • GreenCard Insurance,
  • Bike Registration,
  • Proof of Ownership (or permission to drive the vehicle by it's owner, ie it's not stolen) and
  • Driver's Licence.
In Europe and in the Schengen zone there are bilateral agreements that exist between countries. I suspect that UK and Norway have such an agreement and this means that they would have certain level of access to vehicle registrations. I would strongly recommend you check our the relevant laws in Norway to make sure you know what you are up against.

IMO trying to fudge registration in the Shengen zone is not a good idea. I would if I were you, bite the bullet and stay on the right side of the law, especially in Norway where they are likely to come down on you like a tonne of bricks if they find your paperwork to be out of order.

Good luck.
__________________
TurboCharger + Francois (our BMW R1200gs) '07
www.riding2up.net, blog.riding2up.net
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10 Aug 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Sydney, Aus.
Posts: 230
Quote:
Originally Posted by TurboCharger View Post
Hi Ajmac,

I'm interested in knowing how you get along with the re-importation into Oz as I will be looking to do the same down the track. Please post what happens.

Cheers!
I'm also interested in this as I'm looking into taking my troopie back to Aus. I emailed the vehicle imports people at dept of infrastructure & transport and they told me 15 days to have import approval granted. Sounds optimistic, but that's what they're saying.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Want to use a bike in Europe ? Wheelspin Europe 3 20 Feb 2007 15:57
europe by bike dmitrij Route Planning 14 15 Jan 2007 20:52
My bike in Europe for NZ Matt595 Bike Swap or Rent 2 20 Nov 2005 02:47
Bike for Europe fcasado Which Bike? 2 31 Aug 2005 14:12
Looking for a bike for Europe ted Bikes sell / want, Europe 0 27 Jun 2001 22:24

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

HU Event and other updates on the HUBB Forum "Traveller's Advisories" thread.
ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:28.