Changing an Australian registered Moto to French plates

[tmverlin]

I am seeking advice on having an Australian registered moto made legal and onto French plates. Bike [BMW] currently resting after overland journey. Wanting to keep this Moto for my use while in France. I will have a French address which is part of the puzzle.
If I cannot make this work I will be seeking to purchase a local one. BMW RS1150/R1200 preferred.
New to this forum and posting game. TV

[oldbmw]

before you start any of the importation registration process, go to your local insurance office (MAFF are great) and see what model they have listed that is closest to yours. Then ensure every document shows it as being that French model. If the registration people (prefecture) dont have the exact same model in their computer system it will be a nightmare.

[Warin]

You need to instigate costs and hassle of;

importing the bike

meeting the relevant road regs - emissions/noise/lights/brakes (similar to ADR)

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Do not 'import the bike' and then find the road regs are too difficult, investigate both before you start filling out forms and paying money.

[Graham72]

As old bmw has pointed I out it could be a prohibitively expensive process if the prefecture computer does not find an exact match to your bikes details.

I have personally put 2 BMW bikes onto French registrations- from UK plates and unless the bike is post 2003 and has a " full EU" certificate of conformity from BMW you will almost certainly run into a brick wall trying. A partial CoC from a local BMW bike dealer was not enough in my case in Le Mans.
As there is currently no vehicle test system for bikes in France at the moment you can not just swap the head light for a secondhand one and use the CT as proof it conforms, it had to be a new part supplied with an official receipt from BMW
Also you will have to get a tax certificate to prove TAV, or the equivalent EU tax has been paid on the bike.

As had been said many times before, unless you really love that bike and want to keep it for sentimental reasons, the most cost effective way is to sell it and buy a native French bike on original French registration.

If by chance it is over 30 years old you could go the vehicle collection route, a different but slightly easier process.

Good luck