Buying in Germany but riding and registering in Estonia. How to?
 

I am thinking of buying a 600 Transalp, but there are very few here in Estonia and I'm not sure of the condition of those I have seen.

So, I could buy in England and ride back, or buy in Germany: lots of choices, and closer.

BUT: If I turn up and buy a bike one day, how can I be recognised as the legal owner in Germany, so that I have the necessary paper work to register it in Estonia?

Is there a way? Surely, it's been done before?

Otherwise, all the way from England is the other option: but it's a PITA!!
?c?

you can buy any vehicle in Germany as a foreigner no matter if the bike in your case is registered or not !

Actually it's very easy, you only have to go to the local German (so called) "Strassenverkehrsamt" of the bigger town where the bike is located and get your self a "Export Nummernschild" , that's a temporary registration with insurance for about one Month, with special a plate, many eastern European do it that way and the registration offices are well prepared for this case.

That way you can ride the bike around Germany and any country until you get home to be able to make your home registration in a period of one month.

to do all this you just buy the bike, arrearage a time with the owner of the bike to drive you with the valued German registration plate, registration documents (you don't need the vehicle at all, only the "Fahrzeugschein", "Farzeugbrief" and registration plate with the TUV-stamp and TAX-stamp on it and at least the signed contract) to the local "Strassenverkehrsamt" so the pre owner get his registration taken off the bike and you get the paperwork changed to your name, pay the fees including the insurance, run across the road buy the plate by any of the local plate making shops, run back to the counter and the bike is yours.... enjoying riding it all the way back to Estonia.... :scooter:

If you tend to buy the bike in winter and turn up in a van... you only have to change the ownership by contract, no need to buy the temporary registration then.... but the old owner want to take the registration plate off the bike in case it's still on road legality registration to avoid paying TAX for a longer period before that.... if the bike is off the road already would be ideal for you, just pay the bike, make a contract, take all the paperwork, push the bike in to the back of your van and drive it home...

one tip.... the German "Strassenverkehrsamt" normally closes at 2pm in some communities even around 12:00, so it's a good idea to get there well before 9:00 and be prepared to wait for quite a while in case you have to line up in the queue.

good luck...
spooky

Take a look at the exchange rates however, with the pound in its recent state it might be cheaper to buy in the UK (after factoring in fuel/ferries).

Spooky:

That is great. That makes Germany a great place to look, too!! I only have to learn German now!!

Unfortunately, I did not see Margus when he was recently back in Estonia: I could have asked him in person.

As for the EUR/GBP exchange, I am taking this into account and, indeed, the UK does not seem like a bd deal either.

I'm not familiar with that term..:confused1: What do you understand by that?

Thanks

I am presently trawling through the Estonian Road Vehicle Licencing Act (kindly translated by Google) to see I can see anything that might cause problems.

I'm think perhaps the headlight, but I shall see what it says: I may be lucky!

I imagine he means lights to dip the other way, km speedo if not fitted etc. It depends on the bike for the speedo, but on my AT the kmh markings are hard enough to read in daylight, let alone at night.