Nicola,

I guess with all of this information posted so far, the first question is, do you have a friend or someone you know who lives in France?

If yes, then it should then be quite possible to purchase your bike in France.

As Magnon says;
This is just letting the administration know that you are currently residing at that address and that your friend is not taking money from you as in rent. Even if that address is your address for a few days or a week and you're basically just couch-surfing it is where any paper work can be sent to, that is what is important. ** Importantly, the utility invoice does not need to be in your name **.

If your friend is willing, it can be hand written or get a form from the local Mairie's office. You hand that in together with a utility invoice such as EDF (electricity) which will be in your friends name when you do your owner transfer to obtain your Carte Gris which will be in your name.

You will most likely get a temporary CG and then wait for a few days for the final CG to arrive in la poste at the address of your friend.

These few days to wait allow time for preparing the bike or partying!

If the bike is over tens years old, the cost of Carte Gris is halved, my TDM850 is a 2001 model and was €84. Remembering that this cost is a once off cost, no annual cost in France for road tax and such like.

Insurance (assurance in France):
Like I mentioned to you in a pm or another thread, I was able to orgainse very good and affordable assurance with the AXA assurance group. Assurance is a requirement as you need third party person at least. I have some extras such as fire and theft for my bike as well. All up the assurance costs me around €300 a year. Then I am able to have it reduced by a significant amount as the bike is in locked storage for the time I am not in France.

This assurance from AXA that I have is very good as it covers almost all of Europe, Russia included. You don't always get that from other assurance groups. The back of the green assurance card lets you know which countries you are covered in with any particular assurance.

So, back to first question to see if this is at all possible, do you have a friend or contact in France?

Or maybe might someone here on HU who lives in France might be willing to offer Nicola an address for the paperwork side of things?

I hope this helps and for others with the same question.

Regards,
Paul

Edit: Above is from my experience and from having done this two times now, one car and one bike in two different departments in France, bike in Pays de la Loire (dept 44) north west of France and car in Drôme (dept 26) in the amazingly beautiful south east of France.

And I did this only with an Australian passport, no EU passport.