Hi Jay:
The problem is more specific than whether or not the motorcycle actually meets emissions regulations. The problem is that the manufacturer of the motorcycle likely only puts an emission compliance label on the motorcycle to certify compliance within the continent (North America or Europe) that the motorcycle is exported to.
In the absence of a label on the vehicle stating that it complies with the applicable emissions requirements, one cannot register (plate) the vehicle.
To a great extent, this is 'restraint of trade' by the manufacturers - by doing this, they can prevent intercontinental shipment and 'grey marketing' of vehicles.
There are, of course, other hurdles to overcome besides emissions. You likely could not register a French or German specification motorcycle in the UK because the headlight would not comply with UK beam pattern requirements. Some European countries (notably Germany) are very picky about noise emission, and require that the exhaust system be labelled to indicate compliance with the standards applicable in that particular country.
Michael
|