Hi Buzz

The registration of a UK registered bike does not lapse once the MOT has expired but you will have to register it as SORN - Statutory Off Road Notification. As you won't be riding on the roads in the UK then you should be OK. I have never heard of anyone asking for an MOT for a UK registered bike, your insurance won't cover you for outside the UK / EU anyway so you don't need an MOT. Your bike won't be legal to ride in the UK - but you will be in the North, Central or South America so no need to worry. When you return to the UK you will need to get the bike MOT'd and insured to ride it on the road but to get round this you can insure the bike as normal (you don't need an MOT to buy insurance, just to tax the bike). To keep everything legal you need to book your bike in for its MOT before you ride it on the road but then you can ride the bike there (and home if it has failed). Once you have the bike insured and it has its MOT you can tax it as normal and away you go.

So to recap:

1 Sort out insurance for America - I understand that that will cover you for Canada
2 Fly the bike to Canada
3 Be given a wonderful reception by the nice Canadians
4 Register the bike as SORN (this can be done on-line) with the DVLA. Do this when you get to Canada, that way it is done and you won't forget and get the standard fine.
5 Enjoy yourself immensely on your travels
6 Make everyone jealous on the HUBB by telling us about your travels
7 Before flying the bike back to the UK arrange insurance for the UK so you have cover when you get back here
8 Arrange an MOT back in the UK for when you land - keep a note of the test station and the time / date that it is arranged for
9 Fly the bike back to the UK
10 Get the bike MOT'd
11 Tax the bike - you already have the insurance and MOT so this can be done online as well

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You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.