Find someone in Estonia who is willing to vouch for you.

Did it last year to try out the process. Couple of guys who contacted me here on HUBB. Non-EU passports. Talked about it, I showed them the Estonian motorcycle ads website (pretty much every bike for sale in the country is on there). They figured out what they wanted and contacted the sellers in advance.

Day 1: they land in Tallinn in the morning, go see a few of the bikes they've been interested in. Found one good KLE 500, some other possibles.

Evening of Day 1: we meet up for a , they tell me about the possibles. I open the website on my phone, see that there's another KLE 500 that just popped up recently.

Day 2: they go look at the second KLE, love it, buy both. Get a handwritten contract of sale from both owners, along with the keys and registration certificates.

Day 3:

We ride to the local vehicle licensing agency (ARK/MNT). I tell the clerk what we're doing, the clerk is a bit taken aback but pulls out extra forms.

We fill in all the forms: the ownership of the bikes is transferred from old owners to these two guys. I go on their registration certificate as the Authorized User, meaning that I essentially represent the bikes to the state of Estonia if it has any questions about them.

The guys also go on each other's registration certificates as Authorized Users, meaning they can cross the border riding each other's bikes. Just in case.

The guys pay 61 euros each (by card) and get the shiny new registration certificates with their names on them, and their Very Much Not European home addresses and passport numbers in the database.

All of this has taken maybe 2 hours, including waiting in the queue, because it's Saturday and this is the only vehicle registration office that's open around the capital.

We go outside to the kiosk of an insurance broker. They get a week's worth of mandatory insurance (smallest amount possible) for roughly 20 euros each. Takes another hour total, because the clerk hasn't done this before and needs to phone the main office for help figuring out how to enter all this into her computer system.

Day 4: the guys go to a local motorcycle shop, buy consumables, do a service on the bikes in the shop's yard.

Day 5: the guys cross the border at Narva and **** off out of the EU. I am now off the hook in terms of road insurance (if they crashed, it would have been my premium as Authorized User that went up).

...Day 100: the guys reach Vladivostok, sell the bikes to a local moto shop that specializes in Japanese imports and knows how to legally register foreign vehicles.

Day 130: I get an envelope in the mail with the original Estonian registration certificates, and photocopies of the bikes' new Russian registration certificates.

Day 131: I go to ARK/MNT, explain the situation, give them the papers, and write two copies (one per bike) of a statement that says I am relinquishing my status as Authorized User, to my knowledge the bikes are no longer on the road in their Estonian legal form, the license plates have been lost, and I have no way to contact the listed owners.

Day 161: Having sent letters to the Very Much Not European addresses and received no reply, ARK/MNT deletes the bikes from their database.

(If I ever do this again, I will have the actual owner leave me a signed but undated statement saying they are no longer in possession of the bike or license plate, which I can submit along with the returned registration certificates and proof of import to another country, to save the step between Day 131 and Day 161.)

Kiwiwannafly:


Best reportage this global journalist has seen in a long time - good job and thanks for taking the time to detail your adventure in paperwork.


Too often I see Internet and print media fluff that suggests/implies one can simply fly into Europe, helmet and cash in hand, purchase a motorcycle and freely room.


Detailing your paperwork adventure may have brought some dreamers back to Planet Earth.


Regards,

__________________
Sun Chaser, or 'Dr.G', Professor of Motorcycle Adventure at SOUND RIDER magazine. Professional Motorcycle Adventurer/Indian Motorcycle Racer/journalist/author/global economist/World's # 1 Motorcycle Adventure Sleeper & Wastrel
Soul Sensual Survivor: www.greataroundtheworldmotorcycleadventurerally.co m

Sun Chaser - thanks for that. Its nice reading people's stories and opinions but difficult to get hard core facts sorted. Exactly my purpose of writing.

I see you're an Indian racer. Many years ago I met an old fella in NZ on a miserable windy wet day. He took us in for a cuppa and thought we might be interested in his shed. Inside was a collection of predominantly pre-50's (?) Indians, a couple of similar vintage Harleys including a beautiful example with a wicker basket sidecar. But his pride & joy was a 1911 Indian 1000cc racer - extremely well used, unrestored. No front brake, good for over the ton (100mph) but would take a brave man to do it. Sadly dead now, but his collection was given to a range of enthusiasts that would appreciate (rather than the rich wankers to store their 'investment').