Registration and insurance in Spain
 

I plan on buying a bike in Spain and driving it to Mali. Is this complicated? Do I just need an address in Spain (Barcelona/Madrid)to buy the bike (coming from Canada)? Can anyone tell me what the procedures are and how expensive it might be to get get the appropriate paperwork? Similar information on France could be good too.

Thanks.

I might be wrong here but I think buying a bike in Spain can be a little complicated?

I'm sure that every vehicle sale requires the service of a Notary (legal bod?)?

If you can't get the answer you need here, try posting on the Adventure Rider site, there's a few Spain based guys there (Spanish Bob & Zer-Zero). On the same site, there's a couple of guys with good English in France.

I can help with the UK if you decide to buy here?

Alternatively you may find it easier to buy & insure a bike in France or the UK.

[This message has been edited by Steve Pickford (edited 22 October 2004).]

Thanks for the specifics Steve. I'll see what else I can find out before buying in UK, France, or Spain. I did notice that the bikes were less expensive in Spain than in the UK so I was thinking it might be a good move.

Anyway, thanks for your insight.

Hi,
Heres my 2 cents worth. UK might not be the best place to buy a bike. I have experienced it twice with different situations.
First i rode my Singapore Reg bike into UK, and after a few weeks my ADAC Green Card insurance expired.
No insurance company would sell me the 3rd party insurance! 1. i need a permanent UK add. 2. Most insurers i spoke to said they only insure UK reg bikes.

Now i have a UK reg bike (why, thats another long story) but i have alot of difficulty getting insurance again. Only one company so far was willing to insure, over 200 pounds, but the policy states that i can get coverage in Europe (outside UK) for only a max of 2 months!

Basically im now in Germany, and today just bought ADAC insurance. €22 a month. Covers Europe, just walk in and buy insurance.

So even if reg a bike in UK might be easy, the insurance is a different matter, and costly.
I might source information in Germany, which seems more bike friendly. I dont know about reg though.

this is only my experience, maybe others found it easier in UK.
Best of luck
Dalbir

France is easy, now that you don't need proof of address any more. You can even register vehicles by post. Rego is eternal and there are no renewal costs, nor are there technical inspections for bikes. Count on 70 - 100 € for the rego.

Insurance, however is expensive and the insurance co. will probably require an EU licence. If you have one of those bring certificates from recent bike insurances, as they count towards your bonus (discount).

Premium examples:

Suzi DR650SE, third party only, about 600€/a
BMWR1100RS, full cover, about 1400€/a.

Green cards are automatic (and compulsory). My co. covers ALL countries!

Another problem is that bikes seem a little dearer in F than e.g. in Germany.

For info on German bureaucratic nightmares see postings elsewhere.

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Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.