XP: French/UK Insurance Catch 22

I did ask at my last renewal - the answer was no, you are not insured to
ride another bike abroad

 

As Wessie pointed out, I can't read very well.

I could add it to my multibike policy for the small admin fee and ride it
abroad then just take it off insurance. It would mean an additional body
on the log book but as it's being exported that's not a big deal.

 

How easy is it to get a UK bike re-registered in France? Probably
easier than the other way round - which I have done. Certainly easier
than a car I would guess until they bring in Controle Technique for
bikes.

Where in France and how urgent? I do at least one run a year with a
two bike trailer down to the Limousin, with only one bike on it
usually. I am also planning to bring a SO French registered enduro
bike back to the UK. So if you could wait until Easter and aren't the
other end of the country from Limoges something could possibly be
arranged.

 

I think dog had some extensive experience of this.

 

Heh. And then some.

 

Many thanks to everyone for their ideas, advice and/or kind offers of help.
The situation has changed slightly over the weekend as there is a UK based
couple bringing some furniture to Bordeaux in January and I am only 50 kms
from there near Marmande. They think that they have enough room for a bike
so one option now is to fly back to check out a couple of bikes and make the
final decision.

Then on Sunday afternoon a mate in Bolton phoned me to say do nothing just
yet as that, given the credit crunch, if I hang on until Easter, a wad of
notes might get me an unbelievable bargain. He had just been out
negotiating with a couple of dealers and one of them was so desperate for a
sale that, had he had a 20 year old daughter, he would have tied her naked
to the tank as an inducement !! Its an ill wind..........

I also have an offer of a low mileage (25,000 kms)Yam XT600 locally for Euro
1,500 and, having read good reports on these ngs about these as a fun
machine, I might take it to get me through to the summer, just doing
shortish rides exploring this area. The hard seat isn't an issue as I have
got a fat arse.

The following link is to an Ex-Pat info site in France that gives some info
on importing to France as someone asked the question.

http://aquitaine.angloinfo.com/countries/france/motoregister.asp

Thanks again,

Mike

 

Says nowt about bikes, unfortunately, and if you want to register a
full-power (ie: over 106bhp) bike in France, the short answer is that
you can't.

 

The introduction to the Factsheet states "The information you need if
importing a new or used car or motorcycle to France". With the exception of
the Controle Technique, I think the other info is correct. There is a
separate factsheet for caravans and trailers that have different
requirements.

I think it just isn't written that clearly. For most things it states
"vehicle" which includes a bike but for the controle technique it uses "car"
because bikes do not require it. You are right about the BHP "cap" as it is
an important point and not mentioned anywhere that I could see.

Mike

 

Mike Ricketts typed:

Good call - I totally love mine.

No comment.

--
Rich B

1971 S2a
1995 XT600E
2003 ST1300 Pan European
Oh, and a Ford

Take out the obvious to email me.

 

Hmm. given the cost of used bikes in France generally, it makes me
wonder why UK registered bikes aren't being taken over there in droves
by dealers. Presumably a bike you purchased for your own use would be
treated as a 'personal import' though.

Is it subject to type approval and all that. Are you looking at post
2003 or newer (IIRC) bikes with appropriate certificates of confomity,
or something older than ten years (which certainly makes things easier
the other way).

PF

 

"72degrees" <> a écrit dans le message de ...

Hmm. given the cost of used bikes in France generally, it makes me
wonder why UK registered bikes aren't being taken over there in droves
by dealers. Presumably a bike you purchased for your own use would be
treated as a 'personal import' though.

Is it subject to type approval and all that. Are you looking at post
2003 or newer (IIRC) bikes with appropriate certificates of confomity,
or something older than ten years (which certainly makes things easier
the other way).

PF

 

Note to self, do not post reply until you have typed it!!

You do need conformity documents but I don't know if there are date related
limits. I did notice that the Triumph UK web-site had a scheme to assist
the process for taking a bike to France, via their French Importers.

Mike

 

You have *no idea*....

As has been said here, dog did it with his missus's Baby Blade, and the
hassle was amazing.

 

I have the 'other way';.

Having simply registered a SO bike already bearing a French number
plate I can imagine it!Q

PF

 

But only cos it was never homlogated in France.

Of course, I never re-registered our vehicles in France, leaving some
(the 400/4) on UK plates and the others, that got used regularly on
both sides of the border, on Swiss ones.

But I've always had the impression that it'd be no more difficult in
France than it was in CH, and that was really no big deal at all.

 

True. But I think you still have to make a UK model of a bike sold in
France conform to "French rules." Which are not the same as "EU rules".

 

Well yeah, if it's (as you've already stated) above 106cv, but other
than that I don't think so.

 

Yes, sorry, I was thinking of "over 106bhp".

 

I think a lot of the "hassle" here is the paperwork that is required by any
government department/official agency, that you would not need or expect to
have to present in the UK.

It is normal to be required to present ID (Passport or Carte de Sejour for
non-French nationals) plus a justicatif (proof of where you live - EDF or
France Telecom Landline Utility Bill, normally not more than 3 months old)
for almost anything.

When I moved here from the Narbonne area I had to re-register the car
because I had changed Departements. I went to the Sous-Prefecture with my
documents but could not produce the Utility Justicatif because I had not had
any yet. Instead we compromised, I had a copy of my employers contract and
lease and a copy of my employment contract that stated that I lived "on
site". After consulting with higher management, photocopies of these
documents were taken and accepted as my justicatif.

Having been here a while, I knew that I would need all sorts of things, so
had taken them with me. Had I just arrived from the UK, I would not have
had a clue and a simple task would probably have taken 3 visits, much
frustration and a carbon footprint the size of a Yeti.

I actually have one of those folders of plastic sleeves and have photocopies
of my and hers Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificate, Attestation of
Health Care entitlement, Employment Contract, Copies of 3 months payslips,
Copy of last Income Tax Notice, Copy of Vehicle Docs, Copy of Passports,
Copies of Utility Bills, Copy of Bank Details, Copy of Driving Licence, Copy
of Carte de Sejour.

You get used to it because it is the only way to get things done and it is
not just because I am not French, a French National has to produce just as
much. In many cases I think that I have been treated better by civil
servants because I am not French and they can see I am doing my best. They
can be very brusque with their own nationals who "should have known what
documents they would need".

Mike

 

<big snip>

I see what you mean.