Importing motorbike from France

fabricator1

Been offered a couple of classic motorbikes from France
What's legal stuff is needed to bring them into UK

tykesi

Ooh look, two seconds on google and this is the first result!

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/overview

WellKnownSid

It's not that difficult - I've imported a few cars from Europe including a vehicle almost 30 years old. Simplest thing will be to trailer them back to the UK rather than trying to insure / ride them on non-UK plates.

If they are classics, and have never been registered before in the UK - then they will need individual vehicle approval. If they have been registered in the UK before - then the paperwork is a LOT simpler!

A LHD bike will probably need new headlight / mirror. Check you can find a suitable headlight if it's a classic...

Over ten years old - vehicle approval requirements like 'it must have an mph readout" probably won't apply - but worth checking. My Merc only reads kph and the DVLA accepted that based on its age.

SailorSam

tykesi wrote: »

Ooh look, two seconds on google and this is the first result!

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/overview

It wasn't that easy for the Op, he hadn't been looking for an English site, he may have looked for one with French Letters.

knightstyle

Trouble is French speedos don't have mph as well as kph on them. There used to be a company that made stick on conversions.

Iceweasel

knightstyle wrote: »

Trouble is French speedos don't have mph as well as kph on them. There used to be a company that made stick on conversions.

What do you need mph for - it's easy to have the equivalent kph in your head?

If it's really old then a change of headlamp may not be possible - but the MOT tester must accept a black tape masking.

I imported a 1982 Unimog and it had no mph speedo and Hella didn't ever make RHD headlights for the model I had.

Don't be put off - there are solutions or ways round all the difficulties.

AdrianC

NOVA when it comes in.
Insure it on the VIN or French plate.
MOT it.
V55/5.

Under 10yo, it'd need a Certificate of Compliance or IVA.

WellKnownSid

Iceweasel wrote: »

What do you need mph for - it's easy to have the equivalent kph in your head?

As I say, I'm pretty sure this doesn't apply if the vehicle is over 10 years old, certainly never applied to mine - but the options if it does apply are listed at the end of this document:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/222587/dg_071777.pdf

Iceweasel

WellKnownSid wrote: »

As I say, I'm pretty sure this doesn't apply if the vehicle is over 10 years old, certainly never applied to mine - but the options if it does apply are listed at the end of this document:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/222587/dg_071777.pdf

Yes - you're right, of course - but I was assuming that a 'classic' bike would be well over 10 years old.

AdrianC

The requirement for a dual-marked speedo does apply to older vehicles - in that it's part of the Construction & Use regs (I forget the exact date it applies from - 1970s or 80s, I'd expect).

BUT... it's never checked for vehicles older than 10yo. For younger vehicles, there's a CoC needed, and any divergence of that from UK-spec (LHD headlamps, kph-only speedo) needs checking. For younger vehicles that don't have a CoC available (non-EU spec), an IVA is needed.

For vehicles over 10yo, it's just an MOT, and that doesn't care.

knightstyle

But it is or at least used to be a requirement for UK reg cars to have the speed in mph.
Will dig out my old paperwork sometime about importing Japanese cars, most over 10 years old.