I plan on doing a 3 month tour of Western Europe later this year and was going to buy a bike in the UK using Ebay.

Is there a better county to buy a bike in regards to price and ease of getting it registered?

Apparently you'd have huge problems getting your bike insured if you're not a resident of the UK. Have a look here :
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-austria-91184

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Hi Khabel - as Donmanolo suggests, in the UK is not easy to register a machine in your name (and subsequently get insurance) if you are not a resident - it's a quirk of the British insurance system.

My suggestion if you want to buy (rather than rent) is to contact: https://motofeirme.com in Ireland. They can actually buy a bike on your behalf - even from the UK if you have your eye on a particular model/Ebay listing, and also sort out European insurance cover for you, for when you arrive.

They can also store the bike for future return trips and/or even sell it again on your behalf if you wish.

By all accounts it is an excellent service, although not one I have personally had to use myself.

Hope that helps you, and anyone else with a similar enquiry.

Jenny x

I can use a friends residential address in the UK if that helps with the process.

From what I've read the UK seem to have the best second hand prices, better than what Ireland offers from what I can tell

Hi Khabel - the address isn't the problem, the problem is that you are not a registered resident at that address...

Even if you lie say you are, UK insurance companies will want your UK driving licence number, and the date you passed your UK motorcycle test before they can offer you insurance... and I don't need to point out that if you did manage to obtain insurance fraudulently, if you did ever need to claim (or were even just checked by the police), it would be null and void, and the penalties for that are severe - and do not bear thinking about in the event of a serious accident with a 3rd party.

The only way you can buy and 'own' a motorcycle in the UK is to get your friend to register it in their name at their address, and then for them to take out an insurance policy on the machine that has you listed as a 2nd named driver/rider, who is a forign licence holder and non-resident.

It is possible - certain* specialist UK motorcycle insurers/underwriters will do this - I have a friend from the US with which we did just this a few years ago, and now I own a lovely 2002 model Serow here in the UK - although she actually paid for it of course.

*Carole Nash - but the UK resident needs to phone them and organise the policy in person.

My point is, it probably not worth the hassle for a 3 month trip...

Martin at Motofeirme is apparently a very helpful guy (and is an American ex-pat), so do get in contact with him and discuss your options first - as I say, he can even buy a bike in the UK for you, and bring it to Ireland.

The reason for doing it this way is that you as a non-resident in the UK will be able to arrange insurance though an Irish (EU) broker that covers all of Europe including the UK - that's why he does what he does, where he does.

Hope that helps...

Jenny x

you want a cheap reliable bike: honda 650 ntv quiet cheap in germany and lots of people to help with insurance
all the best geri