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Europe Topics specific to Western and Eastern Europe, from UK to the Russian border, and south-east to Turkey.
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



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Old 14 Oct 2022
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Insurance isn't contingent on a current MoT (if the bike is subject to testing). Technically, they *may* refuse a claim if your bike isn't MoT'd and the accident was to do with unroadworthiness, but in reality this is unlikely.

If you're planning to ride in Europe on UK insurance you won't get a "green card" but instead an appendix on your policy that says you are covered to ride in (stated) other countries, 3rd party only. While I can't think of any reason it wouldn't apply if your bike is SORNed, it might be safer to leave the UK with a year's insurance, MoT and tax and leave them running. EU country laws on re-registering vehicles vary but I don't think any of them allow you to be there for more than a year on foreign plates anyway. So you'd be pushing a number of boundaries.
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Old 17 Oct 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomkat View Post
Insurance isn't contingent on a current MoT (if the bike is subject to testing). Technically, they *may* refuse a claim if your bike isn't MoT'd and the accident was to do with unroadworthiness, but in reality this is unlikely.

If you're planning to ride in Europe on UK insurance you won't get a "green card" but instead an appendix on your policy that says you are covered to ride in (stated) other countries, 3rd party only. While I can't think of any reason it wouldn't apply if your bike is SORNed, it might be safer to leave the UK with a year's insurance, MoT and tax and leave them running. EU country laws on re-registering vehicles vary but I don't think any of them allow you to be there for more than a year on foreign plates anyway. So you'd be pushing a number of boundaries.
Thanks:

Yes, it was the plan to get an MOT initially, and then hop over to Europe.

Plan is also for the bikes to not stay in any one country for more than a year. Though I am not sure how they can even check that if there are no border check points?

As you said, green card won't be necessary if i have UK insurance already. Of course that is contingent on whether the UK insurance is affected by lack of MOT. I was under impression that the lack of MOT would not affect whether I qualify for green card.
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Old 18 Oct 2022
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Originally Posted by cmattina View Post
Plan is also for the bikes to not stay in any one country for more than a year. Though I am not sure how they can even check that if there are no border check points?

As you said, green card won't be necessary if i have UK insurance already. Of course that is contingent on whether the UK insurance is affected by lack of MOT. I was under impression that the lack of MOT would not affect whether I qualify for green card.
Checks may be dependent on whether you meet a jobsworth copper somewhere Your passport will be stamped with Schengen zone entry date.

However if you are planning on leaving the bike in different EU countries between tours I'd be inclined to SORN it when the insurance runs out (bear in mind most UK policies will only cover you for 90 days abroad) and maybe get road insurance from a touring specialist in Europe.
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