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Buying a bike in UK, and riding in UK and Europe Buying a bike in UK, and riding in UK and Europe
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Europe Topics specific to Western and Eastern Europe, from UK to the Russian border, and south-east to Turkey.
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  #1  
Old 29 Apr 2024
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Buying a bike in UK, and riding in UK and Europe
Hi All,

My son is currently in London, England and wants to buy a bike and travel throughout Europe for 4 months and sell it when he leaves. He's picked out a bike he wants, and can get it registered in the UK. However he can't seem to get 3rd party liability insurance that he needs to ride in Europe. Ideally the UK too, but he can get the bike shipped to the port where he can take it on the train or ferry. The biggest issue is being a non-resident and only 20, and not eligible for the Green card. He's from Canada. The only thing he has found is £2000/week.

If anyone has any leads that would be helpful. He's willing to travel to continental Europe, if that would be easier.

Thanks for everyone's help.
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  #2  
Old 29 Apr 2024
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You can get short-term insurance [in the UK] from BikeSure who are the motorcycle arm of Adrian Flux Insurance who specialise in imported/odd-ball vehicles and non-residents etc.

I'd suggest your son gives them a call and explains the situation. Note he will have to pay more than a UK resident would using a typical 'off the shelf' insurer, but it should not be prohibitive, as long as he is not a brand new rider - how many years has he held a motorcycle licence?

Jx
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  #3  
Old 29 Apr 2024
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Only UK
Apparently they only do the UK. Which would be okay for part of it, but most of his time was going to be in Europe.
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  #4  
Old 29 Apr 2024
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Good old Brexit eh?

Well, at least they will cover him for the UK portion - which is the main problem with a non-resident purchasing (or at least trying to insure) a vehicle in the UK... then he could just purchase a short-term policy from a EU insurer for the period he's abroad presumably? - Knopf Tours in Germany or similar (fwiw. Knopf Tours used to be pretty good value, but I fear their prices have probably gone up significantly these days too).

Jx
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  #5  
Old 29 Apr 2024
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He's too young
That was his original idea. I got in contact with an insurance company that insures for tours and such. Bascially because of his age and lack of experience, he can't do anything. His license allows him to ride any size in Canada, but in UK/EU someone his age would be limited to 125cc. BikeSure would but the price was £2000/week. Once he's 25 he will be able to. Maybe 21, but more research is required if he wants to try again next year.

Thanks for your help. It's too bad that it's so complicated.
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  #6  
Old 30 Apr 2024
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Very few UK insurers will cover a rider who's not on a UK licence. Bikesure were one, but I've heard different stories lately. Has he considered getting a UK licence? Still won't be cheap for a new rider but gets over the 'hurdle' of no UK licence.
Last edited by Tomkat; 28 May 2024 at 17:51.
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  #7  
Old 1 May 2024
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Quote:
Originally Posted by melcanada View Post
That was his original idea. I got in contact with an insurance company that insures for tours and such. Bascially because of his age and lack of experience, he can't do anything. His license allows him to ride any size in Canada, but in UK/EU someone his age would be limited to 125cc. BikeSure would but the price was £2000/week. Once he's 25 he will be able to. Maybe 21, but more research is required if he wants to try again next year.

Thanks for your help. It's too bad that it's so complicated.
As Tomkat says - if BikeSure will only cover him in the UK (and at an excessive rate), and Knopf Tours won't cover him because of his age, then it would appear that his only option is to get a UK driver's licence and then buy an A2 bike and insure in the UK (even though he is technically a non-resident, he presumably has a student visa and an address for insurance purposes) - although the question remains whether he could obtain a test date in time for the proposed trip later this summer?

Or simply put the trip off until next year when he is 21, and rent a bike (complete with EU insurance cover) perhaps? - although that is likely to be very expensive for more than a couple of weeks.

Jx
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  #8  
Old 14 May 2024
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Hi there, I used Adrian Flux Insurance last summer for the UK & the EU, purchasing four months cover, about 700 pound... but it was legal cover. Contact them explaining where you are going, answering the pre-insurance form truthfully.
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  #9  
Old 26 May 2024
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Quote:
Originally Posted by melcanada View Post
Apparently they only do the UK. Which would be okay for part of it, but most of his time was going to be in Europe.
When I talked to them last week they were working up a quote for me from uk to Romania and back
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  #10  
Old 17 Jun 2024
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I thought most UK Insurers cover 90 days per year on the continent.
Motorcycle Express (US company) do green cards
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  #11  
Old 17 Jun 2024
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Originally Posted by rogerroger View Post
I thought most UK Insurers cover 90 days per year on the continent.
Motorcycle Express (US company) do green cards
They do - but you typically have to be a resident and UK licence holder, and the OP is also talking about being in Europe for longer than 90 days.

Jx
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  #12  
Old 18 Jun 2024
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Quote:
Originally Posted by melcanada View Post
If anyone has any leads that would be helpful. He's willing to travel to continental Europe, if that would be easier.
Come to Estonia. Easy for a non-resident to register a vehicle in their own name, and last time I helped someone do that, a month of insurance on a minivan cost them around 20 euros.
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