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Permanently Importing non EU bike to UK? Permanently Importing non EU bike to UK?
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Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

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Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  #1  
Old 13 Dec 2014
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Permanently Importing non EU bike to UK?
I have just bought a Kawasaki KLR650 in Cape Town to ride to Cairo in 2016.

Ideally I would like to be able to import it to the UK at the end of the trip. I know I will need to pay VAT and import duty but as it does no have EU type approval I understand I would need to get Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval.

Does anyone know how it works? The KLR was discontinued in Europe since with its carb it couldn't pass the latest emission regulations. However I have seen a new KLR up for sale recently which had been imported since from the U.S.

Looking at the test manual the relevant standard is:

Emission levels: CO% at idle = 4.5%

I have no idea how this compares to the EU approval test for official imports, or to the KLR emissions.

Any insights would be really helpful.

Cheers
Andy
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Old 13 Dec 2014
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Fill your boots.
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Dave
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Old 13 Dec 2014
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If you have owned it for six months before and keep it for 12 months after I think you can also bring it in as a personal import and not pay some of the taxes. Don't forget to claim your South African VAT back at the border if possible.
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Old 14 Dec 2014
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Will look into that - I'd not thought about the RSA vat.


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Old 16 Dec 2014
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Andy:

If the motorcycle is not already Right Hand Drive specification, you should investigate what modifications may be required to the lighting on the motorcycle, because those modifications could be very expensive and troublesome.

The headlight beam pattern is different between RHD and LHD countries, and some of the requirements for reflectors on the sides and at the rear of the bike may be different in the UK.

If I were you, I would do a lot of due diligence investigating what will be necessary to secure a technical approval of the bike before you lay out the money to import it.

Michael
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Old 16 Dec 2014
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Thanks Michael. UK and RSA are both LHD so that aspect is fine I think.

I've got the approval manual to do some checking, it's the emissions I'm most concerned about.


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Old 23 Dec 2014
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Um, UK is rhd
Although I do wonder sometimes.....
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Old 23 Dec 2014
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See what you mean - yes I meant we ride on the left - I try and take as central a position as possible in my bike cockpit :-)
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