I am planning to ship a USA BMW K1200LT to Europe through Genoa, Italy. I understand that I can use it for 6 months as a visitor without registering the cycle.
Is it realistic that I should be able to sell it somewhere in Europe before the 6 months are over so that I do not have to ship it back to the USA?

Thee-Duke

Once your bike is in Europe it should be possible to keep it here and use it for much longer, even store it somewhere and come back to it another time, just don't use it in the same place for too long.
Ideally you would sell it to another American but it would be easier to sell it here if registered in a European country, the UK is pretty easy going when it comes to this, it is also the only place that you can keep the MPH speedo although you might have to fit a left dipping headlight. If you import it in the UK and keep it for more than 12 months after there is no duty payable but sell it before and there might be some tax to pay.

Even though I know it sounds funny, when we´re talking about a bike that was made in Europe, the buyer of a US-registered bike might run into trouble registering it in Europe. That´ll depend on many things, like year model, etc.

I don´t really know about BMW´s, and I´ve never even imported a bike from US to here... but I was riding in USA with a Suzuki bike (2009-model), that looked exactly like the ones we have in Europe. But it was a US-spec model, and it had even a TOTALLY different frame number compared to ours.

Now the Euro-3 emission standards were enforced in the EU at the beginning of 2007, and even imported models (of 07 or newer) must comply to this. To my understanding, this US-spec model does not comply with Euro-3. It complies with the US emission norms, and that´s it. It was never meant to be sold in Europe.

And I´m not claiming its emissions were in fact any higher, they could actually be the same, or lower, or whatever - but the problem (for registration) is, how to prove it, because they don´t care, what´s coming out of the exhausts, they want it written in the official way in the official paper. This can become very troublesome and costly, unless you can get that paper of compliance from somewhere. Even if you can, it´ll cost you a few hundred bucks, and if you can´t, then it´ll cost so much importing is just not worth it any more.

This surely isn´t a problem on every bike imported from the US, and it´s actually done all the time. But I know I wouldn´t have wanted to try importing that US-regoed Suzuki here, even though its selling price was way lower. Don´t know if that´s really a concern for the seller (?), but as a buyer, I´d definitely check that thing out very carefully.

If you will have the opportunity to come to Europe every now and then, I recommend keeping the bike and storing it in Milan. There is a place there (mototouring) that stores bikes and that will drop off the bike at the airport for you. I keep my US bike there, it is very convenient.

There's some truth in all of the above.

USA-registered bikes (BMW and all brands) are manufactured to different emissions & 'safety' specs than bikes originally manufactured for sale in EU countries. Technically, each EU country has a separate procedure to change over/ "conform" a USA-spec bike to Euro spec. Each country's procedure can be bureaucratically complicated and somewhat expensive, e.g. in Germany, approx. 500 Euros.

If you sell a USA-bike to a European, who intends to re-register that bike permanently in their home country, the Euro buyer will have to pay the fees and time to make the emissions & safety changes required in that country, to turn your USA bike into a Euro-spec bike. Not many potential Euro buyers would be interested in going thru that hassle and cost, compared to buying a used 'domestic' BMW--or, you would have to offer a substantial 'discount' on your selling price to entice a Euro buyer to consider a USA-spec bike.

Alternatives, as mentioned by earlier posters:

1. Keep the USA BMW in Europe to use yourself for future rides. Yes, there is a technical "6 month" limit, but in reality, many USA riders keep 2nd bikes in Europe "indefinately" because there is no enforcement of the rule, as long as you keep your USA registration updated, and continue to buy required Euro "Green Card" vehicle insurance whenever you ride in Europe. You can store a bike at Mototouring - motorcycle / bike rental, motorcycle tours and riding tours throughout the world, www.knopftours.com (in Germany), at several BMW dealers throughout Europe, or anywhere you can find a secure garage.

2. You could find another USA buyer who wants to buy/ use your USA BMW in Europe, requiring only that you do a State title/ registration change just like any "out-of-state" sale in the USA. Knopf Tours, above, even has a webpage to facilitate this option, or just use your own word-of-mouth to find such buyers.

I meant to add that I bought a US bike in Europe from an American. Depending on your state (mainly if they demand a physical inspection of the moto), it can be a little tricky.

My bike is currently with Mototouring, and was previously with Knopf, and Hanna and David near Malaga in Spain (motoadventours). No problems with any of them, excellent way to travel around!

Thanks to all of you for your helpful responses. I am not looking to register the cycle in Europe. Only use it there. If I can use it beyond the 6 months period; that would be my preference.

What are the charges to store a cycle in some of the locations you mentioned? I may have a location at a customer's location in Italy.

Do I need some proof when I brought the cycle to Europe to show if I have exceeded the 6 months? Or is that 6 months per country? I would like to tour all of the Western European countries over two separate extended visits to Europe.

What would happen if I were stopped by police? What do I need?

Storage
Storage
= US$300 per year; but you need to contact/ verify
BMW dealers in Munich & Zurich have been charging
~25 Euros per month; but you need to update/ verify
Find out more about bike storage options
= 12 months - € 350

Proof of 6 mos?
no--no Euro cop or authority knows or is counting

Police stop
"normal" vehicle check?=at most:
passport, current USA/ State license w/ motorcycle endorsement,
current USA/ State motorcycle registration; current European
"Green Card" vehicle insurance document;
if you're speeding?=cash or (maybe) cc or access to ATM;
if you're DUI or rob a bank?=lawyer & all bets are off....

I've had my GS in Europe since 2008, in various places--Heidelberg, Southern Spain, now Milan. I've never been stopped by the police, so can't really say what they would ask for.

I think Knopf in Heideleberg charges 30 EUR/month, in southern Spain and in Milan it is 50 EUR/month. I tend to fly to Milan for long weekends, so for me it is worth it to be able to pick the bike up at the airport and save time.

Once again; thanks for the info.

If anyone else has info. to add, please feel free.

Thee-Duke

Duke:

There are a couple of things you will need to consider if you plan to sell a USA-specification (and USA-registered) motorcycle in Europe.

First is the whole issue of 'homogulation', which is the fancy word for conforming to the construction and emission specifications of the European country in which the purchaser wishes to register your motorcycle. Some of the issues that will arise include the following:

- Emissions specification
- Low Beam headlight pattern
- Relationship of turn signal / running lights to daytime / night-time operation
- Approval of tires fitted to the motorcycle.

Different countries within Europe have varying levels of attention to these details. Germany is one of the strictest countries.

The second consideration is the whole issue of "legally importing" the object from a point of view of taxes and duties. Although you could get around having to worry about all the homogulation issues by just selling the bike "as is, where is" to the buyer, if you sell the thing, you (not the buyer) will be considered to be the person who has imported the bike to the country in which you sell it. When your motorcycle was originally brought into Europe, it was not brought in on the understanding that you would be selling it, it was brought in on the understanding that it was a temporary import - in other words, you were only a tourist, and it was expected that you would eventually re-export the bike.

If you sell it on an "as-is, where-is" basis, you can escape the homogulation headaches, but you won't be able to escape any legal consequences associated with having (essentially) smuggled the motorcycle into the country of sale. It is very possible that the customs authorities of that country could come after you later on, claiming both import taxes and duties and penalties. Even if you were long-gone from Europe, this might cause you problems in the future if you ever return to Europe for any reason.

So... Short answer is that selling a North American bike in Europe is possible, but you would probably want to sell it to a very knowledgeable buyer (ideally a dealer) who would be able to deal with the homogulation issues, and for your own protection, you should investigate what taxes and duties (most especially VAT) need to be paid by you in order to import the motorcycle the moment prior to the sale.

Michael

Hello,

Digging up this old thread with hopes someone will bring some light on my plan...

I am planning to leave the US in a few weeks and move to live/work in Amsterdam (I am a dual US and French passports holder). My plan is to bring my 2002 R1150GSA (56K miles) with me, in the container. Would someone have experience with registering a BMW in the EU? What to expect from EU EPA and DOT modifications? What about VAT? Insurance? I will have no residence in the US once I move (possible to use a friend's address). Where to go to get reliable information on such? I am looking for advice and anticipate the hurdles in bringing the big girl...

Thanks, Olivier

"I am looking for advice "
Advice:
Sell your bike.
And buy a new one in Amserdam.

I brought two US-plated BMWs to Berlin when I moved there from Moscow in 2016. I had a US-plated, US-spec BMW GS1200 and a US-plated, Euro-spec xChallenge. The main reason I bothered was because I could ride both bikes from Moscow to Berlin and didn't have to ship them, etc.

Being new to Germany and to the city, I took both bikes to the BMW dealer in Berlin. They they told me it would be impossible to get German plates for the GS. Not difficult, but impossible. For the xChallenge (which was made in Europe!) they charged some ungodly amount to get it registered in Germany (it needed new tires which were "approved" in Germany, customs duties, and all manner of other changes...

Soon I met another biker in Berlin and he told me that a friend of a friend could register my GS. Sure enough, for about $150 euro he got me German plates, with no mods to the bike. Not sure if what he did was totally legit, but it worked...

Anyway, the bottom line is that I would not bring your US bike to Europe, it is almost guaranteed to be a huge pain, and there is a significant chance that you won't be able to register the bike at all.

[EDIT] I don't know how it is in the Netherlands, but in Germany it is very strictly enforced that if you live in Germany, your vehicle has to be registered there as well. I lived in Moscow for eight years and had US plates on the bikes the whole time, no issues, although I did have to leave Russia once a year on each bike to renew my temporary registration.

The most important document when handling vehicles in Europe is

EU Certificate of Conformity (COC)

That is issued by the manufacurer.
That certifies that the motorcycle in this case conforms to the European Norms.
In your case, you need to get it from BMW.

With such a document, there is a possibiility that you could register the bike.
Without, no way.

So you could start to ask BMW for such a document for your bike, and see what they say.

If you can get a CEC document:
Than you could start to ask for procedures. That is different for different countries.

If it is poosible to import:
Than it is time to calculate costs. Again, That are different for different countries.

=
I attached a COC For my GTR 1400. As an example.
(But that was for move it within Europe)

Attached Thumbnails

 

Attached Files

12 Kawasaki COC.pdf (2.11 MB, 146 views)