Well, Ive spoken to both DVLA and Carnet De Passage people here in the UK and I've still got one unanswered question...

According to DVLA, if I take a bike out of the UK for more than 365days, its then classified as having been permanently exported. Carnet also defunct 365days from issue. How then do people manage to take trips that are more than a year?

Do you (after one year) have to officially import/export your bike each time you enter/leave a new country?

How do you sort motor insurance/tax for each country thereafter?

Beginning to think that Ive not got more questions than I started with but I know that others have done and are doing longer than one years trips/expeditions...

How do you go about staying legal with a UK bike?

Just SORN it at the registered address after you have left Europe, it's departure and return to the UK are not recorded anywhere so nothing to worry about as long as you don't tell the DVLA, although it will have to be insured and taxed on-line before bringing it back or picked up from the port of entry in a van.
Outside of Europe you take out insurance and occasionally a temporary importation permit (TIP) at the border when entering a new country, that and the carnet is what they are interested in, do not tell overseas customs that it is not taxed or you might open a can of worms.
Carnets have to be renewed after 12 months or you need to be somewhere they are not needed such as North or South America.

Yes, Mark described the practical situation, and it was the answer you were hoping to get,, but you need to be aware that driving an unregistered vehicle overseas has pretty much the same potential outcomes as it does back home. Why would we assume otherwise.
Firstly it voids any privileges and permissions granted by the Vienna Convention which clearly requires a vehicle be in 100% compliance with all registration requirements back home, and requires the official registration to be carried and requires official number plates to be displayed, and so renders invalid the issue of any TVIP granting entry to a country and then also potentially renders invalid any mandatory insurance required before being permitted to drive. I would also read the fine print on the back of the carnet because I'd be surprised if that didn't require legal registration back home.

Just a matter of knowing the risks and possible outcomes and deciding if you are risk adverse or risk tolerant.

The better procedure is to move to a country or state where it is possible to maintain continuous registration, but there aren't many where that is possible.

That would be one way to do it but very time-consuming and very expensive and, for most countries, impossible anyway which is the reason for the international conventions and carnets or TVIPs.

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Tony
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How does a TIP work?
Is that in place of Carnet?


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If away for over 12months how do you manage to retain insurance and MOT etc

Can't complete an MOT if I'm in Asia by the time the bike is now due for another bike MOT


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You don't it is not possible, as Tony says your bike should be legal in country of origin but this is simply not possible if away for more than 12 months, luckily most customs and police outside of Europe will not know or care, unless you tell them which could be a big mistake. Anyone who has travelled for long periods has been not legal at some point, it is easier for Brits as the number plate stays with the vehicle it's whole life where as some like the Swiss and Germans have to send it back when their registration expires and and use a home made number plate with the same number on.
Be prepared to be economical with the truth if asked by police or at borders, not that I would tell the chap in Freemantle registration office that my tax would be renewed automatically on it's anniversary.

By the time you are passed Green card countries, you get insurance at the borders you cross.
No one really cares about your MOT, just make an appointment as you get closer to home. Most places don't have MOT's for bikes.

Also get an ICMV. Very useful doc and you can add your own pages for languages not covered

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Nostradamus Ate My Hamster

Thank you guys,

That's making sense now, just couldn't quite wrap my head around it. With regard to Carnet then.

When one expires, you can just order a new one?
Online?
Over the phone?
How does that work with your cash deposit etc?

The AA used to do a version attached to an insurance policy, as in you don't leave a deposit but buy an insurance that coughs up if needed.
Not cheap if I remember.
Mine was a French CDP and the deposit would have been held and a fresh "admin" charge made.
I also told them the bike was only worth €1000

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Nostradamus Ate My Hamster