This is all so very confusing to me. Would somebody please clarify!

1) I am an american with no residency outside of the US. I already have an international motorcycle license. I find a bike at MotoScout24: Motorradmarkt - Motorrad, Roller, Motorräder, Mofa, Moped und Quad-Bikes that I want to buy. I fly over with the Euros in cash and give it to the seller. The bike is used! (is there a restriction to hold old etc?) They give me what? (well call it "Title" for now)

2) I take "Title" WHERE EXACTLY to file for export plates for one year? This then is all I need for registration? What else do I need to give them?

3) I contact Stefan and purchase Green card insurance for 6 months. I want comprehensive as well so I call who? (well call it "Comp Insurance")

At that point am I done?

You all seem to be so very knowledgable but Im just getting bogged down by the 100 forums Im looking at and trying to plan this out.

THANKS!

A few months ago I switched my ins to this broker:-

eBike Insurance - Bike and Classic Bike Insurance from eBike Insurance

Until you take out a policy there are no phone numbers etc etc.
Everything is done online; only when you take out a policy do you get contact details for claims etc.

I have dealt with them, by email, once or twice about my policy, changed the policy details online and have not had any problems. They are very competitive on costs as well.
In summary, anyone can get a quote from anywhere in the world, anytime.

ps I used to be insured via Bennetts but like most other brokers they got too greedy with charges for mid-term changes of policy etc etc.

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Dave

Judging by the comments that go back many years, things have either changed significantly over time or like many customer service interactions, vary greatly 'depending on who picks up the phone'. So my question is... I'm planning a 4 month trip around Europe this summer. My twin already has a bike In England that I can use, it's insured "FOR HIM", taxed and MOT'd. I've had a bike license in the US for 8 years, but do not have a UK bike license. His current company will not insure foreign license holders (even though I'm a UK Citizen (not a resident)). Am I better off transferring the ownership of the bike into my name (to make border crossing / Police interaction easier) and trying to get insurance (bearing in mind I'm not a UK resident, nor do I have a UK Motorcycle license)? Or should I just get 'added' to my twins policy? Question is, which is cheaper and am I really going to get that much hassle if the bike is in my twin brother's name.

Sadly we're not identical or I'd consider just taking his license and f'it.

Cheers All

Chris

It depends which borders you are crossing. They will not ask for bike papers going from the UK in to Europe, and once in Europe you won't cross any 'borders' as you mean it unless you go outside the Schengen countries. Which is a hell of an area, so maybe you don't have a problem ? I went through lots of Eastern Europe before some of them were in Schengen, and before some of them were even in the EU - the only place they even asked for them was leaving Hungary heading for Romania (not in the EU at the time). Even there I don't think they were bothered about names - just checking you had the papers - which you will have. Relax....

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Honda CBR 1100 XX, Yamaha XTZ 660, Harris Special

Hi,

A friend of mine - Canadian came over, we bought a BMW and we registered it on his name in Germany. It is not so easy - but possible! 1st you need somebody to help you if you don`t speak German....Most of the time the registration office doesn`t know how to do it! That is the main problem....

When would you like to come??? I live 45 min. from Frankfurt Airport, can pick you up and help you to find a bike, and help to register it(Hotel room everything) You should calculate 1 week!
(finding bike, paperwork etc....)

Really no problem for me, but you have to advice me when(I am working outside Germany).

You could do it in May for example and visit the very 1st HU Germany Meeting(I am the Organizer).

Let me know what you think - Jens

Hi there,

A more lengthy update will come. Sorry for being so long in this one... but I did want to point out to anyone buying a bike in EU for export - at least in Germany (and in Italy) you have a choice of a 12 day, 30 day, or 1 year export licence plate. I wasn't aware there was a 1 year plate, and only purchased a 30 day licence with taking a chance in non-German countries. As it turned out, I was stopped for random road checks in almost every country I've been in, and none of the policemen cared because the bike wasn't registered in their country. Then I went through Switzerland to get to Italy... viedotaped, stopped, interrogate for 3 hours, forced to give up my bike or get out of Italy, had to go back to Germany to get the 1 year plate (wish the German Registration told me I had that option in the first place) then now back in Italia enjoying the splendours of wine, women, and pasta.

Also, to note... I was involved in an accident with considerable damage to both my bike and the car... Sunrise Financial (one of two insurance companies I mentioned in an earlier post) were fantastic at taking care of everything. Very helpful and considerate. Also worthwhile buying the complete comprehensive and theft coverage for peace of mind, based on the number of warnings I get from Italians about my bike disappearing one night. I even locked it right in front of a police station in Paris, only to have the front duty desk officer tell me he honestly didn't think it would be safe, there?!?!

Lastly, another big thanks to Stefan Knopf (sponsor of this forum) who went above and beyond to help me when I got back to Germany. He had a million things to do as he was getting ready to go a his big trip that same week, as well as run his business and take care of his family, but he pre-arranged things, personally took me and trailered my bike to the Registrar and then the Licence Office, and hosted me in his B&B until I was ready to leave.

I will be looking into the costs and paperwork involved with selling it in EU, and will post info about it when I know.

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\"...live Life to its fullest, appreciating every moment big or small, but always with Honesty and Sincerity.\"

Good grief! It just goes to show that in Europe it's best to cross the i's and dot the t's when it comes to paperwork.

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

Jim,
Could you please tell what was the cost of one year export plate?

Hi there,

The cost for registering for a year was very reasonable. I bought ADAC green card insurance through Knopf Tours, for the remainder of the year that I had to get, but base it on 12 months x whatever it is per month ($30? with Knopf, which by the way I concur with others who have said for the service and peace of mind, it is worth having him take care of it than try to speak German and make sure all the t's are crossed yourself). Once you have that green card insurance, the inspection and plate came out to something like $200. I'm sorry but my papers are not with me at the moment, but I remember it wasn't much at all.

If you buy the bike through a dealer, you could ask them to help arrange the licensing and plate, which they should do for you as part of the sale. Ask nicely and maybe they can help with the ADAC green card, if you don't happen to be buying the bike in Heidelberg, where Knopf is based at.

Sorry to sound like I'm giving him a plug, but it is more about sharing the knowledge of a good thing to fellow riders who want to do what I did. Knopf is a true biker himself, who happen to make a it into a viable business. But he is a biker, first, and the help he can give you with his experience of riding in Europe, where to go, maps, repairs, etc... he would be your best bet for getting advice on buying the bike in Germany. Oh yes, plus with the Excellent ADAC insurance, they will transport you and your bike back to your place of ADAC registration, which Knopf gives you to use as his address. So you're heaven forbid you are in a bad accident, you and the bike will be taken back to Heidelberg, which can be a godsend if you are in need of good healthcare or a garage and Stefan to help interpret.

If I didn't mention it before, the German way of handling money is archaeic. I had a bank draft, backed up by a fully covered Amex Platinum and they wouldn't accept it. I had to direct deposit the money into their bank account, and still they waited 5 days until it actually physically transferred into their account before they would give me the bike. So I suggest a certified cheque or equivalent made out to the dealer for an amount very close to what you want to pay, then maybe just pay the difference in cash when you finalize the deal. Saves you sitting around for a week waiting.

Good luck with your trip!

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\"...live Life to its fullest, appreciating every moment big or small, but always with Honesty and Sincerity.\"

Actually, the German banking system is light years ahead of everything else I have seen. We have used direct transfers for decades, when in other countries this was unheard of. But, like in most places, it only works within the same country. Cheques have now gone out of use altogether and everyday payments are made with EC cards, accepted in most places. Normal credit cards are not often accepted, which is a big drawback for visitors, like I am now. The reason are the banks, which charge big fees. Don't know why.

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

friends,
buying, insuring and licensing a bike in germany is very easy, but for insuring and licensing you have to be a german resident.
if you are not, there are basicaly 2 ways:
#1 find somebody in germany, who will insure and license the bike for you.
in contrast to other countries anybody (foreigners included) with a valid riding license is allowed to ride bike insured and licensed in germany without beeingmentioned in the papers.

#2 buy a temporary insurance at a german motoring organization and show your bike at a road traffic licensing department for registering.

if you need help in buying, insuring or registering let me know.

regards..
-=airhead=-

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regards...
-=airhead=-
http://www.euroheads.org

You are quite right, airhead, but I need to repeat a warning here:

if the bike is not registered in your name you can't easily take it out of the EU. You need written authorisation from the owner, the details vary from countr to country. Dto. for carnet.

if you use export plates the bike must leave Germany within a short period and is not supposed to come back. Rego is deleted from the German database, meaning paperwork if you want to re-import it. Also, some countries do not recognise/accept export plates. This includes ITALY!

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

freunde der landstrassen und schotterpisten,

maybe there is some confusion about the term "export plate", because people mostly use it for exporting bikes. its is popular, because it allowes a short time insurance and registration. the difference between a regularly plate and an "export plate" is that the expiration date is stamped on it. in both cases the bike is registered and insured on your name, you have the insurance green card (gruene versicherungskarte) and the motor vehicle registration card (kfz-brief), which proves, that you are the legal owner. additionally you should have the contract of purchase with the previous owner.
if the registration time has expired, you are free to insure and register again. you can even get an ordinary insurance and registration.

regards...
-=airhead=-

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regards...
-=airhead=-
http://www.euroheads.org

Hello,

I am yet another Canadian who is travelling over to Europe with hopes of purchasing and riding a motorcycle through Europe.
The airplane I'll be on arrives in the U.K. at the end of September, but it appears that registering and insuring a bike in Germnay is much less complicated than doing so in England (even though I have almost no knowledge of German).

I do not yet have European residency, but my plan is to travel to Greece, by motorcycle, where I can acquire a European passport because of my heritage. Is it possible to re-register and insure the bike in Greece (or somewhere else in Europe) once the temporary export plates expire? This seems to be the purpose of the temporary export plates. If the bike I wish to acquire works out for me, I have plans of shipping it back to Canada at a later date -- I have plans of a Canada-South America trip in the near future!

(By the way, the bike I'm looking for is a 1980's BMW R80 g/s Paris-Dakar. There is one near London that is looking good, and there are a couple for sale in Germany, however, my skills (or lack thereof) in German language make it hard for me to interpret the advertisements.)

Any advice is greatly appreciated, either directly to my e-mail, or through these posts.

Thank you.

If you want tips about buying in the UK, post back and I'll detail some options.
Basing out of London is NOT a good idea. London is just too big.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!