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Buying a bike in EU (UK resident) Buying a bike in EU (UK resident)
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Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 29 Jun 2015
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Buying a bike in EU (UK resident)
Hi guys,

I've just come back from travelling Europe by busking and I missed my bike the entire time, so I'm going to do it again but with wheels this time.
I'm looking for any bike (within A2 license limits) which I'll buy, insure, then probably sell on before I get back, but I've no idea about all this EU insurance stuff. All the UK providers seem to allow only 6 months per year with the remaining having to be spent in the UK (which I won't be).

How difficult is it to buy and insure a bike abroad so that I don't have to return every 90 days or for 6 months etc? Is the insurance dearer in Europe?
My plan is to do some volunteer work around the EU which I did last year and use the bike to travel between them, to get to cities to busk or for leisure, and it's all very new to me and very stressful!

Thanks
James

PS. Shameless self-promotion, butI'm breaking into the music events, weddings, parties area of work - have a gander: OJ on the run
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  #2  
Old 29 Jun 2015
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JamboFett22 View Post
All the UK providers seem to allow only 6 months per year with the remaining having to be spent in the UK (which I won't be).
Not so; if you twist the arms of the brokers they can provide 365 days per annum cover for riding on the continent - the last time I did this it cost an extra £19 IIRC.
If a broker says "no", then get a decent one - they are out there in abundance.

What they may well do is restrict the cover to the legal requirements of each of the EU countries which more or less equates to the UK TPFT, or thereabouts.
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  #3  
Old 29 Jun 2015
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Oh I've just been trawling through about 5 year's worth of your posts on similar subjects, Walkabout...
Okay, I'll try a couple more. Carole Nash and eBike (maybe not so recently with eBike) seem to be offering 365 days cover. Did seem a bit pointless having to keep it here for 6 months! I'll be going TPFT anyway so that doesn't bother me. Thank you!
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  #4  
Old 30 Jun 2015
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There are no restrictions on how long you can ride your UK-insured bike in the EU ... as long as you don't need or want comprehensive cover. Under the European Insurance Directive, UK (along with other EU) insurers are obliged to honour minimum third party cover throughout the EU for the duration of the policy, i.e. up to 12 months. They won't issue you a green card, but for EU countries you don't need one. And don't be conned into paying anything extra!

Be safe, take usual security precautions, and have fun.
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Old 30 Jun 2015
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Originally Posted by mrsroynie View Post
insurers are obliged to honour minimum third party cover throughout the EU for the duration of the policy, i.e. up to 12 months.
Just to clarify my earlier postings on this topic, I agree; the issue comes with UK insurance companies that they don't like to issue 3rd party only cover - a few years ago, when I last enquired about this, some insurance companies would not quote for such cover.
Much more common in the UK is 3rd party, fire and theft cover (TPFT) + fully comprehensive (I avoid the latter). Therefore, they, the companies, are able to ask for more cash as an additional premium to provide that cover while riding outside the UK (that may be why they don't like to quote for minimal cover - what is sometimes known as road traffic act (RTA) cover in Brit speak).
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  #6  
Old 30 Jun 2015
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Originally Posted by JamboFett22 View Post
Oh I've just been trawling through about 5 year's worth of your posts on similar subjects, Walkabout...
Okay, I'll try a couple more. Carole Nash and eBike (maybe not so recently with eBike) seem to be offering 365 days cover. Did seem a bit pointless having to keep it here for 6 months! I'll be going TPFT anyway so that doesn't bother me. Thank you!
And I have just spent a morning switching my insurance cover from ebike to CN.
Don't accept the first premium offered by the latter; they will negotiate there and then over the telephone.
CN use quite high-pressure sales techniques, but I've heard all that before.

I was with ebike for over 10 years it transpired but they have now lost their online capability and, therefore, are no different to dozens of other telephone-based insurance brokers in the UK.
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  #7  
Old 30 Jun 2015
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As far as I know, a citizen of one EU country can't legally buy, register and insure a vehicle in another country. Best they can get is 5-day temporary expert plates to get it out of the country of purchase.

I do know a couple of people who do have vehicles registered in other countries, but there are loopholes they are using like one of the couple has nationality in the other country and they keep the vehicle in the other country as well.
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  #8  
Old 30 Jun 2015
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
Just to clarify my earlier postings on this topic, I agree; the issue comes with UK insurance companies that they don't like to issue 3rd party only cover - a few years ago, when I last enquired about this, some insurance companies would not quote for such cover.
Much more common in the UK is 3rd party, fire and theft cover (TPFT) + fully comprehensive (I avoid the latter). Therefore, they, the companies, are able to ask for more cash as an additional premium to provide that cover while riding outside the UK (that may be why they don't like to quote for minimal cover - what is sometimes known as road traffic act (RTA) cover in Brit speak).
Yes, it's a nuisance. I think we came across the same thing. I only wanted third party cover for my 1150GS, but ended up taking TPFT - just in order to be able to ride legally in the EU!

The insurance companies will never tell you that they can't restrict your legal 'RTA' cover (and, if fact, often the bod on the end of the phone doesn't know). It isn't good for business, but almost all insurers will hide it somewhere in the policy small print.

In the case of the OP, it does get you round the problem of trying to cheat the system and register a bike in another EU country.
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  #9  
Old 1 Jul 2015
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Oh fair, that's alright then! I found eBike quoted me £210 for TPO and £410 for TPFT, so I was going to go Third Party Only with them cause they brag about being 365 days EU cover.
So if I understand correctly, even though the cheapest quote I can get for TPFT say they can't cover for longer than 6 months in the EU, I would still be riding legally if I exceeded that?
Apologies for being over-cautious but this is only the second time I've insured a bike and the first time it'll be going abroad!

I have now bought an f650, one owner from new, so I've ruled out buying a registering abroad
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