Hi Gav - I'd think the best thing to do, if you are only here for two or three months, and your friend here is willing of course, is to get them to buy the bike, and tax/insure it, but with you as a named driver on the insurance policy? A UK insurance policy is valid for all EU countries, so you'll have no problem traveling in Europe (if you want to go to Morocco, you'll need to ask your insurer for an extension, it varies depending on the underwriter). To buy a bike and tax it for use in the UK, you need an insurance policy anyway - so that would have to be arranged for your friend to collect the bike. Adding you to their insurance policy should be no problem.

Having a UK licence certainly helps in this regard (as long as it is still valid, which I imagine it is, unless you're 70 years old!), and since you have no no-claims bonus for the insurance anyway, it won't matter adding you as a named driver, you'll be paying the top price for that anyway...

The only other thing you'll have to do is get a letter from the 'owner' saying they authorize you to use their bike (as the machine is still registered in their name/address) since this may be asked for abroad for example - although to be fair, there are no boarder controls to speak of between EU countries anymore...

Obviously, your friend in the UK has to trust you with 'their' bike - and their insurance policy, although since you are paying for these yourself, as long as their is an understanding/deposit between you, I'm sure that would work out?

J xx