Yes , I know that. But it is the best and easiest approach. No one is going to check that it was out of the country when SORNd. And out side Europe no one will care about that or the MOT.

I never said it would be legal. It is just the best and easiest way.

Then do not return through Europe, come into the UK by sea or air. Book an MOT and tax it .( Assuming the bike makes it back ).

Sometimes you just have to skim around rules. And technically break a few.Sent from my Moto G (5S) using Tapatalk

Two factors therein:


Hundreds of thousands of Brits have gone to live in Spain over the years and some tend to take a UK registered vehicle over there.


Increasingly, the UK is going paperless and putting a lot of information online, for anyone to view who happens to know a registration number.
https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla

Increasingly, the UK is going paperless and putting a lot of information online, for anyone to view who happens to know a registration number.
https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla[/QUOTE]

Yep .. I got stopped at the Romanian border going into Bulgaria. He asked for my paperwork and when I gave him current MOT cert. he said it was fake because everything is online now. He wouldn't have it that it was gen until he checked the details on DVLA website. Needless to say he wasn't happy 'cos he couldn't scam me.

Yep .. I got stopped at the Romanian border going into Bulgaria. He asked for my paperwork and when I gave him current MOT cert. he said it was fake because everything is online now. He wouldn't have it that it was gen until he checked the details on DVLA website. Needless to say he wasn't happy 'cos he couldn't scam me.[/QUOTE]


From next year there won't be a paper copy issued; all records are aiming to be kept online only - this according to my local MOT tester who just tested my bike.
The tester mentioned that some of the test stations aren't too happy with that arrangement - people who have a vehicle tested expect to see something in exchange for their money.



The current new version of the MOT certificate, which changed format just a few weeks ago, looks like a letter addressed to whoever is showing on the DVLA record for that bike (the V5c named person). It still contains the same amount of data though.


So, the border checking officer can't ask to see a test certificate from next year. :thumbup1:

But he can check the online database the same as you or I can.

I can understand the temptation for people to ignore the UK rules if they're out of the UK for extended periods, but as the man says above that's fine unless you get into trouble, have an accident etc, because insurance cover is generally contingent on the bike being legal in its country of origin, and that generally goes for legal roadworthiness as well. The laws don't really cover extended use abroad, even if you notify a 'permanent export'. The best compromise is to go on a new bike that doesn't need an MoT for 3 years anyway, that way road tax and insurance can be done online. For older bikes you either limit your trip to a year or break the law at your own risk.

Precisely my point; the public version of the database (and there are various versions available to, say, the trade) is available to the whole wide world, as showing in the link posted earlier.
The insurance companies are very interested in this topic - years from now, your medical records and DNA profile will be there also?

Keeping the bike UK legal is all well and good if you are only travelling throughout Europe. If that is the case then nipping back to the UK for an MOT and to renew your insurance (not aware of any company that allows you to renew outside of the country) is just a minor inconvenience.
Travelling further afield, if you do manage to get a UK company that will insure you for any where outside of Europe, good on you.
Any other countries are not interested if your bike is valid in the UK, as long as you have a Carnet where required and you have bought their local insurance job's a good 'un.
Whether the insurances purchased at borders are worth the paper they are printed on is another matter - 3 and a half years and I never had any cause to test the system - maybe I was just lucky!

Another option has recently arrived for users of UK registered vehicles which is the MOT exemption for vehicles over 40 years old. There might not be much interest in travelling on such old vehicles but my almost exempt 35 year old BMW R80G/S is still good for extended trips and I am sure a well fettled Land Rover or Land Cruiser will be perfectly capable of long term travel.

I'm interested in what will happen after we exit the EU regarding this topic.

How will the EU look at UK registered vehicles away from the UK for periods of more than 12 months without a valid MOT?

Undoubtedly they will regard the owner as a wise person for escaping.

Seriously, I would expect them to access the systems as they do now - the information is mostly in the public domain. The requirement for Green Card insurance is starting to be made known now that the muppets have just about finally declared that there will be no deal (big surprise as the mates of the PM have made lots of bets on there being no deal) so that will be required. The MOT bit is likely to remain as it is - i.e. you need to book a test before you get on the ferry / train home.

Jay is right
 

Correct, couldn't have been better timed. I just got such a letter this morning from Aviva for my car insurance , Green Card is free at the moment for my car, but looking at my insurers for the bike they want an 'admin fee'. Paying more money to Suzuki insurance for doing their job, ok, I'll remember that at renewal time...

You and me both. Both my car and bike(s) insurances come up in Jan /Feb. Both go abroad frequently so Green Card is an essential. Be interesting to see if there's a difference in the way they deal with it.

Does anyone know if I can get a UK policy with my Canadian license?

All insurance brokers are telling me to check online but the websites are then asking me when I started being a UK resident which I am not...

Thanks in advance.

It’s your residency that’s the issue, not your licence.

Try Adrian Flux/BikeSure


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A friend of mine with a US licence got insured through Bikesure. It was pretty expensive though. He did have a UK address he could supply, as somebody had kindly said he could register a bike he'd bought at his address.