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Technical inspections/MOT? Technical inspections/MOT?
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Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
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  #1  
Old 14 Feb 2017
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Technical inspections/MOT?
Hi,

This is a stupid question, but I've never heard it addressed by overlanders.

Say you're on an RTW trip on an older bike. First World registration. Subject to some kind of periodic technical inspection requirement. MoT in the UK, emissions in the US, etc.

In my country, it's valid for three years on a bike that's less than 10 years old, and for a year after that. But an RTW trip can last for a lot longer than a year before you get back to the country where your bike is plated. Your inspection is going to run out.

Does this simply not come up? Do police/border guards in other countries just not care? I know that I've been stopped trying to cross the Estonian-Russian border in a car with an expired inspection (the driver was not aware of it). But maybe it's just the border guards in your own country...

Just something I've been wondering.

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  #2  
Old 14 Feb 2017
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How will they know?

A UK MOT only shows up on a search of the UK database. I'm sure if they wanted to cause trouble they could send a request and on reply give you a ticket if it is out of date, but they can find easier reasons to do that. Mostly they don't know and don't care.

On return to the UK you will show up on the number plate cameras, so to avoid the letter from Big Brother you book an MOT for the day you land in your home town and make sure you either go and get a pass or cancel and don't ride the next day.

It is a legal black hole as you are supposed to be legal in your home country. In the case of the UK you can't be as there are no MOT stations. You can get an inspection to say you meet the standard, but it isn't a valid MOT. Likewise a foreign vehicle in the UK can have the inspection but can't go on the database as the registration won't be there.

Now, if they put different coloured dots on your numberplate every year.....

Andy
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  #3  
Old 14 Feb 2017
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A lot of people on longer trips will have vehicles that are technically illegal in their home countries due to expired MOT, TUV or registration but there is no way of keeping them legal, luckily most customs and police don't know or care what this involves.
I have met Germans who have scrapped their vehicles rather than return them home because the registration has expired and getting them renewed is either too expensive or not possible, we are lucky in the UK, we can sorn our vehicles and take them from point of re-importation to our home on a lorry or even book an MOT at the nearest station to the port and tax on-line.
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  #4  
Old 14 Feb 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
How will they know?
Well in my case, the registration certificate (the only document issued for the vehicle) has a section where they fill out the next inspection deadline (there are like ten rows, you can go for a long time before needing it re-issued).

But yeah, I figured they just don't care. Thanks!
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  #5  
Old 14 Feb 2017
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I contacted my authority who issues these bits of paper.

They said .. get it inspected in the country you are in by some similar authority and send the inspection to us and we'll issue a new bit of paper.

Difficulties with that -
The inspection in a different country may be more rigours than in your home country.
The inspection document may be in a different language .. so you may need a translation.

My thoughts are - take;
a copy of your last inspection form (this gives the foreign inspection station some idea of what is required)
a blank home inspection form (or copy your inspection form and blank out the relevant bits) so the foreign inspection station can use it.

Knowing when this difficult will occur helps .. you can schedule an inspection in a 'friendly' country close to the date and send it in - thus allowing some time for postage delays.
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  #6  
Old 22 Feb 2017
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Warin offered valid option.

If you're from US you can use ADAC in Europe to solve the technical inspection of the vehicle.

I assume there are other option globally, someone needs to chime in with info from their piece of world?

Cheers
Dooby
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  #7  
Old 21 Oct 2019
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we are planning now for 2021 and have same question, in Poland the bike has to be inspected every year, so how to solve this?
If it was for me, I would take the risk, but the girlfriend is a bit more worried
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  #8  
Old 21 Oct 2019
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The UK options have barely changed since since 2017:

Buy a new bike and be back for the first MOT in three years time.
Keep shipping the bike back to an MOT tester (they are only in the UK, an ADAC inspection doesn't count, they aren't an MOT station)
SORN it and book an MOT the day you plan to be back, which makes you legal for the UK taxes but not strictly for any road use worldwide.
Buy a 40 year old plus classic that is original enough to be exempt.

I doubt anyone ever got caught outside the UK for an expired MOT/riding a SORNed bike. They just don't include a provision for long overseas trips and honestly don't care, it's up the local authorities to deal with you if anything bad happens.

We do prosecute unsafe foreign vehicles in the UK. No amount of TUV paperwork will save you if plod or DVSA decides your vehicle is a mess. Best to put the effort into the actual condition and forget the impossible paperwork IMHO.

Andy
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