American Visiting/ Buying - Help!

[wulf328]

Hi all,

Iv'e done a search of the forums and various government websites and need a little more help. I'm a dual US-UK national permanently residing in the US. I'll be visiting the UK for two and a half months at the end of May and would like to purchase a motorbike to get around the UK. I have a motorcycle endorsement on my license and have found out that will let me drive for 12 months in the UK. I read I will have to check with my insurance company to see if they will cover me or get international insurance. I have read that if I were to buy a motorbike the seller has to let the government know and I'll receive some paperwork about four weeks after. Something about a logbook? Will I be able to purchase a bike not having a permanent address in the UK and will I be able to drive the bike until I get the paperwork in the mail? I'm thinking about taking it to France also.

Thanks!

Will

[Lord Percy]

Hello Will. You'll need an address to have the bike registered. If you're a dual US/UK citizen, do you have UK family? You could register the bike to their address.

When you buy a vehicle, you fill in a form called a V5, aka the logbook. You just need to put your name and address on it, and then the seller posts it to the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency). Most importantly, you need to make sure they post it ASAP, just to be sure the logbook comes back in time before you finish and need to sell it on. This is another reason why you need a registered address - so the logbook can be posted back to you!

It's definitely possible to do it all. The main issue is having an address to stick on the logbook.

In the UK, when you get insured, your details go on a massive database somewhere so the police and government can access it. If your insurance is with an American company then you presumably won't be on that database, but still if you're officially insured and can prove it, then you'll still be legit I guess. Just if you do get pulled, it'll be a ballache proving you're telling the truth. All just admin though I guess.

Hope that helps. I may even be wrong in some areas, but... I think I'm not

[sidewinder]

Hi wulf328 welcome to bcf

To ride a motorcycle in the uk you first need a license which has motorcycle entitilement.You will also need the bike to be

A) Insured you can do this on-line

B) If bike is 3+ yrs old it will need a mot certificate this is a goverment test to say the bike is roadworthy done every 12mnths

C) road tax basically you are paying the dvla to use your bike on the road

B+c the bike you purchase might come with these already

When you purchase a bike you will fill in the log book to say you are now the owner of the bike this will be then sent of to the dvla. Who will then send you a new copy with your details on.But you will need a uk address to send it to..
When you fill in the logbook you will get a section of it (will be a green slip) its basicaly a tempory copy until the full one arrives.
So as long a you have a/b/c above your good to go and the log book on its way (just keep the green slip on you incase the police pull you over...

[wulf328]

Thanks for all your help guys! Honestly I'm a little nervous about having to sell it back. Do you have any tips on selling in the U.K.? I'll be buying and selling most likely in London where I will fly into and out of the U.K. Do you have any recommendations about what kind of bike to buy? I'm looking to not spend a ton of money and was looking at around 1k British pounds. Most bikes in that category are mopeds or 125 cc. I ride a 800 here in the U.S. but I'm not looking for the same experience, just something functional to get me around England. I've seen a 400cc and 750cc online both under 1k that seem to be in good order.

[HJM]

If your license allows you to stay away from 125's then do.

You can get a LOT more for your money with a 500/600 for the same price.

Down sides to a 500 commuter ect, increased running costs, MPG isn't as good, insurance will most likely be the same as a 125 (advantage).


some cheap 'big' bikes : cb500, GPZ500, Gs500, All should be easily bought for under a thousand.
____________________
"90% of all statistics are made up"

CBT-18/04/2013

[wulf328]

thanks, yeah i plan on going to these places:


https://www.zeemaps.com/edit/xFNk9cY_x4O-DtHr6uWn8A#

during june/ july

[darkhorizon]

Insurance - is it not the case that any vehicle needs at worst basic third party cover from a UK insurer if the vehicle is registered in the UK? so whilst rider insurance from an overseas policy will cover the rider it doesn't cover the machine? as in if it is parked on the roadside and falls over killing an granny who happens to be passing - the machine's basic third party cover would be inforce... Does that make sense? Bit like you can't drive an uninsured car on your third party driver cover included in most fully comp policies - the borrowed car has to have its own as well.

Enjoy your time in London!
____________________
2009 CBF600 - London hack - stolen then recovered - still going!
2006 CG125 - Was SORN'd, now back on road - sold Nov '16

[sidewinder]

[Polarbear]

As for selling, the quickest and easiest is ebay. You won't lose too much on a bike that costs around a grand anyway. Bikes get to a certain value and seem to stick at that till they die.

Also, stick it on here when you come to sell. People are always looking for cheapish bikes.
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[wulf328]

Thanks guys! It seems like all I need to do is ask a family member if I can register the bike at their address and then find a bike once i'm in the UK. The last part has got me a little nervous thinking about traveling around London, a city I'm not too familiar with, looking for a bike. Any tips on what to look out for on the bike and maybe with people and my surroundings when I go to physically look at the bike? I plan on searching online and contacting sellers before I arrive and hopefully will have only one bike to look at on my last day in London that I can pick up and drive away.

[Scotsman37]

There's a load bike dealers SW of London within Dorset and I think there is over 20 or so of them within that area with some of them a stones from each other because it's cheaper for used/new dealers to run their business from outside London, as it cuts their costs by quite a lot! So, maybe checking in that area because commuting to there is quite easy indeed.


Here's a list of them

https://www.motorcyclesupermarket.com/Motorcycle-Dealers/Motorcycle-Dealers-in-Dorset

two more of them a stones throw from each other and Conquest motorcycle was really good when I was able to stay overnight at a nearby B&B at their cost due to fueling problem on the bike I was supposed to pick up that one day. 10/10 for service and they refurbish very old bikes too.

https://www.3xmotorcycles.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ConquestMotorcycles

[wulf328]

Thanks