Bike trip from India to England (Europe)

[Roshan_UK]

Hi all,

I am interested in going out to India and buying a Royal Enfield Continental GT and then driving back to London.

My questions are as follows:

Does anybody know someone who has done a similar trip that can help with info?
What insurance would I need?
What are the issues with riding from India through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Eastern Europe?
How much does it cost to import and register a bike here in the UK?

Google maps says it's 96hours of driving - so if I estimate 6 hours a day of riding, that works out to 16 riding days. I am putting aside 1 month to give me rest days. Is 1 month a good estimate of the time?

Thanks
Roshan

[G]

I've wondered about similar before - I like the idea of buying a cheap Hero Honda or similar in India and bringing it back here.

I wouldn't take the google maps figure to mean anything at all.

What nationality are you? If British, there's a bit more hassle.

I believe you'll have to pay 20% vat and 10% import duty on the bike, then normal DVLA costs.

[stinkwheel]

If I was going to ride an Enfield all the way back from India. I'd get a 1950s/60s bullet, pay an Enfield Wallah to do a full, strip down and rebuild of it and ride that back. Might even be tempted to get a diesel conversion done on an older (and therefore tax exempt) chassis.

You can buy a Continental GT here and it'll be an export version with 50% less fail included in the price.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Roshan_UK]

Thanks G. I'm a British national, so what are the implications?

Thanks stinkwheel for your advice regarding the bullet. I didn't understand what you meant by "It'll be an export version with 50% less fail included in the price" Please could you elaborate.

Thanks,
Roshan

[G]

You may have some issues with Iran particularly.

The home office says not to go there unless essential and not to go to the Pakistan/Iran border at all I believe.

It will also be harder to get a Visa for Iran. Not impossible I expect, but harder.

[stinkwheel]

Historically, the quality control on the Enfield export models has been much better than the home market ones.

For example, a UK bullet came with stainless spokes on the wheels, an Indian home market one has galvanised. This kind of thing continues throughout the bike in small but significant details with things like paint finish, chrome quality, tyres, bearings and suchlike.

They may not do so with the newer bikes but I wouldn't count on it.

I suspect (but have absolutely no evidence) they might put the home market ones out in a lower state of tune too, flatter advance curve, richer fuelling and lower compression to cope with the inevitable poor quality fuel, lack of mechanical sympathy and intermittant servicing they will receive. They know their customers and what their Indian customers will do is overload them then thrash them about the streets of Mumbai while spending the minimum possible money on servicing and fuel.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Northern Monkey]

There is a note from the re factory somewhere on the internet I have read, which says exactly what stink wheel said, but with a bit more about emissions and the like.

As the bike has a different electrical system, it's not type approved in the uk, leading to loads of pain in getting it registered

[The Shaggy D.A.]