Importing a bike? - Info required.

[Craig_]

Hey Guys,

Does anyone know how to go about importing a bike from within the EU?? I have already got a contact who can source the bike, and ship it, I just need to know what to do once I have the bike.

The bike would be brand new, and would be classed as a parallel import. I know I would have to change the head lamp to a UK spec one, any ideas if anything else would need to be changed??

What needs to be done to register the bike, any checks needed? Any documents I should make sure I get with the bike? Also will there be any taxes to pay? I presume if I pay VAT in the country of origin I shouldn't have to due to free trade within the EU.

Any help is much appreciated!
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VAG Cars - www.vagcars.co.uk - North East VAG Owners Club

[Kickstart]

Hi

Tax wise you need to claim back the tax in the country you buy it in and pay UK tax if it is new. Think "new" is defined as something like under 6 months old / 5000km.

You will probably need a certificate of conformaty for the bike to get it registered. Probably also need a certificate from the factory showing it is new (we had one years ago for the Gilera we imported).

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Craig_]

Yeh, I remember someone saying about importing the bike and keeping it 6 months before regestering it. If you want to reg. it straight away i need to claim back the VAT of the country of purchase and then pay 17.5% UK VAT?

How do you go about claiming the VAT back? It's actually work out even cheaper doing it that way, but there could be more hastle to it.
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VAG Cars - www.vagcars.co.uk - North East VAG Owners Club

[Kickstart]

Hi

If VAT registered you may be able to get it VAT free from your supplier. God knows how you would claim it back, and that would probably depend on the country you bought it from.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[TOM M]

i think there is a section on the dvla (or even a leaflet or sumat they can send you) on the website about importing vehicles.

could be worth checking it out
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Now owner of a 1200 Bandit