Overseas police stop checks

[SirFallalot]

I'm curious to know what police in France/Spain/Portugal check when stopped.

Just license and insurance? What about vehicle documents? (do you take the V5? in Portugal for eg there's a wallet sized handbook that must be kept on you at all times). How about Mot? (could check online if wise enough ) Would you do the local equivalent of an MOT? Probably don't care about tax.

Scenario: I want to leave my first bike in Portugal to drive on holidays. Planned to keep it insured, possibly declare it sorn, and well, ain't gonna ride it 3k miles for an mot.
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Lexmoto Valiant 125; 94 CB400; 96 CB750F2; 81 CB750 (restoring, lol not gonna happen); 2001 ZX9R(It's about to go :c); 2012 R1200R; 2015 R1200RS

[ThatDippyTwat]

Any border manned crossing you get tugged for a look at will want a V5.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Bhud]

Is it France? Which bike were you thinking of leaving there? And which region? There is a messy bit of bureaucracy called Crit Air - cheap to get the certificate but not so easy to work out if you'll need one (depends on where you're going, and on the Euro compliance of the bike). No idea if they actually check for this when stopping foreign-registered vehicles.

[Polarbear]

I always had a document wallet with passport, V5, Insurance certificate, MOT, AA recovery, E111 and health insurance.

That was for EEC countries. Extra things might be needed in other countries.

My whole philosophy was that I had everything on me any plod might want so it was easier for them to give me a bollocking for whatever and send me on my way than have to dig and dig where he might decide if its so much trouble he might as well just do me.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[SirFallalot]

Portugal is the target

Bikes are both expensive to buy or import, and upkeep is high.
Baffles me a bit somewhere where money doesn't go as long a way that tax is much higher than here (€110 for a 125, €160 for a 600).

I planned to take and leave my CB400 there. Although I "upgraded", it'd be more than enough for there, and I'm having a heart time it putting up for sale, such is my stupid attachment to the metal thing.

My only concern is more towards the MOT, can keep it insured, with no border checks it's not possible to know how many days the bike is where anyway. but no mot might invalidate an overseas claim? Etc etc....
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Lexmoto Valiant 125; 94 CB400; 96 CB750F2; 81 CB750 (restoring, lol not gonna happen); 2001 ZX9R(It's about to go :c); 2012 R1200R; 2015 R1200RS

[stinkwheel]

I think you're dancing a fine line. The local police will eventually notice it being there all the time and get suspicious as to why it's not been registered locally.

Most insurance will only cover you for a fixed amount of time out of the country anyway.
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“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.

[blurredman]

I managed to get into Rumania with no documents at all but my Passport. But I did have to dismount everything on the bike, clothes out the bags, tank off. Torch inside and tapping etc.
I genuinely forgot my V5, and once I got past I realised how far one can go without checks..

Getting out however wasn't so much of an issue, but I am pretty sure the guard (post kiosks) asked me to pull over for himself to do some checks- but I didn't.


The most important document is V5. Some countries want insurance proof too- but once again some have let me in without reading the fine detail properly..
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S.
Current: 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (bored to 295cc) - 38k, 1990 MZ ETZ251 - 49k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 9k, 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 17k.

[SirFallalot]

[MarJay]

[SirFallalot]

[TheDonUK]

The lack of borders does actually make this an interesting question.

Once you leave the UK, UK M.O.T and road tax are irrelevant.

If you were stopped you would be asked for your driving licence, motorbike document (so V5 in our case) and perhaps insurance and perhaps passport.

Generally most countries allow foreigners to enter and drive/ride their vehicle for a given time (usually 3-6 months) before you would need to do an import and all the things that go with that.

Many people do this in south america where upon crossing the border you are given 3 months, you only need to exit another land border and return (most at least stay overnight) and the clock resets. As there are no closed borders between spain and portugal you would probably get away with your plan as long as you can hold fast under pressure and when questioned produce your licence, V5 and something that looks like insurance covering the country you are in.

If you were involved in a serious accident I would imagine any insurance you do have would find a way to wiggle out of paying.
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]