Import a motorcycle from EU

Yes, brought one in from Germany last week, just did the VRT today, all good, no hassles (e.g. didn't ask for officially translated documents which, I gather, can in theory happen).

Websites mobile.de autoscout24.com (might be others, just google it).

In Germany you should get your own number plate to export it (plates are personal to the owner). I gather you MIGHT get away with any old numberplate to get you on the ferry but I don't know you if you would come unstuck when trying to VRT it. My dealer threw it in with the bike so no brainer to do it fully properly. If you dont want to go yourself then about €450+VAT to get someone to bring it back for you (Dublin for that price, more if further) - Jarvis Transport 087 646 3753.

Make sure its 6 months old and 6,000 km on the clock or you'd owe VAT on top of VRT, which would probably take the good out of it, which is why I didn't look at the UK, bought cars from there in the past (post Brexit there'd be VAT, & maybe customs, due). I ran a VIN Check Europe & History, Odometer, Accidents... - 100% (vinspy.eu), dunno how good it is but it picked up the correct bike so its not a complete scam anyway.

If going yourself (marginally cheaper and you get an adventure) then make sure you have your own Satnav and are used to it. I was planning to use googlemaps but phone wouldnt work (even with roaming & what not) - would've been....interesting.... if dealer hadn't thrown in an old satnav. I can give you dealer name but he's BMW & I think I got a good deal on a Suzuki he maybe didn't want hangning around, so if it's a Beemer you're after let me know. Unless you're very good with mechanics you're probably better off buying something relatively fresh, would be a bummer to go, not like, and have to book a last minute flight home. I brought cash, debit card wouldn't work (we tried). You probably need to have your dealing done before you go, realistically they are probably not going to knock off a few quid for a scratch or whatever when they know this is your only way home... Anyway, so far so good after about 1,500 kms.🙏🙏

If the bike is <6 months old or <6000 km you'll get hit for Irish VAT, you can reclaim the VAT you paid in Germany because VAT is only paid once in the EU. How easy or fast to get the VAT back I've no idea but don't rule out a bike because of VAT. Britain being a 3rd country you can't reclaim VAT, but you can still import VAT free from NI if you can find a bike which meets the criteria.

There should be all the docs like Cert of Conformity, QC, then the German version of the log book showing the previous owner(s) - this is on green paper, shows the old reg, VIN, date first registered etc. (which will dictate your Irish plate year).

A good site for looking at used bikes from Europe. Its a site that consolidates all ads and clicking on a particular ad takes you to the actual page/site where it is being advertised. I was looking at prices for a few models (in Germany and France specifically) and these look to be much cheaper than here in Ireland where the availability itself is poor to start with - even with the €450 shipping charges and VRT. A 660cc 2008 model is about €100 for VRT for example

I used him to export a vehicle to Austria, and it worked out well for me and the buyer, so I was happy with his service.

Can I ask would a bike that is first registered in April this year in NI fit the criteria for not paying vat customs import charges

Good question.

Yeah 2021 registered in April in NI

Is it the same as a car where its the mileage at the time you present it to get registered rather than the mileage when you bought it?

If you're flying over, book a return flight, just in case.

It happened to me (just once) that the bike pictures in the advert were a few years old and the bike wasn't as described. I walked away.

Newbie rider here considering import, on phoning for insurance quotes on a hypothetical bike, one of the questions I was asked was, what is it an import? There's hardly a loading on EU imported bikes is there?

Just a question they have to ask incase something comes up. But when you import a UK vehicle that was a write off, it isn't mentioned on the irish VRC cert that its had substantial damage before or was an insurance write off.

thanks for the info, but if we want to have it shipped home? Are dealers reliable - buy without seeing the bike over there in person and have it shipped over? This is a general question as I guess all dealers might not be the same

It was actually easier than many of the UK ones I've done in the past. Dealer organised everything : plates, insurance, fuel even. I just turned up with my gear, put destination in the sat-nav and hit the road.

No red tape of note at all. All the negotiation, paperwork, payments done in advance by email and a few phone calls, I literally got a bike handover session, signed the delivery papers, hit the road.

or, an R1100RT from even further back - a particularly good pallet imho.

And, I think Overlanders in Wexford can facilitate shippping into Ireland as well - they move bikes to/from Ireland all the time, so they might be worth a call.