Buying bikes from UK

Pugzilla · 16-05-2017 9:40pm #1

Anyone have experience with buying from UK?

Is it much work?
Would I be mad to buy a bike without seeing it in person?
Dealer or private?

Seems the used market over there has more sane prices and better quality.

Zipppy · 16-05-2017 11:16pm

I bought private off Gumtree.co.uk
No big hassle..flew in, train out to local town where seller collected me...brought sterling with me..test spin..tea and bikkies with seller...deal done and legged it to holyhead for ferry...couldn't be easier.. got a great bike that I still have today..might head over again in next few weeks.

Goose81 · 17-05-2017 1:54am

Pugzilla wrote: »

Anyone have experience with buying from UK?

Is it much work?
Would I be mad to buy a bike without seeing it in person?
Dealer or private?

Seems the used market over there has more sane prices and better quality.

I've helped 2 mates buy from the UK in the last 2 weeks, one a 2015 vespa and the other a 2010 fireblade. Both were bought from dealers only seeing pics off the web and shipped using Ted's trucking in Wexford.

Depends how cautious you are as an individual, I'd have no problem buying a bike from a dealer without seeing it once it's new enough and hasn't done crazy miles.

I wouldn't be arsed flying over, if you get it brought back it probably only works out 50 quid more expensive if even that. If I was buying private I probably would go over myself.

You ring the shop and the only haggling capacity you will have is to tell them you will do a bank transfer and they might knock 100 off as it's cheaper for them.

Then ring Ted's trucking, he is 280 quid to deliver to your door.

You can drive the bike on English plates to be vrt once your policy allows you to drive other bikes 3rd party.

Any questions pm me

ScouseMouse · 17-05-2017 2:05am

I have bought several bikes and cars off ebay. Most recently a bmw k1200. Depending on where it is, you can fly in and drive it back. The beemer was in Norwich was turned into an almighty pain in the ass as it was isolated. Ended up getting it lifted by courier and it landed in Dublin a week later.

What do you want to know?

Wonda-Boy · 17-05-2017 9:00am

Sure the ride home is the best bit!!!

hairyslug · 17-05-2017 9:10am

It's no hassle at all, got flight over, dealer met me at the airport, brought me back to the shop, had a spin, paid and was on the way home. Registered the bike the following week.

I did ask for additional photos of the bike to make sure it looked ok.

Am planning on buying again soon over there.

stewygriffin · 17-05-2017 10:09am

Makes sure the bike is not SORN

It needs to be MOTed too,the cops will have you,and they dont care if you are bringing it back to Ireland.

Friend of mine had the bike taken off him by Welsh police,even though he was fully legit with his insurance and licence,the English redged bike was SORN so cops took it from him,even though he was able to prove he bought it legit and was riding back to catch the ferry at Holyhead.
Very harsh but the cops are there to do their job.

hairyslug · 17-05-2017 10:21am

stewygriffin wrote: »

Makes sure the bike is not SORN

It needs to be MOTed too,the cops will have you,and they dont care if you are bringing it back to Ireland.

Friend of mine had the bike taken off him by Welsh police,even though he was fully legit with his insurance and licence,the English redged bike was SORN so cops took it from him,even though he was able to prove he bought it legit and was riding back to catch the ferry at Holyhead.
Very harsh but the cops are there to do their job.

Last time I came back through Pembroke as was told the police up around north Wales will do you for anything, my main worry was not having the correct insurance paperwork on me.

Del2005 · 17-05-2017 10:30am

Goose81 wrote: »

You can drive the bike on English plates to be vrt once your policy allows you to drive other bikes 3rd party.

Doesn't matter what plate a bike is on you can't use the 3rd party extension on a bike you own, you own it once you pay.

Since the UK when discless for tax it expires when the bike is sold, so all vehicles in dealers are untaxed. Since Irish people can't tax a bike you run the risk of getting done for no tax if you ride it back.

https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle

two wheels good · 17-05-2017 12:03pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Doesn't matter what plate a bike is on you can't use the 3rd party extension on a bike you own, you own it once you pay.

Yes, an important point. As a private buyer the only option I know is to put the UK bike on your ins policy. In the past Carole Nash have provided me a fortnight or a month's insurance based on VIN or UK reg.

Also re. 3rd party extension. It may not apply outside IRL. I was surprised to learn a few years ago that I wasn't covered if I swapped bikes with an Irish mate when on hols in France. Check the small print on the policy!

blade1 · 17-05-2017 12:40pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Doesn't matter what plate a bike is on you can't use the 3rd party extension on a bike you own, you own it once you pay.

Since the UK when discless for tax it expires when the bike is sold, so all vehicles in dealers are untaxed. Since Irish people can't tax a bike you run the risk of getting done for no tax if you ride it back.

https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle

I taxed a car over there before Christmas.
Had to.
I was buying off a main dealer and under no circumstances would I be allowed drive the car home unless it was taxed.
Is it different for bikes?

Wonda-Boy · 17-05-2017 12:45pm

Just avoid Wales on the return home..... SORTED!!!

Out from Liverpool to Belfast lol.

hairyslug · 17-05-2017 12:50pm

blade1 wrote: »

I taxed a car over there before Christmas.
Had to.
I was buying off a main dealer and under no circumstances would I be allowed drive the car home unless it was taxed.
Is it different for bikes?

Had a look on the DVLA site, looks fairly straightforward but do you need a UK address to tax it.

blade1 · 17-05-2017 12:56pm

hairyslug wrote: »

Had a look on the DVLA site, looks fairly straightforward but do you need a UK address to tax it.

I don't have a UK address.
I went to the post office over there and taxed the car for a year.
You can claim back the tax when you come home but I didn't bother as it was only a tenner.

Goose81 · 17-05-2017 1:00pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Doesn't matter what plate a bike is on you can't use the 3rd party extension on a bike you own, you own it once you pay.

Since the UK when discless for tax it expires when the bike is sold, so all vehicles in dealers are untaxed. Since Irish people can't tax a bike you run the risk of getting done for no tax if you ride it back.

https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle

They have no way of proving who's name it will be registered in once vrt'd or who's bike it is .in this case it wasn't my bike anyway. The v5 you get will be completely blank because you won't have filled it in.

Philipx · 17-05-2017 1:02pm

Speaking from bitter experience!

No matter which way you intend bringing it back get the reg & do a full HPI check. Only a few quid in relation to the price. It'll give you full report on finance outstanding / crash / theft etc.

If you are travelling over to ride it back:

Get new insurance cert with UK registration on it BEFORE you go & bring it with you.

I didn't do that a few years back & it cost me dearly

If private sale double check not SORN. If necessary, get seller to tax it for 6 months; he'll get refund as soon as it's exported.

If dealer, get him to do it; again it'll be refunded.

MOT only if over 3 years old check here

A lot of dealers will deliver to port which relieves you of the headache of UK insurance / MOT / tax etc. Go over as foot passenger.

Welsh police have zero sense of humour, they live on the A55 to Holyhead.

Cheap flight in, nice spin to ferry, only way to do it.

Oh and '3rd party other bikes' will not cover you either over there or here - you're the owner.

HTH

stewygriffin · 17-05-2017 4:59pm

As far as I know you can legally ride the bike to the MOT test centre with no tax,you could book the bike in with the MOT centre in Holyhead,which is very very very close to the ferry back to Dublin.......just sayin.:D

Wonda-Boy · 17-05-2017 7:01pm

Yeah very easy to take a wrong turn straight up the ramp!!!

Del2005 · 17-05-2017 11:31pm

Goose81 wrote: »

They have no way of proving who's name it will be registered in once vrt'd or who's bike it is .in this case it wasn't my bike anyway. The v5 you get will be completely blank because you won't have filled it in.

They'll have the name on the receipt and they don't have to prove anything, it's a civil matter which is ruled on the balance of probabilities. That's after you have to deal with UK cops you will lift the bike if you can't prove it's insured.

Goose81 · 17-05-2017 11:35pm

Del2005 wrote: »

They'll have the name on the receipt and they don't have to prove anything, it's a civil matter which is ruled on the balance of probabilities. That's after you have to deal with UK cops you will lift the bike if you can't prove it's insured.

Funny that, the 2 bikes I've bought in the last 2 weeks from the UK had nothing to prove who bought the bike on receipt. The v5 is left blank and the receipt said nothing about who bought it, all it had was the shops vat number and a price. Stop talking rubbish, il post one of the receipts if you want?

I'm not talking about driving the bike in the UK, Im talking about driving it in Ireland, where they can't prove who bought or owns the bike.

If I was riding in the UK, I'd say a mate bought the bike and I was riding it and they wouldn't know who bought it.

Also looking at those cops shows on sky 1 good luck to the UK cops getting through to cornmarket and asking them was I insured on a bike that is registered to no one when in my policy it states I can drive a bike I don't own.

Del2005 · 18-05-2017 12:11am

Goose81 wrote: »

Funny that, the 2 bikes I've bought in the last 2 weeks from the UK had nothing to prove who bought the bike on receipt. The v5 is left blank and the receipt said nothing about who bought it, all it had was the shops vat number and a price. Stop talking rubbish, il post one of the receipts if you want?

I'm not talking about driving the bike in the UK, Im talking about driving it in Ireland, where they can't prove who bought or owns the bike.

If I was riding in the UK, I'd say a mate bought the bike and I was riding it and they wouldn't know who bought it.

Also looking at those cops shows on sky 1 good luck to the UK cops getting through to cornmarket and asking them was I insured on a bike that is registered to no one when in my policy it states I can drive a bike I don't own.

Come back when making a claim.

If you can't prove that the bike is insured it's lifted. So good luck to you calling Cornmarket and hoping that they believe it's an insurance company and not your mate.

Max Headroom · 18-05-2017 11:03am

Bought a bike in the UK no issues.....I joined the forum the guy selling the bike was on....got to check him and the bike out before buying....got the ferry drove to Lincoln ..guy was great, had a full receipt with mine and his details on it printed out...even let me drive the bike around the carpark......

Goose81 · 18-05-2017 1:56pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Come back when making a claim.

If you can't prove that the bike is insured it's lifted. So good luck to you calling Cornmarket and hoping that they believe it's an insurance company and not your mate.

The paper you carry from the insurance company saying that you are insured to drive bikes not your own third party will suffice. The new receipt will say nothing about who owns the bike.

Philipx · 18-05-2017 9:55pm

Goose81 wrote: »

Also looking at those cops shows on sky 1 good luck to the UK cops getting through to cornmarket and asking them was I insured on a bike that is registered to no one when in my policy it states I can drive a bike I don't own.

As far as the UK police are concerned, unless you have a certificate in hand with the registration number of the bike you're riding on it, you're not insured & they will seize it.

And if you can't provide a UK address for service of documents they will lift you.

Been there!

It came to light over there with Paddy going over buying the car or the bike & doing exactly as you say - "I'm not the registered owner so my policy covers me" then having an accident.

Insurance companies baulked on cover; so unless you prove otherwise, the police policy is you cannot be insured on a UK bike on a non-UK policy and they will seize.

I was shown the Home Office directive concerning precisely that as I sat in the back of the 5 series on the A55 waiting on the tow wagon for my bike.

I had put the bike on my insurance before travelling but did not have the cert with me.

flatty · 18-05-2017 10:52pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Goose81 wrote: »

You can drive the bike on English plates to be vrt once your policy allows you to drive other bikes 3rd party.

Doesn't matter what plate a bike is on you can't use the 3rd party extension on a bike you own, you own it once you pay.

Since the UK when discless for tax it expires when the bike is sold, so all vehicles in dealers are untaxed. Since Irish people can't tax a bike you run the risk of getting done for no tax if you ride it back.

https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle

This is true, but a private sale needs the seller to post off the form to the DVLA stating change of ownership. This would hence take at least a day postage and a day processing, so it would still be taxed if you brought it out of the country, well at least it wouldn't be untaxed. Unless you got pulled , which would be very unlucky, you'd be grand.
I've bought a car and a bike here in the past three months and didn't get round to taxing them for a week or so. There has been no issue.

Goose81 · 19-05-2017 1:07am

Philipx wrote: »

As far as the UK police are concerned, unless you have a certificate in hand with the registration number of the bike you're riding on it, you're not insured & they will seize it.

And if you can't provide a UK address for service of documents they will lift you.

Been there!

It came to light over there with Paddy going over buying the car or the bike & doing exactly as you say - "I'm not the registered owner so my policy covers me" then having an accident.

Insurance companies baulked on cover; so unless you prove otherwise, the police policy is you cannot be insured on a UK bike on a non-UK policy and they will seize.

I was shown the Home Office directive concerning precisely that as I sat in the back of the 5 series on the A55 waiting on the tow wagon for my bike.

I had put the bike on my insurance before travelling but did not have the cert with me.

That's clearly not true , "unless you have an insurance document with the bike reg on it the police won't believe you" So third party bike insurance doesn't exist in the UK then? It does and your insurance policy docs can't possibly have a reg of a bike you would be covered on

Philipx · 19-05-2017 7:30am

Goose81 wrote: »

That's clearly not true , "unless you have an insurance document with the bike reg on it the police won't believe you" So third party bike insurance doesn't exist in the UK then? It does and your insurance policy docs can't possibly have a reg of a bike you would be covered on

With the greatest of respect, what part of "Been there" isn't clear enough for you?

Of course they have 3rd party cover in the UK, but NOT for a UK registered bike on a NON-UK policy. That's the difference.

Can't make it much clearer than that!

CJhaughey · 19-05-2017 7:37am

Sometimes you just have to let people find things out for themselves.
Life experience is a good thing.

listermint · 19-05-2017 7:50am

flatty wrote: »

This is true, but a private sale needs the seller to post off the form to the DVLA stating change of ownership. This would hence take at least a day postage and a day processing, so it would still be taxed if you brought it out of the country, well at least it wouldn't be untaxed. Unless you got pulled , which would be very unlucky, you'd be grand.
I've bought a car and a bike here in the past three months and didn't get round to taxing them for a week or so. There has been no issue.

For clarity they are sending in documentation for export rather than change of ownership. Export is marked on the dvla

Reindeer · 20-05-2017 5:25pm

I have had two instances dealing with traffic cops in the UK. In both instances they pulled me aside, checked all my ID, checked the car top to bottom, called my insurer, and ran my reg. In the one case with a police car, I was let go with a warning regarding some UK law I was unfamiliar with enough I forget already what it was. It felt a lot to me like those cases in the states where they pull you over and give some random reason simply because they had a bad feeling about you or your car and wanted a closer look. The other was an unmarked car. I had pulled out of a filling station in Dorset and was fiddling with my seat belt. Even though it was on me by the time I was down the road, they pulled me over and ticketed me for it as they were following me from the station and had it on video(which they showed me). As a foreign national(American), I was forced to pay a 200pound fine on the spot or they were willing to impound my car. I had no idea that was legal(or if it still is), but I paid the fine and kept the car(which I had paid 400pounds for a month previous). These guys aren't Gardai. They do not mess about one bit, and they will fine you on the spot or take your car away if they can find any way to do so. Sort of reminds me of folks back home...

MotoTourist · 26-11-2019 2:27pm

[Links were disallowed. Try and decipher the addresses...]

Hi.
I offer an import service which will allow you to avoid all the problems for just €350 (collection, secure storage and then delivery to your door) however, I want to tell you how to do this all legally and properly yourself in the name of helping fellow bikers to avoid problems.

I can see this is an old thread.
I import bikes regularly. I ride them over to Ireland but I am from UK originally and I have an address, insurance and bank account there (for paying the road tax).
This thread contains some sage advice.
The view from 2019 isn't much different but let me echo the important points and underline a few.

UK police are ruthlessly efficient. They have databases and ANPR. Any changes in a vehicle's status are updated in 24hrs.

You will ping the number plate recognition systems in street mounted surveillance cameras and in their vehicles for the following:

Owner details, tax validity, insurance, MOT, off-road tax status, vehicle markers inc stolen, drugs or firearms offenses with the vehicle, known use by unlicensed or uninsured drivers plus more.

Everyone in this thread who jumped on the bike and got back to Ireland unscathed was simply lucky.

MOT must be valid before riding away. Check online if the vehicle has a current MOT or have the current cert in hand.

You can't claim 3rd party cover on a vehicle if that vehicle is not insured elsewhere. Cross border use of this rule is not valid, even if on a tour two Irish riders swap Irish bikes in UK.

If you have an EU license (I think) and a uk address you can use TEMPCOVER DOT COM. Instant 24hr cover costs me £30. Policy and cover note emailed instantly. Alternatively, you may have organised cover with your Irish insurer on the yellow plate but as stated by someone in the thread, make sure you have brought the cert showing the reg or at least have it available online on your phone.

Tax is not transferable between owners. Tax cover and vehicle ownership can be changed online in seconds before riding away BUT you need a UK address. Export notification is not possible online. Foreign addresses are not accepted for an new owner change. When tax is cancelled the registered keeper gets a pro rata refund of remaining whole months if it was paid upfront. However, this is a cheque sent to the registered keeper UK address. You might be able to negotiate with the seller to change ownership into your name at his address, insure it with TempCover in your name at his address and then tax it online and get the refund sterling cheque sent to him but it will be in your name and can mailed on and be deposited into your Bank of Ireland account.

I always put a bike into my name in UK because I can and I tax it knowing I will cancel it within the month and lose one twelfth of that amount (~£7). Some people in this scenario will pay by direct debit and cancel it the next day. The vehicle is considered taxed from the moment you set up the DD but the first payment is 10 to 14 days away. Keep a screen shot of the confirmation and you are covered for a roadside stop.

There are speed cameras everywhere. Avoid speeding or at least keep it to 10% over. A ticket on the way home would go to the previous owner unless you have put it in your name at a UK address, but within that first 24hrs it might still go to the previous owner regardless.

Documents.
V5 ownership doc. DONT let the seller keep the main section of the document. You must leave with sections 1to9 intact and unmarked. Sellers usually send that off themselves if ownership isn't changed online. Unless you put it in your name in UK, for exports, they are advised to write to DVLA about change of ownership and you take the original document away. You can't import it to ROI without that doc.

Keep your ferry ticket. The emailed ticket with the vehicle reg or a boarding pass with the reg showing will prove date of entry into ROI.

Get a hand written receipt from the owner making sure it says reg, date of sale and value of the bike (for VRT purposes).

Legal tyre tread depth in UK is only 1mm, across the centre three-quarters of the tyre.

Fill up with fuel before getting on the ferry. I discovered the hard way that there is no open fuel station between Rosslare and Ferns that is open at 4am...

Taking risks.
If this is all too much hassle you could take a risk but reduce the potential for being stopped by police by doing this :

Negotiate with the owner to leave the bike registered, taxed and insured in his name for 24 hours until you leave the country (presuming you go straight to port). This will mean that cameras will not ping you because the database says everything is in order. Insurance would still be an issue unless you have TempCover or have pre arranged cover from your Irish insurer. This depends on if the seller is telling the truth about the tax and insurance status and if he doesn't inform DVLA of change of ownership behind your back. Do your own checks here:

Check tax and MOT status
Google vehicleenquiry DOT service DOT gov DOT uk

Check if bike is insured somewhere on that particular day.
Google ownvehicle DOT askmid DOT com

I suppose this would be plan A but you can't presume upon the seller to agree to this.

Hopefully this helps you all out.

Also I source bikes for people. Contact me to discuss.

https COLON SLASH SLASH what-a-ride DOT site123 DOT me/

Buying bikes from UK

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