Anyone purchased a bike in Europe while on holiday?

**khabel** · 5th April 2017, 15:47

I plan on doing a tour of Europe for 3 months or so later this year and I'm wanting to purchase a bike for the duration as it's much cheaper than renting however I'm having trouble confirming what is required to legally own it as a tourist.

From what I've been able to gather in regards to the UK I just need a local address for them to send the registration paperwork to and the rest flows on from there e.g insurance however some people have said I also need to prove I live there e.g. bills, bank statements to that address, can anyone confirm 100% what is required?

A guy in Ireland has made a business out of purchasing bikes on behalf for people, but bikes are much more expensive in Ireland and a guy in France will buy on behalf and then buy back for 50%-60%, so thats another option but selection isn't as good as the UK

**R650R** · 5th April 2017, 16:29

There was another thread about this awhile ago, apparently its not easy.... I think the insurance was the problem.

**chasio** · 5th April 2017, 16:58

Originally Posted by R650R

There was another thread about this awhile ago, apparently its not easy.... I think the insurance was the problem.

Yep, insurance is hard yards in the UK these days. It took my Dad quite a bit of effort just to get me added to his car insurance since I was not a UK resident. And remember that insurance is mandatory and the rozzers will ask for proof of insurance if they feel so inclined.*

If it were me, I'd be looking to get a UK resident to register the bike and find a way to insure it with you on the policy. If that's not an option, it may be difficult over there. Unless someone else has a good solution...?

* As I found out when I incurred a 200 quid camera ticket for 12mph over. I got off because I'd left the country, but had to prove I was insured first.

**gonzo_akl** · 5th April 2017, 17:09

I looked into this as well..

insurance is the big problem, as you are probably aware 3rd party is compulsory for both the UK and Europe, insurance companies are reluctant to offer cover unless you are a UK resident. You could probably use a friend's address if you know people residing over there but I'm not sure would happen if a claim did result. I don't particularly trust insurance companies at the best of times.

In the end I decided it was easier to ship my bike via ttandeuropemotorcycleadventures.co.uk - $3000.00. As a non-European registered bike I was able to arrange green card 3rd party insurance while I'm touring Europe. The bike is on its way there now - so far it has been a very simple process.

If you do find a way of purchasing a bike and an insurance company that will offer cover, can you please update this thread as I for one would be interested in knowing.

On a completely separate note, finding Travel Insurance in NZ that does not exclude riding a motorcycle greater than 200cc has also been a huge problem. All the retail policies I have read to date exclude cover if you are using a motorcycle over 200cc. This is even the case when the international versions of the same companies policies don't.

cheers

**Gremlin** · 5th April 2017, 18:47

Originally Posted by gonzo_akl

On a completely separate note, finding Travel Insurance in NZ that does not exclude riding a motorcycle greater than 200cc has also been a huge problem. All the retail policies I have read to date exclude cover if you are using a motorcycle over 200cc. This is even the case when the international versions of the same companies policies don't.

I remember in 2011 checking gold/platinum credit card travel insurance policy (ie, buying plane tickets on card and being covered), rental motorcycles over 200cc were a problem, but riding your own motorcycle was Ok. Could have changed.

Re UK, yes, it's a headache. You're either a tourist on own motorcycle abroad, you arrange temporary insurance, ok. Or you're a local, register and insure your local bike, ok. Being a foreigner, owning and registering/insuring a local bike is where it gets tricky. My boss in 2013 had the issue, ended up involving local family from memory, and also buying a new bike (Multistrada) and insuring via Ducati Insurance made it slightly easier.

**gonzo_akl** · 5th April 2017, 20:29

Originally Posted by Gremlin

I remember in 2011 checking gold/platinum credit card travel insurance policy (ie, buying plane tickets on card and being covered), rental motorcycles over 200cc were a problem, but riding your own motorcycle was Ok. Could have changed.

.

it must have changed - this is the clause under general exclusions for the Westpac World MasterCard travel insurance..
"Motorcycling outside New Zealand (unless you are riding a motorcycle with an engine capacity of 200cc or less and hold a motorcycle licence as required by the country you are in, but always excluding motorcycle racing);"

I have a bit of spare time on my hands at the moment so I went to the trouble of ringing the underwriters, AIG. Had a lovely but, ultimately fruitless, conversation with an underwriter there. AIG don't have a retail offering in the NZ market, but they do in Oz and their motorcycling clause is not as restrictive.

In all the retail available travel insurance policies I've read this same clause appears, I'm yet to find one that doesn't.

**Gremlin** · 5th April 2017, 21:38

Can't see something similar in ASB Visa clauses, although which muppet uploads a document sideways

https://www.asb.co.nz/content/dam/as...y-may-2015.pdf

**MarkW** · 5th April 2017, 22:01

When I did my Bekers Motorcycle Tours European Alps Trip last year [absolutely fantastic trip] the Bekers told me that getting cover for larger motorcycles was getting difficult but that 1Cover did still cover larger machines with no upper or lower cc limits. The only stipulation in the policy was that the rider of the motorcycle must have a full valid licence either from New Zealand [if you were the rider] or from the country that the claim arises in [if the motorcycle was being operated by a local rider] and the claimant was a pillion.

In my policy from last year this is all specified on page 52 under clause 9 of the general exclusions.

As an edit I should add that I was riding a hired German registered motorcycle in Europe - not one that I owned. Still had to pay the normal insurances that go with a hire vehicle but I was covered for personal injury etc. with the 1Cover policy.

**gonzo_akl** · 6th April 2017, 07:07

Originally Posted by MarkW

When I did my Bekers Motorcycle Tours European Alps Trip last year [absolutely fantastic trip] the Bekers told me that getting cover for larger motorcycles was getting difficult but that 1Cover did still cover larger machines with no upper or lower cc limits. The only stipulation in the policy was that the rider of the motorcycle must have a full valid licence either from New Zealand [if you were the rider] or from the country that the claim arises in [if the motorcycle was being operated by a local rider] and the claimant was a pillion.

.

Thanks for this, I missed 1Cover somehow. I checked as many as I could think of, Southern Cross, AA, Worldcare (who recently re-worded their policy to include an upper cc limit), my credit card, Air NZ, even Amex as I one of their cards as well, Coverall the list goes on.

And it looks like I might change Credit Cards when I return, too late for this trip.

Any tips on roads that shouldn't be missed in the Alps?

Cheers

**khabel** · 6th April 2017, 09:58

Green card insurance shouldn't be too hard to get from what I can tell, http://www.lobagola.com/tours-and-se...insurance.html

**gonzo_akl** · 7th April 2017, 08:06

Originally Posted by khabel

Green card insurance shouldn't be too hard to get from what I can tell, http://www.lobagola.com/tours-and-se...insurance.html

Thanks Khabel,

It looks like you have got much further than I had and have an answer to getting insurance cover while in Europe. I had based my assumptions on anecdotal information from multiple sources regarding insurance. I sent these guys an email overnight, an extract below from his response.

"Our border insurance policy WILL COVER YOU so you can also ride insured in any of the EU countries where you decide to buy and register your bike. This is very important, because all of the other providers are not offering this in our view important aspect.
Since I have been asked by the community from ADVrider and HUBB to start offering insurance service in line with all the needs from the inmates, we pushed hard to offer the policy that will cover you in the country where your bike will be registered."

He also said that he knows of reliable sources for the purchase of bikes. They may also appear on kiwibiker because they asked where I heard of them from.

Cheers

**khabel** · 7th April 2017, 09:40

Yup, just need to figure out registration

**Dooby** · 10th April 2017, 11:18

Originally Posted by khabel

Green card insurance shouldn't be too hard to get from what I can tell, http://www.lobagola.com/tours-and-se...insurance.html

Hi khabel,

Today i found couple of mins to log in, though could not find a thread to introduce myself (if anyone can steer me in that direction I would be grateful).

So, if you have any questions how to ride in Europe, how to be insured, and other legal things ask here or over PM's.

Also if you need advice where to ride, etc, we can provide info for that, mapping, etc.

We're also part of the European off road trail name TET, that's supported by Adventure spec in UK, being behind Croatia and Bosnia as our local expertise.

Waiting for your questions,

Cheers
Dooby

**khabel** · 10th April 2017, 11:38

Originally Posted by Dooby

Hi khabel,

Today i found couple of mins to log in, though could not find a thread to introduce myself (if anyone can steer me in that direction I would be grateful).

So, if you have any questions how to ride in Europe, how to be insured, and other legal things ask here or over PM's.

Also if you need advice where to ride, etc, we can provide info for that, mapping, etc.

We're also part of the European off road trail name TET, that's supported by Adventure spec in UK, being behind Croatia and Bosnia as our local expertise.

Waiting for your questions,

Cheers
Dooby

At this stage just need confirmation as to whether just being able to supply a residential address is enough to be able to purchase a bike i.e. use a mates address?

**Dooby** · 2nd May 2017, 01:02

Hi khabel,

can you please provide info what country are you interested in, or should I say where do you plan to buy and register your bike?

This differs very much from country to country and is not the same for all of the EU countries.

Sorry for the late reply, haven't made a subscription to the thread, which I did this time.

Cheers
Dooby