bike import

Information and questions about driving in Andalucia, buying or importing cars and motorbikes plus legal issues surrounding taxes and licenses.
wollie
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bike import

Postby wollie » Wed May 08, 2019 1:20 pm

I am thinking of buying a small motorcycle for campo use and am looking for advise. I just want a small 125cc as i let my bike lapse several years ago and will not do the necessary to be able to have larger bike, anyway a lighter machine better as i just want to mess around.
I am looking for advise on the fallowing.

Can i insure a UK reg bike that currently lives in the UK with a Spanish insurance company? The idea being that when it is changed to Spanish plates we just get a new certificate.

What is the procedure with changing from UK plates to Spanish plates? Also do i need to have it street legal (taxed etc) before i can apply to have changed to Spanish plates. The reason i ask this is i am thinking of buying just to bring to Spain and if i can just import without putting in my name in UK it be easier. I will have receipt as proof of purchase and the original document with proof of ownership.

This may be a completely silly idea, i was looking around in Spain for an old rustic bike but they seem hard to find or it may be i do not know where to look. I am non resident with NIE and own a property in Spain. I did notice a similar thread of 7 years ago but i decided to create new as it only covered bits of what i ask.

Any advise appreciated.
Many thanks.

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costakid
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Re: bike import

Postby costakid » Wed May 08, 2019 4:15 pm

You can only insure in the country that the car or bike is registered in under EU law. If you transport and do not ride it to the ITV station I guess you could skip the UK insurance. I personally would insure it in the UK and reregister onto Spanish at your leisure. At least you can use it on UK plates while the paperwork is going through.

wollie
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Re: bike import

Postby wollie » Wed May 08, 2019 4:36 pm

Costa thanks for reply.
I assumed the UK cars i see driving around were insured in Spain, i know one guy who has a UK car for a few years.
They must be insuring in UK. The shipping option may be better.

Many thanks

Paddy Pumpkin
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Re: bike import

Postby Paddy Pumpkin » Wed May 08, 2019 4:48 pm

wollie wrote:I am thinking of buying a small motorcycle for campo use and am looking for advise. I just want a small 125cc as i let my bike lapse several years ago and will not do the necessary to be able to have larger bike, anyway a lighter machine better as i just want to mess around.
I am looking for advise on the fallowing.

Can i insure a UK reg bike that currently lives in the UK with a Spanish insurance company? The idea being that when it is changed to Spanish plates we just get a new certificate.

What is the procedure with changing from UK plates to Spanish plates? Also do i need to have it street legal (taxed etc) before i can apply to have changed to Spanish plates. The reason i ask this is i am thinking of buying just to bring to Spain and if i can just import without putting in my name in UK it be easier. I will have receipt as proof of purchase and the original document with proof of ownership.

This may be a completely silly idea, i was looking around in Spain for an old rustic bike but they seem hard to find or it may be i do not know where to look. I am non resident with NIE and own a property in Spain. I did notice a similar thread of 7 years ago but i decided to create new as it only covered bits of what i ask.

Any advise appreciated.
Many thanks.
I would advise against it. I did it with a car and it was painful enough...the car was lhd registered in Germany, The saving was substantial so made it worth it, but for an old small bike (which I am guessing is not very valuable) I am nit sure it is worth it.

I had to pay a gestor 250 EUR alone without the DGT charges and also the longer and more inquisitive ITV test.

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peteroldracer
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Re: bike import

Postby peteroldracer » Wed May 08, 2019 5:44 pm

Surely this is the same problem that I am having with a car, thought of buying a UK-plated one and driving it to UK? Firstly as I am a spanish resident I cannot drive a UK car in Spain (with some odd exceptions, but certainly not with it registered in my name), secondly as a resident you cannot ride a UK bike, lastly, why on earth would you want to do it, when there are loads of Spanish Motos for sale with no problems with headlamps, speedo in mph not kms/hr?
Edit: just noticed that you claim to be non-resident, but still don't see why you want to do a complicated thing when the simple way is there....
Plenty of choice on milanuncios....
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wollie
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Re: bike import

Postby wollie » Wed May 08, 2019 8:40 pm

I am goin of-topic for a bit, why would i want to do??

I only came back from Spain last night and while i was there one of my daft friends said a person said i was a bit eccentric and his reply that i was borderline "mad"

Back to original i was looking for rustic moto in Spain and they seem scarce. Then i see i have a choice of buying either a 1978 or 1988 here which is the reason for my post, i do not want a plastic bike.
It may be what i am looking for is readily available and i do not know where to look?

I only seen these bikes this morning and would have bought if i thought it would work, a few hundred €€ is not that important i just need to know as i would love to do this.
I would not even mind spending a week to drive over if this was best option?

Many thanks...

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costakid
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Re: bike import

Postby costakid » Wed May 08, 2019 8:56 pm

peteroldracer wrote:Surely this is the same problem that I am having with a car, thought of buying a UK-plated one and driving it to UK? Firstly as I am a spanish resident I cannot drive a UK car in Spain (with some odd exceptions, but certainly not with it registered in my name), secondly as a resident you cannot ride a UK bike, lastly, why on earth would you want to do it, when there are loads of Spanish Motos for sale with no problems with headlamps, speedo in mph not kms/hr?
Edit: just noticed that you claim to be non-resident, but still don't see why you want to do a complicated thing when the simple way is there....
Plenty of choice on milanuncios....
But its a lot easier than a car. Speedo head and headlamp.

wollie
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Re: bike import

Postby wollie » Fri May 10, 2019 12:39 pm

Thanks for replies but it looks like a no-runner.
On a related subject, does moto (50cc) need be road legal for use in campo gravel roads?

El Cid
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Re: bike import

Postby El Cid » Fri May 10, 2019 1:24 pm

Yes, a road is a road. Tracks on private land are not classed as roads.

Sid

wollie
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Re: bike import

Postby wollie » Fri May 10, 2019 6:33 pm

Sid thanks.
Regards...

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Re: bike import

Postby 1bassleft » Sat May 11, 2019 1:43 pm

I agree that buying locally makes much more sense, Wollie. When you said you'd consider driving down, I hoped you meant in a vehicle with the moto in the back. I had a 100cc and 100km seemed to take forever riding it.That said, I had a look on MilAnuncios and there wasn't a lot of what you're looking for; mostly scooters and unheard of Chinese "custom" bikes.

Plenty of off-road dirt bikes, but if you want to ride on roads as well as across the grass this was one of the few to catch my eye:
https://www.milanuncios.com/motos-de-ca ... 112811.htm

It's a KN1, not NK1 as written in the ad. But I often find on MilAnuncios that, if ITV etc isn't mentioned, it usually doesn't have it.

I'm also a non-resident NIE/home owner and things are a lot smoother if the paperwork is all there and it's just a transfer of ownership. Even then, allocate a fair amount of time to getting that done. Without it, the time/professionals used might make the moto less of a bargain.

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Re: bike import

Postby wollie » Sun May 12, 2019 9:49 am

I also found one which is 27 years senior to the one you mention and more expensive but i want rustic.
If its there when next over i will likely buy, just a toy.
I will likely get a Spanish neighbor to assist with transfer.

On a related note say i bought bike today and had insured, can i drive it home before i transfer ownership proper?

Thanks for advise...

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Re: bike import

Postby 1bassleft » Mon May 13, 2019 5:02 pm

I don't know for certain, but my feeling is "probably not". When I agreed to buy my Renault car, I handed my documents over and the gestor took about a week or so. Then, I took a taxi to the garage selling the car to collect the paperwork and drive off. I suppose this was for the seller to ensure that any illegalities I indulged in were firmly directed to me. A private sale may be different. I have read of others selling a vehicle and subsequently discovering that the new owner "forgot" to declare the transfer, resulting in road tax demands and/or infringement notices being still sent to the seller. I haven't bought privately myself, I'm sure others here will have more direct experience to give you a more informed answer.

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Re: bike import

Postby 1bassleft » Mon May 13, 2019 5:14 pm

ps, I am like you. I prefer an old-style "metal" bike not enclosed in plastic fairings and fake-racing or "custom" looks. I would be interested to read how you get on.

wollie
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Re: bike import

Postby wollie » Fri May 17, 2019 1:22 pm

I am now looking at a few in Spain, is the brand name PUCH brand any good?

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Re: bike import

Postby 1bassleft » Sun May 19, 2019 4:05 am

Sorry to take so long, I was on a flight. The name Puch took me back; I remember them, but they didn't make the type of motorcycle that interested me. I only knew them for step-through, 2-stroke mopeds with very little power although they also had some reputation for small off-road bikes but I never saw one. They were considered reliable. What I didn't know (until I looked up to see if they were still manufacturing) was that they purchased a Spanish maker, which then manufactured Puch bikes rather than their own. That might explain why you've seen them on the used market here. I have no information whether the Spanish-built Puch were as reliable as the Austrian-built ones, but designs were the same.

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costakid
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Re: bike import

Postby costakid » Sun May 19, 2019 6:45 am

Puch, blast from the past. A friend had a Puch Maxi in the late 70s. My Vauxhall 101 was quicker in 1st gear than his bike and I had leather seats.

wollie
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Re: bike import

Postby wollie » Sun May 19, 2019 3:21 pm

It seems there are a few of what i am looking for, just to find the time to buy and set up.
I see quite a few with "sin documentacion" I assume this means stay away as too complicated for me.
However i am curious to know more about it?

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Re: bike import

Postby 1bassleft » Sun May 19, 2019 4:00 pm

When I looked through Mil Anuncios, I saw quite a few sin doc myself in the motos clasicos. Not surprising, there must be plenty used for negotiating the tracks, a few rabbits stretched over the back rack. Fixing them up to be roadworthy wouldn't be difficult but I've looked at the process of bringing a paperless car back to official life and, if motos are similar, I wouldn't like to start. Many for sale are off-road designed so, as Sid pointed out, there's plenty of use to be had away from the calles and carreteras. Not a lot of scope where I live, but in the campo you have plenty of options if you just want to have fun on the dirt (although I would wonder about the financial consequences of running over an unexpected couple of people having their own fun on the dirt, don't know what insurance would cover that). Getting spares would be a concern but perhaps Puch weren't the only maker with a Spanish-licensed builder in the past - wouldn't be surprised if some of the Italian makes had a similar arrangement. Of course, Bultaco is a Spanish name synonymous with off-road bikes in my youth if you're really keen on an old classic.

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costakid
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Re: bike import

Postby costakid » Mon May 20, 2019 9:19 am

I think Bultaco is now called GAS GAS


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