Foreign Registration Question

[Jerzy Woking]

I'm driving down to Spain early next year and staying for a couple of months in the family home, before heading up to meet some mates in Czechia, then heading to tour around Slovakia and Slovenia for a month or so before returning to Spain for a couple of weeks before returning to UK (Brexit allowing).

 

I want to do the Czechia trip on a bike, so will look to buy a 600 cc bike over in Spain which will be its "home". There maybe occassions when i take it up to Northern France when i can pop over the channel to stay in the UK for a couple of weeks/months.

 

What the legality of riding a Spanish registered bike in the UK when my main residence will UK and not Spain? I think Dollywobbler had issues with his Romanian Dacia.

 

Registering one of my bikes in Spain is a complete no no (my mate spent €900 registering his UK F800 in Spain) especially as I'll be splitting my time living in UK, Spain and other places in the World. 

[DodgeRover]

Get a Spanish licence otherwise it's completely illegal to use an overseas registered vehicle of UK soil with a British Licence.

Exemptions apply but you don't fall into one.

 

The chances of getting physically stopped are slim though.

[Jerzy Woking]

I didn't even think about getting a Spanish licence. I'll look into that now. Thank you

[Wingz123]

Massively envious of your plans sounds absolutely fantastic.

[Jerzy Woking]

Looks like that as an EU citizen I can voluntarily exchange my UK licence for a Spanish one (I have the required NIE number),which means I can ride a Spanish bike in the UK.

 

Although I doubt I'll be able to keep exchanging a UK licence for a Spanish one, and then back again ad infinitum. Or could I?

And with withdrawal from the EU on 29th March I could be stuck with a Spanish/UK licence. Without introducing politics into this, it could really fuck up some of my plans with this, let alone crossing borders within the EU, or applying for visa's etc.

[DodgeRover]

Exchange license, apply for duplicate uk one on return.

[lesapandre]

Happy to comment here - this is a personal view not advice I suppose. I travelled a lot in France over the past 20 years on UK plates - I have also been into Spain once. 

 

I have been stopped by the police in France twice in those years - both times at roadblocks which we don't have in the UK mostly. Both times they were looking for drunk drivers and when I politely let them know I had not had a drink they politely waved me on.

 

There is not much police presence on the roads and crossing the boarder into Spain no check. 

 

My cars are UK reg and I don't spend usually more than a month away. I have never had anyone interested in where they are from or how long I have been in France etc. That may change of course.

 

Spain puts a 6-months limit on foreign registed cars to be used there prior to them needing Spanish registration - how its proved either way in practice I don't know given the lack of boarder checks. 

 

I always make sure the cars have a valid MoT and insurance cover and all the beam benders kit etc and prominent high-viz and GB plate. I carry the V5 and a pack just in case.

 

One day I will meet my jobsworth in some Police force abroad but I'm forearmed.

 

Going over the 6-months Spanish limit may render you liable to a problem if stopped but the worst that could happen is vehicle impounded - so it depends how much you value your vehicle. But that would be a worst case a month or two over may get you let off?

 

I would just make sure you have good reliable insurance for all the permutations you have described- big problems and official scrutiny would come if there was an accident. So good tyres and a vehicle check over with an invoice and fresh MoT  would mitigate problems there. 

 

About everything else I've stopped worrying - life is literally too short. Brexit I already have my International Driving Permit.

 

Just add I have a modern picture UK licence.

[lesapandre]

The only other comment I'd make is avoid officialdom by avoiding hassle- I always rigidly adhere to the speed limit - France these days is full of radar cameras and police speed traps - reason their death toll on the roads is about x2 the UK per head of pop. If you don't bother officialdom they won't bother you. Equally applys to light bulbs/drinking/tyres etc.

[lesapandre]

And I mean if a Citroen XM could get to Moscow (in Dutch) you can do anything too. Enjoy...

 

[castros_bro]

Not advice as I"ve no idea what I'm talking about but I do know someone who says they just may have done a second driving test in another country so had UK and non-UK licences and the sun shone.

 

 

[Fabergé Greggs]

Can’t offer an useful advice, but just to confirm that you’re living the dream in case you didn’t already know it.

[Jerzy Woking]

Thanks all. Ridden all around France and the Balkans on the bikes. Always have original and photocopy V5, insurance and MOT on me, hi-viz close at hand, and GB sticker. In the Balkans the speed traps are everywhere, but the are enough twattish drivers for them to pull over, no problems.

 

 

115 working days to go before I start living the dream JTS, and about 11,000 behind me.

[Tamworthbay]

I lived in The Netherlands for a while bit knew I was coming back as it was fixed contract. I just drove my uk registered car without any hassle. The only problem I had was that I could only get six months overseas cover in a year back in those days so just used to cancel the insurance on six months and then start a new one. Now I don’t think you have to inform your insurance you are go8ng overseas so that wouldn’t matter. I had a permanent address in the UK so it wasn’t a problem. I was never stopped or hassled in anyway even though I ran up about a grand in parking fines (it’s a long story but I didn’t realise an area was permit only for a month and they only issued tickets once a month). I was a bit concerned when I finally came back that they may stop me at the port but never had any hassle. B353CRL is still probably black listed in Delft though.

[nigel bickle]

I have an English, French & Belgian licence - thankfully all sorted ( on parental advice) when I was a nipper - pre industrial revolution.

 

I’ve rarely needed them, but I have stymied a couple of smart-arse English rozzers with them.

 

If I was ‘ starting’ now, I’d probably do 3 tests, for 3 licences. Hell of a faff, mind.

[lesapandre]

I lived in The Netherlands for a while bit knew I was coming back as it was fixed contract. I just drove my uk registered car without any hassle. The only problem I had was that I could only get six months overseas cover in a year back in those days so just used to cancel the insurance on six months and then start a new one. Now I don’t think you have to inform your insurance you are go8ng overseas so that wouldn’t matter. I had a permanent address in the UK so it wasn’t a problem. I was never stopped or hassled in anyway even though I ran up about a grand in parking fines (it’s a long story but I didn’t realise an area was permit only for a month and they only issued tickets once a month). I was a bit concerned when I finally came back that they may stop me at the port but never had any hassle. B353CRL is still probably black listed in Delft though.

That is my advice - keep everything 'uk based' including yourself - then you are on not really hassled. Just mind the insurance some policies only allow a shortish period out of UK. That will be something you can dodge but if it comes to light after an acccident you had been longer than stipulated you might have problems with your insurer. Fix is to find a policy with the longest period or make a return to uk when period runs out - then go back out if that's allowed.

[lesapandre]

My English neighbours in France ran a UK based car there continually for 15 years - no idea how! They never bothered about it.

[Jerzy Woking]

There will be no problem with my UK registered car or bikes, as they won't be out in Spain for long, maybe 3 months at most, and doesn't seem to be an issue from comments on this thread.

 

Looks like riding a Spanish registered bike here will be though, at least without the faff of swapping licences. Maybe different after Brexit, maybe not, but as such important things such as trade deals, customs controls and border policing are still undecided, what's the chances any of this will be clearer?

[lesapandre]

I broke down in France about 10 years ago - I blew a tyre and mangled it and the spare was knackered. So to get back to London for work I drove a French reg Citroen  Visa back. I used it for about a month in London then took it back. I had no hassle - I would if coming in on Spanish plates keep a clear record when you came in and not use the bike too much when here. It would take a real jobsworth to stop you and hassle if you are here not too long - but there a risk of course.

[lesapandre]

Just to add - to further insulate from problems have a return ticket booked on the bikes reg and keep a copy with you so anyone enquiring would see you are leaving again with the bike. But like I said you might meet a jobsworth. 

[catsinthewelder]

It all sounds above board apart from the riding it in the UK bit.  As everybody above said though, you would be unlucky to be stopped and as most coppers don't know the law that well you could probably convince them that it's above board if it's registed to you at a Spanish address. 

 

Lots of people have a second home over there and if they spend half their time in each country it is very hard to tell where vehicles should be registered and licences issued.

[lesapandre]

And after Brexit you can take a Spanish test if you want to and have two driving licences*

 

*could prove useful in certain situations.

[lesapandre]

Also you see lots of tourist bikes in the UK on European plates. You will look like a biker touring. Keep the panniers on.

[Jerzy Woking]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Been speaking to my mate living in Spain, and buying a bike (if I can find one I like) isn't that straight forward, lots more expensive than the UK, and insurance can be really expensive.

 

So Plan B is being considered - buy a van in the UK,  load one of my bikes in the back, drive down to Spain, unload bike, park van in underground car park for three months, and use bike to explore Spain and ride up to Czechia and Slovakia, ride back to van, load up and drive back to UK. 

 

Plan B is a bit more sensible financially I think, and I can flog the van when I get back. Which leaves me with yet another headache - what van is best with my £2500 (maximum) budget? Don't mind a few dents and scrapes, and I need air con, and reliability. Any suggestions?

[Dan_ZTT]

This is half of 2500 and looks good - http://autoshite.com/topic/32860-vw-t4-transporter-24d-£1250-lincs/

 

No need for air con surely, it's only a few days each way? And it would sell for the same again when you got back.

 

Is there not a plan C though of just riding the UK bike to Spain and then on to Czechia etc?

[Guest Hooli]

 

Is there not a plan C though of just riding the UK bike to Spain and then on to Czechia etc?

 

That'd be my plan, it's only a couple of days ride each way. It's not worth buying a van for. Besides you're going on a riding holiday so it makes sense to ride.

[Des]

Why employ two vehicles where one can suffice?

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2018-Piaggio-Ape-10-MILES-ONLY-2-door-Van/273034996752?_trkparms=aid%3D777003%26algo%3DDISCL.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20160608105753%26meid%3D9665473a514144ae9276da1b80d78f3a%26pid%3D100012%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D253834475697%26itm%3D273034996752&_trksid=p2047675.c100012.m1985

 

Although a Spanish reg could be useful here, sport moustache and answer any rozzer challenge by repeating que??? They'll soon get bored and leave.

 

[DodgeRover]

Buy the £250 transit, drive to prebooked mot near the docks, drive to Spain and leave it there and ride back?

[castros_bro]

Buy this, before I have to.

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/33151-2004-ford-transit-petrol-lpg-spears-or-reapers-%C2%A3250/

 

spend 250 GBP getting in 100% mechanical + MOT

 

then buy my XT600 and have the exhaust studs drilled out properly etc. maybe 600 + 400 GBP

 

The van it down this way for winter south of Espain and pretend you are in Weston Beach race on a grand scale.. Timbuktu is over there >

 

https://www.google.com/maps/dir////31.6896114,-9.6691643/@31.6930344,-9.667559,3593m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0

[DodgeRover]

Buy this, before I have to.

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/33151-2004-ford-transit-petrol-lpg-spears-or-reapers-%C2%A3250/

 

spend 250 GBP getting in 100% mechanical + MOT

 

then buy my XT600 and have the exhaust studs drilled out properly etc. maybe 600 + 400 GBP

 

The van it down this way for winter south of Espain and pretend you are in Weston Beach race on a grand scale.. Timbuktu is over there >

 

https://www.google.com/maps/dir////31.6896114,-9.6691643/@31.6930344,-9.667559,3593m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0

XT600 for sale? Have I already asked for details and forgotten?

Thanks

[AMC Rebel]

Exchange license, apply for duplicate uk one on return.

Whilst not advocating this at all of course, a Kiwi I know chopped his UK licence in for a Kiwi one when he went home, but then applied for a replacement from the UK saying he'd "lost" his UK one - which worked fine.