Register an Imported Bike

[Spaceman]

Hi Guys,

Ive shipped my KLR650 (2011) back to the UK and want to register this with the DVLA.
Has anyone knowledge of this process? Does the bike need a special inspection or is it just paperwork and an MOT?

[OnHellas]

As far as I'm aware the bike will need to go through an SVA test. Single vehicle approval.
Have a look at the DVLA website for details and to find your local testing site.
Obviously you can't ride it there, it'll have to go in a van or on a trailer.

[Tonibe63]

Hi Guys,

Ive shipped my KLR650 (2011) back to the UK and want to register this with the DVLA.
Has anyone knowledge of this process?
Does the bike need a special inspection or is it just paperwork and an MOT?

Back from where?

[pinball1008]

2 friends of mine recently imported 2 DRZ's from the USA. SVA is required plus MOT obviously. Issues that caused them concern were, 1. Emissions, turned out mot to be a problem. p2p.Headlight beam, DRZ'S are not angled so OK. 3.Parking light, USA bikes don't have these, but a £2.99 jobby from eBay and a 10mm drill and all was good. I'm unsure as to what import duty/vat was payable but I can probably find out.

[Bernard Smith]

Issues that caused them concern were, 1. Emissions, turned out mot to be a problem.

Strange. Emissions are not part of the British MOT for motorcycles.

That's why we keep telling people to pack in moaning about road tax and CC limits as then emissions would be part of the MOT..........

[pinball1008]

Totally correct for MOT, but the emissions test is for the SVA.

[Spaceman]

Middle East, I bought it new in Abu Dhabi then exported it to Oman in 2014.
Its in the UK.

[catcitrus]

I bought a CRF 230 new and as it was NOT type approved(never sold as a road legal bike in the UK) I managed to simply get an MOT on the frame number(with all lighting bits added etc) and then use the enduro exemption by jacking it up until the seat height was over 900 mm and the sump above 330 mm (I think)--no SVA single type approval required. I also registered an ex danish army BMW R65 GS that was bought at a military auction--just needed proof of model year and an MOT (but maybe this was because it was old).

[Ravers]

I purchased an unregistered SMC YB125 Chinese supermoto (the one in my profile pic) off eBay a few years back and getting the thing registered was an absolute nightmare. I realise it's different to bringing in a secondhand bike from abroad, but it's completely put me off ever having to deal with the DVLA again. Life is too short, I'd rather just buy a UK bike than ever talk to those w###### again.

I purchased the bike brand new with all the relevant paperwork from a guy who had imported a shipping crate full of them. Had a brief test ride of it on private land putting about 4 or 5 miles on the clock. Next step was to insure it on the chassis number. I sent off all the paperwork and waited patiently for 6 weeks until the DVLA finally got back to me and demanded that I bring the bike to the local DVLA centre for an inspection (not an SVA, just an inspection). No valid reason was given for this, despite the bike being a UK model that is type approved for sale in this country.

I had to take the day off work and hire a van to take it to the DVLA centre so some miserable old cow could walk around it, check the chassis number and say "yep this matches the paperwork." On checking the speedo, she informed me that because it had 5 miles on the clock it couldn't be registered with an age related plate as the age couldn't be confirmed (despite the paperwork showing the date of manufacture).

Another 6 weeks passed and I got a registration certificate through and they'd given it a Q plate. The company who had insured it on the chassis number ran a mile cancelling the policy and after days of searching I eventually managed to get it insured 3rd party only for an extortionate sum.

So 3 months after buying the bike (and paying for insurance on the chassis number), I finally get to ride it. Granted the bike was nothing special, but it was completely worthless and virtually uninsurable due to the Q plate.

I tried appealing countless times, wrote various snottograms to people but got nowhere.

DVLA = complete sack of bastards. Life is too short to deal with that sort of hassle, just get a UK bike.

[Tonibe63]

I bought a CRF 230 new and as it was NOT type approved(never sold as a road legal bike in the UK) I managed to simply get an MOT on the frame number(with all lighting bits added etc) and then use the enduro exemption by jacking it up until the seat height was over 900 mm and the sump above 330 mm (I think)--no SVA single type approval required. I also registered an ex danish army BMW R65 GS that was bought at a military auction--just needed proof of model year and an MOT (but maybe this was because it was old).

Yes I did a few about 10 years ago and managed to get them registered as enduro bikes thereby avoiding an SVA but these were bikes which had not previously been registered overseas. I think the problem with the KLR is that it has previously been registered and it also has pillion pegs etc which makes it ineligible for the 'competition bike' classification.
I would contact Kawasaki UK to see if your model is 'Type Approved' for the UK and if so get a Certificate of Conformity or Type Approval Number then contact DVLA.

Alternatively buy a write off, sell the bits but retain the logbook and ..........