Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

The black art of moving from A to B on foreign soil
berin
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by berin »

Yes, would be good to get actual recent experience. Carnet’s, I think, are not the answer.

CDP are not valid in Europe, so they wouldn’t know what one was, and ATA carnet isn’t relevant as they are not goods, they are road registered motor vehicles. At least that’s what the ATA carnet issuer issuer in Birmingham told me.

It should be no problem, but as we knows customs officers can sometimes have their own ideas.


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Richard Simpson Mark II
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

My older truck-driving friends recall how, pre 1992 and the Single Market, most of these 'paperwork issues' could be solved with a donation of 'coffee money'.
daveuprite
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by daveuprite »

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/bik ... er-brexit/

This article is kind of helpful, in a limited way. It would be a very good idea to phone the GBBC (0121 725 8996) to check if your bike/s will need a carnet, although I still see no reason why a road-registered bike with V5 accompanied by its owners and maybe original proof of purchase (?) - all in the name on the V5 - should present any legitimate problem. But as said above, some customs staff might not be up on the regs, given that so much has changed so quickly and so recently. There might be more clarity now since that MCN article was published back in February.

And what about a scenario in which 3 mates decide that one of them will drive a van with all three bikes in the back while the other two fly out to Italy and they all meet in Florence for some fun in the Tuscan hills? Wouldn't have been any problem whatsoever before January 21, but lord knows what that entails now...

If the bikes are for racing / have no reg documents I probably wouldn't bother, unless you're feeling wealthy. Each bike worth, say, £10k will cost about 200-300 in non-refundable carnet fees and a deposit of £4,000 which you only get back on return to the UK. That has effectively halted all amateur / club-level racing for UK competitors at EU circuits. Yet another brexit success.
Oop North John
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by Oop North John »

This from Bikeshuttle might be of help: https://www.bikeshuttle.co.uk/toulouse- ... -for-2021/

Covid and Brexit was a toxic mix for them this year I guess.
berin
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by berin »

daveuprite wrote:https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/bik ... er-brexit/

This article is kind of helpful, in a limited way. It would be a very good idea to phone the GBBC (0121 725 8996) to check if your bike/s will need a carnet, although I still see no reason why a road-registered bike with V5 accompanied by its owners and maybe original proof of purchase (?) - all in the name on the V5 - should present any legitimate problem. But as said above, some customs staff might not be up on the regs, given that so much has changed so quickly and so recently. There might be more clarity now since that MCN article was published back in February.

And what about a scenario in which 3 mates decide that one of them will drive a van with all three bikes in the back while the other two fly out to Italy and they all meet in Florence for some fun in the Tuscan hills? Wouldn't have been any problem whatsoever before January 21, but lord knows what that entails now...

If the bikes are for racing / have no reg documents I probably wouldn't bother, unless you're feeling wealthy. Each bike worth, say, £10k will cost about 200-300 in non-refundable carnet fees and a deposit of £4,000 which you only get back on return to the UK. That has effectively halted all amateur / club-level racing for UK competitors at EU circuits. Yet another brexit success.
I have read that article, thanks, and I did call the Birmingham ATA Carnet people.
They were the ones that told me ATA carnet’s don’t apply to road bikes, and that just transporting mates bikes, as long as I had the log books and a letter of authority it should be ok. The problem is, as stated above, not all the owners will be with the bikes.

No one they knew of had tried this, at that point (this was around March or so, before we realised the lockdowns would continue for the rest of the year)
berin
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by berin »

Oop North John wrote:This from Bikeshuttle might be of help: https://www.bikeshuttle.co.uk/toulouse- ... -for-2021/

Covid and Brexit was a toxic mix for them this year I guess.
I’ve been following them, they have been hard hit.
Tonibe63
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by Tonibe63 »

berin wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 9:15 am
Oop North John wrote:This from Bikeshuttle might be of help: https://www.bikeshuttle.co.uk/toulouse- ... -for-2021/

Covid and Brexit was a toxic mix for them this year I guess.
I’ve been following them, they have been hard hit.
I was delivering locally back in December and saw 2 of their trailers parked up like they were in long-term storage, very sad to see.
Open your eyes and you see what is in front of you, open your mind and you see a bigger picture but open your heart and you see a whole new World.
Oop North John
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by Oop North John »

Tonibe63 wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:09 am
berin wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 9:15 am
Oop North John wrote:This from Bikeshuttle might be of help: https://www.bikeshuttle.co.uk/toulouse- ... -for-2021/

Covid and Brexit was a toxic mix for them this year I guess.
I’ve been following them, they have been hard hit.
I was delivering locally back in December and saw 2 of their trailers parked up like they were in long-term storage, very sad to see.
I was meant to go to Toulouse with them last year, hoped this year would be ok, but wasn't to be ☹
Tonibe63
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by Tonibe63 »

We've got friends in Northern Italy that have invited us over so do you reckon you could crowd fund us to take 2 bikes over in the back of my van so I can give a first hand report ;) :lol: .
Open your eyes and you see what is in front of you, open your mind and you see a bigger picture but open your heart and you see a whole new World.
Barcelona Pat
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Re: Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

Post by Barcelona Pat »

I can't offer specifics as I'm away from home in the UK, and don't have access to my notes, but for Spain there is def something about the length of time you / the vehicle plan to be in the country. There is something about 3 months and also something about 6 months as trigger points.

I can recall if over 6 months you have to formerly import the vehicle to be able to use it on the road. That was the case even before the UK left the EU - its just got more expensive now due to higher taxes and duties (and it wasn't cheap and easy before). Its a common misunderstanding that you could do pretty much what you liked while we were all part of the EU - there was/is plenty of scope for EU member states to impose their own rules (UK generally didn't do that though) and vehicle use is a good example. Might be similar for Portugal, or completely different, sorry I can't offer any thoughts on that.

Anyway, I digress, if transporting through Spain (and can evidence that - eg hotel bookings in Portugal) then you are unlikely to get anyone asking further questions. Stuff passes through Spain by road from outside the EU on route elsewhere all the time - both privately and commercially. Expect to be asked about destination and length of stay at port of entry and have your response (and evidence) readily available.

Hope that helps.
Pat
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