European Regulations

What I know for France (one of the nations where you can still trail ride with not too many problems, but more and more problems occur): trails are considered roads.

Therefore you need a motorcycle license for everything over 250cc. A regular (car) drivers license allows you to ride a 125cc 2-stroke or 250cc 4-stroke on the road and, therefore, on the trails.

If you want to trail ride a bigger bike, you need a motorcycle license, and they are not easy to get in Europe, they do everything they can to make you fail your test.

Before 16 you are limited to a 50cc. At 16 years old you are limited to an 85cc 2-stroke. At 17 a 125cc. It does not matter if you are tall and heavy for your age.

You cannot ride an MX bike on the trails either, because it is not road legal. Making an MX bike legal for the trails requires so much paperwork that you'd rather sell it and get its trail-legal equivalent.

If you trail ride, you need to have your driver's license, proof of insurance and title with you.

The gendarmes (military police) have trained enduro riders who will race you if you run away and they are really good, because they train all week long.

And believe me: it's one of the most liberal countries for trail riding.

This is a question for our European members.

What are the regulations for trail riding?

vehicle must be road legal and insured

What are the regulations for riding on the street?

in the day time if the bike is under 3 years old it needs no MOT if over 3 years old it needs an MOT. you then show your insurance, reg book, MOT certificate and pay about £50 for a years road fund license which is called by absolutely everyone a "tax disc". this you must display somewhere in front of the rider in a little 3" circular glass holder. traditional place is bolted to the steering stops

Specifically, does one need a licence to ride a bike? How hard is it to get?

yes you need to have passed a bike test to ride over 125cc. the licence you simply apply for. you need to send in your riding exam pass and then your license becomes a 'full' riders license.

In order for the motorcycle to be legal, what is required, registration?

i registered mine last september when the bike was 33 months old. that way i got it registered and then faced it's first MOT 3 months later. i had the registration application forms sent from swansea which is the british centre for these things. i called them and then a few others. the upshot was that with over 330mm ground clearance i was on an enduro. enduro's don't have to have 'type approval' (ie-**** loads of stickers) so it was a case of giving my insurance cert, import certificate and a fee for 12 months license. back came a registration document and a 'tax disc' - see above again for that

Trailers:
Do trailers need a licence/marker plate? Can anyone get one?

trailers in the UK means the things a car sits on or a bike ferinstance. they need nothing but mudguards, # plate and lights, be road worthy... in other words that one is between you and the police!

Do you need insurance in Europe?

yes, the minimum is called third party, next is called third party fire and theft and the last one i don't believe you have in the states is called fully comprehensive which covers you and them. you have to agree to an 'excess' and you can get what's called no claims discount. this works right up to 70%. insurance is 'loaded' until you hit 35 and then it's 'discounted'

I am not even sure if the rules apply to all of Europe, or if they are different in the different countries.

we're pretty much in it together now. however if i lived in holland (for example) for more than 6 months i would have to have their way of doing things. we tax the car and anyone can drive it. 6 vehiccles = 6 tax discs i'm afraid. others are different. so i would have to fit a dutch # plate and do it their way such as smoking dope whilst driving and setting fire to speed cameras etc that bit is compulsory over there

what makeas a bike road or trail legal is what you perhaps didn't ask...

my husey has no headlight, no tail light and wears MX tyres. it's ready to race. what it does have though is a horn and a rear number plate. that is all i need for daytime riding. you'll see trials bikes at the manx 2-day trial with one of those little squeeky horns with the bulbs at the end; fitted to the bars and they ride around from section to section in the I.O.M like that. however if get pulled over by the cops he would do me for the following;
MX tyres on the road
rear # plate too small
horn not working
he MIGHT do me for no kite mark on the silencer
he could do me after the street lights come on for the usual stuff as well

Any help would be appreciated...

nay problem parkso!

Taffy

-Parsko

For Holland:

What are the regulations for trail riding?

motorcycle has to be road legal and insured

What are the regulations for riding on the street?

Just obey the law! A yearly roadtax has to be paid, for any motorvehicle. No yearly inspections (yet)

Specifically, does one need a licence to ride a bike? How hard is it to get?

yes one is needed. It used to be so that once you get it, you could ride any bike, any cc, any horsepower. If I am correct, now you have to start with a max 35 Hp for two years. Not sure exactley here as I got mine before this rule.
At the age of 16 you are alowed to ride a 50cc.

In order for the motorcycle to be legal, what is required, registration?

Road legal means; working lights, horn, enduro silencer, enduro tires, chain gaurds, registration. During enduro or other organised off road rides, turning signals are not needed. You care allowed without them. Although I just heard that in an enduro you have to have a sidestand mounted!!
Tax is paid per year, motorcycles get a special rate as the government says they only ride during good weather.
As soon as an enduro (or any bike) bike needs a license plate we get ther thrill off paying about 20-25% on the normal retail price.

Trailers:
Do trailers need a licence/marker plate? Can anyone get one?

Yes, here the trailers plates are different in color then the ones on the car. These plates can be made easily. The plates on the car have to be applied for through official ways, say in case you loose one.

Do you need insurance in Europe?

yes, the minimum is called third party. Where the insurance pays for the damage on others when it is your fault. '

Yes, just the same, although called differently in the vernaculars.

I have looked into the export to Europe thing. Seems to me there is a ton of money to make due to the Euro vs Dollar exchange rate and also the fact that motorcycles are very expensive there.

VAT is close to 20% in some countries and this makes the resale value a lot higher over there.

For Holland are the rules that if you have lived an another country, you can take the bike, car whatever with you free of tax etc. But you have to have been abroad for at least a year. And a maximum of one car.
Temporarily is also possible, say you have a race or another event here. But for a normal import/export thing, pay 19% tax and about 6-9%duty and some amount of handling fee. When you apply for a licenseplate add about 20-30% luxury tax. Which will be less depending on the age of the bike. It used to be 1% per month less and a minimum of 10% you have to pay.

If you want to import for $$$ (or euros), go through Belgium. Customs are lower there and titles are easier to transfer. Once you have a Belgian title, the rest of the EU will accept it. Even Taffyland.

A friend of mine sells big US-made 4WD guzzlers because it's all the hype now that sports cars are not worth having with all the speed traps. He goes through a Belgian POE like Antwerp and sells them at double the price. After customs he still makes a 40% to 60% margin, which he splits with the dealer.

I wish I had a few tens of dollars to invest ... but I have a Husaberg.

Ok, but then you have it in Belgium. If I want to ride it on the road, then i would have to get it streetlegal here in Holland. So all the extra costs remain, except the import duty.
A big profit is possible due to the fact that official importers keep their prices higher in order to give themselves as well as dealers a margin. In times when the currency ratio is changing, the retail prices won't be changed to the lower side should this be the case. But then you get smaller, quicker traders that want to make some money also. For example, the Suzuki RM is listed here for 7700,- Euro now they are for sale for 5900,-, new models.
When the Euro was 1,35 USD, you could see adds almost on a daily base, saying a container with dirtbikes comes in at the best possible price. Now the dollar gained about 10-12% and most of these guys are gone.

maichusa said:

Ok, but then you have it in Belgium.

Click to expand...

You have a Belgium title which you can transfer.

If you are taking your bike with you to go live somewhere for a long period of time then you have some exception rules that apply to you.

I would suggest reselling the bike there when you're done. Good money and you don't have to pay the trip back. Bring me some cheese.

maichusa wrote:
Ok, but then you have it in Belgium.


You have a Belgium title which you can transfer

Click to expand...

Yes, but as said the costs remain.

@Parsko, I am in Enschede which is close to German border. Have a look on the map Schwimm was kind enough to make