Living in France

[Mart-p]

Hi Tank,

Just sorted my subscription out. I had let it lapse after leaving Scotland.

The SV has got the Type Approval number on the V5, but it would not go through. A friend, who has bike trade contacts here, has said that the law has been tightened up and they will not now register bikes over the power limit. The Prefecture just said it is too powerful and thats it.

For the BM I will have to go to the dealer and see what they say.

I may end up taking both bikes back to the UK and selling them. What a pain!

Your right, I have discussed this on other forums on www.bikeclubfrance.com and the comments are right. No Prefecture is the same and they all seem to interpret the rules their own way, but I do think in the case of motorcycles they are cracking down on the power limit issue and making it more dificult.

C'est la vie
Martin

 

[Tank]

Hi Mart-p

Thought I had seen it on the BCFR, I put a detailed post about my experience on there too.

I can't believe they will not allow the SV to be registered as, supposedley, all the EU member countries signed an agreement to allow vehicles with the Typer Approval Numbers to be registered in there respective Countries. I would try to fight that one to the death!!

In France they use a CNIT number to register motorcycles and this number is, typically, unique to France! When I received my CofC from Triumph England it actually had the CNIT number on the document. It may be worth asking Suzuki in England if they can supply you with this number as they must know about it if Triumph England do! In fact the Triumph CofC had the relevant numbers for several European Countries.

I made some enquiries before I came out here as I had a hayabusa that I wanted to bring out but no way that was going to happen and I contacted the FFMC. I will PM you their reply to me regarding my bike. If they had not taken three months to reply, which by then I had changed my bikes, I would have taken them up on their offer. They may offer you the same help!!

 

[(RIP) orbit]

Hi Mart-p


I can't believe they will not allow the SV to be registered as, supposedley, all the EU member countries signed an agreement to allow vehicles with the Typer Approval Numbers to be registered in there respective Countries. I would try to fight that one to the death!!QUOTE

Original text by elo elo elo bike club france .

BIKE REGISTRATION 2003 and newer bikes

We have had a lot of questions regarding this subject, hereunder for the benefit of our newer members coming over to France from the U.K. with their own machines newer than 2003 :-

Under E.U. regulations any motor vehicle manufactured since 1998 (2003 for U.K. Bikes) MUST comply with E.U. Whole Vehicle Type Approval.
EUWVTA ie common approved technical standard. The purpose of EUWVTA is to make it easier for cross border movement of E.U. citizens and their vehicles,which means that such vehicles may be registered in any E.U. member state without further Inspection or Modification.
France is the exception in imposing a national power limit on motorcycles, and French importers will comply by only selling new bikes that fall within this limit. However, under EUWVTA rules, this limit CANNOT be legally applied to POST 2003 Bikes belonging to private E.U. citizens wishing to import their own machines themselves.
In all cases an E.U. Certificate of Conformity is acceptable to the Prefecture who will issue a fully legal Carte Grise.
Provided they are prepared to accept the risk, the insurrers will issue fully legal policies for 106+ BHP bikes.
The French authorities CANNOT refuse to register a bike which has an E.U. Certificate of Conformity. Once it is registered then it is fully legal (it has a Carte Grise.) and can be sold on to another individual, or to a dealer. The dealer can sell it to a buyer because it is already legally registered here and has a Carte Grise.
Whilst French importers may comply with the national law,it is NOT enforceable against individuals that's why the Prefectures will be happy to issue a Carte Grise for 106+ BHP Bikes.
It's an odd situation, but be assurred the French Ministry of Transport have issued clear and precise instructions to the Prefectures regarding this situation.

 

[Mart-p]

Whilst French importers may comply with the national law,it is NOT enforceable against individuals that's why the Prefectures will be happy to issue a Carte Grise for 106+ BHP Bikes.
It's an odd situation, but be assurred the French Ministry of Transport have issued clear and precise instructions to the Prefectures regarding this situation.

Hi Orbit,

Wonderful in theory and I went to the Prefecture confident that the bike would get registered. I had contemplated selling the bike in the UK for a long time before deciding to bring it over.

Unfortunately, as is often said, "This is France and things work differently"!!

The Prefecture are refusing to register the bike, saying it is too powerful and unfortunately my French is not good enough to argue with them confidently, although I do not think it will make any difference anyway.

Tank has given me a link to the FFMC to follow up, who are (were) offering to fight the cases of people having difficulty.

My bike was new in March 2003, which may be part of the problem as the Type Approval date is 12 December 2002. This may mean that my bike is outside of the rules, although a newer bike which is identical may be inside the rules!

The ridiculous thing is that they also claim the BMW is too powerful!! It only makes 85 bhp. Hopefully a visit to the dealer will get that sorted. We shall see.

It is frustrating and I have not had the time to devote to it, as we have been trying to get two businesses off the ground, but that's another story! I will now try and get it sorted and when I get a reply from the FFMC I will post it on here. and the BCFR

Cheers

Martin

 

[Brian ROSEN]

It is possible!

I went through the lengthy procedure of registering an old BMW (K100RS) in France and my advice THEN was it was not worth the hassle as the prices in France and the UK were similar; Now the situation is completely different and there is a huge saving to be made by importing a UK bike.
You do have the legal right to import the bike (at least if it is not over 100 hp -which is another complicated story) but it is up to you to obtain the certificate of conformity and that had to be obtained from BMW France (and may still be the case.) The first step is that the bike has to be positively identified and that can be done by going to a BMW dealer and asking him to verify & record ALL numbers on the bike - engine,frame gearbox etc; and all details such as tyre sizes etc.etc. I think that I obtained a form for him to fill in (perhaps from the prefecture or perhaps BMW France.) The dealer was very helpful and did not charge me for this. (I have since bought new bikes from him.) I then had to send the form (plus sizeable cheque) to BMW France who then issued the Certificate. Then it is relatively plain sailing - just showing all receipts for purchse showing VAT was paid etc;
Make sure that tyre sizes etc as as original eqipment or you will have to start again;
If your French is not up to it all perhaps you can find someone to help you? It is a challenge but just look in BoxRMag and from the hundreds of adverts you will realise how much you can save. e.g; 1150GSA 2003 60,500kms from a dealer here at €7,500 = £6,500

 

[Mart-p]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the info. My next job is to pay the dealer a visit, but I have not had the time. Must drag myself down theresoon and get it sorted.