Registration of US imported bikes in the UK

[MeilakJ]

Hi All ,

Just needed to ask / more as a clarification when registering an Imported US bike in the UK As I am quite sure alot of you have been in this process?. Are you not required to have the Original American title of the bike ?

Hope fully I have my bike arriving this week  and I have the Title and Bill of sale to be able to register the bike already in my hands . When I asked the local authorities here in Malta they said not just the bill of sale is needed  but also the Title. Also on the title I have a red stamp that says   that the bike is exported .

At the moment I am interested in getting another bike a CB550 (already getting hooked !!  )and I have seen some bikes that DK has on auction on ebay and he allways states if he has or has not the title of the bike . he only states that VAT and tax has been paid and is registered on the NOVA system. I have even sent PM to them and they say its not available.

Basically after reading on internet the Title is like the Log book of the bike (v5 in the uk ?) . In US they seem to use a system were they dont have the title in hand and just issue a bill of sale . But clearly if you dont have the original Title the bike could still not be actually not yours and also on the title there are parts were there could be a possibility that a Lien is on the bike ( Lien is like a loan or other thing which the bike is used as a Guarantee ) I have attached a copy of mine which shows this 

I am not trying to raise any alarms but how is the bike then checked for the verification especially without a title ? does the UK agency check this in some way ?  After registering the bike maybe ? Does any body have any experience in trying to get a title for a US bike ?

Cheers

[Bryanj]

Uk dvla don't care as long as you have the import docs they take it you are the legal owner. Title is not required but can be used as a proof of original year if you wish but letter from Honda is better as US bikes can be in stock a while before being sold just as in UK.

If you want a bike in Malta it would be easier for you to have somebody in UK register it here then it would be simply an EU transfer

[MeilakJ]

That would be the best solution.
 But to register the bike does it have to be running ? Can you register it without being good for the road ? Sort of like Sorn ?

I have relatives in the uk that would help, but they are not capable of fixing it up !

[JamesH]

No, the bike needs to be roadworthy (and have a valid MOT certificate) at the time of UK registration.

[MeilakJ]

Hi James ,

Thanks for the info.

I imagined so ! well will have to wait for the right occasion with all necessary docs ,or already registered in the uk for my next bike ( hope fully a cb550 ) 

John

[Bullit]

Sorry to bring this back to the top but it was the only thread that popped up when I search 'age verification'

Bryanj says you can do this via Honda. Does anybody have the contact info and/or procedure to do it?
I need to do this with my 350 as its a US import.

[pablo]

http://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/my-bike/year-of-manufacture.html

[Chris400F]

This thread also covers the year of manufacture topic including use of VJMC for dating letters.
http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php?topic=9005.0

[Chris400F]

Just remembered, the Honda web page says they only offer the service for UK supplied bikes.
As myself and others have found they don't always even seem to be able to do that.
For an imported bike the VJMC may be your best bet. I found the guy that does it to be very helpful.

[Bullit]

I did just read that bit about being distributed by Honda uk. Just checked out the Vjmc site and will do that. Thanks guys

[MrDavo]

Honda UK refused to help me in any way, as they did not supply the bike and say they have no records (despite the fact that the engine and frame number ranges are public knowledge, available online or in the Honda parts catalogue and workshop manual), but the VJMC were helpful, and supplied a dating letter, though it took a couple of anxious weeks before I heard anything.

To answer your original question, I had no paperwork at all, other than a UK dealer receipt and a NOVA number, but after a false start when the DVLA sent me the paperwork back without reading it properly, they gave me a UK registration with no problems about title or the original registration details in South Africa, where my bike came from.

[Bullit]

All I have is the nova form and a receipt from the importer so will join up to the Vjmc and get the dating letter from there. Seems a bit old fashioned about the photos being hard copies, but that's the dvla for you.
It's frustrating that you have to mot it before you can send off for registration.

[Chris400F]

You can of course join if you want to but you don't need to be a VJMC member to get the dating letter from them.