Importing a bike and NOVA

[Alimacdee2]

Hi all, wondered if anyone has experience with importation and "late notification" process with HMRC before DVLA registration.
what is the position with a 1970 triumph motorcycle imported into the uk 12 years ago and no nova certificate applied for till now in 2026? I’m trying to purchase the bike from the seller who returned to Uk 12 years ago after working in Namibia. The bike was stored and needs restoration, I had arranged to buy and pick it up last week but had second thoughts, seller said he will try and get it sorted out. I really want the bike but looks problematic If take it as is.
What’s the way forward with this? Would appreciate any comments I could pass on to the seller.
Cheers
Ally

[Nurse Julie]

Phone the NOVA department at HMRC on 0300 322 9434. They will sort it all out. The chances are their will be nothing to pay and they'll issue the NOVA certificate.

[Laverda Dave]

I had to register the BiL's Z400J Kawasaki about three years ago. I had been imported from Guernsey in 1981 by his dad and never registered here.
I contacted DVLA via letter sending in the original log book and a semi groveling letter explaining the BiL's farther had long since passed and the bike was found during the house clearance.
DVLA issued me with an age related plate and no fine so all good 👍.

[Alimacdee2]

thanks for those comments I’ve past on the number and some of that information, with it being a historic vehicle wsounds like it wont attract duty and vat now and can complete the purchase,  just thought my spanner’s are all metric, does this mean I’ll need to go all AF? and gear change on the right of course! Quite old tech,  Honda really nailed it back then. 

[exvalvesetdabbler]

Ash,

Don't worry about af or metric, your mole grips will still fit😃

Regards
Dave

[Alimacdee2]

thanks, I was always taught never force it, get a bigger hammer!🛠️

[Bryanj]

1970, you may even need Whitworth and BSF in some places, Triumph did a very piecemeal changeover of sizes, at one point you had studs with BSC on one end and AF on the other!

The 650 needed a "special" thin, flat ring spanner to undo the base nuts, cant remember if 500 was the same, it has been over 50years since i could quote Triump part numbers from memory!!!

Did work on a lot of Meriden stuff so you can always ask

[Laverda Dave]

AF spanners (and you'll need whitworth and potentially BA as well). Wait until you get to replacing nuts and bolts  and the different thread forms, so much fun 😊.
Buy a big bag of kitty litter ready to soak up the oil leaks, saves ruining the best lounge carpet....
Don't get me wrong, I like Brit bikes, I've built a Triton and loved doing it but I'd rather work on modern(ish) bikes just for the thread forms and metric spanners!
Good luck with getting it registered, I'm sure you'll be fine👍

[Alimacdee2]

I wondered how you’d get into those base nuts, thought maybe a crows foot, whitworth, BA,  thread forms, I can see this will be a steep learning curve! Very handy advice thanks

[taysidedragon]

I wondered how you’d get into those base nuts, thought maybe a crows foot, whitworth, BA,  thread forms, I can see this will be a steep learning curve! Very handy advice thanks

Get an imperial thread gauge to check thread types. Absolutely essential.

[Bryanj]

Pic of "special" spanner, usually has 12 point nuts but not always

[Murf]

I had a similar situation with getting a NOVA for a 1979 bike that magically found its way into the country a number of years ago.  I thought it was going to be very difficult I phoned the NOVA number and they could not have been more helpful. I told the lady I spoke to what I believed the story of the bike was and that I had bought it with cash and had no receipt. To my surprise she just said ‘oh I know what you men and your motorbikes are like’. I had to send a letter with vin number etc and got the NOVA about a week later. She added a closing comment of ‘and good luck with the DVLA once you get the NOVA’ .

I have a 1962 Triumph T100A I am very slowly rebuilding, the bike has Whitworth and BSF fixings, with some British standard cycle threads thrown in and yes as mentioned studs with different threads on each end.  Your 70s bike might be different I think they were trying to go with UNF and UNC fixing which use AF spanners but it was all a bit shambolic so I guess expect what you get.   Do get the correct tools, you can still get Whitworth spanners but Whitworth socket sets are hard to come by maybe go down the second hand route.

I would highly recommend TMS in Nottingham for spares they may not be the cheapest but they are very knowledgeable and parts are of good quality.

[Bryanj]

Just to show you the pic below has the base nuts normally associated with the flat thin spanner

[Laverda Dave]

Morgo also make various small items including stainless nuts for the barrel base. Miles the owner is very helpful.

[Bryanj]

Dave, many many years ago i had a 1959T110 that morphed into a 1960 T120R and i fitted a Morgo 750 conversion on that which i picked up direct from Morgo when they were in a "cave" and had the last batch of Rickman Interceptors for sale.
Thats when i had to modify the base studs to take those pictured nuts as there was no room for 6 sided ones!

I believe the Morgo 750 conversion was BSA A65 plus 20