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CharlesMeechan

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Everything posted by CharlesMeechan

  1. I'll need to double check that 3 months only in the UK is for real, as I say AXA we're being… let's say, difficult. I know that if bringing a vehicle this direction you're on a time restriction insurance-wise. But I would prefer to keep the bike on French plates, even if I need to keep the insurance ticking over (at 27E per month fully comp at present so won't break the bank). Love the Ladbrokes idea though...
  2. Thnaks, that's helpful to know. Still a strange rule …sigh… My thinking is I will ride the bike covered fully comp to the UK. I am a French resident so I'm entitled to ride a French plated bike there. When it's in the garage, I change my insurance to third party or a low form of cover without discussing the bike's whereabouts. I appreciate after 3 months laying in the UK that cover would be useless and I effectively wouldn't be covered – but I'm not concerned about theft from this garage. I'd rather not have to do it this way, but it's becoming a paperwork exercise just to hold onto French insurance. Meanwhile in principle if the bike stays 6 months in the UK it should be registered there. But I spoke to the DVLA and they had no concern that I necessarily inform to HMRC on arrival in the UK, and if I were to change the plates to UK they were also OK with doing that after two years. Still, a very grey area! The main thing is the bike is stored on private land and won't be going anywhere.
  3. Hi, wonder if anyone can help with this scenario. I brought a Laverda Jota to France years ago, registered it as a moto de collection. I am going off travelling for a couple of years, and don't have a storage option in France, but a relative in the UK has garage space. So I plan to ride it to the UK in the next few weeks (AXA French insurance) leave it for 2 years and then ideally boot up French insurance again to bring it back to France. AXA have been delightfully unhelpful so far. I now know that I can't NOT insure a bike if it's in France. Their best offer is I can cancel the insurance when it expires in September. BUT they then say I cannot re-insure the bike (no clear reason given why – but presumably it was the 2 year thing). I'm going to talk through the same scenario with Allianz. If necessary I know I could register it in the UK after 2 years, so at least that's a way out. My main questions are: can I really not take out insurance after cancelling it once? Is 2 years the problem with that? And/or is the real issue the bike being in the UK at the point I take out insurance. I've also read there may be a a very basic premium I could change to while it's in storage. Although the law has changed to stop rusting heaps being left everywhere. Thanks, Charlie
  4. People want the front to get off faster and they never have checked in baggage. I do it myself on the earliest flights, it can make a big difference when you're trying to make a train. If you're a regular traveller, watching the painful process of offloading when you're at the back is not fun. Allocated seating will simply put those front and exit seats into a first-come paid basis. So unless you book and pay very early for your flights, your chances of securing them goes down. Much prefer allocated seating when I'm in no hurry or have checked baggage. Much prefer Speedy Boarding if I want to get off quickly. Point is that I don't believe EasyJet can/will invest in the systems to make both possible. Konw any other seat allocation airline where you are guaranteed first pick of seats, whatever time you book? Don't think there is.
  5. Hmm I'm a Plus card holder. But watch as allocated seating becomes 'pay for this seat, pay for that seat, pay to sit together'. If that happens on a first come first served basis when booking your EasyJet online, then it will be complicated if not impossible to give Plus card holders anything like the advantages they pay for. Because unlike to be a guarantee that you CAN book a legroom seat – others may get there first. I am for allocated seating. All I want a Plus card for as a regular flyer is to be forward of the plane to get off fast and get going. Allocated seating will make that less likely, unless you are able to book well well ahead of time.
  6. Thanks, GasGas could be interesting but it would be a van job. Increasingly tempted by a BMW – R1200RT is 110bhp while R1200GS is 100bhp and therefore presumably no hint of insurance hassle if imported. I'd change headlight over here and ideally speedometer to Km's as well. Anyone have experience of doing that 'neatly' i.e. using correct mileage from old speedo and somehow making it correct Km's on new speedometer to match paperwork. I know it's not essential but would make for a happier buyer. Perhaps something that a BMW dealer could help with?
  7. Thanks for the help so far. Moto85 is an interesting site. Shame they don't break down bike sales by model as well as marque, but still a good indicator. Anyway BM looks like a solid (though higher end, few customers) option. R1200RT versus R100GS anyone? I'm going to check out their French sales figures, trialies are very popular in, say, Paris. Agree about naked bikes, can't get too interested in them to be honest. But older would be up my street – amazing Goldwings might fetch those prices. And Triumph sales taking off? Call me old fashioned (yes) but they are close to the naked bike market now rather than the traditional item they once were. Have ridden several including a 675 and though impressive... the soul's gone?? Anyway hope this post doesn't come across as a mercenary post – I'm as interested in what makes different bikes popular between the UK and France. And it won't be a van – part of the fun is riding a decent bike in a leisurely fashion all the way to the Alps where I am. Main sales areas round here will be Lyon or Annecy, but who knows where a buyer might come from. Cheers, Charlie P.S. Anyone have experience of GasGas? They are pure trai bikes, no seat, just pegs. Have a friend who brought one over here. No licence needed in UK, since no indicators etc – purely for off-road and illegal on-road. That's popular here, but when he tried to sell it... the French buyers reckoned it needed a Carte Grise depsite not being road legal. Any feedback on why that's the case?Any bike that was just an 'object' rather than a re-registration exercise would be an interesting option.
  8. Hi, To flesh out my recession hit income in the UK I'm thinking of bringing a bike or two over to sell, having done it once with my own Laverda Jota. Beats exchanging sterling too. So hopefully can sell a popular bike at a decent price over here and turn a little profit. Question is what bike would anyone say is sought after over here: top ten figures for Jan-Mar 08 sales I found in France (excluding scooters) were: 2. Kawasaki Z 750 1,729 3. Kawasaki ER-6 1,464 4. Suzuki Bandit 650 1,392 5. Honda Hornet 650 1,392 6. Yamaha Fazer 600 1,127 So looks as if these bikes probably are all under 107bhp which would make a C of C easier. However if I went post 2002 BMW sales in that same period show a +13.2% rise; Ducati +19.6% and Triumph a whopping +44.8%. Any interesting views or experience on what sells welcomed... I'm angling towards a BM, but only cos I've had several and know them well. Charlie
  9. Thanks for the comments. I've pleased to have at least a licence for the bike, a non collection Carte Gris ended up an impossibility. However, I think the collection rules are clearly bonkers and perhaps that's why they're being changed. First, the circulation tickets I have are not a REQUEST for permission to travel, they are simply paperwork stating an intention (albeit I can see your point Sunday Driver it should be a real one). Second, the opinion of French bikers and others here is that very very few policemen know of or enforce the regulations anyway. Thirdly now that I've got insurance, it covers other countries including Italy. So I take my bike out of one department (74) into Italy where no French police can possibly stop me anyway and no Italian plice will care. Perhaps my insurance - if they were to get VERY picky - would object to the lack of a declaration in the event I have an accident. Given I'm a biker not a convicted criminal (yet) I'm sending nothing to FFVE and going on my way to Italy. By the time I get round to another long trip next year I hope the rules will have disappeared. Key question:in whose interests is it to restrict where you drive a classic car or bike (ie you can't drive it freely, only to a rally)?. To prevent traffic congestion? To ensure your safety because the FFVE think the wheels might fall off? Given I can get Assistance for the bike, I can't see any sensisble reason in the restrictions. Er, rant ends.
  10. I've now gained the Carte Gris de Collection I've been gunning for on another post. Also the book of 'permissions' to move outside adjoining departments. Just wondering if anyone knows the rules (can't see it on FFVE site) for taking the bike from France to another COUNTRY. Amusing really since I'm in department 74 and taking the Mont-Blanc tunnel leads me to... department Italy. I'm about to invent a rally meeting to take the bike to Breganze. But hey, there's a mechanic there I want to visit, so 2 blokes and a dozen bikes in his workshop should constitute a rally. Also just about to get insurance for the bike - trying to make sure this covers more than one country despite the FFVE's restrictions. We'll see. Anyway I'm told rules change Jan 1 hopefully. Thanks for any advice.
  11. Just to say I now have my Jota 120 in France for a couple of months after a great ride from the UK. A Carte Gris de Collection is mine! A very posh looking FFVE certificate did the trick, and I was surprised at the prefecture giving me the Carte Gris there and then for 97 Euros when I thought it came by post weeks later. 10 minutes at the office. Just need the number plate now and insurance. Anyone know of classic bike insurance specialists in France I'd be glad to hear. Next stop in a week or so, Breganze, the old home of Laverda through the Mont-Blanc tunnel. Wonder how the FFVE take a 'declaration de circulation' outside of the department when it's Italy?? I have a whacking book of 'where I'm going' certificates... keep A, post B, post C. Oh, and I always need to be off to a rally... allegedly. Sheer bureaucratic joy for someone. Thanks for the advice on this thread. Pic I think here: http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff333/s_cotsman/Jota.jpg
  12. Thanks for that John. I'm slowly going through a process of elimination – at the moment it's sending a letter and copy of registration certificate to the technical service department of Aprilia France rather than Italy. They seem pretty knowledgable so I'm hoping to get something meaningful back from them in the post. If not I'll give the Eurococ a try, but as you say type identification may be more a manufacturer's job.
  13. An update and more grief. Aprilia Italy are none too helpful and just want to return my 27 Euros to me stating we have no such documents. So it's possible the Jota being 26 years old never had a certificate of conformity. Does that make sense to anyone? I've also posted on a Laverda forum and had a helpful French guy respond. First he suggests trying Aprilia France, which I will. Or he suggests gathering documents and going to the prefecture, saying Laverda no longer exists, and getting an appointment for a "service des mines" where they will check that your horn, lights etc are CE type and that you "do not make too much noise". Er, anyone been through the process?? And how much noise, a Jota is LOUD just as it was designed to be in 82. It seems that the carte grise de collection at http://www.ffve.org IS now for 30 year old machines, so that rules the Jota out. Any feedback appreciated.
  14. Thanks Sunday Driver, I'm going the Aprilia route now. In the meantime hope to fetch the bike this weekend and it'll be covered for the usual 90 days on my UK insurance (I'll let them know; always important) while I get it re-registered. Will let you know the outcome.
  15. Sorry one other thing i just found on the web: "If you stay in France for more than 6 months, you will have to change the registration of your car. Only residents can apply for the registration of their vehicle. You have to apply at the "Préfecture" of the place of your residence. To obtain a list of the required documents, please contact your ’Préfecture’. An export certificate from the DVLA (01792 77 21 51) will be required if the vehicle is currently registered in the UK." The 'only residents' bit!! Is this true since I'm not a resident in France? Would they not allow a change of registration, even if I plan to use the bike when on holiday? Thanks for any feedback.
  16. Hi all on this (old) post. Well I missed last summer but decided the bike should get some TLC before living over here. I've currently got a mechanic in the UK putting some interesting bits on it - electronic ignition, softer tyres, uprated suspension, Goodridge hoses and more. Just wondered, Sunday Driver, if you know if that damned 30 year rule came in on Jan 2008? The Jota being 26 years old it could hamper me getting a carte grise de collection. Which would leave me only crossing fingers and hoping route one works. Aiming to bring the bike down last week of May – sans autoroutes!
  17. Funnily enough, possibly adjustable, but no real space given the tight fairing they're under. You're right, the sound is absolutely unique and LOUD which is why I can't get enough of it.. especially when it hits the cam-raising level of about 6000rpm. And that despite it having a last failed MOT done by a prat who said the fairing restricted the steering (passed numerous times over years by others and just as it was in 1982) and the tank wobbled (original unperished rubber mounting, what do you expect?). Did you know Laverda began life building tractors. I've a feeling my motor might last for a bit yet.
  18. Hi terry, Well my 'classic' which is more modern than some is a 82 Laverda Jota 120. The 180 seems to have a bigger following, being a little earlier and the 180 meaning a mad crank versus the 120's more refined system. Plus a hydraulic clutch versus cable on the 180... which is particularly brutal. Trying to get the beast registered in France which you helped with on a separate post (I'm new here), so thanks. Anyway, I suppose my point is that I've ridden lots of marques and models in 25 odd years... Giitane (look that one up) 50cc to start, first ever Yam 350, Honda 175 tiwn & 550/4, Ducati Darmah 900, Superdream (crushed :-)) Kawa 750, Harley Lowrider 1970, superb Suzuki 250 Gamma, 6 BMWs of various years including the latest (the best all round London commuting machine in my opinion). And the only bike I've owned twice in that time? Two Laverda Jota 120's which are tricky to find a good example of. And when I've been thinking about bringing it to France or not, I naturally picked up a few bike mags to see what's new. Ended up on a 1 hour test ride on a Triumph 675. Quite awesome and crazy to drive. Yet halfway through I was thinking, sell the Jota again? Only so many bikes have real soul. So classic works for me, though if I had the money I'd have a garage-full of carefully chosen beauts. (Hailwood Replica and MV Augusta perhaps?)
  19. Thanks Terry/Sunday driver, You are fount(s) of plenty of knowledge! I'll try the Aprilia route first. If not my bike is celebrating its 25th birthday sometime this year, so if necessary it should scrape in on the carte grise del collection before they raise the bar to 30 years. Off to garage in UK to (not) get the Jota 120 running and have the poor AA cart it to my mechanic miles away. Then sometime this month a run back to my place in Saint Gervais (near Megeve/Chamonix). You guys ever make it to the Haute Savoie? Incredibly popular runs with all nationalities of bikers. Will let you know how the registration goes. Thanks.
  20. I'm in France with a Laverda Jota 120 languishing in a garage in the UK on a Sorn. 1982 model I believe with 90bhp when new. I've been reading the useful threads here particularly on registering a classic bike - but none are as, ahem, long in the tooth as '82. Also Laverda as a brand ceases to exist. The original Laverda family business (my manufacturers) gave up the ghost in 1985. The brand was resurrected in '93 by millionaire Francesco Tognon. Bust again after 5 years. Name bought by Aprilia and finally Piaggio but now defunct. So in short I've no-one to write to to gain the all-important attestation d'identite. Anyone have an idea what I can do? One thought was that the original importers of Laverda bikes to the UK still exists (Slater Brothers in Bromyard where I bought the Jota in '99). Before I talk to them, would they work as an 'authority' for French purposes? And more importantly what would they need to supply by way of an attestation d'identite - what information does it actually contain?? Thanks for shedding any light or suggestions.
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