Importing a Full Power newly registered UK Bike to France

[Chris Parker]

Hi I have scanned through some very useful threads on the forum but some area little old on this topic and I was wondering if things had moved on a bit as I have not quite found the answer I was hoping for :-

I have a new 2009 Kawasaki ZX-10r and my company are to relocate me to Toulouse in January (Hurrah !), this will be permanent move so I am looking to import, register and reinsure my bike in France , does the 100bhp limit apply to me importing my own bike for permanent use in France ? is insurance likelyto be an issue on a UK full power spec bike ?, I am 41 with 9 years NCD.

Fingers crossed as I don’t really want to part with the bike.

Many thanks for anyone’s guidance / advice here,

Chris

[Bob T]

Your best bet is to try and get a certificate of conformity from Kawasaki (UK) before you get here. That way you should be able to register it at the Prefecture without any hassle over the power output. Insurance companies here don't seem to ask or care - they even sell insurance to vehicle that are illegally on UK plates but live here!

Get as much insurance history as you can for when you get here as 9 years is not full NCD in France. You need to prove that you have had insurance for about 12 or 13 years to qualify for full discount. If you have a 4 year old insurance certificate stating 9 years NCD then that will do for most insurance to give you the full discount.

If you don't get a CofC from Kawa (UK) before you come over,  then you will have to pay for one from Kawa (France) and that will involve restricting the bike before they give you one.

[Sunday Driver]

As per Bob, an EU certificate of conformity supplied by the UK importer will enable you to register here without any problems.

However, you should also contact some French insurers to ensure that they have a full power model on their database otherwise you may have difficulty getting it insured.

 

 

[Chris Parker]

Thanks very much guys !

Chris

[Kitty]

If you are looking for insurance quotes from an English speaking French based insurance broker, email:

[email protected]

I have no connection with her, other than being a satisfied client of hers.

 

[lardy]

I was told that the sticky bit with the bike would be insuring the thing at full power as I was going to get a bike in the uk and bring it over as they are so much cheaper. I still have not got that far yet but I would be very interested when and if you can find someone to insure you and who they are as this may help me in the near future.

Cheers

 

[Bugsy]

Anyone contemplating bringing in a 'full-power' (over 106bhp) should think about it carefully. There are reams of arguments for and against this and I'm not going to get involved in that, but it is a FACT that the current legislation in France stipulates 106bhp.

I know for a fact that the police in Paris have mobile dynos that can (and do) check bikes they suspect to be over and bikes have been confiscated.

Do it and you could be OK for years or you could get pulled on your first day. Will insurance companies cover you after an accident or claim if they find the bike to be overpowered, I doubt it. Will they give you, in writing, confirmation that they are knowingly insuring an overpowered bike (over 106bhp), well, what do you think. [:)]

The present day situation with the poor exchange rate (or good depending on your own point of view) is that many dealers from France and the rest of Europe are bulk-buying bikes from the UK and converting them over here. There is a real shortage in the UK of certain popular models because of this. My Triumph, for example currently costs nearly 13,000 euros in France and £8,500 in the UK so the attraction is pretty clear.

French police and customs are well aware of this, of course.

The choice, as they say, is all yours.

Ride safe.

.

[Sunday Driver]

Regarding police mobile dynos, their power output reading is actually compared to the rating shown on the carte grise rather than against a notional 106bhp. If the carte grise shows 150bhp then provided the dyno reading doesn't exceed that figure, then you have no problem.

Re the insurance, as mentioned earlier, you produce your carte grise to the insurer and they match the model/power to their database.  If the bike is on it, then you get cover and you have no problem.  If not, then you're stuffed.....[:(]

 

 

[Custard Tractor Allegro Girl]

Chris, this has got to be you. I searched your name, France and Bikes. I've emailed you something which I want you to read, look at your account I always email.

If this isn't Chris Parker who understands custard and Allegro, the apologies xx

[Custard Tractor Allegro Girl]

Chris, this has got to be you. I searched your name, France and Bikes. I've emailed you something which I want you to read, look at your account I always email.

If this isn't Chris Parker who understands custard and Allegro, then apologies xx

[sid]

This thread is FOUR years old and I haven't seen any posts from the original poster since that date. I think you'll have to try again elsewhere, we never did find out what happened to his Kwak. [Www]