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Registering a Laverda sans manufacturer


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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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Hi, Two things to look at before you give up. 1st you can obtain a cart grise for a classic bike which just needs a picture of the bike complete, ie ready for the road, I am not show of the cut in date but was told that my 1969 T120 R was ok, The glass of cart grise is for historic bikes etc and allows use on the road without an MOT but a number plate and insurrance will be needed, Go to your local drire office and have a talk to them, take the details of the bike you have ie make, date of build and  a good pic of the bike, they will help you out for sure.

In answer to your question re will the importer be able to supply the build cert, in short NO, it as to be the builder and the cert needs to be from a french based department, ie a cert from truimph UK would not be anygood, but one from truimph france would be, This is why they have the historic section which will cover one off,s etc,

 Hope this helps, michael

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Charles (and Terry)

The DRIRE Isle de France is the central French authority responsible for all type approval issues for vehicles.  They currently list the contact for Laverda type approval certificates as Moto Laverda srl, via Gallelei, I-30033 Noale, Italy.  This is the same contact address as Aprilia.

If I were you, in the first instance I'd contact Laverda/Aprilia (tel: 0039 04 15 82 91 11).  They may still have the ex-Laverda homolgation documentation and if that's the case, then they will be able to issue an attestation d'identité evidencing French type approval.  The bikes were commercially on sale in France - I've a French mate near Lorient who has two Jotas.

If this avenue fails, then the only solution is to obtain a carte grise de collection.  This is currently available to bikes over 25 years old (though the age limit is set to be raised to 30 years as from next January).  If your bike complies with the age qualification, you can obtain an attestation from the [url=http://www.ffve.org]Fédération Francaise des Véhicules d'Époche[/url].  The FFVE attestation exempts you from French national type approval and will be sufficient to register the bike at your prefecture (they want more than just a photgraph of the bike!).  As BobT says, motorbikes do not require CTs.

It's always preferable to try and get a carte grise normale, but if that's not possible, then a carte grise de collection is second best.

 

 

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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.
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  • 10 months later...
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!
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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.
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If you have an address here then you can register a vehicle.

There may be a problem if you drive that French registered vehicle in the UK, as a UK resident, that was the case a number of years ago, but it may have changed.

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Charles

The 30 year change has not yet come into force (now understood to be due in January 2009).  However, according to almost everyone involved in classic vehicles, you should always try to obtain a carte grise 'normal' rather than a 'collection'.  Whilst the driving restrictions are due to be relaxed,  it's not inconceivable that they may be reintroduced at some time in the future which would make your bike less attractive to a potential purchaser.

As I mentioned last year, try the Aprilia route first.  If you have no luck there, then it's worth speaking to your local DRIRE about the possibility of getting an SVA certificate for the bike.  The guys there are nowadays usually quite keen on challenges such as this and will give you advice on the type of technical documentation that might be acceptable to them to give it type approval.

Keep us informed of how you are getting on with this....

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
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.
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  • 3 weeks later...
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.
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[quote user="CharlesMeechan"]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?

[/quote]

CoC's only became EU wide in 2002 or 3 I think. So its a certificate of Identity you need.

You could see if Eurococ can help you: http://www.eurococ.eu/en/?gclid=CLWtkv3x4pMCFQuGugod6BmjVg

I'm going to try them when I import a PD Classic... Cheaper as well by the looks of it.

Cheers,

John

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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.
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  • 2 months later...
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
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  • 3 weeks later...

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