Cemoto

I'm sorry I misunderstood you I thought you were saying you paid UK VAT on top previously. You are correct there does seem to be a misconception that UK importers are being hard done by in paying VAT. Part of the 'paper work' I had to complete was assurances the product was leaving the EU and removing the German 19% VAT

Interesting, Deutsche Post wouldn't accept it without 12% import being paid. I guess there is still an amount of confusion and until it settles down I just can't justify the time dealing with the UK I know a lot of EU company's are doing the same, it shouldn't cost us time which is ultimately money, to deal with another country taxes. You should not have been paying VAT the UK was included in the EU VAT Regime the UK like the EU only paid VAT on items from non EU states, Andorra, Switzerland, the Channel Islands, Norway, America etc.

Brexit is turning out great for you isn’t it? Two weeks ago I shipped a €45 (£39.50) part out to the UK with €12 (£10.40) postage, UK import was 12% on the above and then 20% VAT on that; so £39.50 + £10.40 + 12% = £55.88 + 20% = £67.06! And to cap it off, somehow the UK & EU have made it the exporters responsibility to collect and then to pay the HMRC! The additional work took me nearly 30mins! I charge myself out at an hourly rate of €50 an hour, by rights I should have added at least €25 on for my time, and of course that would be added on before the import duty and VAT which would have brought the total to £100.66!!! for a £39.50 part!!! So, my simple conclusion is; I just won’t deal with the UK in future.

I will share a couple of field tricks for removing blind bearings, first is a through bolt or anchor bolt to get grip on the bearing bore a bit of heat and some visegrips or even better a slide hammer 'Et Voila!' You mentioned a blow torch I very rarely resort to an open flame on ally cases usually finding a good electric hot air gun is enough. The second is much more fun and has amazed me in its efficiency in the past freeing the most stubborn of bearings! Pump some grease into the bearing shaft hole. Find a piece of shaft that will fits well inside the bore and hold it against the grease (a piece of wooden dowel will work metal is obviously favourite). Cover the shaft and grease with a rag and tap (don't hit) it into the bore with a hammer you will force the grease behind the bearing and the hydraulic force transmitted by the grease will drive the bearing out of the hole Jobs a gooden!

Same bike but with the Homerlite alloy tank for the UK market

Just to add to Woody reply The UK aluminium tank was NOT made by Bultaco it was made by a UK company called A. J. Homer and Sons and sold as a 'Homerlite alloy competition tank' https://gracesguide.co.uk/A._J._Homer_and_Sons