Cardiff

[Cardiff]

Hello to all . I have currently just bought a new off  road  Chinese ( clone Honda 250 ) from a dealer on eBay . The bike needs to be registered it is insured on the vin no and is fully loaded with lights , speedo , horn etc . The dealer is reluctant to to give me nova reference so I can continue on to DVLA .I am in touch with HMRC but all seamed to haven’t stalled. The dealer is quoting it is for off-road use only , but surely import tax must have been paid and that’s all I need as proof. Any help much appreciated. Thanks 

[ChrisCH]

It is not the import tax that is important - it is whether the bike is road legal or not.  If it does not have UK type approval then it might not be suitable for road use.  Competition bikes (trials) are exempt from type approval so it is not a black and white issue.  If it off ebay and the seller says it is not road legal it probably isn't so DVLA will not register it.

[Cardiff]

Thanks for the reply , the dealer quotes for off road use , then why is the enduro bike has working lights , speedo , stop light and horn , that’s telling me this bike can go on the road , I have already insured it on the vin no and about to get a MOT , the issue is the dealer is avoiding the question , nova needs who imported the bike and that import tax paid , that’s all I need , they have come back and said to get in touch with the courier or the shipping agent , how are they avoiding the problem when surely they imported it . Totally baffled . Thanks again 

[ChrisCH]

If it has lights etc then really it is a "road" bike (like a CRF300L Honda for example) or it was in China.  It will need to meet UK emissions levels (Euro 5) and relevent laws, also the lights will need to be UK specification.  An enduro bike might be road legal if it meets those requirements, but the chances are the Chinese bike does not.  The manufacturer will only fit lights etc to meet UK laws.

Competition bikes (trials) generally do not have road lighting, but are still required to meet the new Euro 5 emissions standards.

If the bike is sold as "off road" - like a pit bike - then it is for off road use only and they do not need to provide any documentation as you can use it off road on private land where it does not need to comply with any road laws.  It sounds like that is what the ebay seller is telling you.

If it is new you don't need an MOT for three years.

 

[lemur]

It's called homologation and if it hasn't come to your country yet it surely will.  Third world countries might never adopt it, by our laws you bought a pit bike, perfect for use on private property use or closed course competition where it exists.