Importing a bike from the EU

[DaveV65]

I'm looking at buying a Polish registered EFE from a guy in Ireland, he's never registered it there. Looked at what needs to be done to register it in the UK and first up is the correct headlight. The.Gov website says no stickers, deflectors etc, it must dip to the left. Speedo is in KMH only so I thought a speedo corrector would manage that but the guide says no secondary devices allowed. You can apparently put stickers with mph markers but they must be on the speedo face not the glass/plastic cover. A new headlight and potentially a set of clocks starts racking up the £££'s. Then there's the fees. Anyone got any experience of a similar situation?

[Duckndive]

Was it imported into Ireland "still in EU  Or Northern Ireland "not in eu"  

As the required paperwork & fee,s to reg in UK will be different 

Headlight chuck a blandit light on and a cheep MPH speedo to get over that hurdle initially  

Edited November 16, 2023 by Duckndive

[DaveV65]

Duckndive, it's never been registered in the ROI although it's apparently an easy process so I'm told by the vendor, makes me wonder as to why he never did it. To bring it into the UK I believe it will need an IVA and the work must be checked and confirmed at an MOT Test Centre. As it's fully faired I doubt the test centre would see a top mounted speedo corrector. It's just when you start adding all the associated costs it doesn't look as attractive a deal as first thought.

Pay a bit more and make life easier!

[Duckndive]

17 minutes ago, DaveV65 said:

Duckndive, it's never been registered in the ROI although it's apparently an easy process so I'm told by the vendor, makes me wonder as to why he never did it.

That says it all for me   

[DaveV65]

It's been advertised for 5 months so I suspect others have viewed and considered the same potential issues. I would suspect the ROI would also require a headlight change but the kmh speedo would be ok.

[imago]

Personally, I'd suggest that you walk run away, the possibilities for bad outcomes are endless. 

[DaveV65]

Pumas are on my feet and I'm jogging on! Thanks for your words gents. My old Dad always said buy the best you can afford, if it seems to good a deal there's probably something not right in there.

[imago]

22 minutes ago, DaveV65 said:

Pumas are on my feet and I'm jogging on! Thanks for your words gents. My old Dad always said buy the best you can afford, if it seems to good a deal there's probably something not right in there.

With something like that the potential negatives outweigh the potential benefits. Value wise a bike like that is only worth parts value as that's what it may end up being, and that's only if you can be sure it wasn't nicked in Poland.

[gsxwill]

Maybe try getting advice from members from northern Ireland who would have had more dealings buying stuff in the Roi before writing off the deal completely 

[Captain Chaos]

I might be interested in the EFE, PL reg is no problem.

In what condition is it?

[Dezza]

How much is it? The engine alone is worth a lot so if it's cheap enough it may be cost effective to buy to break for spares.

[DaveV65]

The bike is complete, showing its age but generally tidy, sounded ok on the video, carbs may need balancing, on at 2700 Euro. I have pictures somewhere.

[DaveV65]

A strange mark on the bottom of the tank and sidepanel looks a bit melted, all there though. It is 35 years young after all.

[Gixer1460]

Maybe a carb backfire cause the meltage and dent looks like its been dropped and painted over? Panel fits a bit iffy but the re-registration difficulties do stack up!

[DaveV65]

The guy was absolutely sound and he seems to move a lot of bikes, it's been up for sale for 5 months, that more than anything got my spidey sense going. 2 hour drive from Dublin so considered going across to see it.

[Jaydee]

On 11/16/2023 at 3:19 PM, DaveV65 said:

I'm looking at buying a Polish registered EFE from a guy in Ireland

Is the guys name Richard who's based in Longford? He's had that bike for sale for over 2 years. Anyone enquring soon finds out its in Poland (not Ireland) waiting on a hefty deposit before the logistics are mentioned. Puts off people.

[Joseph]

Knock down the price as much as you can (meaning, right down), arguing the paperwork nightmare that it would be, then find a UK frame, powdercoat it and rebuild the bike onto that, then you can donate the leftover frame to @Captain Chaos

[DaveV65]

17 hours ago, Jaydee said:

Is the guys name Richard who's based in Longford? He's had that bike for sale for over 2 years. Anyone enquring soon finds out its in Poland (not Ireland) waiting on a hefty deposit before the logistics are mentioned. Puts off people.

Yes, that's the fella, the fact it'd been listed for 5 months had me thinking something was not quite right, never got to the fact it wasn't actually in Ireland. I considered going across to stay with cousins in Dublin and driving across to view it, that wouldn't have worked!

[Jaydee]

49 minutes ago, DaveV65 said:

Yes, that's the fella, the fact it'd been listed for 5 months had me thinking something was not quite right, never got to the fact it wasn't actually in Ireland. I considered going across to stay with cousins in Dublin and driving across to view it, that wouldn't have worked!

Same fella fucked me around a few years ago when selling another EFE (on Polish plates, but in Ireland this time. He was in Cork back then.  He told me he worked weird shifts and I couldn't see him before 3pm to collect. I had a mate with van organised and had taken the day off work. I rang him at 12pm to say I was about to hit the road (3 hour journey) only to have him tell me it was sold and picked up that morning. That asshole was lying about his weird work shifts. It turned out he was lining me up as a back up plan in case his first sale fell through. This was at my expense seeing as I had to throw a few quid towards my my with van and lost a day's pay.

As for him selling lots of bikes? Not happening. He was selling the EFE I was after for €4000. The one you were looking at was priced at €2650. Irish bikers aren't short of money and that bike should have sold 10 time over in Ireland. All his bikes are located in Poland or along the German border. He prices them low but never mentions anything about the fact they aren't in the country and need shipping which is a hidden extra on the price. 

[DaveV65]

He kindly sent me a pic of the E4k EFE saying that was mint and said the current one was very very cheap which made me think something isn't lining up right here. If it was cheap and so good why hasn't it sold? We live and learn and hopefully not get burned.

[Duckndive]

Sound's like it's the same guy that cropped up on an American Van Group on Faceache "he had a couple chevy vans on polish plates for sale"

then rapidly disappeared when someone posted Con Artist on his posts  ..

I did a reverse image search on the Faired EFE pics and he has a lot of bikes with similar background grass and caravans on a couple of Irish bike pages ..

[DaveV65]

I'm now of the mindset that if I can't see a bike in the flesh or at least someone who I trust has seen it then I'm not bidding on it! At least we know he's out there!

[Captain Chaos]

2 hours ago, Jaydee said:

All his bikes are located in Poland or along the German border.

Poland is 80 km away from my place. The German border however is a bit further, 1000 km at least.

[Captain Chaos]

I was considering buying the EFE but after reading the stories about the seller.... fuck this shit

[Joseph]

2 hours ago, DaveV65 said:

He kindly sent me a pic of the E4k EFE saying that was mint and said the current one was very very cheap which made me think something isn't lining up right here. If it was cheap and so good why hasn't it sold? We live and learn and hopefully not get burned.

Talking imports there is a clean EFE thats had some proper work done, for sale very close to me for 2200€. If you take a flight to Paris you can ride it home