[pmcrory]

imported post

Hi there,

My girl and I have just taken our new '04 Wing to Germany. She's in the Military and we bought it in Texas before we left there. I need to register it on the German system (she doesn't ride so can't register it with the military). Trouble is, I don't know exactly what the differences are between a US and European bike. I'm told that the headlight will need to be changed (I thought bikes' lightsjust dipped downwards!), and having the indicators acting as running lights is illegal in Germany. :?

Therefore, my questions are these:

1. Is this true?

2. Are these the only (legal) differences for roadworthyness?

3. How much is it likely to cost me (at US prices) to get these addressed?

4. Are these any areas here that an amateur like me could tackle, given wiring diagrams, etc?

5. Are there any onther tips/info that it would be handy to know here?

Thanks guys!

Paul

 

[07Silver]

imported post

Can't say about costs, but on some other points;

You won't need to change the headlamp as the 1800 Euro lamp just has the extra parking bulb (not essential as the Euro 04 no longer has a switch to turn off the headlight, just like the US machines) and the reflectors in the lamp are straight aheads, you just nee dto adjust the beams yourself.

To disable the running light in the turn signals, just take out the bulbs and break off the middle filament (they are capless plug-in bulbs). Steve Saunders gave me that tip, thanks Steve.

The other differences between US and Euro 1800s are that the Euro one does not have an interface or wiring for either the CB radio, fog lights or saddlebag lights and the Euro radio has a better fine tuning for the radio (ie 101.1, 101.2 etc instead of 101.1, 101.3 etc on the US bikes).

Bringing a 04 to Ireland would set us back €2200 (about $2800), buit if you brought it in with you you would be able to register it after about 6 months and it would cost nothing. Germany may be different in that regard.

 

[pmcrory]

imported post

Many thanks!

So, if I read you right, this 'should' be a virtually no-cost exercise, assuming I can do the work in my garage. To be honest, the thought of havuing to buy a new headlight unit wasn't filling me with anticipation, but if what you say is correct, then preparing for registration (I need to get a Certificate of Conformity) should be easy.

The cost that you do mention, the €2200, how exactly did this break down? Not sure if you're talking parts/labor, or customs duty here. Thanks again.

Anyone else got experience or thoughts here?

Paul

 

[Skooter]

imported post

Paul, the €2200 that Ambrose quoted is for importing into Ireland. It's actually €2209 according to the customs cert in my workplace. That figure is the customs duty on the Golding and its based on the size of the bikes engine over here. If you were to bring your bike (already on US plates) over here you would be allowed to ride it around on the US plates for 6 months and then you would have to register it, but you would not have to pay the €2209, only I think about €60 registration fee. You would not be able to sell the bike for 2 years after that, if you did the new owner would have to pay the full duty. After 2 years you could sell it and no duty would be payable by anyone.
Over here and in the UK we don't need to change the headlamp or the turn signals. There will eventually be a tyope approval law that will prevent machines from different regions being imported without a type approval certificate, but that hasn't come about yet in spite of the threats this last few years.

 

[pmcrory]

imported post

Thanks Skooter,

That's very helpful. I'll give some thought to doing that, although it's slightly complicated by the bike not having any plates at all. It's new and the dealer just delivered it from his forecourt to the shipping company, so it hasn't actually been state-registered yet. I presume this would change the situation slightly?

I contacted a main dealer in Germany about this (Fuchs in Kassel), and asked what the procedure was to get a TA cert. Now, I'm not sure if I quite believe this or not, but they said that it would cost me €2500 to get the headlight tested "..in Berlin" (so he says!), and €1800 to get it through the German TUV inspection. This seems monsterous; and indeed he commented that it was an expensive business. Of course, this are all before we talk about customs duty! I've still yet to speak to Honda-Germany, but I can't believe that it can be that expensive. It's not as though Honda is an obscure make that no-one's heard of!

Ireland certainly seems like a cheap option compared to this! Would you know where I can find out more details (Honda-Ireland?)? Also, I need the

Anyone else got other similar situations in Europe? I can't help feeling that I'm breaking new ground here in Germany.

Thanks again, guys.

Paul

 

[Heffo]

imported post

Far as I know from my time in Germany (when there was a wall), you only need the TUV for a new moorcycle or for when you look for a German reg. If you just register it in the US before shipping to Germany you can ride it for quite a while (up to 12 months) before ever being asked to register it. If you are in the armed forces (are they still called occupation forces) you may not be asked to register the bike for a very long time.

 

[wexy]

imported post

Just to clear up one or two things here ,if you are importing a goldwing into Ireland from outside the EEC(european union) you are charged on the following ....

10% of the price you paid for the bike in the USA plus the cost of the shipping ...then you pay 21%VAT of the total and when that is finished then you pay your 2009 euro VRT..

example ..cost of bike in USA = 15000 euro

cost of shipping the bike to IRL=1500 euro

total cost of shipping +bike =16500 euro now you pay 10% eec duty of that which is 1650euro and you add that on to the previous figure

16500 +1650 =18150 euro and then you pay 21% vat of that total =3801.5 euros altogether your bike landed in Ireland before you pay VRT will cost you 21951.5 euro .Then you have 2009 euro VRT ..total cost of bike =23960.5 euro

I know these figures ,I am currently bringing in an 1800 from the Usa.

I only used the 1500 euro figure as a guide ...

these figures work out much the same if you bring one in from anywhere outside the EEC ..however if you import from another EEC country you only pay VRT..

Now I hope that has cleared up all that ..cheers Ciaran

 

[pmcrory]

imported post

Thanks for that, Ciaran. Perhaps you should bring it through UK: only 6% duty and 17.5% VAT.

Frankly, I'm not too fussed about the import side: I know there will be duty to pay, wherever it is. It's really the TA side that bothers me. Do you anticipate any problems getting it type approved?

I'm getting the impression that Honda aren't a great deal of help when it comes to stating exactly what differences need to be addressed between US and European specs. Would this be fair comment?

Paul

 

[FitzAl]

imported post

pmcrory wrote:

I'm getting the impression that Honda aren't a great deal of help when it comes to stating exactly what differences need to be addressed between US and European specs. Would this be fair comment?

Paul

Thats certainly true of Honda in Ireland. I know for a fact that they often phone Steve the Wingnut to ask him questions when people are looking for parts for their Wings and the US/European differences cause problems. I think over here Honda sell more lawnmowers than Wings!

 

[werner1800]

imported post

The type approval is just a way to make money for companies doing testing as well as preventing people taking in vehicles cheaper into Europe than they would buying from a dealer in their country. Type approval only will benefit the car and motorcycle manufacturers, the customer will gain nothing from this as usual.

 

[wexy]

imported post

I have brought in quiet a few jeeps and cars from japan and never had a problem here in Ireland ,and I dont think anybody who has brought in a bike from the States to Ireland has had any TA problems ,however the UK is a different kettle of fish and they are a lotmore strict when it comes to importing from outside the EEC,,my advice is import into Ireland and drive to Germany,,,as for the 6% duty in the uk ,I understood that it is 10% for every country in theEEC uk included ,but I have been known to be wrong ..once ...cheers Ciaran pmcrory wrote:

Thanks for that, Ciaran. Perhaps you should bring it through UK: only 6% duty and 17.5% VAT.

Frankly, I'm not too fussed about the import side: I know there will be duty to pay, wherever it is. It's really the TA side that bothers me. Do you anticipate any problems getting it type approved?

I'm getting the impression that Honda aren't a great deal of help when it comes to stating exactly what differences need to be addressed between US and European specs. Would this be fair comment?

Paul

 

[pmcrory]

imported post

Hi Ciaran,

Thanks. Nope, I've checked my facts with the UK Customs and Excise; 6% it is.

Has anyone here ever registered a US bike in Germany? Any military guys out there? Did you have to TA the bike begore USEUR registration?

Paul

 

[montana]

imported post

hi paul

i have a shop in germany selling us spec bikes to the us military and also local germans. In answer to your questions;

to pass the tuev test your headlight must have an 'E' mark on the glass, most US spec bikes do not have this (a few do though) so you will probably have to change it, you will also have to remove the red side reflectors, and dis-connect the orange running lights. All non eu bikes manufactured after 1997 need an emissions test too, which is prohibitively expensive, although some smaller tuev test stations don't seem to know about this! Regarding the import tax, you mention you have already imported it into germany , has it cleared customs? The easiest and cheapest way to side step your problems is for your girlfriend to get a license and register it with usaeur.

regards

geoff

www.montanamotorcycles.com

 

[pmcrory]

imported post

Hello Geoff,

Can I (belatedly) follow-up on your reply from a while back. I now have the bike USAREUR-registered. I would like to put it onto the German system (not to sell, but just in anticipation of my - now wife (!) leaving the military; do you know if the fact that it is now 3-yrs old, and has been fully USAREUR-ed, will make it any easier to do. Or will I still have to go through the hoops as you described? Thx.

...and sorry again for the delay in following this up!

Paul

 

[White Winger]

imported post

Right now I am in Kassel Germany and will be returning my rented 1800 back to the Honda Dealer in Berlin Friday. I will ask the questions you are inquiring about when I arrive there.



I have only noticed a few different things between my 1800 at home in the states verses here. I sure do like the high beam switch having the "Push to flash" feature on the button. I did not notice the running lights not on but I will when I go for a ride today. The one thing I have noticed in since my bike is a California USA bike, it has so much smog garbage on it, I wish it ran like this one does!!!!!!!



I will post more on this tomorrow

White Winger in Germany!!:action:

 

[britman]

imported post

pmcrory wrote:

Hi there,

My girl and I have just taken our new '04 Wing to Germany. She's in the Military and we bought it in Texas before we left there. I need to register it on the German system (she doesn't ride so can't register it with the military). Trouble is, I don't know exactly what the differences are between a US and European bike. I'm told that the headlight will need to be changed (I thought bikes' lightsjust dipped downwards!), and having the indicators acting as running lights is illegal in Germany. :?

Therefore, my questions are these:

1. Is this true?

2. Are these the only (legal) differences for roadworthyness?

3. How much is it likely to cost me (at US prices) to get these addressed?

4. Are these any areas here that an amateur like me could tackle, given wiring diagrams, etc?

5. Are there any onther tips/info that it would be handy to know here?

Thanks guys!

Paul

there was some thing about this in a free mag i read about bikes in germany the mag was the biking life i think it was the may issue about what you can and cant have on your bike in germany its might be worth taking a look at it as it might help you some

 

[britman]

imported post

pmcrory wrote:

Hi there,

My girl and I have just taken our new '04 Wing to Germany. She's in the Military and we bought it in Texas before we left there. I need to register it on the German system (she doesn't ride so can't register it with the military). Trouble is, I don't know exactly what the differences are between a US and European bike. I'm told that the headlight will need to be changed (I thought bikes' lightsjust dipped downwards!), and having the indicators acting as running lights is illegal in Germany. :?

Therefore, my questions are these:

1. Is this true?

2. Are these the only (legal) differences for roadworthyness?

3. How much is it likely to cost me (at US prices) to get these addressed?

4. Are these any areas here that an amateur like me could tackle, given wiring diagrams, etc?

5. Are there any onther tips/info that it would be handy to know here?

Thanks guys!

Paul

sorry i think it might of been thunder roads mag