Many of the best classic motorcycles are not in your own country. Italy, Germany, the UK and France have deep markets, and a rare model may simply not be for sale at home. Buying abroad is not harder than buying at home, but it needs a plan, because you cannot pop round to check something that was not clear.
1. Decide where you will register it
Start from the end. In which country will the bike be registered and insured? That country's rules decide what documents you need, what tax you pay and whether the bike qualifies as a classic. Read the matching article first: the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the UK, France. A bike that is a classic in one country is not automatically one in the next, see what counts as a classic motorcycle.
2. Ask the right questions before you travel
- Who is the seller, a private person or a business?
- Are the original registration documents available, and in whose name?
- Can the seller send high-resolution photos of the frame number, the engine number and any marks of repair, and a video of a cold start?
- Is there a service history, and can you see copies of invoices?
- Can the bike be viewed and tested, and can a third party inspect it?
A seller who answers all five clearly is a good sign. A seller who avoids them is also telling you something.
3. Check the bike without being there
If you cannot travel, arrange a pre-purchase inspection by a specialist near the bike, or by a member of the relevant owners' club. Ask for a live video call where you tell the person on the other end what to look at, not the other way round. See the full buying checklist.
4. Add up the real price
- Purchase price, and whether VAT is included. See importing a motorcycle within the EU: a private seller does not charge VAT, a dealer may or may not.
- Transport: see shipping a classic motorcycle, and the shipping and pickup page for how it works on this site.
- Your costs of travel if you collect.
- Import tax, customs and VAT for non-EU bikes: see importing from outside the EU.
- Registration, inspection and plates in your own country.
- Repairs you already know about.
5. Know your rights
According to Your Europe, when you buy from a dealer in another EU country you have a minimum of two years' guarantee if the vehicle turns out to be faulty or not as advertised, and for a used vehicle this can be shortened to one year by agreement. Consumer protection does not apply to private sales. This is a strong reason to arrange an inspection before you pay.
6. Pay safely
Do not pay a seller you have not met by a method you cannot reverse. Read safe payment. On Epic Motor Trading the payment is held until both buyer and seller confirm the handover.
7. Agree the handover in writing
Agree the date, the place, the documents you will receive and the transport arrangement in writing. A good bill of sale lists the frame number and engine number. See papers and proof of ownership.
8. Use the language that helps
If the seller does not speak your language, write in English and keep messages short and factual. Use a translation tool for the documents, and ask the seller to confirm important points in writing. For the registration papers of a foreign country, a short glossary helps: see the glossary.
