Topic: Hi! Moving to London: with my bike?

[xdennis900]

hey everyone,
I'm Dennis, 23, and I have a Kawasaki ER5. I love my bike and well, I'll move to London this autumn for 2 years, maybe longer. Am living in the Netherlands right now.

I was wondering though what you guys reckon - is it worth bringing the bike? Or too much hassle? I'll be stuyding at LSE but will very likely be living a bit outside of the city (really no idea yet where)... But just talking parking and traffic... do bikes have to pay in the centre for parking normally? does the road toll apply for motorbikes as well?

and one last question: i currently have a german license plate. Figure, I'd wanna get a British one - sorry I really seem to know nothing, is there a website where I can familiarise myself with the procedures,etc.??

Thanks already for any help,and am looking forward to talking to all of you here   :icon_bigsmurf:

cheers Dennis

[Weaver]

Hiya and welcome to the forum  :newbie:
 
An ER5 would be a good bike on which to commute.  Check with the college about parking - some places have space for motorbikes.  Other than that some authorities charge and some do not.   Make sure you have a good alarm, tracker and a very strong chain!!!   
 
Obviously you also need to be taxed and insured for this country and you have to display the tax disc not just have bought it.
 
Here is a link to the regulations re licences:
 
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022556

[Mr Rizla]

Welcome to the family, Weaver already gave you good advice so 1 will shut up

[Giuliano]

There is plenty of motorcycle parking near LSE  - for example the bays in Carey Street always have places. However the LSE is in the borough of Westminster who charge bikes to park. Most other motorcycle parking in London is free.

[trouty]

i think, if you stay on german plates, you wouldnt need to pay the road tax?

[Mr Rizla]

i think, if you stay on german plates, you wouldnt need to pay the road tax?

or pay the speeding fines , or is that just the polish (withraws to safe distance)

[xdennis900]

thanks everyone

here in Holland they [unfortunately] do forward tickets to my German address..

I googled a bit and found this website (http://www.londonbikeandscooter.co.uk/tax.htm) where it says (like Weaver as well, thanks) that you need to have your tax disc with you at all times on the bike. I suppose the same applies to me, even with German plates.. or do you think police wouldn't be bothered to fine me, being too much paper work perhaps?

I reckon I'll take the bike with me, it should be a nice roadtrip from the border to Holland to London, some time in September...

[Mr Rizla]

We'll be here waiting for you , some of us have made several long weekend trips from London to Amsterdam Sidewinds on your motorways still scare the crap out of me

[Wildcat]

You will probably be able to find somewhere on the college grounds to park, Westminster charge £1. Chat up the staff at the College.

[Weaver]

i think, if you stay on german plates, you wouldnt need to pay the road tax?

Only for six months - after that you have to register it here and pay up I think!

[Biker Biker]

Hi and welcome!

You may also want to consider bike security for parking in London, chain, disk lock etc

[xdennis900]

Thanks again everyone for the great help.

I think what I'm going to do is I'll bring the bike, keep it on German plates for the first few months and once I'm there I'll figure out all the necessary paper work to get 'proper' plates etc. etc.
Of course I'll have to get an alarm system, chains, etc. yep!

Can't wait... especially for all the upcoming trips through the UK, hopefully one or two all the way up to the Scottish Highlands but for now, I just have to wait .....
I'll be posting about this and that every once in a while, so I will see you all around here!

[Mr Rizla]

Thanks again everyone for the great help.

I think what I'm going to do is I'll bring the bike

Great, look forward to meeting up, one thing i need to point out, remmember that the UK drives on the other side of the road, remmember that you will need to swap over the bar controlls, left to right sorta thing, that way everything works just fine on our side of the road.

Best of luck

[naughty lee]

hi and welcome. There are lots of vehicles in london with plates from other countries on. Im not sure if Tino comes on here still but he is german and knows the proceedure for bringing bikes over. Leave the bike with german plates on for the time being but make sure your german insurance is valid in the u.k. You will have plenty of time to sort things out when you get here. Personally i would just leave the german plates on. Mainly for speed cameras and parking offences ! They dont come looking for you if the plate is not from the uk !

[Spill]

remmember that you will need to swap over the bar controlls, left to right sorta thing, that way everything works just fine on our side of the road.

 

[Biker Biker]

I like to ride with the Sat Nav as it tells you where the speed cameras are.  Also be cautious at traffic lights, if you go through them late a) you run the risk of a camera flashing and a fine, b) you might get nailed by a courier or a cyclist

[Spill]

you might get nailed by a courier or a cyclist

Even when the light is green - or is that just me?

[Weaver]

It's more likely when the light is green for you - cyclists especially think that red means go for them! 

[Funster]

Welcome aboard