Buying abroad and riding home

[Noel Woodcock]

Hi all I'm a newbie joined to ask advice.Original plan - buy enduro type bike travel to Spain help my dad move out of house with no road access ride back home (a perfect excuse to buy a bike and get back into it after 10 years) unfortunately Dad had a spill from mobility scooter and broke his hip.

New plan fly to Spain nurse Dad back to health buy bike for much less money help him move then ride back home.

Am I being naive because bikes are much cheaper over here and surely if it was that easy then everyone would do it.

 I guess I'd have to pay Vat and import duty but it would still be worth it and I'm here now with no bike.

I know I could hire one and fly back home but this was my excuse to persuade my wife that I had to buy a bike again ha ha  

anyone have any experience/advice about this? NB my Dad has residence status in Spain if makes a difference. Cheers Noel.

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Sorry, can't help with the question about importing a bike but hopefully someone will know. 

 

Hope your dad recovers quickly from his injury.

[S-Westerly]

I imported a car and it was pretty straightforward.  Admittedly it was when were still in EU so may have been easier. Insurance obviously then tax / mot as required. I think there's a grace period before you have to pay UK road tax but that may have changed. As to import taxes I've no idea. Is there no government website giving guidance?

[S-Westerly]

4 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

I imported a car and it was pretty straightforward.  Admittedly it was when were still in EU so may have been easier. Insurance obviously then tax / mot as required. I think there's a grace period before you have to pay UK road tax but that may have changed. As to import taxes I've no idea. Is there no government website giving guidance?

Here's a  link that might help.

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk

[DR1]

5 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

I imported a car and it was pretty straightforward.  Admittedly it was when were still in EU so may have been easier. Insurance obviously then tax / mot as required. I think there's a grace period before you have to pay UK road tax but that may have changed. As to import taxes I've no idea. Is there no government website giving guidance?

The problems start much earlier than importing the bike into Britain. Registering a vehicle in Spain as a non resident will be virtually impossible. Any vehicle being imported into the U.K. must not be driven at all, not even out of the port of entry, until it is registered with the DVLA. A U.K. resident driving a foreign registered vehicle in the U.K. is illegal except in a handful of cases (commercial drivers, hire cars, some students, some cross border workers). Any vehicle being imported into the U.K. from the EU is now liable for import taxes and duties. 
The good old days have gone.