BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

On the 1st January 2021, things will change, European trips will need more planning.

• At least six months left on your passport.

• Travel insurance with health cover. The current EHIC scheme will no longer apply.

• Checked with your mobile provider. No UK mobile firm currently plans to bring back roaming charges but the guarantee of free roaming will end.

When allowed to travel, what other considerations do motorcyclists need to make.

Going to need a green card for proof of insurance.


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Restrictions on what you can take into the EU  and what you can bring back to the UK


If you are driving or riding may need an International Driving license and a Green card for insurance.

exportman wrote:If you are driving or riding may need an International Driving license.

https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/inter ... ing-permit

Did anybody travelling abroad on a motorcycle ever rely solely on the EHIC for travel insurance? Considering that it didn't cover  repatriation.

Our home insurance is with Direct Line, it includes annual Travel Cover. This cover includes, the cost of returning you to the UK after a medical emergency.

DL have confirmed that riding a motorcycle from my home address is covered. I queried this as motorcycling over 125cc is excluded. I think the latter is if you hire a motorcycle when abroad.

I know this has been questioned before and the answer was as per DL, viewtopic.php?p=48987#p48987

On the subject of repatriation, here's another scenario, you become ill and unable to ride your bike. How are you going to get your bike home. BMW Emergency Services have confirmed that they would repatriate the bike, if you were not fit to ride it.

Our Gee wrote: Now that Brexit is more or less a done deal one of the things to watch our for is ensuring that our UK vehicle registration plates are compliant with the new rules.
It will be no longer legal to rely on the "Euro" style plate. That's the one with the circle of stars above the GB letters. In fact from 1st January 2021 it will not be allowed to manufacture or fit this Euro style of plate, however for those of us with the Euro plate already fitted this will be allowed with the addition of a separate "GB" sticker. (More Expense !!!).

Spot on, https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-pl ... dentifiers

MikeS wrote:Did anybody travelling abroad on a motorcycle ever rely solely on the EHIC for travel insurance?

Latest from BBC News website, British travellers will still be able to access emergency health care in the European Union. European Heath Insurance Cards, (EHIC) cards will remain valid until they expire. According to the UK government, they will then have to be replaced by a "UK Global Health Insurance Card"

exportman wrote: Restrictions on what you can take into the EU and what you can bring back to the UK
If you are driving or riding may need an International Driving license and a Green card for insurance.

There is no such thing as an International Driving Licence it is an International driving Permit that you can get from the Post Office. It merely translates our driving licence. Can't see why we would need one as the UK driving licence is the European model so the information is exactly the same as the rest of the EU 27 and won't need translating. Just another way of making us pay money!

The GOV.UK website suggests, "You might need an IDP to drive in some EU countries and Norway from 1 January 2021 if you have, a paper driving licence".

https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/inter ... ing-permit

Perhaps this refers to the old green paper licences and that the British photocard licence will still be valid in the EU.

David. wrote: The GOV.UK website suggests, "You might need an IDP to drive in some EU countries and Norway from 1 January 2021 if you have, a paper driving licence".

Perhaps this refers to the old green paper licences and that the British photocard licence will still be valid in the EU.

In years gone by, I've ridden through Europe and beyond, at times with an IDP.  The only time I was ever stopped (in France) I was asked for my bike's V5 - that was the one time I wasn't carrying it.  I was then asked for my driving licence and handed over my photocard licence.  They took that to their car, punched bike and licence details into their computer and sent me on my way with a friendly wave.  The IDP would have added nothing to that interaction, and I don't see it adding anything in the future either.
The photo card licence will always be valid, the IDP is an addition for police officers without computers or language skills.  I would be surprised if even most Norwegian officers would not be satisfied with the photocard licence.

For anyone like me who still holds a green paper licence, an IDP will be required.

An IDP costs £5.50 at the Post Office and is valid for 1 year, https://www.postoffice.co.uk/identity/i ... ing-permit

Exchanging your paper driving licence for a photocard licence costs £20, https://www.dvla-contact-number.co.uk/e ... d-licence/

At age 70, it looks like the DVLA will send an application form to renew your licence, renewal is free, https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-ad ... s/driving/

If going abroad 4 or more times in the next 8 years, it might be worth replacing my green paper licence with a photocard licence.

With the IDP there are different ones, it all depends which country you’re visiting. It’s down to which agreement the country has signed up to. From memory if you’re visiting France you would only need one, but visiting Spain requires two different ones. One for France and a different one for Spain, clear as mud if you ask me!!

The GOV.UK website, https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/inter ... ing-permit lists 3 types of IDP and each country's requirements.

For France, you may need one if you have paper driving licence. Presumably, this means that the British photocard licence is valid on it's own.

In Spain, you don't need an IDP, unless you plan to be away for more than 6 months.