Legal Requirements:
* You must bring the originals of the following documents:
- Passport – this must be less than 10 years old and have at least 6 months validity remain
- Driving Licence – the plastic photocard licences are valid post-Brexit and you will not need an International Driving Permit for short visits. However if you have an old paper licence or a licence issued in Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man you may need an IDP – if visiting Spain this is the 1949 IDP valid for one year – other EU countries require the 1968 IDP valid for 3 years. These are available at the Post Office for £5.50
- Vehicle Insurance Certificate and Green Card – make sure you contact your insurer at least 6 weeks before travel to ensure you have this and make sure your insurance covers you for driving abroad.
- Vehicle Registration Document (V5)
- You must affix a GB sticker to your vehicle – even if there is already one on your number plate!
Insurance
* The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) remains valid in the EU and Switzerland post-Brexit until it’s expiry date. You will then be able to replace it with a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) – however (at the time of writing Jan 2021) the GHIC will not cover you for medical expenses in Switzerland (the only country we travel to where this is relevant). We strongly recommend that you obtain an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) and travel insurance – which will be required in the unfortunate event that you need medical treatment. Failure to have either will leave you liable for any medical expenses. Please note that the EHIC card does not cover repatriation or 100% of medical expenses. If you already have your own travel insurance please check that this covers you on a motorcycle over 125cc – as many policies exclude this.
*You should also obtain European Breakdown Insurance for your motorbike which should include repatriation, a replacement vehicle and have a claims line open at weekends! Please note that we reserve the right to charge you at the rate of £2.00 per km for any transportation of you and/or your vehicle which is undertaken by us.
Other
* A mobile phone enabled for foreign use could be of benefit – check with your provider whether their date roaming charges have changed post-Brexit. It is also a good idea to have your Emergency Contact details entered onto your phone which are then accessible from the “Lock Screen”
* A credit card – especially for use in some petrol stations.
* In Spain if you wear corrective glasses for driving/riding you must carry a spare pair.
* From June 2020 there is now no requirement to carry a breathalyser kit in France.
* From 1 January 2016 it became a LEGAL requirement in France (Germany from 2014) for motorcyclists to carry a high-visibility vest to be worn in the event of a breakdown or accident. In Spain it is already a LEGAL requirement for both rider and pillion to carry a high-viz vest to be worn if you dismount at the side of the road.
* From 30 June 2015 it became ILLEGAL in France to use any “hands-free” kit in a car or on a motorcycle with any sort of device that emits a sound – whether through an earpiece, earphones (including earplugs with integral earphones) or headphones – directly into the ear. The aim is to make illegal anything that may interfere with the driver’s/rider’s hearing. The only exceptions are hearing aids, training schools, and helmets with an integral system. The detail of the law was released on 18 June 2015 – see the article here – securite routiere – the pictures are easy to follow! The sanction for non-compliance is 135 euro fine and 3 points in France (in Spain this is a 200 euro fine).
*From 1 July 2012 it became a legal requirement in France (not Spain (2015)) to carry a breathalyser kit (ethylotest) which is certified “NF”. However, from 1 March 2013, a new decree (no. 2013-180) restated the obligation to carry a kit but removed any penalty for the failure to do so !! In June 2020 a new law was passed in France removing the requirement to carry a breathalyser kit.
* From 4 January 2012 it became illegal to have any device – including a GPS or mobile phone – that can indicate the presence of a fixed or mobile speed camera. This function, if present, must be disabled. The penalty is a fine of up to 1500 euros, 6 points on your licence and confiscation of the item.
* There is no need to adjust your headlamp but you must ride with dipped headlights. Ensure your bike is in a roadworthy condition – minimum tyre tread is 1.6mm in Europe.
* Reflective Stickers on Helmets…not required. This is NOT a new law, the latest “Order” dates from 4 April 1995 and “applies to all helmets sold in France from 15 May 1995”. Originally this requirement dates back to the Geneva Convention 1958, Regulation 22 which the UK chose not to be bound by – which is why it does not apply there. The 1995 “Order” goes on to say that “However, helmets which otherwise conform to technical specifications of other EU Member States from the point of view of technical performance, protection of users and a date stamp can be accepted” – so even for French residents who bought their helmets in an other EU state, it would seem do not need them either. Although some motoring organisations websites and forums in the UK are stating that the stickers are necessary this seems to have arisen from a report on the FFMC (Federation Francaise des Motards en Colere) website (the clue is in the name – this is a FRENCH organisation!). We have contacted the RAC and the AA (May 2015) who although say their information is from an “official source” they will not disclose this source and have undertaken to check this further (Nov 2015 still checking!!).
* Emission Certificates: (As at March 2017) There are 3 cities that have introduced the need for an emission certificate – Paris, Grenoble and Lyon. A certificate is only required if you enter the city centre, normally if you stick to the ring road then one is not needed. The cost is 3.70 euros plus postage and this lasts for life – it is not per day – and the same certificate covers everywhere in France. Go to https://www.certificat-air.
* Information for road-users in France can be found on the Government website www.securite-routiere.gouv.fr
* Waterproofs might come in handy – and a swimsuit depending on the Tour.
* Make sure you bring some Euro’s.
* Don’t forget your passport!