Silverwing in UK?

Howdy Everybody,
I'm considering taking a contract job in UK near Cambridge for at least 1 year. Asking myself if I should take my  2001 Silverwing with around 30,000 miles on it. The shipping cost will be reimbursed.
I have ridden it all over the country since I purchased it two years ago with 15,000 miles on it. I love it but it is getting old and squeaky leaving small globs of oil behind when parked in one place too long.  I live in Texas and ride all year - I am not particularly a cold weather rider, but not afraid to ride in less than ideal conditions.

What do you UK residents think? Is it worth shipping the old girl? Should I just buy a younger fuel efficient scooter when I get there?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Howard.

Leave it at home. I'd first check into license requirements in UK.
Your US. license might not allow some larger bikes to be ridden over there. I don't know for sure????
I'd think easier to buy something over there and just ride rather than go through hassles with paper work and BS to get it registered.

Mech 1 twa wrote:

Leave it at home.  I'd first check into license requirements in UK.
Your US. license might not allow some larger bikes to be ridden over there. I don't know for sure????
I'd think easier to buy something over there and just ride rather than go through hassles with paper work and BS to get it registered.

Interesting points raised there bud.

Whatever vehicle catagories you have on your US licence will be 'hohoured' in the UK for a year, but after the year is up you will need to apply for a UK licence, which AFAIK is a 'paper exercise' rather than an actual test.
Vehicle use for extended periods/registration I'm not honestly sure, try & find someone who has been in the US forces who has been stationed in the UK & had their vehicle shipped over.
 One thing that it would be prudent to look into is the wording of your insurance policy if purchased in the UK, over here we have an annual vehicle check (compulsory) & most insurance companies require a continuous MOT record, with any break in MOT resulting in the insurance policy in being voided, so it may be a good idea to have yours tested on arrival.
 A word of caution, if you have a 'darkside' tyre fitted if you have an MOT test it will be a dangerous fail, if you don't have a test & get caught by the police that will result in a fine of up to £2.500, as will riding with tyres below the wear markers (front &/or read) for each tyre.
On balance I'd go with Mech 1 twa, buy/ hire a machine over here, that way you know it complies with the vehicle constuction & use regulations, the vehicle lighting regulations, etc ... (yep, we have regulations for just about everything )

As veteran of living/riding/working overseas for more than 40 years----both riding on left and right side riding---leave it home, buy something there----as min. headlight would need to be changed to left dipping any mods that cannot pass MOT need to be fixed, etc.

whpeel  I have just bought a Cruisym 300. Mainly because, it is very similar to my Silverwing 600. The riding position is pretty much the same only the sym is slightly higher in seat height. I have only had it for six days so,  only done just over 400KM on it. Obviously I can't vouch for it 's reliability or anything else really but, it is fun to ride and, when run, in I expect it to perform very much like the Silverwing. Under seat storage is a little better than the Silverwing. Price wise I paid just over £ 5036 on the road, this means first registration fee's, twelve months road tax and Admin costs. It also has a Five year warranty. Made in Taiwan and, only came out this year in the UK. If it appeals to you look on You tube for videos from various countries It's what I did. On my fist tank of fuel I got 88mpg.

I would suggest you just buy one over here to avoid the hassle and then sell it when your done.
SW's are, as we know, pretty much bullet proof and as an owner you know what to look for. Have a look at the autotrader website or ebay to give you some idea of costs and availability.
As you will be living in the deep south and a city you don't want anything to flash or expensive that will attract thieving types unless you have secure storage e.g. a garage or lockable shed.

Cambridge is hardly 'in the deep south' it's in East Anglia. Where apart from it being flatter than a witches tit, it's a hot spot for pedal cycle thefts due to the large student population.

The Silverwing headlight dips straight ahead, not to left or right.

cant say ive heard the continuous mot rule with insurers, aviva certainly havent insisted on it for my silver and gold wing.Not usually an issue with my bikes but my old car a 08 renaullt megane has just spent nearly 2 months off the road with no mot while i did the repairs when I had the time.

Try making a claim when your MOT has run out bud, insurance companies have access to the DVLA database, no MOT no insurance, simple as that.

whpeel

I think for the cost of import despite reimbursement try negotiate that as a payment towards a scoot here.

UK vehicle type approval rules make it tough for American bikes to get a valid MOT as well when ive spoken with importers.

I've also met Americans who find our road congestion a nightmare as you have the heavy traffic but not at the speeds we do here.

I have family married to a Texan gal.

If you do take the job let me know Cambs (Cambridgeshire) isn't a million miles from me and you'd be more than welcome to join me and mates for rideouts

I am a UK resident and keep a bike here specifically for the use of short term visitors from the USA and Canada and so I know a bit about the do's and don'ts of US riders in the UK and Europe.
In fact the Pan European is currently off around Europe with a friend who comes over every year for two weeks.
My advise would be to buy a small second hand bike here, keep it for the time you are over and then sell it when you go.
Aviva is an insurance company who are happy to insure US licence holders, ( I only know for certain that they do short term insurance for them) but they are one of the few who are even interested in doing insurance for overseas visitors in the UK. There are insurance companies in countries like Germany who will insure US visitors that will cover them all over Europe and in the UK too.