A loophole in the Brexit agreement between Britain and the EU could disrupt motorcycle holidays abroad.

It could affect an increasingly popular form of biking holiday – to save a long ride down through Europe, bikes are shipped by a professional freight company, or just by a friend with a van, while the owner flies out to meet it. Several motorcycle travel and adventure businesses use this system and large numbers of bikes are shipped out in this way each year, before being shipped home again after the end of the holiday.

There is nothing in the UK’s trade deal with the EU which covers this practice, leaving no option but to resort to international norms, which vary widely, with no established procedure for the channel ports as yet.

The National Motorcyclists Council has been asked to look into this issue and has made contact with government and other interests to seek a resolution to the problem. This issue has been ‘hidden’ by the Covid-related border closures, but the NMC is working on a solution for when borders reopen for tourism. Bike shipping for competition, and events where the bike isn’t road registered, are unaffected, as these are already catered for under ATA Carnets, available via the ACU.

Written by Peter Henshaw

Top photograph by Richard Barr