Certificates of conformity

[Fossil]

CERTIFICATES OF CONFORMITY

Guys,

I'm getting lots of requests through this forum for these documents, and quite a few from Europe. I hope its clear by now that I'm happy to help any of you that I can, whenever I can, but there is only so much I can do.

1- These certificates will only be issued to bikes that are specified to meet European regulations. Bikes built for the US market do NOT qualify and must go through the SVA (Single Vehicle Approval) process. It's not negotiable with the DVLA, and there's no quick, cheap alternative.

2- Bikes earlier than 2001 Model Year will require SVA in the UK in any case, and I suspect it's the same in other EC countries. As a general rule of thumb, if the VIN begins with a 1, it's very likely that it won't get a certificate. To identify your bikes model year, look at the 8th digit from the end of your VIN. "1" = 2001, "2" = 2002 etc. e.g. 5HD1PT9478Y957111 is an '08 MY.

3- Dealers in the UK can get hold of a Certificate of Conformity by sending an e-mail to the relevant person at H-D UK, and it'll normally be mailed to them within 24 hours. H-D UK do not charge their dealers for providing these certificates.

4- When the requests come in to me from other European countries, owners are trying to avoid charges that their local dealers are quoting them. Is it the case that those dealers are quoting for preparing bikes for a country's SVA equivalent, because they already know that a CoC will not be applicable?

Like I've said before, I'm quite happy to help any of you whenever I can, but I am being asked by H-D UK why I seem to be getting far more than my fair share of requests for these documents, and so many from outside the UK. To clarify, please understand that I can't get these certificates for bikes that don't qualify for them. These documents are issued only by the Motor Company and they're never going to issue one that isn't 100% genuine. They would be risking too much by doing so.

If your European dealer has told you your bike won't get a CoC, he might just be right. In the UK we have a Customer Service telephone number for H-D UK. Surely, the same must exist throughout Europe? If you think your local dealer in Finland, Norway, Holland or anywhere else in Europe is talking bollox, call them up, and they'll get a definitive answer from H-D in that country for you.

Before you ask, I don't have the 'phone numbers for all of the European Customer Service Departments!

John