Me and my r850r to Finland

[il_bambino]

Hello,

First of all sorry for writing in English but I don't speak Finnish (yet). I am moving to Helsinki in a few weeks (I am from Spain) but I wouldn't like to leave my r850r here. I was thinking bringing it with me. But I have so many questions and don't know how to get the answers. I hope you don't mind I post in here.

First of all it's about the climate. I know it's cold there and during many months you cannot ride (don't you?) What do you do with the bikes during the winter? In a garage? In that case is it difficult to find one? I will be looking for an apartment very soon and I don't know if I'll be able to find one with parking.

I have already read the documentations of the process of registration on my motorbike there, and I have to get an insurance there mine is not valid. I don't think there will be problems about that. Any ideas or recommendations where should I go? And what about the price? Here is 350€ a year, I don't know about there. Because I have googled but everything I find is in Finnish.

If is there anything especial or recommendations I will be happy and very pleased to hear. I look forward to drive around there.

I almost forget, what kind of oil do you use? I use 20w50 here in Spain but there is colder and maybe you use some a little bit more liquid.

Thank you very much!!! I hope there aren't too many questions.

[Jokke]

I do not live near Helsinki but as far as I know I'm afraid you might find garaging your bike in such a short notice difficult not to mention expensive... Couldn't you manage someone to send your bike to Finland in the spring?
Personally, I drive maybe few days in November and that's it. It is not the cold but the frosty roads! The biking season starts at earliest in late March.
Why would you want to register your bike in Finland? (Or don't I understand your question?) Why wouldn't you be able to ride your spanish-registered bike in Finland? I do not see any problem here.

[hlpvu8]

In case you will move to Finland, i.e. register yourself to live here for a period of time, you will have to import your bike here as well. A person registered to live in Finland is not allowed to drive a vehicle registered in another country. Also when moving to the country you will have to bring your bike as moving goods as you physically move. Otherwise it will not be possible to get it into Finland without extra tax.

To find a place for your bike for the winter months you better contact the bike shops. They have good space for that and optional winter service and/or maintenance for the bike. Close to Helsinki you could contact eg. Bike World, R.M. Heino or any shop alike. I'm pretty sure you'll find a person to speak english withth too.

Concerning your worries about oil I would not make a big hassle on that. Summer conditions are close to any other middle European country, assuming you will not jeopardize your health by biking on the slippery roads

Good luck, welcome to Finland & hope to see you on the road some sunny day !

[il_bambino]

Thank you for your answers!

Yes, if you have your permanent residence in Finland you have to import the vehicle, in case you do it in the first six months of the moving you have a tax reduction. I found that on the internet.

I have search for those shops and I have already asked for that service you told me. I could have never imagined such a service. That's why I wanted to talk to riders from there.

Thank you very much again for that help.

We'll see in those northerns roads soon.

[Tuomas]

Hello!
check following page for insuarance https://www.pohjola.fi/pohjola?id=312100&srcpl=8 that's in english. Pohjola Insuarance company is one of the major companies in Finland and can offer you an insuarance. To get a better (lower) price for it, I propose you to ask your own insuarance company to write, sign and stamp a letter stating what kind of insuarance you have and how long you have had it. The basic cost is pretty high but they count certain bonus for you for each year without accidents.

As a hint, when you visit any Finnish web sites, check if you can find somewhere on the main page a box "english". Choose that and you'll be automatically redirected to English pages.

In Lahti, 100 km north from Helsinki, there is Riku Motor Oy. Local BMW dealer and they have a new premise for service and winter time garaging. Send e-mail in English to myynti@rikumotor.fi and I'm sure they'll answer you.

Br Tuomas