License plate fiasco - Seefeld, Austria

As a result of having my bike sent over to Touratech is parts (not as an import bike) I didn't have my license plate with the bike. This was then sent to BMW's Motorradzentrum thinking that I'd pass by there and pick it up. As my plans changed and I went to Paris and Monaco instead, the plate was eventually found and forwarded to BMW's motorcycle CEO's office and I corresponded with his assistant to get it brought to Seefeld (where I was to meet them).

This however wasn't going to be until Saturday and I was riding my bike on Friday when I got "pinched" by the local police. They asked to see my insurance paperwork and told me that they were going to impound the bike because I had no license plate. I tried my best BS to get them to understand that this was a 'special' California bike and that my existing paperwork was good enough until the real plate caught up with me. But the officers were not in the mood to make a deal. I was asked to 'follow them' and didn't know what was going to happen to my riding that weekend.

Luckily, it turned out that the cop was just giving me a hard time until he figured out a solution. I had to pay a 'gratuity fee' to his buddies at the local garage enough to buy them a round of beers and they would make me a handwritten plate for use until my real plate came in. I was only too happy to oblige and soon rode off breathing a big sigh of relief.


Photo - The local Austrian 'fuzz' - don't mess with 'em

There was no escaping from these guys. Once they spotted that I didn't have a plate on I tried to scoot
down the mountain lane splitting (is THAT legal in Austria, think NOT!) but they pulled out into the
oncoming lane to hunt me down (could this be why they were pissed?).

Photo - life in a small town


As they say, one hand washes another so I got to meet 'Klaus' and his buddies at the local service shop.
I thought that I was getting a ticket but instead I got a license plate!

Photo - The Austrian Officer who let me go


In the end, this officer while initially a tough guy took some humor from the situation and let me go.
Here he is checking my California registration and insurance.
It turns out that he was a dual-sport fan too and only wanted a closer look at the bike.


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