Importing a bike FROM Canada TO America

[TLN]

Anyone done this? Everything Google is turning up is for the reverse.

Going on a ride up to Northern Ontario, thinking of selling my bike up there and getting a different one for the ride back. Might be more trouble than it's worth, but it sounds fun.

[goalie]

Try googling "pissing money down the drain."

[sanford]

Yes bikes cost a fair amount here, actually everything does.. but have no info on it sorry..

[z9nine]

http://www.bordercenter.org/chem/vehicles.htm

There are multiple hits on google for this very question.

http://www.whybike.com/blog/index.php?p=117

10 Minute google search.

After reading some of this, it is not worth the trouble.

[sanford]

Originally Posted by z9nine

http://www.bordercenter.org/chem/vehicles.htm

There are multiple hits on google for this very question.

http://www.whybike.com/blog/index.php?p=117

10 Minute google search.

After reading some of this, it is not worth the trouble.

I heard of one person importing a car did not meet requirements
last heard it was lost or stolen or caught on fire
just a old story not confirmed hearsay

[SolidC]

People important bikes from the US to Canada because it's so much cheaper in the states, why would you do the opposite. ><

[markk53]

Originally Posted by sanford

I heard of one person importing a car did not meet requirements
last heard it was lost or stolen or caught on fire
just a old story not confirmed hearsay

No hearsay on this one. Magazines did some articles in the 80s about "grey market bikes" when people were going to Canada to get bikes like the GSXR that wasn't yet available here. The bikes did not meet EPA and DOT standards and were impounded. People bringing them in illegally were up for possible prosecution - breaking import laws.

I also know of a Porsche that a friend had in the country legally, a $750,000 car. It was only legal for use on closed course driving aka on the track. If he even started it he was supposed to contact the EPA. He had one of two in the country legally. Ralph Lauren brought one in illegally, it was impounded and destroyed.

So, you can take a chance, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I do know of one "grey market bike" that has been brought in from Europe, but the owner is a dealer and has a dealer plate on the bike.

There are ways, but you really need to research it. It isn't going to be done on lark during a trip. It's going to have to be semi-underhanded. I had a Canadian Chrysler that got in the US while owned by the rent-a-car company I worked for. When it got pulled from the fleet it was in Nashville and got titled somehow down there. I got it with a legitimate Ohio title. No idea how it worked.

[z9nine]

Usually it is auto brokers or dealers that can do this easily. They are the ones that can afford to take the risk and have the equipment made ready to them that can to prelim testing before the officials get to them.

the only way I can see this not being a complete headache is if you buy brand new from the dealer, but then again, you will be paying out the ass.

[TLN]

OK yeah, sounds like a bad idea.

Crosschecked a few bikes on Craigslist for what it'd cost in NY/NJ vs. Ontario, and ... yeah, it's a very bad idea. Man, like 2-3k more across the board.

[mikeelam]

Any of you guys know anything about importing a bike into California from abroad? I have a '78 BMW that I'd like to bring with me from the UK when I move to LA in October.
If it has to pass emissions etc, I assume that's going to kill the idea?

[Massey]

With any motor vehicle when you bring it into the US from outside your vehicle MUST meet all federal safety and emissions standards for the model year it was made. There is also a Tax issue that will need to be resolved and the feds do a major inspection on it to check for stolen parts and or contraband in the vehicle. It is not a pretty process and the you will be paying for the service on top of the price of the vehicle. Unless this is a new from the factory being moved across the borders buy an authorized reseller (ie the dealer) you have almost as much in fees as you do in the price of the vehicle.

VW made the old school Beetle from the 1930's until 2003. You could get a 2002 Bug in Mexico for cheap but since it did not meet federal crash standards for 2002 it would not be allowed in the states. The newest bug you could bring across the border is a 79 which was the last year the US allowed VW to sell them here. Lamborghini had to modify the bumpers of the Countach in order to continue selling them in the US past 1985. This list goes on and on.

Massey

[Red Branch]

Originally Posted by TLN

Anyone done this? Everything Google is turning up is for the reverse.

Going on a ride up to Northern Ontario, thinking of selling my bike up there and getting a different one for the ride back. Might be more trouble than it's worth, but it sounds fun.

I'm looking at a Honda CBR250RR (the MC22 from the late eighties/early nineties) or maybe an NC30 or NC35 for my first ride, and they're not readily available in the U.S. However, there's a company in Canada which specializes in bringing those bikes into Canada from Japan. So I went over to my County Clerk's office (they handle vehicle registration here in Colorado, I'm not sure if that's the case in other states) and asked what the procedure would be for importing a bike from Canada. They were very helpful and printed me a sheet detailing the process. It's very easy, and basically the same as converting an off-road or track-only bike to road bike status. Basically I just have to show that I own the bike (having a Canadian title in hand is sufficient for the purpose) and show that it has the necessary equipment to be road legal. Since Colorado doesn't emissions test bikes, I could even get a two-stroke and register that, if I wanted.

I don't know if there are any federal issues with doing so, but I'm not expecting any issues since I can import the bike as an "Off-Road Only" model and then "convert" it for street use. But other states may not be so easy.