Importing A Motorcycle From Canada

[Motors]

Hi All,

 

Has anyone done it? Is it a difficult process? Is it easier if the motorcycle is over a certain age, ie., 10 years?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Charles

aka: Motors

[Selden]

Several years ago, MCN ran a fairly detailed story on this. If you're interested, I can look up the exact citation.

 

I know someone who imported a replica Morgan 3-wheeler from Belgium. After the fact (which involved jumping through lots of hoops), he learned that if he had just take a few parts off, such as the exhaust pipes, and a valve cover, it could have been imported more easily as "parts". This was pre-911; god only knows what the feds may require now.

[Tony_K]

it could have been imported more easily as "parts". This was pre-911; god only knows what the feds may require now.

 

Agreed. I have several friends who moved vehicles all over the world prior to 9-11. Now cars only go out, almost nothing comes in, as it's just too "difficult" now. These guys moved many, many vehicles a year and were quite proficient in the process.

 

If you know anything about how to work in "the gray" then you might have a chance.

[Rocer]

I almost did the reverse last year. In going through the process I found the U.S. border / customs people very helpful and nice to deal with. Give them a call. Same with the Canadian side. I used the offices in the twin cities Sault St. Marie. As I remember the most difficult part was setting specific dates when I would import the machine.

[Smoky]

There's a very good system for bringing them north, Canada Customs has a website that has all the details.

 

However, I don't know the system for going the other way.

 

When the dollar is low, many of our vehicles go south, a few years ago you couldn't get a used truck up here, the dealers moved them all south.

 

Then the dollar got strong, and many of us shopped the good values in the states. I bought a bike and a car that way.

 

Usually US prices are much better than CDN prices.

[John Ranalletta]

I registered a old Ducati a friend had imported from South Africa. Our state BMV had a list of the required documents for registration which included NHSTA, EPA and Treasury forms (Customs). Luckily, the Ducati was produced prior to NHSTA and EPA regs so it was exempted. At that, I still needed the forms.

 

A guy on advrider makes an import from CA sound easy.

 

Good luck.

 

[UberXY]

I "imported" (repatriated) a vintage American bike from Canada a few years ago - a '47 Indian - and it was a minor hassle that was fixed easily by hiring a customs broker. However, I tried to import a special R80GS Kalahari from Canada and had to give up. I needed some paperwork from BMW Canada and they politely declined to give it to me, as it was a Euro spec bike that had been originally sold in South Africa.