How do I import from the States

[byke95]

Always trying to save the odd penny, I'm thinking about taking advantage of the weaker $ and importing a new bike from the USA.

I'm thinking it's not as easy as going over there, buying the bike and shipping it over (something I'm informed costs about £500).

Does anyone have any experience of how to go about this (export duty from the states, import duty getting it in the UK, getting it registered, getting it insured/taxed/MOT'd)?

Will I even save any money?

Thanks for the help

[tatters]

very hard to do and you will have to pay import tax which is 17.5% for modern bike and 5% for classics regstering took my dad for his A65 3 months, MOT is no problem same as UK and same with road Tax
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[T.C]

I brought my last three bikes in from the states, no real problem if you take your time.

Firstly you need to get an all in purchase price to include shipping. If it comes by sea it will be cheaper than by air but obviously will take longer. When it arrives at the UK port and before you can take it away you will have to pay duty of 17.5% of the purchase price, and sometimes you will get hit with import duty as well. We are allowed as a country to import certain quota's before import tax is applied, so be aware that this may be charged as well.

Once you have the bike home and have built it up ready for the road, you will then need to go to the DVLA with all the paperwork including customs documentation and get it registered and fill out a V5. This will allow you to get a year related registration and tax for the bike. It will have tobe insured to do this, but they will issue a cover note against a chassis number until a registration mark has been issued.

It is then a case of get a plate made put the tax on the bike, tell your insurers of the new mark and away you go. Being from outside the EEC you may need to get an MOT to comply with the new single vehicle import regs, but the DVLA will tell you what you will and won't need.

As an indication of prices, in 1992 I brought a brand new CBR1000 and with VAT and import duty I put it on the road for £3600 (at the time it was over £7K UK prices) and then my GSXR1100WP also brand new was £3800 on the road against £7K+ for the same UK bike. There are some terrific savings to be had, and if you look for a tidy secondhand bike the money you save can be even greater.

Dead easy to convert back to UK spec such as the indicators and the like, and if you are happy with the speedo showing 35, 45, 55 and so on rather than 0's then you won't have a problem.

Hope this helps.
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It is better to arrive 30 seconds late in this world, than 30 years early in the next

[byke95]

Nice one T.C, all I need in one reply, sweet!

[Kickstart]