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951
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7/21/2016
Location
Houston-ish, TX
US
Travelling to visit some family near Buffalo, NY soon. Mulling the idea of buying a new 450 in NY or perhaps Canada and shipping back home. Has anyone purchased in Canada and brought back to the US? Most info online is about street bikes and registration/etc. Can't find anything on non-streetable bikes and don't want to fool around at the border if it's going to be a nightmare.
The Shop
Dealer in ottawa said i'd have to pay the GST which was like 10% or something, and that i'd get it back when coming into the US. Then i'd have to declare it obviously to get that back, so i'd end up paying state tax. It would of saved me about 200 bucks. I decided it wasnt worth the hassle. Plus its not contingency eligible in the US if its purchased in canada, even if you're a canadian resident living in canada and decide to come across the border to the US to race for a weekend. I've made that 200$ over on contingency so it for sure wasnt worth it.
I knew a guy who would take his bike and a buddy into Canada, buy the new bike and throw some dirt on it, then roll back across the boarder with 2 dudes and 2 bikes..
Called border and asked what was needed. I was told a bill of sale, copy of his registration, and proof the bike was EPA certified. I asked how I could prove that and the officer told me there should be a sticker on the airbox or somewhere on the bike. I said there's no EPA stickers on Motocross bikes. So I called another border station and talked to a vehicle import specialist. I argued that Closed Course Competition Only MX bikes are exempt. He told me that the exemption is still an EPA certification and because of the EPA regulations that's why they don't make 2 strokes any more......as much as I wanted to, I didn't argue with him.
So I called the US TM Importer and asked how they get their bikes around the EPA and explained what I was trying to do. He said the EPA exemption they have is only for US Vin numbers and that even though the bikes are exactly the same a Canadian bike would have a different Vin that would not register for the exemption. This seemed bogus though, because that would mean you couldn't ever bring a YZ or KTM or anything from Canada into the US?
I finally got the actual EPA form from the first border officer. There is an exemption that they make for Competition only machines...but you need an approval letter from the EPA. I've been waiting on replies and working on that this week. The EPA wants a list of my race schedule and a copy of my racing license and I was told that I would only be allowed to use the bike at these events (if I even get approval).
It's ridiculous.
I was told that I would only have to pay the 2.5% duty and no other tax if I didn't need to license it...which I always try to avoid on a dirt bikes because I just ride at tracks and if I need orv tags I just use some off one of my bikes I have a title for.
I’ll bring it to buffalo ?
2.have them buy the bike for you
3.have them ride the bike once, then bring the bike over the border for you, telling the border guard they are going riding
4.they unload the bike out of their truck and put it in your truck.
5.You drive home with the bike and enjoy the bike.
Pit Row
A few years later I moved to Europe. Tore that RM down and shipped it in boxes so I'd have something to ride. So this bike went from Japan to Canada to California, ha a Midwest title at one point, got ridden/raced in California, and later in Europe. Eventually shipped it back to Cali and sold it to a kid out of Grass Valley.
Not really helpful with regards to OP but thought I'd share anyway. :-)
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