Atkule

Can anyone shed any light?
I've had a forum search but not found anything other than "It's IMPOSSIBLE!"
I have a UK spec bike that I would like to bring along when we move. I've read that unless it is USA spec it's not possible without spending $50k+. Sounds bonkers! I am an experience bike mechanic and reckon that unless the engine needs two more cylinders or something equally mad I could quite easily do any nescessary modifications myself.

Anyone else done this or can point me in the right direction?

Anyone know of a listing of the required specifications for a Canadian bike.

Thanks in advance for any input

BTW, please don't be telling me to sell it and buy another when I arrive! The value of the bike isn't much in dollars but the hours I have spent tricking it up are huge and to get a new bike "Just So" again would take months! Maybe years

Atlantic Xpat

Get the full sp here:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/importation/impxus_e.htm

(But I think the 'its impossible' answer is the right one unfortunately.)

Atkule

Thanks Atlantic. I've been there though and I haven't found what I'm looking for. I need to know if it possible in the first instance to even get the vehicle through customs. Then if that is possible will I be able to get it road registered?

Atlantic Xpat

Well the TC website seems pretty unequivicol that unless the vehicle is more than 15 years old or to a US spec then it cannot be brought into Canada. It also states that it can't be modified in anyway.

Perhaps it's worth a phone call to either TC or RIV?

Atkule

Cheers I guess that is my only option at the moment. I'm currently thinking along the lines of dismantling it and when importing saying it is an "in progress custom bike project" to get round the red tape guff. How do the Canadian custom bike/car creators go about registering their machines? They don't have manufacturers stamps of compliance do they!

Atkule

Has anyone here actually taken a bike with them from the UK?

Piff Poff

I think everybody gives up with that idea if it's newer that 15 years old?

Robin (The Gadget family)

Hi Atkule, I have looked into this because we have a V8 trike that we want to take over. At the moment it's 10 years old and we have a PR wait ahead of us of about 4 years so we may be able to import it soon after we go. My OH is desperate to take it. I have a Harley 1200 Sportster, so being built for the American market anyway, it should be okay to take that when the time comes.

Do a search on 'Import motorcycle' and you should come up with a thread from a while ago about this subject.

Good luck , and let us know how you get on with this.

BC Hopefuls

How old is the bike? There is one option if you are prepared to wait until it reaches 15 years before riding it again.

We brought 4 bikes with us, all old British iron. One is a a 1958 Velocette non runner for which we had no title docs, log book and the bike doesn't have any frame number. Customs wanted to inspect all the bikes to confirm engine & frame numbers. We put this bike down on our list as 'spare parts'. It got in with no problem but it won't pass inspections hence can't be registered in Canada. Not a problem for us as we actually brought it as spares for another one, however it might help you.

I don't think you have any problem actually importing the bike its just that you can't register it. Therefore depending on the age and how many years you will have to wait, if you really don't want to be parted from it you can bring it with you, keep it in the garage and just look at it and occasionally polish it.

Trailer it out somewhere quiet for the occasional blast

Probably not much help but if you really can't be parted from it........

Just remember that if you try this and customs refuse entry then you will have to pay to have it shipped back.

As Atlantic Xpat suggested a phone call to TC or RIV to see if I'm talking boll*cks may be in order
Good luck

CHRISRICHES

Also, does anyone know if quad's or ATV's can be sent in a container with the rest of the furniture? (no need for registering) we will sell most of our bikes/quads/buggies/jetski's before we move, but some of the children's ones have sentimental value.

squirrel2000

you won't be able to bring the bike in. i have an 03 harley i wanted to bring with me when we moved to saskatchewan, spoke to the riv and tc they said if it comes with me, customs would not let it in. i would have to send it back to the uk or pay them to destory it.

Kittykerr

if you bought it in the UK then it is not built for the american market, its built for the british market. so i doubt you can take it. even though its an american bike its a different spec to the ones sold in USA. plus the frame number etc will be british.

Robin (The Gadget family)

Oh well, I'll sell it then. Fortunately I haven't invested in lots of add-ons to personalise it and have only had it just over a year so am not too attached to it like I was to my last Harley.

Thanks for the info guys.

Atkule

Thanks for all the info guys. Not looking good is it I'll have to count it as another financial hit as part of the moving process. Seems stupid to me, the move is going cost us a pile as it is! Having to sell the bike is going to lose me a considerable amount that I haven't budgeted for! I even went to the trouble of buying a crate to ship it in! :curse: It's a bike I payed good money to start with and thought "I'm going to run for years until it wont go anymore, then I'll fix it and run it some more". Now that plan is out the window and it will cost me a packet if I want to get another in Canada. I certainly won't be able to get another of equal spec without a big outlay that I don't have. Bugger!
It's just a 7yr old motorbike FFS, not a Rolls-Royce :curse: Why are they so strict!
aaaaaaand relax