Exporting/Importing Vehicles

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Zenerdiode

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So I fell in love with a motorcycle that was produced from 2008 to 2012. (don't want to start a 'they're brilliant/rubbish' thread; so non-specific for the moment.) Not many are available in the UK and there was a fine, unmodified one available on ebay USA. I tried to get the chap to allow shipping over here, but he didn't seem interested; citing lots of laws and hoops to jump through to ship a $10K+ vehicle.

Is that really so? I appreciate it's not an Amazon parcel, but with our sometimes archaic laws and statutes - it seems pretty simple from my end, releasing it from the dock is a couple of forms and yer pays ya tax. I would then have to go through all of the approval/registration stuff, but that's my headache.

A few of the American to UK shipping companies I found on the 'net would lift it from his front door, get it crated, containerised, to the docks and on the boat. Which again sounded relatively easy. Has anyone had experience of export?
 
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jyoung8607

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I haven't been through it myself, but my understanding is export is trivial. In fact, a lot of cars leave the US if they need repairs that are not economical here.

Import into the US is extremely difficult, but that is not your concern here.
 
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Uwe

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I have not seen him here in quite some time, but at one point the user PanEuropean had a motorcycle shipped to Europe. Not sure if that was truly an "export", since he shipped it to use himself over there. I have a fuzzy recollection that there's a thread on VWVortex about the experience, where he has the same username.

-Uwe-

PS: Now tell us what kind of bike this is! :D
 
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Uwe

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Ahh, well, a Harley Davidson Crossbones (FLSTSB). :eek: :o
Certainly not my cup of tea, but to each his own. :)

As Benevolent Dictator here (and it says so right on the tin), I'll issue a warning: Anyone who tries to turn this into a 'they're brilliant/rubbish' thread will be summarily banished from the Bar. :D
 
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jyoung8607

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As Benevolent Dictator here (and it says so right on the tin), I'll issue a warning: Anyone who tries to turn this into a 'they're brilliant/rubbish' thread will be summarily banished from the Bar. :D
As someone who has been known to start shit in the Politics thread from time to time, I'm fascinated to finally find out what it takes to get ejected from the Bar. ;)
 
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dafrazi

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I like the cafe racers I've seen that started as Harley Davidson Crossbones. Charlie Stockwell has done some cool things with 'em.
 
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Zenerdiode

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Thanks Jack. I suspect your first link explains his reluctance, as the ad said 'loud pipes'. But if people remove cats and such, how do they get them through the annual test? (Your equivalent of our MoT Test)

Anyway, machine now sold so that bubble has now burst.
 
   #11  

Jack@European_Parts

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Thanks Jack. I suspect your first link explains his reluctance, as the ad said 'loud pipes'. But if people remove cats and such, how do they get them through the annual test? (Your equivalent of our MoT Test)

Anyway, machine now sold so that bubble has now burst.


Someone is than breaking a law very simple, right & with an altered defeat device, whether a person forges an instrument at testing facility, a physical device or software, it's all illegal here, unless with an exemption for conformity or testing and competition use I suppose?
 
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Uwe

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Thanks Jack. I suspect your first link explains his reluctance, as the ad said 'loud pipes'.
Finding a used Harley in the US without loud pipes is pretty rare. Many have the stock pipes replaced before the first owner even takes delivery. I don't really understand why this is a thing with Harley riders, but it is, but they use the excuse that "Loud pipes save lives".

But if people remove cats and such, how do they get them through the annual test? (Your equivalent of our MoT Test)
I'm not sure how it is elsewhere, but in PA there is no emissions test for motorcycles, and I don't think noise level is something that's checked either. Brakes, lights, tires, and basic safety stuff is about it.

-Uwe-
 
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Zenerdiode

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It was Easy

Following up on my own thread, it is, in fact, incredibly easy. I bought a different one from a guy in Chicago, he took it with the Title to a shipper around the corner, where 'logistics' then took over. His part was just presenting the bike and Title to the shipper's warehouse. It was packed in a container and shipped via rail to Norfolk, then onto a vessel that chugged up and down the east coast for a while, dropping in to the likes of Savannah before crossing the Atlantic. On my side, it had a few drop-offs in Europe then finally to Felixstowe.

Felixstowe is almost exactly 300 miles door-to-door for me; and even though a UK mile is the same as a US mile, and cruising speeds with a 'U-Haul' type clumpy trailer on the back will be similar, it can still take eight hours on a normal day.

My day was far from normal, as it woke the misfire gremlin that I've been experiencing...
 
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What I am looking at is used vehicles in the prestige, exotic or classic sectors so Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin etc. I have been doing some research and it seems these vehicles are substantially cheaper in the States than Europe with the added benefit of coming from warmer climates so little rust etc.

Exporting seems quite easy, however does anyone know what the import duty would be on such vehicles and as they are second hand do they attract VAT?
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   #16  

Dukedesmo

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This may help explain the costs and procedures re importing to the UK (similar rules apply in the EU at the moment!) https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk

Don't underestimate the cost, time and complexity of making the vehicles meet local Type Approval requirements...

With regards to importing from the EU (at least now, pre whatever Brexit brings us), I found it to be very simple.

I bought a motorcycle from Italy: went over to view, paid the man cash, brought it home in a van and once here filled in the NOVA declaration which is basically a form to see how much tax needs to be paid - in my case none as an old vehicle. Then it needed an MOT to ensure it conformed to the relative standards, once done I sent off the paperwork to DVLA along with the fee (£85 IIRC) plus the road tax amount and was issued with a UK registration document and number plate within around a week.

I was surprised at how straight forward it was, however I imagine importing from outside the EU would be trickier?
 
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PetrolDave

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I was surprised at how straight forward it was, however I imagine importing from outside the EU would be trickier?
Since the vehicle regulations are harmonised throughout the EU a vehicle from Italy wouldn't need (m)any modifications (position of rear fog light, dipped beam pattern?) but from the US/Canada more modifications will be needed - rear blinkers must be orange and separate from the brake lights being the most obvious and from a cosmetic standpoint the AM radio will tune in 10kHz steps instead of 9kHz steps, etc.
 
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