In this blog post I will explain the steps required to ship your motorcycle overseas yourself and details about registration and insurance, required paperwork and preparation of the bike.
I’m tailoring these instructions for people importing motorcycles, but the same steps will almost all apply to importing any other vehicle so if you’re importing a car feel free to read on. The potential for saving money is good, particularly when the Canadian dollar is strong. As an Alberta resident, I have imported a new 2007 Ducati 1098 in 2007 from Oregon into Alberta via an Alberta border crossing, and imported a used 2008 Honda CBR1000RR in spring of 2011 from Washington into Alberta through a BC border crossing. I touch on some of the implications of being a resident of different provinces – you may be charged US sales tax if you are a BC resident for example (unless you buy from a sales-tax free state), or if your province has HST or PST you will have to pay those when crossing which is higher than just GST if you are an Alberta resident. On each occasion $3000 was saved after all was said and done. For a little effort and about 2 days of traveling and having a bit of an adventure, I think it is worth it. Even if I wasn’t buying a motorcycle, the trip itself would have been worth it. I love road trips! You can either fly down to the USA to get the bike and ride it back using temp registration that the dealership can help you obtain, or you can drive down there in a truck or with a trailer to bring the bike back. Personally I attached a trailer hitch to my Acura Integra (~$200), and borrowed a very light weight motorcycle trailer from a friend. Read on for all the steps required to import.
