Storing and using a UK registered bike in America for 2+ years

I am considering doing a TAT trip in the summer of 2013 after 2 months I intend to leave the bike in Canada. Then returning to the UK, by air, for 10 months, before flying back to Canada summer 2014 and continuing my travels.

I have a few questions that I hope someone can help me with:
• Can you legally leave a foreign registered motorcycle in America for two + years?
• The UK tax and MOT will have run out on the vehicle can I still get it insured. I take it it is too risky in America not to have insurance?
• If I can’t do this legally what the risks?
• Would I be better off buying a bike over there and leaving it over there?

Moderators: not sure which section this should be under please feel free to move it.

1 year is the maximum temp import time.

This page outlines the procedure.

If your bike meets the US compliance it is easy to permanently import and register. (See this).

But I imagine with the price of bikes in the US it would be easier just buy one.

Your problem is keeping the bike registered (MOT etc) ... part of the condition of using it in other countries is that it has to be regoed in the country of origin.

The risk is that any police officer can say your riding an illegal vehicle .. depending on what the rules are there they could jail you and take the bike.. They'd not care about you being from overseas at that point. For speeding/parking they could take the view that you didn't know , but not on the rego.


It may be cheapest in this situation to buy one over there, saves the transport costs both ways and avoids the rego battle. Put a small brit flag on the 'merican bike handle bars for effect?

Hi guys

Thanks for the replies.

Just changing my thoughts a little: what about doing the TAT then riding down to South America and then leaving it in South America and coming back the following year to ride it around South America. Are they more relaxed about there vehicles down there?

I have read different points of view on the ability for a foreign national to purchase and insure a motorcycle in North America how doable is it in a short time frame i.e. registers it, insure it without a residence in a week?

Cheers Nick

First, USA temp is for a max of one year as noted above. but if you go into Mexico for a day you can restart the year. This does not work if you go to Canada as they work with the US and it is a max of 12 months combined.

South America offers several options, but each country is different. My information is a few year old so check further, but Argentina was a max of 8 months, Bolivia they say anything is possible but maybe not legal. Post on the South American section to get current info.
Bob

We currently have our UK bikes in the US and in the UK we have SORN them. I didn't see any checking on dates when we brought them in so I suspect you can stay longer but we will be bringing them home just before the year is up.

Insurance don't risk going without it. We only paid $300 for a full years coverage, with everything, it would be much cheaper if we took less options. use progressive as everything is done online.

Do make sure you have medical insurance as treatment is VERY EXPENSIVE. Read the small print as most policies won't cover you on a long motorbike trip

You will have a great time. We got lots of comments about those strange license plates!

I kept my bike in the States for nearly 3 years and never had a problem with police or insurance etc. The only time I was ever stopped on a 12,000 mile trip was in Canada - and then it was a random check. I think the police look at the UK plate and think it's not worth the paperwork hassle!!

I crossed between USA and Canada 4 times and was never asked to fill out any forms or anything for the bike and heading into Montana the officer wanted to buy it!!

Remember that if you intend on shipping the bike back to the UK you will be charged VAT on the import if it has been out of the country for more than 3 years.... stupid law but there we are!

I am currently in Alabama with an American bike which took me 6 weeks to register, insure etc... I would NOT go through that hassle again and I had an American address at the time.

There's a thread at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...nals-can-58648 that describes which (United) States are easier than others to register a bike as a non-US citizen.

I struggle to believe the 3 year rule you describe. Once a vehicle is UK (import and VAT) tax paid, it is always tax paid. But if you can show me the law, I'll stand corrected .

If you SORN the bike while it's out of the UK, it is legally Off (a UK) Road. When bringing it into the UK, put it onto a trailer at the port or if arriving at Dover, ride it straight to an MOT station where you have an appointment to get an MOT which will then allow you to re-road-tax (un-SORN) it.

No UK vehicle insurance is valid outside the European Union, whether it's road taxed (tax disc-ed or MOT-ed) or not. The Progressive company, already mentioned above ( Car Insurance: Auto Insurance & Insurance Quotes - Progressive ) insures non US citizens/vehicles in the US (and Canada too?). By default, any UK road tax and MOT is irrelevant outside the UK/EU.

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Brighty's website: TheBrightStuffDotCom

CURRENT RR WITH REGULAR UPDATES: The Wife Takes on Chlamydia: A South American Retrospective

What Chris says is correct and if I may add to this.

I have just checked my paper work for the Temporary import of my UK registered Motorbike into USA.


"Temporary importation exemption for a nonconforming motor vehicle which you own .
Based on the information you have provided the EPA we approve your exemption request. The vehicle identified below.................
will be exempt from EPA emissions requirements for a period up to one year from the date the applicant accepts the terms of the memorandum of exemption or the date of importation whichever is later pre the provisions of the code on EPA declaration 3520-1
The vehicle must be exported after one year OR upon the owner departing the USA, which ever comes first".


Also on my Customs paper work for the bike it says "Not for re sale in the US . For export to the UK only" .

These are the rules here in the USA its up to you to if you want to bend or brake them. However it also says ...A violation of these terms shall constitute in the importer being liable for a civil penalty of up to $32.500 per violation .

If you enter the USA correctly and import your bike into the US the Customs and EPA Office have your passport number, address and you will have signed the paper work .


If other's bend the rules and get away with it that's up to them. However if you get caught it could result in your Vehicle being seized by US Customs on Departure of the US.
To export your bike out of the US ( if your not riding to Mexico which I would do if I had over stayed my EPA ) You have to get a Export power of Attorney form filled in with the bikes and owners details and then it needs a Notary check ,stamp and seal on the form before the bike can be left with the shipping company at the Docks.

It does seem to have become a lot tighter since I last brought a bike out of America . I have been told that things have got more strict since the events of September 2001

The above information is what I have just been given while making plans to export my bike out of the USA.

Hope this helps

Dazzer

I didn't know anything about the VAT situation but when I shipped back to the UK - the shipping dudes questioned me and then put me onto the customs people who asked how long the bike had been out for. I said 2 years 10 months and they told me that I didn't need to pay VAT on the bike as it was within 3 years. I only know what they told me but I found this on the HMR&C website:

Re-importing a vehicle that was previously exported

You can get Returned Goods Relief for VAT and duty relief if you are importing a vehicle that was previously exported from the EU provided you meet all these conditions:

• the vehicle was taken outside the EU by you within the past three years
• any VAT, duty or equivalent tax had been paid on the vehicle in the EU and was not refunded when the vehicle was taken outside the EU
• the vehicle has had no alteration outside the EU other than necessary running repairs

I was staying in North Carolina at the time I bought the American bike.

I had to take an NC driving test, wait for the plastic card in the mail which took 10 days, then call round to get new insurance and wait for that to arrive in the mail, then go to DMV to get the title changed into my name, then wait 2 weeks for the plate and the new title in the mail.

The whole thing took me about 6 weeks as I was in a catch 22 - I needed proof of insurance to be able to take my driving test but they wouldn't insure me until I had a driving licence!!

I won't ever be doing anything in NC again - the insurance companies run the state!! I have friends in lots of other states so I'll try one of those next time!

Hope you don't mind, but I copied this post to the main thread at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...8-2#post418255

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CURRENT RR WITH REGULAR UPDATES: The Wife Takes on Chlamydia: A South American Retrospective

I'm sure we could start splitting hairs whether somebody has actually "exported" their bike just because they are riding it outside the EU for whatever length of time. Should I re-enter the UK with a UK bike having been outside the EU, I'll make sure I say it was a lot less than 3 years.

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CURRENT RR WITH REGULAR UPDATES: The Wife Takes on Chlamydia: A South American Retrospective

I agree it's totally stupid as VAT was paid when the first owner purchased it new.

However, if you take a vehicle outside the UK for longer than 6 months customs class it as 'exported' and you are legally required to re-register it in the country you take it to. When I asked them what I should do as I was driving across Africa with no fixed address anywhere in the world they couldn't give me an answer!

For fun, I asked the driving licence people what I should do about not having a UK address and they said that I should hand in my UK driving licence!!!!

I don't make the rules - just try to bend or ignore them!!!