Hi All
we are coming over to the states with our dutch motorbikes. we might be arriving via toronto canada . will there be a problem at customs to cross the canada - us border, do we need special forms like TIP for that.
later on we have to cross the border again near Vancouver, will that leave us any problems?

No problem, I did it twice last year with my UK registered bike and they look at the registration document to check it against their stolen vehicle list then you are good to go, no TIP.

Hi Mark
I'm British and looking at crossing into Canada and back out again on a US rented bike this year. I've been emailed the relevant paperwork for the bike but do me and my wife require visa's ? I'm going round in circles on the net trying to find an answer. Any help gratefully accepted

No visas needed when I did it at the Niagara crossing in 2017. They checked passport and saw the bike was US registered so wanted an explanation as to how I was riding it but that was about it. Took around 5 mins total.

Getting back into the US was a bit more difficult. We went to Maine from Quebec and the border was empty so he took his time. Wanted to know our life histories, see our air tickets and a load of other stuff. Took about an hour for three of us, one of whom was American.

You should not have any problem entering Canada from either Europe or from the United States. I can't comment on what to expect when you enter the USA.

You will need the following documents to enter Canada:

1) Ownership (registration document) for the moto.
2) Proof of insurance valid in Canada for the moto.
3) Your passport.

It will also be very helpful at Canadian Customs if you have the air freight waybill that was used when your moto was shipped from Europe to North America. If the Canadian Customs official is a bit confused by the Dutch licence plate on the moto, showing him or her the air waybill that proves that you flew it in from Europe will put their concerns to rest.

Don't forget to put a white oval 'NL' sticker on the back of your moto. In Europe, it is sufficient to have the nationality mark on the left side of the licence plate (the blue section with the little stars around it), but strictly speaking, that is not sufficient to comply with the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which requires a white oval sticker with the nationality mark.

Lastly, don't have any food or fruit with you when you cross into the USA - the Americans go nuts about that kind of thing. You can take as many guns as you want into the USA, but if you try to import an orange or apple, you will be in deep trouble. Seriously.

Michael

PS: Make sure your moto is immaculately clean before dropping it off at the air freight depot in Europe. By 'immaculately clean' I mean no bugs or soil (dirt) anywhere on the moto - not under the fenders, not on the wheels, not in the radiators.

If your moto is so clean it looks like it has never been ridden, you ** might ** be able to escape the 'Agriculture Canada' inspection of the vehicle that is done to ensure you do not unintentionally import any insects or soil that might have fungi, bacteria, etc. in it. If any bugs or dirt are found, you will have to pay for the inspection, and also to have the moto steam-cleaned.