Sun, 21 Mar 1999 13:54:08 +0900
- Message No. 5287
From: "Robert A. Pontbriand"
Subject: Re: Importing to the US
Ok here's a bigger picture:
My AT is a 98, bought here in Japan manufactured at their Hammamatsu
Factory, but was for export. The bike was reimported into Japan. That
initself cost a bit more money. But having it in Europen specs and with the
manual in several languages I thought should have its advantages.
Now price wise it was about 890,000 yen, at the present rate of exchange
that would be about $ 7,416.00. Then for me in Japan I had an extra amount
to pay to actuaully put the bike on the road. I won't get into those
outragous costs.
Since the bike is bought outside the US with European Specs, but never
marketed in the US technically it isn't supposed to enter the country. But
this can always be worked around. Each state has its own particular
requirements. California is by far the worst. A friend had bought a European
Spec HD Fatboy in Japan and got hung in California for over a week. In the
end they released the bike to him, and hes now on the road. But I had
another close friend import another European Spec HD Badboy to the East
Coast without a question. He owned it and rode it in Japan, canceled the
Japanese registration and brought it in with personel effects. He brought
two bikes to a dealer and they set them up brought them to the inspection
point, and was given plates and US titles.
Now, again neither of these individuals are military. They are just your
average Joes. Another little backdrop. I had bought a new HD Sporty in 95,
and when I went to take delivery in Massachusetts they said sales tax, I
said no sales tax I'm exporting the bike, the whole place was about to lock
me in and never let me out. Then they asked if I was military and I respoded
I was reserve, and then they said OK. They said if they had let the bike go
to Japan they would ordinarily had the next allotment cut. What ever
happened to the free market? Harley is obviously doing some less than
desirable hard ball sales restrictions.
Getting back to the @, if I have the opportunity I may very well use my
reserve affiliation to bring the bike into the states. But I don't plan to
do that unless I hit a brick wall. Thus, the people I met at the dealer in
Orlando said with the DMV on the line that the bike would be compared to
another bike with the same or very similar engine configuration and
dispalcement. Basicly all it should come down to is its a gray market bike.
There are hundreds of bikes of this nature in Japan. The Japanese government
knows they were never marketed in Japan, but they have an international
production book. They pulled this book out on several occasions when I
brought through several vintage HD's and a few older Kawasaki's these
particular Kawasaki's were export only. But they were permitted to run
through with no hesitation. So, guys what is the moral of my long drawn out
story, I don't know, but I believe only one tenth of one percent of what
people might sometimes tell me. I don't think I need to get into trade war
topics here.
One specific thing that is unique, or maybe since many of the external parts
of the @ are shared by their other models DOT is stamped on every major lens
and sheild on the 98 AT.
Thus, I will crate the bike bring the canceled Japanese registration, have
it translated, drop the crate at the dealer in Orlando, and they set the
bike, bring the docs to the DMV, clear it, and get the tag. Yes, I know it
sounds all to easy. I just hope that's its this easy. I will have owned the
bike for about 6 months and it will have well over 2,000 KM's on it, and
bring it in as personal effects as it is.
I also plan to get the manual out of Europe or fiche for the bike. I hope to
bring extra cables, and other common parts that wear and need some expected
attention. So, I do believe that bringing the bike as my own preowned bike
is a bit easier than trying to get one imported new.
I don't think I've answered everyone's questions, but I hope maybe I lent a
little insight.
The biggest reason I'm bringing my @ to a dealer and the HD is because I
don't have a fork lift immediately available to me in Florida, otherwise I
would set up the bike myself. I would also need some trailer or means to
transport the bikes to the DMD to verify the numbers, apply for the US
titles, and get the US tags. If I can come up with the necessary hardware
needed I might complete the task myself. I have handled the importation of
about 25 old Harleys and a few Kawasakis into Japan. I took delivery at the
port, cleared them, brought them to my house broke them out of the crate,
set them up, got a temp tag and went to their inspection station, paid some
money, and got the Japanese Titles and Japanses tags. I feel that if I can
handle the Japanese system I should be able to handle our system. Now, I
just hope they US costoms don't try and tell me its impossible. The Japanese
Customs never gave me any difficulty. So, if any of you are in the Central
Florida area and have these particular resources available let me know maybe
we can work out a deal. I always perfer to do these things myself when ever
possible.
Regards,
Bob
Frank Evan Perdicaro wrote:
> > So can you tell us *WHICH* major dealer said no problem?
> > I think I would drive to any part of the US and pick up a
> > new, legal AT.
>
> Both of the Erion brother of Hawk GT fame have imported ATs.
>
> I have looked into the issue and found three individual AT dealers here
> in the SoCal. One will do new imports, the other will do new or used,
> and the third will do used only.
>
> The problem is price. They want WAY too much money. If you have
> $12,000 you can get an AT this month. $6000 makes the issue much
> more complicated.
>
> My TAX FREE Africa Twin-in-California plan goes like this:
> Buy a Harley 883 in (tax free) New Hampshire, register it and ride it
> to Chicago.
> Take this "used" bike on the weekly Lufthansa motorcycle flight from
> Ohare to Frankfurt.
> Trade the bike in for a brand new "Export Only" AT in Germany --
> pay no taxes.
> Fly back on the Lufthansa return leg
> Register the AT as a dirt bike
> Accumulate enough miles so it is not "new".
> Petition the California DMV and register it as street bike, but pay
> no tax becuse you have passed the mileage designation for "new".
>
> This is a completely legal way to get a brand new AT without paying
> even a dollar (or a Euro) in tax. All you need is the time and
> flexibility.
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