anyone ever import a street bike you can't get in the US?

[feralchimp]

I'm looking for a back-of-the-envelope estimate of what it'd take (time, money, hassle) to get a KTM RC390 into my home prefecture. "Too much," certainly, but more specifically?

[markbvt]

Do you intend to actually use it on the street, or just as a track bike?

If it's a new bike and you want to plate it, from what I understand, it's virtually impossible. From what I've read, you would need to replace all lighting, instrumentation, etc with DOT-approved versions, and the bike would need to pass emissions standards and all that stuff -- basically, you'd have to do all the same stuff the factory would have to do to sell them here.

It's apparently very complicated to import even older bikes, which is why you see exceedingly few Honda Africa Twins and other such non-US models over here. I use the Africa Twin as an example because it's a bit of a holy grail bike in the ADV community; if it were easy to import one, lots of people would have done it.

Here's what US Customs has to say about it:
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...g-a-motorcycle

--mark

[RandyO]

I know someone that bought a ZZR500 in Canada and rides it on street

[feralchimp]

The pink bunny-slippered foot of government stands ever vigilant on the windpipe of my dreams.

[tsorfas]

It's actually very easy to plate it. It might not be the right bike and the VIN might be different but very easy to do.
All it take is bolts to transfer the plate.

[Paul_E_D]

Really? Do they even use VIN plates anymore? Just stickers or stampings in my recent experience. But anyway, the hard part is getting it through customs, no?

[GixerJockey]

Really? Do they even use VIN plates anymore? Just stickers or stampings in my recent experience. But anyway, the hard part is getting it through customs, no?

Not what he was implying Paul.

[Kurlon]

It's actually very easy to plate it. It might not be the right bike and the VIN might be different but very easy to do.
All it take is bolts to transfer the plate.

Don't get caught. That's all I'm saying on the matter.

[Paul_E_D]

Oh, Der...

[SVRACER01]

Wirelessly posted (GS3)

Probably a lot easier if you join the military and get stationed overseas and then bring it home with you.

[gregp]

I would have a Yamaha TDR250 in my garage if it were even remotely easy.

[tsorfas]

Don't get caught. That's all I'm saying on the matter.

Obviously

[Degsy]

Almost impossible. I have looked into it and the paperwork alone is ridiculous.

[markbvt]

For what it's worth: Bill Gates ordered a Porsche 959 from the factory, and despite the fact that he's the richest person in the US, it was impounded by customs for 13 years before it was finally released to him after passage of a law making an exception for certain vehicles.
http://blog.dupontregistry.com/the-l...t-porsche-959/

Motorcycles are treated the same as cars. If Bill Gates and his army of lawyers couldn't get his car cleared for 13 years, a regular person's probably not going to have much luck.

--mark

[Jaybird129]

isnt the RC390 eventually coming to the US eventually? ill be really sad if it isnt

[carsick]

it was impounded by customs for 13 years

I feel safer knowing the government is protecting us from a tidal wave of un-crash tested exotic cars. You can buy untold things from Harbor Freight that will kill you with their shoddy construction if you look at it wrong , but not a 959. I would have expected emissions as the excuse.

[G21forme]

Just another reason why our government sucks balls, you can register an occ clown bike but not a bike that isn't sold in the states.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Tunertype]

isnt the RC390 eventually coming to the US eventually? ill be really sad if it isnt

I really hope so. It looks awesome. From the looks of it an rc8r would be cheaper and easier to obtain than an rc390 until it's actually shipped to the states as a legal bike.

I would think you might be able to buy the parts to the bike individually and then assemble and register it as a custom built bike like any chopper or other custom bike.

[Kurlon]

I really hope so. It looks awesome. From the looks of it an rc8r would be cheaper and easier to obtain than an rc390 until it's actually shipped to the states as a legal bike.

I would think you might be able to buy the parts to the bike individually and then assemble and register it as a custom built bike like any chopper or other custom bike.

You only get to build one of those per lifetime as per the EPA...

[Tunertype]

You only get to build one of those per lifetime as per the EPA...

That doesn't meet EPA regulations. If you use an OE US motor as it is installed in a street legal vehicle it doesn't count towards your one per lifetime. So if the Duke 390 makes it here this year, you can put a duke motor in your RC390. Of course how many times are you really going to build a custom motorcycle based on a non domestic epa rated engine? It may be worth it to burn your one custom motor on this bike and then use say a soft tail motor on your next chopper build. I think an S&S crate motor would also count towards your one lifetime motor since it's not a production epa approved motor.

[breakdirt916]

...You can buy untold things from Harbor Freight that will kill you with their shoddy construction if you look at it wrong , but not a 959...

yaay harbor freight!

[xsiliconkid]

isnt the RC390 eventually coming to the US eventually? ill be really sad if it isnt

I believe it is coming later in 2014

[feralchimp]

I believe it is coming later in 2014

link? I heard that about the Duke 390 but not the RC. Would be sweet, though.

[xsiliconkid]

patience, grasshopper

[Tunertype]

link? I heard that about the Duke 390 but not the RC. Would be sweet, though.

I know the duke is scheduled for august. All I've seen on the RC is speculation because the duke is coming.