954RR
Well-known member
Yes, make sure you call whichever border you are crossing to make sure they received the faxed title. Good luck.
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Importing a Motor Vehicle To Canada (the be all end all)
- Thread starter NinjaNikki
- Start date
Yes, make sure you call whichever border you are crossing to make sure they received the faxed title. Good luck.
zc911
Well-known member
dude make sure you can export from the US and import into canada on sundays at that boarder, and call them tommorow to make sure they got your fax, and what date/time they got it.
Just becuase you faxed it thursday, the clock doesn;t start until they recieve it and enter it into their system, which at best will probably be Friday @ 10am, but could be friday @ 3pm if they are busy or lazy.
So make sure you call and verify
Just becuase you faxed it thursday, the clock doesn;t start until they recieve it and enter it into their system, which at best will probably be Friday @ 10am, but could be friday @ 3pm if they are busy or lazy.
So make sure you call and verify
D
Dirtybill
Guest
Is Yamaha USA okay with issuing recall clearance letters still? There must be a glut of unsold 07 and 06 R1s on the west coast cos they're going for cheap. Same with ZX14s. I heard Honda is going to put a stop to importing new model year bikes as well as Ducati. Also heard rumours that Manufacturers are finding it very easy not to comply with RIV rules on new bikes, which in turn protects the Canadian dealers.
you can t import vehicles thru Detroit at any point.
You can only import vehicles thru the Lewiston bridge, or thru Sarnia crossing.
The only crossing open on the weekends for import is Sarnia.
Lewiston is only open from 8 to 4 .. trust me .. been there, done that.
954RR
Well-known member
The dealer created my recall clearance letter on their company letterhead as they are an authorized dealer.
I just provided two out of state addresses one for tax purposes and one for Honda USA and all was good. It can be done, the dealer was more then happy to sell to me.
Just brought a bike from US last week. I also had a letter from the dealer, but RIV asked for a printout from dealer's computer as well. So you may want to ask it now, to save time later.
Well I brought the bike back on Sunday and had a nightmare experience at the border. I made sure I did everything I was supposed to. EVERYTHING! I double checked, triple checked, etc, etc. Faxed documents to US customs 72hrs in advanced, kept fax transmittal sheet. Copied all steps from RIV site and here, etc, etc. Let me tell you my experience, this may be long winded.
U.S. Custom experience - got to the US Customs (pretty hard to find under the bridge due to contruction). I had a friend make the trip with me. I went into the office and gave her the paper work and showed my passport. My friend followed me to see if he could use the bathroom (long trip from Iowa). He asked to use the bathroom, she asked for his ID, he said its in the car and he just needed to use the bathroom. She yelled at him, go get your ID! Off my friend goes to get the ID, comes back hands it to her then goes to bathroom. While he is away, she starts hounding me how I know my friend, how long I have known him and all these other things. He comes back, she starts berating him asking him all these personal questions, calling him a liar because he doesn't know his brothers age (he is not close at all with him) and all these other nasty ****. I was amazed at how much of a ***** she was for no reason.
Then she starts telling me she can't find my information that I faxed. She started by saying sorry, you can export this because I don't have your information that you "supposedly" faxed in. I then showed her the fax confirmation, which got her all huffy. I cannot stress how IMPORTANT that fax confimation was. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE! Now, after getting the information done she asks me when I faxed this again, I told her and she tells me you have to wait 72hrs! I said, I know this but I just drove to Iowa and back (I am at 71 hrs 30mins) She yells at me on how I just think I can change the rules?!! Then tells me how she will let me off this time but for next time you better know! She stamps my paperwork and tells me to go wait at the gate. She talked to me like I was the biggest POS on earth, I have never had any professional talk down to me the way she did. She is now the biggest and most miserable person I have ever met in 33yrs.
Then they make me sit at the 1st gate for an hour before letting me through, then have to sit at the 2nd gate for another 20mins.
Canada Customs experience - I get to Customs and walk in. Ladies smiles and asks "How can I help you?" (I think, wow this is so much better in terms of friendliness) I tell her what I am importing, give her all the paperwork. She looks at me and says, "Sorry, you cannot import this motorcycle." I ask her why, I have all the paperwork here (clear title signed to me, receipt, bank transfer info, etc, etc) She tells me "The law changed last week, you can no longer import a vehicle unless it is in your name." I say "What????!! I talked to everyone Thursday, they told me all the info, I have everything you asked for then and now you are telling me I can't bring this bike in? Let me speak to your supervisor." She tells me "I am sorry you can't bring this bike in, but my supervisor is in a meeting. Do you want to wait?" I say, "Yes, please." Another officer comes over asks "Where did you buy this bike from, ebaaaaaaay?" in a very ignorant tone. I told him "No, I got it from a online forum called R1-Forum.com. He goes and now looks it up online.
While I am waiting unbeknownst to me this 2nd officer goes out to the truck and starts interrogating my friend. He is repeatedly hounding him, questioning my friend on how much I paid, telling him he doesn't believe we only paid $8500. Says he knows alot about bikes and there is no way we only paid that much. He kept asking more and more questions trying to trip my friend up but there was no way he was going to get anything on us because I did it all legit and honest.
Now the supervisor comes out of his meeting and calls me over. He asks whats going on. I tell him, then he gets kind of ignorant and says "Yeah, well thats what she told you and thats how it is!" very defensive for the cute officer he was backing up. I asked him "How can this be? I did everything I was told and read to do. What am I supposed to do now?" He then said "I don't care what you do but your not bring that bike into Canada today without the title being in your name. I get a letter from RIV every week and they told me no more vehicles without title in owners name." I said "I just talked to them 2 days ago and they said nothing about low changing." He says "Do you really want to wait while I print out the letter and show you?" I say "Well yes, I have nothing to lose" After a long few minutes, he comes back and now says "I may be wrong, it looks like everything is okay." WTF????!!! You are the supervisor, you are supposed to know all of what is right or wrong! I have done everything right, you guys are wrong and I could be on jmy way back to the states with a bike and no where to bring it if I had not been persistent in stated I have done everything correctly! (all of these last things were just done in my mind of course, hehe)
I do the remainder of the paperwork, pay my fees and on my way.
Summary if I do it all again: I am going to Sarnia!
U.S. Custom experience - got to the US Customs (pretty hard to find under the bridge due to contruction). I had a friend make the trip with me. I went into the office and gave her the paper work and showed my passport. My friend followed me to see if he could use the bathroom (long trip from Iowa). He asked to use the bathroom, she asked for his ID, he said its in the car and he just needed to use the bathroom. She yelled at him, go get your ID! Off my friend goes to get the ID, comes back hands it to her then goes to bathroom. While he is away, she starts hounding me how I know my friend, how long I have known him and all these other things. He comes back, she starts berating him asking him all these personal questions, calling him a liar because he doesn't know his brothers age (he is not close at all with him) and all these other nasty ****. I was amazed at how much of a ***** she was for no reason.
Then she starts telling me she can't find my information that I faxed. She started by saying sorry, you can export this because I don't have your information that you "supposedly" faxed in. I then showed her the fax confirmation, which got her all huffy. I cannot stress how IMPORTANT that fax confimation was. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE! Now, after getting the information done she asks me when I faxed this again, I told her and she tells me you have to wait 72hrs! I said, I know this but I just drove to Iowa and back (I am at 71 hrs 30mins) She yells at me on how I just think I can change the rules?!! Then tells me how she will let me off this time but for next time you better know! She stamps my paperwork and tells me to go wait at the gate. She talked to me like I was the biggest POS on earth, I have never had any professional talk down to me the way she did. She is now the biggest and most miserable person I have ever met in 33yrs.
Then they make me sit at the 1st gate for an hour before letting me through, then have to sit at the 2nd gate for another 20mins.
Canada Customs experience - I get to Customs and walk in. Ladies smiles and asks "How can I help you?" (I think, wow this is so much better in terms of friendliness) I tell her what I am importing, give her all the paperwork. She looks at me and says, "Sorry, you cannot import this motorcycle." I ask her why, I have all the paperwork here (clear title signed to me, receipt, bank transfer info, etc, etc) She tells me "The law changed last week, you can no longer import a vehicle unless it is in your name." I say "What????!! I talked to everyone Thursday, they told me all the info, I have everything you asked for then and now you are telling me I can't bring this bike in? Let me speak to your supervisor." She tells me "I am sorry you can't bring this bike in, but my supervisor is in a meeting. Do you want to wait?" I say, "Yes, please." Another officer comes over asks "Where did you buy this bike from, ebaaaaaaay?" in a very ignorant tone. I told him "No, I got it from a online forum called R1-Forum.com. He goes and now looks it up online.
While I am waiting unbeknownst to me this 2nd officer goes out to the truck and starts interrogating my friend. He is repeatedly hounding him, questioning my friend on how much I paid, telling him he doesn't believe we only paid $8500. Says he knows alot about bikes and there is no way we only paid that much. He kept asking more and more questions trying to trip my friend up but there was no way he was going to get anything on us because I did it all legit and honest.
Now the supervisor comes out of his meeting and calls me over. He asks whats going on. I tell him, then he gets kind of ignorant and says "Yeah, well thats what she told you and thats how it is!" very defensive for the cute officer he was backing up. I asked him "How can this be? I did everything I was told and read to do. What am I supposed to do now?" He then said "I don't care what you do but your not bring that bike into Canada today without the title being in your name. I get a letter from RIV every week and they told me no more vehicles without title in owners name." I said "I just talked to them 2 days ago and they said nothing about low changing." He says "Do you really want to wait while I print out the letter and show you?" I say "Well yes, I have nothing to lose" After a long few minutes, he comes back and now says "I may be wrong, it looks like everything is okay." WTF????!!! You are the supervisor, you are supposed to know all of what is right or wrong! I have done everything right, you guys are wrong and I could be on jmy way back to the states with a bike and no where to bring it if I had not been persistent in stated I have done everything correctly! (all of these last things were just done in my mind of course, hehe)
I do the remainder of the paperwork, pay my fees and on my way.
Summary if I do it all again: I am going to Sarnia!
johnsa1
Member
????I am confused...they told you that the Title of the bike had to be in YOUR name for you to bring it accross, or that it had to be in the name of the person who sold it to you (ie the same name as the bill of sale)
Please clarify for the benefit of all of us..
954RR
Well-known member
Wow, I experienced just the opposite when I crossed at Lewiston bridge.
They told me the title of the bike had to be in MY name before I crossed. This all happened at the Detroit/Windsor crossing.
I did EVERYTHING I was supposed to do, only to be met with really ignorant people that obviously didn't know their job and had a pretty bad attitude for no good reason. Pretty bad when even the "Supervisor" was wrong.
You cross at the tunnel or bridge? That's odd that Windsor wouldn't know what they are doing. What time of the day/night did you get to the Canadian side? As for the US side... well by your account that was good encounter. I had a girlfriend threaten by US customs... different breed over there for sure... must be the polluted water.
Well, I got to the Canadian side about 11:30am on Sunday morning. I was completely shocked at how they treated me on the US side, like I was a piece of garbage. Wish I had a hidden camera or recording device to replay to others.
D
Dirtybill
Guest
I've had good and bad experiences at both the Canuck and US crossing in Whiterock BC/Blaine Wa. We were heading for an off road run near Oakland Ca and of course we're at the border at 05:00. Even with all of us having passports (this was a couple of years ago) they tried to do the 3rd degree on me by accusing me of having a drug offence. I've never been charged with any drug offence. I found the best way to deal with these bored paper pushers is just to stand your ground, be very firm but not arrogant and look right through their eyes. You did the right thing, don't let them intimidate you because as soon as they see a weakness they're trained to jump on that weakness. I was accepted into called at the time, Canada Customs but didn't make it thru all the training because of a chronic illness.
The thing with having it in your own name is total BS. I know that in Washington state I can't go to their DMV and transfer ownership. I've brought a few bikes back over the years and all you can possible get for documents in Washington state is the original ownership form and a detailed bill of sale from the seller which includes his phone number, address, price of bike, the VIN number etc. I cannot legally transfer ownership at DMV in Washington state. If you are not a resident then it's impossible. Do these Customs robots even think about this? I do believe Customs is hiring anyone and everyone these days. No IQ is needed.
This weekend I'm going to Tacoma to look at a 99 Ducati 900SS. Asking $5000 US, 11,000 miles in perfect stock condition. The seller told me tonight that they'll discourage anyone else who calls
I love buying bikes from Americans. Seems to be alot less ******** and they will try to facilitate your needs.
btw, Was told today by a Yamaha dealer in Monroe Washington that Yamaha is not allowing Canucks to buy new Yamahas. Was looking at a new leftover 07 R1 for $9000.
The thing with having it in your own name is total BS. I know that in Washington state I can't go to their DMV and transfer ownership. I've brought a few bikes back over the years and all you can possible get for documents in Washington state is the original ownership form and a detailed bill of sale from the seller which includes his phone number, address, price of bike, the VIN number etc. I cannot legally transfer ownership at DMV in Washington state. If you are not a resident then it's impossible. Do these Customs robots even think about this? I do believe Customs is hiring anyone and everyone these days. No IQ is needed.
This weekend I'm going to Tacoma to look at a 99 Ducati 900SS. Asking $5000 US, 11,000 miles in perfect stock condition. The seller told me tonight that they'll discourage anyone else who calls
I love buying bikes from Americans. Seems to be alot less ******** and they will try to facilitate your needs.btw, Was told today by a Yamaha dealer in Monroe Washington that Yamaha is not allowing Canucks to buy new Yamahas. Was looking at a new leftover 07 R1 for $9000.
I bought new Yamaha from Buffalo area dealer about three weeks ago - no problems at all. They even have "Canadian buyers welcome!" on their website
D
Dirtybill
Guest
I bought new Yamaha from Buffalo area dealer about three weeks ago - no problems at all. They even have "Canadian buyers welcome!" on their website
I'm just going by the email I received from them yesterday.
Seeing as how my word was questioned in another thread, feel free to email them.
http://www.adventuremotorsports.net/map_hours.asp
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dariussquared
Active member
Anyone have any luck getting the recall clearance letter for Honda Motorcycles? I called Honda Motor Co and was met with huge hostility when asking for the letter. The lady called me a 'grey market importer' and that Honda wouldn't do anything to assist me importing the bike. I then asked for a formal letter of this policy being enforced by Honda so she took the liberty of drafting up a letter and faxing it to me (below). Is there another way around this that doesn't involve a dealership? Anyone have any numbers or people to speak with at Honda that aren't miserable drones?
Also, does anyone know if a Birth certificate + driver's license is enough to import the vehicle?--i know it's still enough to cross by car back and forth, but don't know if it's sufficient to import a vehicle. Anyone? Thanks.
Also, does anyone know if a Birth certificate + driver's license is enough to import the vehicle?--i know it's still enough to cross by car back and forth, but don't know if it's sufficient to import a vehicle. Anyone? Thanks.
954RR
Well-known member
Worked for me!
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