Bike shipping. NZ to USA then back again.

[Euro2018]

I'm doing a bike trip in USA, April/May 2021.

One of the options I'm considering is shipping one of my bikes to Los Angeles and either sell it there or bring it back.
It's a Honda ST1100, so barely a $3000 bike. Could probably fetch $1500 in US.
Benefits are that I know the bike is bombproof reliable, I'm comfortable riding it and I can tweak it to perfection (luggage, charge ports, nav holder, comms blah blah blah).

I'm seeing pricing of about $US600 to bring a bike back, but have seen only one quote for about $NZ1900 to get the bike into USA. That seems excessive.

Has anyone here actually shipped a bike to USA and can tell me about the cost and their experience please ?

If anyone here owns a nice touring bike sitting in Los Angeles that you want to rent or sell in US, then let me know.

cheers

[Gremlin]

Mainfreight / Kiwi Shipping is who I used. As part of a group of a dozen motorcycles, I think it was about NZ$3000 there and back, in 2011.

[malcy25]

GT logistics have done a lot I hear and I've used ATWF.

BUT, one way trips mean different things on the export and import.

If you were sending to over and bringing back, you'd do a carnet as a temp import to the US. if you left it there it would be a lot of pain.

Therefore if you knew beforehand it was staying there, you;d have to do the process on a permanent import into the US and the aspects of that with EPA etc could be interesting.

[Euro2018]

I've made some calls and had some ballpark prices tossed around.

It's looking like around $2000-$2500 to get the bike into USA and $1000-$1500 to get it back.

Even at $3000 round trip it might be less hassle to buy a bike there (I have cheap taste in bikes) and just burn it at the airport for shits & giggles, assuming I can't sell it to someone seconds before I board the plane.


Thanks for the advice, check back mid next year for the journal of the trip.

[Gremlin]

If you don't have something specific organised, you might want to check in with Ken, that's how I did my USA-Canada tour: https://kiwiken.co.nz/

[ducatijim]

As an alien, you will not be importing your scooter into the US for sale there.

[rustys]

GT logistics have done a lot I hear and I've used ATWF.

BUT, one way trips mean different things on the export and import.

If you were sending to over and bringing back, you'd do a carnet as a temp import to the US. if you left it there it would be a lot of pain.

Therefore if you knew beforehand it was staying there, you;d have to do the process on a permanent import into the US and the aspects of that with EPA etc could be interesting.

Would recommend Phil at GT Logistics, easy to deal with, very helpful, and good price, made importing my race bike from UK such a breeze. contact@gtlogistics.co.nz

[axil]

From everything I have read and heard, importing a street bike not specifically designated for the US market is nearly impossible, not worth the time and expense. One interesting possibility would be to sell it as parts only. Someone might be interested in that, but it sure would be hard to set up unless you know someone who would be interested.