Hitchcocks Forum

Perhaps there are a few American users of this forum, especially ex pats who have taken bikes with them. My wife, Annette, has a bee in her bonnet about moving to Washington, Seattle area or the islands near there. Her son and family live in Seattle and she has been house hunting the area on line. Anyway, IF we do move, I should like to take my 2003 Sixty5, and my Guzzi Stelvio. I think the Guzzi shouldn't cause a problem, but not sure about the Enfield. At the moment it has the clean air gubbins removed, not by me, and I don't have the parts. Is there any sort of customs or other check done on imported bikes, and what is not allowed entry? If I have to re instate the clean air stuff to import it, can it be removed once there, and again, are there any further scheduled checks, for instance, like our MOT?

Sign up for the US Royal Enfield forum (some of us already have), I've found them to be a pretty welcoming bunch of enthusiasts.



http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/



A.

Hi Adrian, I did sign up to the USA forum, but sometimes it wouldn't sign me in, saying I wasn't allowed! I have however been on a site over there and basically the bike has to conform to the state laws regarding safetey and emissions, and they would probably require written proof from the manufacturer or supplying dealer to confirm it conforms. So, if we do go, I will probably sell the Enfield and Guzzi and buy over there. I was fancying an iron head Sportster as a second bike/ project anyway!

Hi there, a friend of mine went to live over the other side of the pond a few years ago. At first he was going to take his Bmw R1150gs with him. He started looking into what if anything needed to be done to the bike the make it legal over there. What had to be done to the bike was such a lot of changes he found it easier to sell is and buy another bike over there. The emissions were different lights needed changed and a host of other changes to get the bike to comply with emissions regulations and even seemingly stupid things like extra reflector
Sorry to sound like a doom merchant.

Thanks Dave, I came to same conclusion. Don't know what I will finish up woth though, the wife wants a Jeep Wrangler if we do go mind you, she says she might even get another bike over there, 'cause it's relativeley quiet on the roads where we have been looking.

My brother-in-law took his honda to Canada a couple of years ago. He had no issues with getting it re-registered in toronto other than the requirement by customs to have the underside of the engine and the mudguards jetwashed in case of foot and mouth disease before they would release it.

Hi,'Hubby, As I live a few miles up the road in
Vancouver, B.C. bringing 'bikes across the line is a
national pastime. You will have to confirm this elsewhere,
but Washington may require a imported 'bike to be either
brand new, or over fifteen yearts old as with like freetrade
Canada. Recent Enfields poeple haul back from a India safari
end up unregtristable, so check out Washington's requirments.
Meanwhile, check Seattle's craigslist.org a couple weeks for
Sportster prices, you'll be pleasantly surprised. whilst Jeep
Wranglers are a dime a dozen' reliable but gas guzzlers poeple
abandon. You'll love the coastline and Olympia peninsula though