# Anyone actually import a bike from the US?



## bwhiting (Jan 28, 2010)

I was looking really hard at the Motobecane Le Champion CF from bikesdirect but ended up bot doing it because I had heard 13% duty + 13% Ont pst/GST. That made the bike still a good deal but way more than I had to spend. So I bought a local Norco CRR....but now I kinda having second thoughts - especially when I see people posting pics of their Motobecane's arriving! 

So anyone gone through the customs shuffle with a higher end bike?

thanks

Ben in Ottawa


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

I've bought a lot of components including framesets in from the US and Europe.

The first rule is never use UPS (& I suspect FedEx is just as bad). UPS slaps on massive brokerage fees in addition to all the tax & duty. And when you don't pay their first bill immediately they put it to a collection agency without warning.

So, now, it would not matter what the deal was, I'd never deal with UPS cross-border again. Use USPS.

Below $100 declared value, there's a good chance that items will come in without duty & tax, above that the opposite. So you should probably count on paying it. I'm waiting for a new frame to arrive from the states at the moment.

All tax & duty is based on the declared value. :wink: 

I'm in Toronto.


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## |3iker (Jan 12, 2010)

Dude, you should just scroll down a few topics and you can see a thread regarding buying bicycles from US. Still too lazy? <sigh> young people....

here's the link: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=198361

Still too lazy to click on the link to read the thread?:frown2: 
Cole's notes: To minimize on paying duty is have the bicycle shipped to a border town mailbox. Drive down yourself. Pick it up and bring it back across the border. Hope to God that the Canadian customs officer doesn't pay attention. Most of the time, they prolly don't care. It requires them to look-up the codes on bicycles and punch it into the terminal. For what? so that they can ding you a few bux? They are bigger fishes to fry.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

My post was intended also for others in Ontario. it's a big country & a big province. not everybody lives an easy drive to the border. I'll let the OP comment on whether it would be worth his while to do it from Ottawa. We hear a lot of stories about border crossing problems at Niagara Falls, so even from TO I'd be thinking hard about a NFNY pickup.


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## bwhiting (Jan 28, 2010)

I did see the thread noted above - not a ton of useful info there. I've bought a lot of stuff over the years and had it shipped to the Mailboxes etc shop in Ogdensburg NY, drove down, and brought it back. I've gone both the honest way and the try and sneak it through way. Rather than risk my new bike get taken I would be leaning towards declaring it. I was looking for anyone's recent experience on whether they are taking the time to look up codes and charge 13% duty + 13% fed and prov taxes. adding 26% to the cost of the bike makes the LBS seem like a better bet. The bike I was looking at was $1500 US = $1700 Cdn * 1.13*1.13=almost $2200Cdn - i.e. duties and taxes are almost $500! not to be taken lightly....


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

What happened to the free trade zone?


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## bwhiting (Jan 28, 2010)

North American free trade covers only very specific things - there is a tariff/tax table that outlines the rate applied for many items - I have heard that bicycles is 13% but not sure...


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

bwhiting said:


> North American free trade covers only very specific things - there is a tariff/tax table that outlines the rate applied for many items - I have heard that bicycles is 13% but not sure...


I know there are tariffs, but it is a shame. Doesn't Canada have its own 'Bikes Direct' type importer? Since there wouldn't be any competition you'd think there would be at least one, and my guess is their prices would be right around 13% higher since they don't have to worry about competition


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## |3iker (Jan 12, 2010)

bwhiting said:


> North American free trade covers only very specific things - there is a tariff/tax table that outlines the rate applied for many items - I have heard that bicycles is 13% but not sure...


If your bike is made in US. Basically you need to prove that the major parts like frame, rims etc. are US made. However most bikes under $3000 will likely have its frame made in China or Taiwan. So you're SOL.
It's never for certain, but you can chance it. If you ship with the typical courier, you will get dinged because the brokers already have a template on their system where they punch in a code that will automatically add the 13% tariff. Not so at the custom booth. 
Your bike will not be taken away.  Instead you will be black listed for future border crossing.


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## 8toes (Feb 28, 2010)

What about bringing your own 5 year old bike across?


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## bobbiemacdonald (Aug 18, 2008)

I've imported a bike from Ibex Bikes before. Shipped it to Ogdensburg and declared it on the way back. No probs. Just the usual tax. No duty.

Right now I have a bike from Bikes Direct on order... report back in a week (hopefully) with the results.


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## MontyCrisco (Sep 21, 2008)

8toes said:


> What about bringing your own 5 year old bike across?


Yer safe. The time limit for what counts as "new" that is closer to a few months old (can't remember exact number anymore).


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## shibui (Apr 8, 2010)

Looking forward to hearing how you made out at the border. Which bike did you order?


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## calazula (Apr 14, 2010)

I just picked up my wifey's Mercier Elle from bikesdirect.com yesterday. Had it shipped to the UPS store in Ogdensburg.

Paid only 5% gst upon import since the bike is < $1000. No pst and no duties.


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