Leaving a bike in the US over 1 year???

[bikerfromsark]

Hey guys, I have a quick question, I recently left my bike over in the USA and was planning on returning in about 6months time and riding it around a bit longer and then shipping it back home to New Zealand (it is on New Zealand plates) all with in 12 months of when I entered into the US from Mexico.

But... now it seems it will not be so easy to return to the US with in the year as I had planned, has anyone else taken a non US plated bike in the US and kept it there for over a year and had any problems exporting it?
Thank you all in advance


Kindest regards

George

[Maddin]

Hi,

did you do any paperwork, when crossing the border from Mexico? (EPA...)

From where do you want to send it back?

Cheers
Martin

[m37charlie]

Driving out of the US via a land border ( Canada, Mexico) there are no checks whatsoever. Shipping by sea is a different story as far as customs is concerned.
Charlie

[VicMitch]

Leave it as long as you want, no one cares.

[ktmclaire]

Charlie - when you say 'there are no checks'

surely they will look at your TIP (with the date of entry) - and cancel it when you leave?

Thanks

[Tony LEE]

Originally Posted by VicMitch

Leave it as long as you want, no one cares.

Must be some reason why they have 15 cameras in each lane in and out of the USA so I don't believe that they don't care. They may choose not to make a fuss, but if you trip the alarm switch for whatever reason, they will know exactly when you entered and when you left.

[Gerald Bauer]

If this is an option (and to try the safe way) go to Canada. Crossing the border the U.S. do not care about your bike. Then you are able to ship from Vancouver with a motorcycle staying less than 12 month in the country.
My Yamaha has stayed in the U.S. for 14 month, before I left to Canada in 2006. Same problem, planed was less than 12 month ...

[TimTyler]

Originally Posted by Tony LEE

Must be some reason why they have 15 cameras in each lane in and out of the USA

Agreed. Every time I cross into Canada or back into the US they ask for my plate number if their cameras can't read it. I think they keep track.