customs issues if you have to leave your bike...
 

Took an inch diameter, 5 inch long bolt in the engine casing on my Gold Wing in Lithuania, totaling the engine and essentially the bike. Found folks there that are interested in buying the bike and left it with them, with price to be worked out based on pending research on cost to replace the engine.

My question is what customs issues are involved. I am back in the states. I don't recall anything officially noting me bringing the bike into the country (came in via Estonia from Russia). Nothing was said when I left without it. Will probably settle on something like $1000 for the bike.

Do I need to worry about any paperwork (other than a bill of sale and the title transfer)? Do I need to report the sale to anyone in the country? From the research I have done, seems there is a duty of 6% and VAT of 21% on the 'value' of the motorcycle including 'shipping'. Since I rode it in, don't see any shipping cost. But I believe those are costs to the buyer, not the seller.

Any sage advice out there on this topic?

PS the ride across Russia was priceless, and that section of 'missing road' was new, and the nicest in the 7000 mile run. All of it being 70-80 mph. It isn't on the maps, even in Russia, because it is so new.

Hi Gary:

I think you have nailed it there, the duties, fees, taxes, etc. are something that will be of more concern to the buyer (who has to eventually register the thing) than to you, the seller.

It is possible that you could be 'on the hook' sometime in the future for importing goods into Lithuania for the purpose of selling them without declaring that at the time of import, but I think the risk of that is pretty low, because at the time you crossed into Lithuania, you had no plans to sell the bike.

Michael