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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #1  
Old 28 Nov 2014
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Scrapping experiance needed!

I've ridden my XT600e from the UK to Japan - the journey just about killed it!

I brought the bike into Japan via a ferry from Russia and its currently on a temporary import, here comes the problem -

I want to scrap the bike but the customs demands that it must leave the country (up to 1 year from when it entered) to ship the bike back to the UK and scrap it there will cost £1700 (that's a lot of money just to scrap it)

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of the thing for less money?

I'm going to go and talk to Tokyo customs on Monday and I will ask what would the procedure be if the bike caught fire!

Japan marks the end of my route and I'm now gearing my life towards staying here so onward travel is a no.

I appreciate any input
Thanks

Dom
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  #2  
Old 28 Nov 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Little Dom View Post
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of the thing for less money?
Cut the fuel line & throw a match to it, cheap enough?



Mezo.
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  #3  
Old 28 Nov 2014
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On a temp import. So I guess you don't have a carnet. That simplifies it a little.

Even if you torch it, you still might be forced to remove it from Japan. And paying £1700 to get your charred remains home might sting even more.


You could attempt to import the bike. The taxes will surely be cheaper than the shipping ???

Alternatively, the bike could be 'Stolen'... Remove all the frame and engine numbers and leave it in a very questionable part of town with the keys in it.. Would that absolve you from your import ? Sounds like a lot of paper work and hassle to me though.


Personally, I'd look to take it to another country where you have no future interests and leave it there. Ferry to South Korea perhaps ??
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  #4  
Old 29 Nov 2014
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That would be easy but I think they will still sting me for the tax and / or force me to remove the burnt remains anyway, though that would make it lighter and with a bit of help from a sledge hammer I could make it much much smaller!
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Old 29 Nov 2014
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I do have a carnet but its not been used - the port I came in from didn't have a JAF office so they couldn't stamp it - thus the temp import.

I asked about a full import but they said its impossible (you cant switch from one to another) - annoying really since its just a paperwork exercise but that's the law.

Thought about the trip to South Korea or Russia but annoyingly I have just extended my Visa (Final extension) so when I leave Japan the next time I wont be allowed to return for a while (Not sure how long probably 1 month ish) and I have my flight back to the UK booked already for February. (Bugger)

Currently I'm thinking to remove the good (sell able) bits and box them ready for shipping then smash the rest down to as small a size as I can and ship it back by any cargo method possible. - any thoughts?

Dom
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  #6  
Old 29 Nov 2014
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Dom go find a bridge over a deep river & throw the ****ing bike into it.

Jeez Dom get streetwise.

Mezo.
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Old 29 Nov 2014
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Looks like the bike needs to be stolen.

Make it disappear then get a police report. That should clear your temporary import.

Remove the plate, frame and engine numbers then leave it in the roughest part of town with the keys in.

But be prepared for some serious paperwork stress.
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  #8  
Old 29 Nov 2014
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And then hope the jap police don't read this forum
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Old 30 Nov 2014
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Hello


I'm not sure how you are connected to the bike with this temporary Import. (stamp in passport, entry in Computersystem,..)
Can you leave the Country without the bike or do you first have to clear that paper by customs.
Burned, Stolen, left behind; it's all the same if you can't leave the Country without clearence.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Little Dom View Post
I do have a carnet but its not been used.

then smash the rest down to as small a size as I can and ship it back by any cargo method possible. - any thoughts?

Can you get the deposit of the CDP back (without the bike returning home) when it's not used?


You could get the bike scrapped by the custom, as mentioned in the CDP.


Ship it out of the Country by the cheapest way and never pick it up.
Will cost you a box, paperwork, seafare in Japan but not the expensive clearence at the port where you sent it.(maybe legal Problems?)


Look in the Japan section for Chris of Japan maybe he can help.


sushi
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Old 1 Dec 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mezo View Post
Dom go find a bridge over a deep river & throw the ****ing bike into it.

Jeez Dom get streetwise.

Mezo.

HAHA - Thanks Mezo but they have a copy of my passport stapled to the copy of the temp import so once the time is up they will be in contact with the UK border agency ect ect

Also I do plan to return to Japan to work here in the future so it would be a very big black mark against my name for the sake of £2000.

Dom
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Old 1 Dec 2014
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They stapled a copy of the passport to the temp import and being that this is Japan I would bet i'm on a computer system by now too.

I'm not sure if I can leave or not yet - I would think I can as the temp import is valid for a year but my visa is valid for 6 months (Ending in Feb) but since this is law we are talking about, common sense doesn't come in to it! - I will ask in a couple of days.

Yes I asked about the CPD not having been touched and they said as long as it has no marks in it then there is no problem, it can be returned and monies paid back.

"You could get the bike scrapped by the custom, as mentioned in the CDP" - at this time they seem to be unwilling to go down that route (I'm trying to get a list of questions answered but language is causing a problem at the moment - I have a friend coming to help in a couple of days).
The Hokkaido customs guy understands my problem and seems to be willing to help but is keen to point out that we must work within the law - they don't want me to spend a load of money shipping rubbish around the world either!

"Ship it out of the Country by the cheapest way and never pick it up.
Will cost you a box, paperwork, seafare in Japan but not the expensive clearence at the port where you sent it.(maybe legal Problems?)"

Hmmm I don't like this idea so much - it feels too much like it will bite me in the arse some how, I wont be able to remove the frame, reg and engine numbers so it could be traced back to me at any time + I don't want to risk a black mark against my name in Japan since I plan to move here one day.

My only other thought is sending from Japan to Japan - that way it has left Japanese jurisdiction and returned thus meaning I could now import it fully and scrap it here - but that might possibly cost more than shipping back to the UK - more research needed.

Dom
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  #12  
Old 1 Dec 2014
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Thank you for your input guys I appreciate being able to bounce the ideas around.

Dom

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  #13  
Old 17 Dec 2014
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Ok guys one last post to wrap this one up.

It turns out that I can simply pay some tax based on the value of the bike and I get another year of temporary importation!

This process can be repeated over and over so, for the price of shipping back to the UK I can keep the bike here in Japan for 17 years!!!

Since I'm planning a move here anyway, that's ideal - I will have time and can make a space to fix it up over as long a time as is needed

They said at one stage that this is a process they don't normally do and don't really want a lot of people trying to do but clearly it is possible.

Thanks again for all your input guys - ride safe.

Dom
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  #14  
Old 17 Dec 2014
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Thanks for posting up the follow up Dom (wish everyone would do this) great result for you then.

I was looking forward to the bonfire pics myself.

Mezo.
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  #15  
Old 17 Dec 2014
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one,advertise it as looking for a rider that wants to go from east to west,or two leave for a motorcycle club in russia to handle to it.three find someone that is willing to go thru the tax problems and sell it accordingly.
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