Thread for importing/re-importing into Europe

[mark manley]

I have noticed a reoccuring problem with people trying to temporarily import or re-import bikes by air or sea freighting into the EU. Stories like this one of extortionate charges by customs and handling agents come up from time to time including people re-importing EU registered bikes into their own country.
Help with French Customs Agent CDG, Paris - ADVrider
It looks like there is a call for a thread, perhaps a sticky giving advice as to where is the best and worst place to import/re-import, it might be better into a neighbouring country rather than your own. If you rode over a border it would not cost a penny and I have never paid to re-import into the UK and to the best of my knowledge nobody else has either.
What do others think about this?

[Donmanolo]

couldn't agree more...there seems to be a lot of confusion on this point, and I have the suspicion that there are some greedy customs officers around, trying to hit even nationals shipping their own road-legal, and previously already registered bikes back to their own country, as I read recently on an italian forum.
It Would be good to share some experiences and opinions, and if someone out there could give us a clear idea of what the law actually says.
I checked Italian law on this point when I answered a similar question a while back, and this kind of thing is what I would presume should be the same all around europe thanks to our brilliant (?) common market thing: apparently as long as the bike is imported by a tourist, for temporary use, over a 90 day period, then there are no customs fees, period.
Italian customs can charge a very high deposit in case of permanent imports, which is returned once the vehicle is permanently registered in italy, and allows the owner (italian resident) to drive on a temporary number plate.
Just to be clear, I'm talking only about customs, and not agents fees.

[mart.math]

more info would definitely help.
I will be shipping my bike with Canadian plates to Europe (France if possible) in the next few months and it has been hard to get good info.
Will post back when I know more.

[mark manley]

Originally Posted by mart.math

more info would definitely help.
I will be shipping my bike with Canadian plates to Europe (France if possible) in the next few months and it has been hard to get good info.
Will post back when I know more.

Have you looked at the post on advrider I put on the original message? I have no idea of the outcome but you might want to reconsider France.

[mart.math]

yep, I just posted on there to see how it turned out...
Another country might be a good idea indeed.

I found this post too >
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-arrival-61905