Disassemble motorcycle and ship to the US
 

Can I send a disassembled motorcycle from Montevideo, Uruguay or Buenos Aires, Argentina to the US. Can get DOT clearance but no EPA clearance as the combo of year/make/model has never been shipped to the US before and the make is unwilling to continue on in the process.

Current idea is to disassemble the motorcycle completely and ship in crate from either Uruguay or Argentina. Am I facing massive roadblocks (if any) if i decide to go down this road.

Thanks

You're planning to ride the bike, then take it back out of the country? Or you want to import it permanently. Big difference, and your post is not clear, since both require one form or another of EPA clearance.

For a permanent import (i.e., to register your bike in the USA) you need prior EPA clearance, and this might be difficult to achieve. Same goes for parts. There are exceptions for older vehicles.

Don't know if that's helpful or not, but have a look at this site if you haven't already done so:

http://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/deta...-vehicle-parts

Hello markharf

Ive read the attached link and currently in communication with a Registered Importer in the US to get DOT clearance but still working to the EPA facet. The motorcycle was produced in 2014 and made in Colombia, it is looking likely that they are not going to send me a letter of conformity.

Am open to all possible solution and options at this time, whether that be permanent or temporary import to the US. Thank you

You can import temporarily in the usual manner if you are the owner. That requires some sort of EPA process, but it's simple (and doesn't apply at land borders, AFAIK). I assume your importer person knows this.

If the manufacturer hasn't gone through the whole process already (rumored to cost ~one million dollars), it's certainly my understanding that you won't be able to import permanently. I assume your importer person knows this, too.

Caveat: I've been wrong before....

Good luck!

Mark