Purchasing a UK bike

In message <[email hidden]>, Blackbird_Pilot <usenet-
[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi everyone, new guy here looking for some advice. I'm thinking about buying a bike from Ebay
over seas.

You sem to mean that you want to buy a bike from the Uk and import it into the US.

You might find some one on u.r.c who knows about this, but i'd have thought posting to rec.cycling
would have made mores sense, since you will find people there who are more likely to have had
experience of importing stuff into the US.
--
Chris French, Leeds

"Blackbird_Pilot" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi everyone, new guy here looking for some advice. I'm thinking about buying a bike from Ebay over
seas. If I do end up buying the thing how does customs work and such. When it does get here what
about registering? What paperwork do I need and the title work. If its UK does it have to be
switched to US? And certification, does the bike have to prove that its up or I guess down to US
standards?

Assuming you mean a pedal cycle not a motorbike...

Standards. I believe the CPSC standards apply only to point of sale - since eBay is a used cycle,
I'm pretty sure it's not affected.

Switching over. Why? UK have the front brake on the right, as recommended by the Great
Sheldon Himself.

Registration? I didn't know the US had bike registration. There is no "title work" for bikes
over here.

Customs? Depends on the value. The seller will deal with this anyway - normally a simple customs
declaration form. Check the US customs & excise service for the rate of duty on second-hand bikes.
Or ask in rec.bicycles.misc, I'm sure Mark at Habanero can help. The value affects the amount of
paperwork - there is a value limit below which a simple green sticker is all that's required, but I
can't remember how much it is and the UK Customs & Excise website is about as much use as a
chocolate teapot.

--
Guy
===

WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting.
chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

Blackbird_Pilot said:

Hi everyone, new guy here looking for some advice. I'm thinking about buying a bike from Ebay over
seas. If I do end up buying the thing how does customs work and such. When it does get here what
about registering? What paperwork do I need and the title work. If its UK does it have to be
switched to US? And certification, does the bike have to prove that its up or I guess down to US
standards?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Scott.

Lets put it this way... the cheapest way I could get a used Softride from Los Angeles was to go and
get it myself. Just take an old bike bag with you, and walk through customs back in the UK. If
you're lucky, like I was, you'll not get stopped.

Mind you, having ridden one, I'm converted for life, so it was worth a day trip to LA! Wish i'd
bought a 700c, not 650c version though... the wheels are a bit difficult to find!

ymmv,

Steve

"Steve Holdoway" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Wish i'd bought a 700c, not 650c version though... the wheels are a bit difficult to find!

Check between the forks. Oh, and get your eyes tested ;-)

--
Guy
===

WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting.
chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

Blackbird_Pilot said:

Hi everyone, new guy here looking for some advice. I'm thinking about buying a bike from Ebay over
seas. If I do end up buying the thing how does customs work and such. When it does get here what
about registering? What paperwork do I need and the title work. If its UK does it have to be
switched to US? And certification, does the bike have to prove that its up or I guess down to US
standards?

Hope you like the front brake on the right...they're all like that over here. Not too hard to
fix though.