Do you like the fixed headlight (fairing) style bikes? I believe there is still a new one (Terra) on the floor at my local dealer. If you want it, you could call Performance Cycle in Tucson, talk to Bruce, but a deposit on it to hold it. $5499. Strip the goodies off your current bike and ship em. If you were talking about getting a Nuda here, that may be worth the trouble of boxing up.
You can damned near register any bike in New Mexico. I live 120 miles south of Tucson myself and mag00. I have seen Trade Ins come into "Performance Cycle" In Tucson that were sold as off road bikes and the customers came back out of New Mexico with that same bike years later and traded it in for a new bike and the old used bike still had the Dealers Original Factory Statement of Origin. It had been ridden for a few years and was never even off road tagged or anything over there in New Mexico. You wouldn't easily get away with that here in SE AZ. Tagging nearly any bike here in SE AZ is easy too though. They didn't even look at my '15 FE 501 when I registered it for the streets and they applied the off road forestry tags to the street plate themselves along with the street registration stickers inside the building. I had already installed a Sicass racing supplemental lighting kit on the bike and had it parked in the parking lot, so they could inspect it and they wouldn't even look at it. It had, no horn and certainly no blinkers. A High/Low/Off switch on the headlight and a brake light banjo fitting along with a rear running light is all that's required. A $20 folding mirror also, for here in AZ. My Personal Physician is from the Island of "Cypress" and has had several Euro Market only Italian bikes like MV Agustas, Euro market only Aprilias and Ducatis that were never intended to be sold anywhere in the U.S. He has had them exported by family back home in Cypress and they shipped them here to him. I've helped him pick them up at a freight depot in my truck. He has never had any problems getting these Euro Exotics registered. He's even sold a few of them when he gets tired of tricking them out and had no problems with the transferring of the titles either. New Mexico is 45 miles from me and its way more "laxed" then AZ is. Many ranchers here in Douglas, AZ who have cattle and property along the border of Mexico and AZ/New Mexico, will often register their new ranch trucks in New Mexico because its about half the cost of AZ. To do that they just need a New Mexico mailing address and can get a Rural US post office box on the Border of AZ and New Mexico and check it once in a while or get specific documents and things sent there during the year and simply keep an eye out for their registration renewal then just do the renewal itself online. Simple.
Do you have regular contact with this physician friend and could you ask him for details of how to get a title for the European bikes? I've been told you can't get a title without customs paperwork, and customs won't let you import a bike without proof that it meets EPA and DOT standards.
If you could talk to an import specialist. They'd probably have the answers to your questions. Might save a lot of time energy. Once brought a bike into California from UK. Somehow the local bike dealership managed to get it through dmv side. But all that was 17 yes ago, so much has changed. But i will state, that i brought the bike over to ride, and did so without problem unhindered prior to registration. People bring vehicles from overseas to ride across the US and either south or north of the border. Maybe look into flying it out to Canada, or Mexico then ride across. Heck you could be riding round the world for all they know. Then deal with it in NM where it sounds like it might be easier, Certainly than Cali. Wish you luck.
To answer your question, Last time I checked on Doc, he was in Iraq. He still occasionally serves as a Colonel in the US Army Reserve Medical Corps. That's how he got his US citizenship years ago, serving our military as a surgeon in war torn conflicts. He doesn't believe in people suffering with pain, that's why I chose him as my Doctor. His wife is from Albania. A former school teacher and nurse herself. They met during the war and fighting in the Bosnian/Serbian conflict. Shells and missiles flying over Albania. You could watch this going on, on a clear day from the beaches and tourist areas of the east coast of Cypress. He also travels the world for the CDC and goes to remote areas in the world to treat sickness and outbreaks. I didn't hardly recognize him last time I saw him.. He had lost about 40lbs. and was a fraction of his old self. Currently his situation is, 3 of the 7 doctors that went with him to Iraq, his wife told me on Facebook had been recently gunned down. He's a little pissed off at our CIC right now. His wife has relocated to another town North of here closer to Tucson for better schools for the kids. So no I can't at this point talk to him. Enough said about that. You are trying to bring over a Nuda?? You can't tell me there is none in the US. You can but I won't believe it. The bike once imported has the customs paper work as long as it has dot tires and lights, turn signals and all, why not. What part of New Mexico you moving to? That's a pretty lax state. Actual Smog check areas to me in NM are unknown but I would imagine Albuquerque or Santa Fe would probably be the only places that there are a bunch of "Birkenstock Sandal wearing Tree Huggers" to require that, they may have smog requirements for cars only. If even that but I haven't checked. These exotic bike he's had, pretty much all had catalysts in the exhausts when new. My Doctor tosses them for a Termagnoni exhaust system almost immediately. Or an Akrapovic system and gets them remapped.
I've talked to two import specialists and they both told me to sell the bike because the testing to get the bike approved by the EPA and DOT would cost more than the value of the bike.
sometimes the path of least resistance is better in the long run. Aside, I picked up my second Terra a few months ago with 700 miles for 5k. If it's your bike of choice, you'll find one.
It is already approved, just that you can't get the papers from Husky. Might need the USA fuel mapping.
Sell it, buy another one here, it'll be exactly the same. The more places you call and you volunteer all this worry and information the worse off you are. There are people that come from across the planet on ADV trips right through here in Douglas AZ. To pass through the Port of Entry from the US that came from Canada south to ride to the tip of South America all the time. through Mexico and the rest of Central America. Panama etc. They usually stay in local the Hotel's for a few days here as this town has a few historical attractions and If I see their bikes I always stop and look at them in the parking lots. At least 30 countries I have seen bikes from. No one harassing anybody. I would ship it here and leave the plates on it. But then what do I know I just ride dirtbikes and full tube chassied drag race cars on the street here.
When you look at the exchange rate you are coming from to the USA exchange rate, you should profit on the exchange (approx. 50% minus fees/tax)! Less hassle, no bs expenses, and piece of mind seal the deal. Welcome back to the USA!
There may be a New Terra on the showroom floor in Tucson. Let me know if you want me to help you secure it.
Hey Jon, some guy just posted a really sweat looking Terra in ADV flea market low mileage for $4600 with some nice bits included. Can beat that with a stick!
Life's not that simple. You can import a vehicle from anther country for personal use, but you cannot sell it, and you must export it again within 12 months. I personally think the OP should have just stopped at the first hurdle months ago and started plans to sell it in the UK and buy a replacement on arrival in USA.
I agree with you nev.. I would sell it too in the UK and buy an upgrade or the same bike here if thats his preference. I was talking about looking at ADV bikes, even a number of "Urals" with side cars accompanying these travelers from all over the globe here where I'm at. That were sitting in Hotel parking lots, loaded down with all sorts of gear that were destined to travel less than 1/2 a mile to the US Port Of Entry and they would already be in another Country. That being "Mexico" heading south.
