Import Euro HD to US problem
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Novice
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 18
Likes: 3
From: Arizona
Import Euro HD to US problem
Heritage Classic114
This is what comes from not doing my homework.
We were living in Europe and I needed a new bike to do some touring before retiring back to the US. I ordered one from the HD dealer in Hungary thinking it would be OK to take a US made bike back home. Wrong. Different emission standards made it impossible without sending it back via a registered importer. Since the bike was new and the difference between US and European standards werent known for that model it was going to cost tens of thousands to get it cleared for use here.
At one time HDMC would provide the specs but stopped doing it for some reason. Lawyers, probably.
I have it for sale but the market for HD soft tails isnt good right now in Hungary.
It shouldnt be this difficult to get an American made bike back to the US. What am I missing?
This is what comes from not doing my homework.
We were living in Europe and I needed a new bike to do some touring before retiring back to the US. I ordered one from the HD dealer in Hungary thinking it would be OK to take a US made bike back home. Wrong. Different emission standards made it impossible without sending it back via a registered importer. Since the bike was new and the difference between US and European standards werent known for that model it was going to cost tens of thousands to get it cleared for use here.
At one time HDMC would provide the specs but stopped doing it for some reason. Lawyers, probably.
I have it for sale but the market for HD soft tails isnt good right now in Hungary.
It shouldnt be this difficult to get an American made bike back to the US. What am I missing?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 13,104
Likes: 13,047
From: Texas, USA
Welcome to the forum from central Texas.
Will the dealer buy it back from you? No matter how you look at it you will be losing money. Cut your losses and take whatever the dealer will give you. That is the cost of learning and the problem is gone.
Will the dealer buy it back from you? No matter how you look at it you will be losing money. Cut your losses and take whatever the dealer will give you. That is the cost of learning and the problem is gone.
Tourer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 320
Likes: 48
From: Switzerland
Out of curiosity: which state would you have imported the bike to? Is it more a state issue or on federal level?
as far as selling the bile goes: you should have a document for your bile called CoC. If not, the dealer can get it at little cost. With this, you can sell it to any EU country and the new owner can register it immediately and without any problems. May enlarge your market a little beyond Hungary
best, niv
as far as selling the bile goes: you should have a document for your bile called CoC. If not, the dealer can get it at little cost. With this, you can sell it to any EU country and the new owner can register it immediately and without any problems. May enlarge your market a little beyond Hungary
best, niv
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 90
Likes: 23
From: Manchester
Dont be tied only to the Hungarian market and try to sell it via mobile.de . Don't bother with Autoscout.com, they are an utter CRAP. First of all you won't be able to register there via .com and it took me a while to figure out it had to be done via autoscout.de (if you dont understand German you're screwed). There were some viewers but nothing else. Just sold my KTM 990 Adventure R via mobile.de, withing days started receiving offers from a few european countries and if there weren't restrictions at the borders it would be somewhere else over a month ago.
If your bike was already registered in Hungary and you sell it to another EU country the buyer WILL NOT need CoC certificate. CoC certificate is needed only if the vehicle is new and hasn't been registered before. I found out about this when I wanted to export my Breakout from the UK.
I was really pissed at HD as they were the only company who ever wanted to charge me for CoC certificate. Really sneaky way of making money, charging you for something that belongs to the vehicle and should be given to you together with the keys or issued for free if you need it (I've got automatically CoC with my new Pajero I bought in Germany, just one call to the KTM UK and I've had it in my post box few days later and it was the same with Yamaha importer) Just Harley is "different".
niv,.... that "little cost" was something around 100-140 pounds (can't remember exactly), that is quite A LOT for an A4 piece of paper folded in half that BELONGS to the vehicle (as I said before).
It was my greated pleasure to call HD UK about my discovery and to tell them they'll be getting f... all from me.
If your bike was already registered in Hungary and you sell it to another EU country the buyer WILL NOT need CoC certificate. CoC certificate is needed only if the vehicle is new and hasn't been registered before. I found out about this when I wanted to export my Breakout from the UK.
I was really pissed at HD as they were the only company who ever wanted to charge me for CoC certificate. Really sneaky way of making money, charging you for something that belongs to the vehicle and should be given to you together with the keys or issued for free if you need it (I've got automatically CoC with my new Pajero I bought in Germany, just one call to the KTM UK and I've had it in my post box few days later and it was the same with Yamaha importer) Just Harley is "different".
niv,.... that "little cost" was something around 100-140 pounds (can't remember exactly), that is quite A LOT for an A4 piece of paper folded in half that BELONGS to the vehicle (as I said before).
It was my greated pleasure to call HD UK about my discovery and to tell them they'll be getting f... all from me.
Tourer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 320
Likes: 48
From: Switzerland
Thanks for the insights to your ordeal there! I agree, technically the CoC is not necessary, however in practice things often look different. Local authorities behave difficult when only shown a EU-registration. If they see the CoC, they comply immediately. Of course any buyer could purchase this document as well.
prices may have changed in the meantime, I remember having paid roughly the equivalent of USD 50 in 2015. I believe new bikes should come with this document anyways, so just press the dealer a little
best, niv
prices may have changed in the meantime, I remember having paid roughly the equivalent of USD 50 in 2015. I believe new bikes should come with this document anyways, so just press the dealer a little
best, niv
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 90
Likes: 23
From: Manchester
Yeah.... tell me about the dealing and what is or what is not required. Had to deal with the public/government services in Slovakia recently. The same office, two tables for two girls. I came there with the documents and was sent away cos of blah blah, blah blah and more blaaaah. Came back a couple of days later but was dealing with the girl sitting behind the other table. She took all documents, corrected what was necessary, no questions asked, job done.
With a medieval torture devices you wouldn't get anywhere when it comes to dealing with HD.
There was no way to press the dealer as the dealer is just a middle man in the process (You can't make a request directly with HD, you have to go through the dealer) - you request the document at the dealer, he makes request to HD UK (not sure if he has to pay for it), you come back to the dealer for your COC and pay for it. You either pay or you won't get anything. Quite desperate acting in order to grab every penny possible. True arsholes.
With a medieval torture devices you wouldn't get anywhere when it comes to dealing with HD.
There was no way to press the dealer as the dealer is just a middle man in the process (You can't make a request directly with HD, you have to go through the dealer) - you request the document at the dealer, he makes request to HD UK (not sure if he has to pay for it), you come back to the dealer for your COC and pay for it. You either pay or you won't get anything. Quite desperate acting in order to grab every penny possible. True arsholes.
Last edited by RadoR6; Jun 13, 2021 at 09:06 AM.
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Tourer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 320
Likes: 48
From: Switzerland
Let's hear back from the OP. He bought a new bike recently, and by all means, a CoC should have come with it (may even be mandatory for vehicles in the EU).
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You may be able to import is as a show bike. The import restrictions are much lower on "show models" albeit officially you are not allowed to drive/ride it more than a limited amount of miles.
Funny thing is that I was under the impression that International Specs are more strict than US specs (aside from California maybe)...
Funny thing is that I was under the impression that International Specs are more strict than US specs (aside from California maybe)...
