Canadian Customs with a race bike?

gar47mx
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gar47mx
Edited Date/Time 11/29/2012 6:41am
Just wondering if anyone here often goes back and forth between USA and Canada to ride/race and if theres any hassles or major hold ups to make it difficult to get thru customs. I'd only have a pickup, so no trailer they would need to inspect or anything like that. I live in Syracuse, NY so I know from experience it's sometimes a little more involved getting back into the USA vs. going into Canada even without a bike.... so just wondering how it goes w/ a bike. Any info would be great.
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berno929
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berno929 11/28/2012 6:27pm
11/28/2012 6:27pm
Make sure everything is clean. They're worried about dirt. My friend went to the US for a muddy mountain bike race and they wouldn't let him back in Canada because there was dirt on his bike. They made him go wash his bike at a car wash...

Just bring all the papers including the invoice to prove that you didn't buy the bike during the trip...
Tim507
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Tim507 11/28/2012 6:27pm
11/28/2012 6:27pm
I have been crossing the border in WA and ID since the 60's with my race bike(s) and have never had a problem. Sometimes more questions but no issues.

Smile and be honest is all it takes from my experience.
dboivin
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dboivin 11/28/2012 6:56pm
11/28/2012 6:56pm
have your titles/receipt with you. they used to shake us down back in the 90's when i would cross port huron michigan border in the race van. what sucks is my riders bikes were supplied and we didnt have paperwork a lot of the times and they would give us shit about it. imagine its even worse nowadays.
scooter5002
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scooter5002 11/28/2012 9:58pm
11/28/2012 9:58pm
Make sure you have proof of ownership that matches the VIN going either way and you should be okay. As mentioned, be honest about everything. CBSA will be more interested in if you are leaving the bike behind and the nature of your visit. Plus criminal record. Just an FYI. CBP coming home wants to be sure that bike is yours, at worst case. Per chance you should feel the urge to not be straight up about how long you were out of the US, don't do it. Either border knows when you exited your country, to the second. Adjusting the time to suit your story will only hold you, AND your bike, at the border. Then that opens up the possibility of a full inspection. With potential rubber glove/cavity cosequences. Unless you ENJOY that sort of thing. In which case, lie with reckless abandon.

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gar47mx
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gar47mx 11/29/2012 3:17am
11/29/2012 3:17am
Thanks for all the info guys. Much appreciated
Sheriff245 11/29/2012 4:08am
11/29/2012 4:08am
Proof of ownership is a minimum just to be sure. I've never been asked for it though. Usually they are nice and ask a few questions, that's it.
unknownmxr 11/29/2012 5:49am
11/29/2012 5:49am
Keep your hotel receipts to prove where you were staying.
kxking
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kxking 11/29/2012 5:56am
11/29/2012 5:56am
If you make a declaration on your way in and get a receipt saying you brought the bike in, you will have no issues bringing the bike back out of the country....
Roscoe33
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Roscoe33 11/29/2012 6:00am
11/29/2012 6:00am
getting in to Canada is easy, it's getting out thats hard with US customs, yes Sir, no Sir I don''t have any guns Sir...
wydopen
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wydopen 11/29/2012 6:21am
11/29/2012 6:21am
Roscoe33 wrote:
getting in to Canada is easy, it's getting out thats hard with US customs, yes Sir, no Sir I don''t have any guns Sir...
my experience has been the complete opposite....i used to ride/race downhill mountainbikes and used to travel all over BC...ive never been hassled as hard as going into canada!!...one time when i flew to vancouver they almost cut my bike frame up looking for weed of all things!!..the lady was suspicious because i was young and had a "platinum" credit card..haha i guess they dont hand those out to everybody up there like they do here??...
bartziokas123 11/29/2012 6:41am
11/29/2012 6:41am
Roscoe33 wrote:
getting in to Canada is easy, it's getting out thats hard with US customs, yes Sir, no Sir I don''t have any guns Sir...
wydopen wrote:
my experience has been the complete opposite....i used to ride/race downhill mountainbikes and used to travel all over BC...ive never been hassled as hard as going...
my experience has been the complete opposite....i used to ride/race downhill mountainbikes and used to travel all over BC...ive never been hassled as hard as going into canada!!...one time when i flew to vancouver they almost cut my bike frame up looking for weed of all things!!..the lady was suspicious because i was young and had a "platinum" credit card..haha i guess they dont hand those out to everybody up there like they do here??...
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