I’m of to the US next month with work and have found a bike which costs £2450 in the UK and only £1040 in the US. I intend to get this delivered to my hotel and bring it back on the flight (£50 charge).

Does anyone know what the score is with import duties? Do I need to pay any? Can I use the bike, making it used and avoid charges?

Cheers.

A friend of mine went to the USA a few years ago – paid the bike carriage charges there and back, took a “tesco” bike with him, ditched it in a skip and bought the new one home – no import duty, saved a few hundred quid.

Get a bike bag & take an old knackered clunker of a bike out there.

Dispose of it.

Ride new bike a few times, bag it up, bring it home.

Import duty, what import duty ??

😉

EDIT: Wot ^^^ said, but faster than me !

Also, depending on which state you’re going to be in – you may need to pay sales tax, so the price might be a bit higher than you think. Probably still worth it though…

If you walked past a looted shop with an expensive watch (or bike if that’s easier to imagine) still sitting there, would you go in and take it?

you may need to pay sales tax

You ought to be able to reclaim any taxes at the airport, although that could leave you open to paying them when you get back in the UK…

aracer – Member
If you walked past a looted shop with an expensive watch (or bike if that’s easier to imagine) still sitting there, would you go in and take it?

Shouldn’t this post be on one of the ‘riot’ threads on the chat forum ??

Amateur hour again?

Have any of you brought a bike back to the UK before?

Customs do NOT watch what goes out!

Shouldn’t this post be on one of the ‘riot’ threads on the chat forum ??

No – I was wondering what the moral difference was from illegally evading taxes.

Customs do NOT watch what goes out!

I know that, but my point about taking one out was that you’d be taking it in a bike bag to bring the new….err…’secondhand’ bike back home in.

Thanks for the replies so far. There is a risk I won’t go and a colleague would have to bring it back, so riding and re-boxing etc may not be an option.

What are customs like when they see a boxed new bike come through? I’m guessing they’d be all over it.

For the riot ‘bizarre’ guy, I’d take the bike and smash it over a rioters/ thieves head. Hope that clarifies things for you. If you feel that I’m robbing the system, I could bore you with taxes that I’ve paid into the system that most people don’t have too. I’ve paid my dues.

Just pay up, cheaper if you bring it back as parts 4% + Vat

If you feel that I’m robbing the system, I could bore you with taxes that I’ve paid into the system that most people don’t have too. I’ve paid my dues

Ah that’s OK then. Want some tips on fraudulently claiming benefits in that case?

I thought my reference would be obvious, but it appears lots of people separate bike and chat forums rather than having the lot as one, so haven’t got it…
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/daaahling-could-you-try-and-loot-me-a-naked-lithuanian-sports-masseuse

I asked a normal question, that I was hoping to get relevant answers too. So yes, let’s keep them separate.

I don’t claim benefits! Ever. I’ve been back from Afghan for 3 weeks, where I paid income tax for the whole period. Most people who spend more than six months overseas don’t pay any. That amongst other things, is my dues.

This thread is going away from it’s original intention, so consider it closed.

open the box, scuff it a little, tape it well shut with parcel tape, helmet dangling from your carry-on bag, don’t look shifty – sorted

I don’t claim benefits! Ever

Oh well done you. The difference between tax evasion and fraudulently claiming benefits is only a conceptual one though, so I thought if you were into one you might be into the other?

I’ve been back from Afghan for 3 weeks, where I paid income tax for the whole period. Most people who spend more than six months overseas don’t pay any

So you’ve paid more tax than most people serving/working in Afghanistan, not most people working here? Presumably it’s this tax you think you’re entitled to get back through tax evasion? Interesting concept.

BTW I wasn’t even originally having a go at you until you put your head in the noose with the “paid my dues” comment.

Your biggest difficulty will probably be getting the shop to deliver the bike to a hotel, if needed. Check before you go. Some places will only deliver to residential addresses, some will only deliver to the cardholders address. Course, if you’re going to pop into the shop to pay for it, it’ll be different.