Trike in Canada - How to make it legal? - General Motorcycle Discussion Forum - Forums

hatchetman

Senior Guru

Joined:	Mon Jun 18th, 2007
Location:	Bowser, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada
Posts:	3027
Goldwing:	GL1100 Aspencade
Mileage:	100,000 KM+
Status:	Offline
Mana:
My Gallery
back to top

Lets get creative here for a moment. Can a person come across the border with a trailer load of misc bike parts, properly itemized for customs so it is really not a vehicle but alot of parts with a frame that bears a registration? If that is possible, I know that it is possible to build a bike, Have it inspected & a regestration gets produced as a home built vehicle!

Will that work?

____________________
http://www.veteranbikebuild.webs.com
hatchetman@goldwingfacts.com

Posted: Sun Feb 20th, 2011 10:33 pm

22^nd Post

Senior Member

Joined:	Fri Oct 13th, 2006
Location:	White Rock (S. Surrey), British Columbia Canada
Posts:	3517
Goldwing:	GL1200 Interstate
Mileage:	181,000kms ...
Status:	Online
Mana:
My Gallery

back to top

wpgfire wrote: Well, discus, I'm afraid cc is right on this one. I just checked the Transport Canada website for admissibility of Motor Tricycles. The only one currently allowed is the 2009 and newer Pit Boss manufactured by Polaris. The only other conversions that are admissible are ones that have been converted for more than 15 years. That's not originally manufactured 15 years ago. It's converted more than 15 years ago. (CONVERTED prior to 1994 for 2009)

No other info on the website, though there is a section under construction regarding 3 wheeled vehicles but no info yet, so I phoned the Transport Canada 1-888 # and asked them about admissibility. Got the same info as the website but the guy did add that the section under construction was going to be updated in the near future. Info he gave me was that NO conversions, other than those mentioned above, are admissible. In order for your 1800 trike to be allowed into Canada as an import Transport Canada would have to name your conversion company SPECIFICALLY as an authorized manufacturer. He basically said good luck with that.

I'm afraid you got bad info all around. I've imported half a dozen bikes over the last few years and have always checked the website for admissibility and if unsure contacted Transport Canada directly to clarify and then had them confirm via email so I'd have something in writing. Here's the website to start at:

http://www.riv.ca/ImportingAVehicle.aspx

It looks like you have 4 options, all distasteful and/or expensive;

1. have someone, maybe the conversion guy that got you in this mess, sell the bike for you, or

2. contact Transport Canada and lobby them to put your conversion company on the admissible list. Problem with this option is that it would take over a year for it to happen and no one but you would be in a rush to get it done. Plus, the guy I talked to at Transport Canada said that it wasn't too likely that modifiers would get a look anytime soon as there are a number of manufacturers that are putting out trikes straight out of the factory that are getting the first look.

3. Buy a house in Phoenix and store it there so you can ride it when you fly south to escape winter. As you well know, that would actually give you a longer riding season than where you live now.

4. Do as CC has suggested and restore and reconvert.

Good luck sorting out the mess.

Old topic renewed. Sorry. Does this mean that if I found a 1990-1996 GL1500 trike that was convereted in the same year it was manufactured, I could import into Canada. That would be my dream. :bow:

____________________
Angela "fysty-1" & Dani, S.Surrey, B.C.
"Baby Blue" 1985 Gold Wing GL1200 Interstate
"No matter how blue it may get, there is always a rainbow in the sky."
"Blue is not the fastest color, but it is the prettiest"
http://gl1200goldwings.com/portal.php
http://classicgoldwings.com/forum/
http://www.womenridersnow.com/forum/index.php (women only)

Posted: Mon Feb 21st, 2011 03:26 am

23^rd Post

Senior Member

Joined:	Tue May 8th, 2007
Location:	Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Posts:	1021
Goldwing:	GL1500 SE
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

That was the case when I checked last. Contacting Transport Canada directly is the only way to go. Rules change. Wouldn't go by the word of a forum member ,even me, on this one.

____________________
Lawrence

'98 Valkyrie - current
'97 1500SE (Austone Taxi Tire) - current
'87 Aspencade
'86 Interstate
'83 Interstate
'81 Silverwing
'86 Venture Royale
'84 450 Nighthawk
'78 Wing
'75 500T
'74 CB350

Posted: Mon Feb 21st, 2011 05:13 pm

24^th Post

nobbie

Senior Member

Joined:	Thu Mar 22nd, 2007
Location:	Toronto, Ontario Canada
Posts:	4004
Goldwing:	GL1500 SE
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

wpgfire wrote:

That was the case when I checked last. Contacting Transport Canada directly is the only way to go. Rules change. Wouldn't go by the word of a forum member ,even me, on this one.

Good advice. Communicate in writing and keep every inch of paperwork. Double check every number.

If anything goes wrong it, correcting after the fact is like unscrambling an egg.

P.S. The OP was a one question member and I wonder about the final outcome. Considering the $$ involved and that they were dealing with the government I sense a disappointment.

Last edited on Mon Feb 21st, 2011 05:20 pm by nobbie

____________________
Len
___________________________
If you ask for directions you only go places where people have already gone.

Posted: Sat Feb 26th, 2011 04:29 pm

25^th Post

Senior Member

Joined:	Tue May 8th, 2007
Location:	Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Posts:	1021
Goldwing:	GL1500 SE
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

Turns out that I know 'Discus'. His father-in-law did finally get the trike into Canada but not without a major pain in the a$$. Trike had to be stripped down and put back together as a bike, returned to Canada, imported all the parts to make the trike conversion and then have the bike built into a trike here in Canada. fortunate thing in the whole process was that the outfit that did the original conversion admitted they'd made an error and were helpful in clearing up the whole thing. They even sent a guy up to Canada to do the trike conversion here and make it right.

Moral of the story - DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND GET IT IN WRITING!

Simple search of Transport Canada website would have raised a red flag and raised questions as to the admissibility of an imported trike. Even though one customs agent told them it would be admissible they didn't, and never would have, got it on paper.

Posted: Sun Feb 27th, 2011 01:13 am

26^th Post

happysailor

Member

Joined:	Fri May 4th, 2007
Location:	Brandon, Manitoba Canada
Posts:	94
Goldwing:	GL1200 LTD, GL1500 Interstate
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
My Gallery
back to top

curious.Our local dealer had a new trike for sale last fall, presumably triked in Canada so I assume that makes it legal. When a trike is registerted here does it say trike, or just motorcycle.? If a bike then was registered in Manitoba, driven down, triked and driven back whats the worry. Im sure all of us have always declared ALL of our US purchases

Posted: Sun Feb 27th, 2011 02:07 am

27^th Post

Senior Member

Joined:	Tue May 8th, 2007
Location:	Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Posts:	1021
Goldwing:	GL1500 SE
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

Its listed as a trike. Here's the quote from MPIC :readit:

:

"Trike (2 Rear Wheels)
A motorcycle that is similar to a touring motorcycle but that is equipped with two wheels at the back and one at the front. The usual layout of a trike is for the power to be delivered to one or both rear wheels, while the front is used for steering."

And, really, not admitting to putting new tires on your car or bike is one thing but risking the loss of your vehicle PLUS the fines? And even if you were able to sneak it across, what about the first time you had to take it in for a claim? Not only would they not honor your claim, they'd also chase you for any other losses. You wouldn't be a 'happysailor' for long, would you?

Last edited on Sun Feb 27th, 2011 02:09 am by wpgfire

Posted: Sun Feb 27th, 2011 02:11 am

28^th Post

Daryl Martel

Very Active Member

Joined:	Tue Jul 28th, 2009
Location:	Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Posts:	496
Goldwing:	GL1100 Interstate, GL1500 SE
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

Glad to hear that Discus'd father-in-law did eventually get the trike across. What a PITA that adventure must have been! I hope he at least saved a few pennies vice buying one here!

____________________
RCAF - serving

Spending my daughter's inheritance one motorcycle at a time :^)

Posted: Sun Feb 27th, 2011 01:25 pm

29^th Post

happysailor

Member

Joined:	Fri May 4th, 2007
Location:	Brandon, Manitoba Canada
Posts:	94
Goldwing:	GL1200 LTD, GL1500 Interstate
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
My Gallery
back to top

point well taken wpgfire.and i do agree, not worth the risk for all kinds of reasons, but it does seem that in these days of "free trade" why Canada still put so many restrictions on what can be imported.

Posted: Sun Feb 27th, 2011 01:50 pm

30^th Post

OnaWingandaPrayer

Senior Member

Joined:	Thu Nov 17th, 2005
Location:	San Antonio Fl, Florida USA
Posts:	7286
Goldwing:	GL1000, GL1100 Interstate, GL1500 Aspencade, GL1500 SE
Mileage:	New Project "The Grandaddy" of them all ,1975 GL1
Status:	Offline
Mana:
My Gallery
back to top

wpgfire wrote: Its listed as a trike. Here's the quote from MPIC :readit:

____________________
Mike
You meet the nicest people on a Honda !
83 Interstate
'93 1500 Aspencade , fastest color at night ! some assembley required . Thankyou Brian for the second chance.
94SE 184000 miles

Posted: Sun Feb 27th, 2011 04:07 pm

31^st Post

Senior Member

Joined:	Tue May 8th, 2007
Location:	Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Posts:	1021
Goldwing:	GL1500 SE
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

Actually, I believe the Spyder is the ONLY trike that may be imported to Canada from the USA. They consider 'factory manufactured' trikes as legitimate, Spyder being the only one, though I may be wrong about that as it seems to me that HD is now maiking one, too. Here in Manitoba the Public Insurance Company (read monopoly) has a category for the Spyder-like trikes.

3-Wheel Motorcycle (2 Front Wheels)
A motorcycle that is designed with a "Y" shaped chassis featuring two wheels in the front and one in the rear.

We actually have 16 body styles listed for motorcycles and each pays according to the statisical average for their body style re: accident rates/theft rates/cost of repair/injury costs. Its enough to tear your hair out. Some days I wish for a shot of good 'ol American thinking. There's no way Americans would stand for a monopoly insurance company that continually spouts socialist rhetoric and twists statistics to justify their draconian policies. But that's another rant.

Back to the Spyder: if you want to import one and you have a driving record with a few speeding tickets and an accident or two, here's what you'll pay annually for the pleasure of riding for 5 months -

Estimate for:
2010 CAN AM SPYDER RT LIMITED 2010 Rates
Effective Mar 01, 2010 2011 Rates
Effective Mar 01, 2011 Basic Insurance Premium

$2,427

$2,457

Collision Deductible

$34

$30

Comprehensive Deductible

$258

$206

Third Party Liability

$27

Interest and Administration Fee

Total Insurance Cost

$2,746

$2,720

Registration Charge

$89

Plate Use Charge

Total Registration Cost

$93

TOTAL ESTIMATE

$2,839

$2,813

And you can't avoid the total by only insuring it for 5 months. The premium is pro-rated so you're only paying from May 1st to Sept 30th. Buy your insurance on May 1st and hand in your plates on Sept 30th and you'll still pay the whole amount and get nothing back when you hand in the plates.

Ain't democracy wonderful? :hoppingmad:

Posted: Sun Feb 27th, 2011 06:04 pm

32^nd Post

nobbie

Senior Member

Joined:	Thu Mar 22nd, 2007
Location:	Toronto, Ontario Canada
Posts:	4004
Goldwing:	GL1500 SE
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

happysailor wrote: curious.Our local dealer had a new trike for sale last fall, presumably triked in Canada so I assume that makes it legal. When a trike is registerted here does it say trike, or just motorcycle.? If a bike then was registered in Manitoba, driven down, triked and driven back whats the worry. Im sure all of us have always declared ALL of our US purchases

____________________
Len
___________________________
If you ask for directions you only go places where people have already gone.

Posted: Mon Feb 28th, 2011 04:17 am

33^rd Post

Overthehill

Member

Joined:	Tue Feb 1st, 2011
Location:	Bruderheim, Alberta Canada
Posts:	18
Goldwing:	GL1100 Interstate
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

nobbie wrote: happysailor wrote: curious.Our local dealer had a new trike for sale last fall, presumably triked in Canada so I assume that makes it legal. When a trike is registerted here does it say trike, or just motorcycle.? If a bike then was registered in Manitoba, driven down, triked and driven back whats the worry. Im sure all of us have always declared ALL of our US purchases

I was wondering about the same thing.

Here in Ontario our insurance companies ask about modifications but I'm not sure what the description says on the title for a trike.

My insurance dropped this year mostly due to a decrease in mandatory medical coverage. I now pay $1089 a year with a clear record. Full coverage and $2M liability.

The liability portion is only $224 but mandatory medical coverage is $483. Collision and other perils are $173. Then they hit you for a few other maybes.

Holy carp. I guess I'll never b!ch again about having to pay $376.00 for my insurance. Collision would be another $200 or so but my bike ain't worth it. I rode till the end of Oct. this year so canceling the liability would only save me a couple of bucks, so not worth the effort. My registration is in July, so I end up paying the full $47.00 I don't register my snowmobiles till Dec, so they are pro rated to about half. $23.00 and they cost me $98.00 each per year to insure. I've been with the same insurance company for over 20 years now with no accidents so I get good rates. As far as medical coverage is concerned, I never realized that some provinces don't have health care. Ours is paid by the Government again. For a couple of decades we had to pay over a hundred bucks a month for coverage for a family of four.

Posted: Mon Feb 28th, 2011 06:11 am

34^th Post

Senior Member

Joined:	Fri Oct 13th, 2006
Location:	White Rock (S. Surrey), British Columbia Canada
Posts:	3517
Goldwing:	GL1200 Interstate
Mileage:	181,000kms ...
Status:	Online
Mana:
My Gallery

back to top

OnaWingandaPrayer wrote: wpgfire wrote: Its listed as a trike. Here's the quote from MPIC :readit:

:

"Trike (2 Rear Wheels)
A motorcycle that is similar to a touring motorcycle but that is equipped with two wheels at the back and one at the front. The usual layout of a trike is for the power to be delivered to one or both rear wheels, while the front is used for steering."

So from reading this I guess a Can Am Spyder trike is out of the question .H-D also has a factory built trike. The Can Am Spyder is readily available here so importation is unnessesary. :sleepy:

Posted: Mon Feb 28th, 2011 03:48 pm

35^th Post

Senior Member

Joined:	Tue May 8th, 2007
Location:	Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Posts:	1021
Goldwing:	GL1500 SE
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

Aw, com' on Ang. That's no fun. Just looking at the Can Am website, there's a $3,500 difference in the price of a new Spyder RT Limited just by crossing the border. I've crossed for a lot less than that! Just because something is readily available in Canada does not mean its unnecessary to shop around. Last time I looked Goldwings are readily available in Canada yet I've imported 5. Why? Check the prices!

Here's another example I found after clicking for 5 minutes:

A brand NEW 2009 Spyder SE5 in the US for $14,500

USA 2009 Spyder SE5

And an ALMOST brand new 2009 SE5 (1,400 km) in Canada for $18,500

Canadian 2009 Spyder SE5

Guess which one I'd look at first.

Posted: Mon Feb 28th, 2011 10:44 pm

36^th Post

Senior Member

Joined:	Fri Oct 13th, 2006
Location:	White Rock (S. Surrey), British Columbia Canada
Posts:	3517
Goldwing:	GL1200 Interstate
Mileage:	181,000kms ...
Status:	Online
Mana:
My Gallery

back to top

wpgfire wrote: Aw, com' on Ang. That's no fun. Just looking at the Can Am website, there's a $3,500 difference in the price of a new Spyder RT Limited just by crossing the border. I've crossed for a lot less than that! Just because something is readily available in Canada does not mean its unnecessary to shop around. Last time I looked Goldwings are readily available in Canada yet I've imported 5. Why? Check the prices!

Here's another example I found after clicking for 5 minutes:

A brand NEW 2009 Spyder SE5 in the US for $14,500

USA 2009 Spyder SE5

And an ALMOST brand new 2009 SE5 (1,400 km) in Canada for $18,500

Canadian 2009 Spyder SE5

Guess which one I'd look at first.

I quess when one has one over a barrel there is no point in arguing. :ROFL:

But what if you are like me and don't feel that after all these years that I should not be made to get a passport just to go 2.5 miles to cross the line. Drove truck for too many years and lived too close to the border to be told when I can & when I can't travel. :hoppingmad:

Posted: Mon Feb 28th, 2011 11:41 pm

37^th Post

Senior Member

Joined:	Tue May 8th, 2007
Location:	Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Posts:	1021
Goldwing:	GL1500 SE
Mileage:
Status:	Offline
Mana:
back to top

But in your case I can understand their insistence. After all, we all know that folks from BC are all takin' a bit of the 'White Rock'!

Wouldn't want none o' that showing up at NASSIR4! :cheesygrin:

Posted: Tue Mar 1st, 2011 01:47 am

38^th Post