Shipping from the USA

[tinman905]

I have been given many reasons why someone will not ship XS1100 parts outside the US . The few that have I appreciate it very much.Here are a few reason I have been given
"I don't want to ship to Canada"
"I can't get to the post office until my mommy comes home" and never here back
" The post office will not let me ship a used motorcycle part"
"I will wait and see if someone in the US wants to buy it first"
" It has gas in it so I can't ship outside the US.
" It will cost more to ship than you will have to pay for the part"

Anyway I am just curious about shipping from outside the US. I get the impression it is not as easy as it is here in Canada. I show up at the post office with the package fill out a form ,delivery address and name, my name and address ,state what is in the box and how much it;s worth. The package is shipped to the US and the receiver of the package has been happy so far.

Is it a inconvenience to ship from the US because of customs or is this a conspiracy to keep all XS1100 parts from leaving the USA

[bikerphil]

Naaa, it's just easier if you guys come down here and pick up the parts yourself.

[tinman905]

Naaa, it's just easier if you guys come down here and pick up the parts yourself.

Yes but not all of us can't have Phil's life style and just take off to the races and pick up a good deal too!

[fredintoon]

I have been given many reasons why someone will not ship XS1100 parts outside the US . The few that have I appreciate it very much.Here are a few reason I have been given
"I don't want to ship to Canada"
"I can't get to the post office until my mommy comes home" and never here back
" The post office will not let me ship a used motorcycle part"
"I will wait and see if someone in the US wants to buy it first"
" It has gas in it so I can't ship outside the US.
" It will cost more to ship than you will have to pay for the part"

Anyway I am just curious about shipping from outside the US. I get the impression it is not as easy as it is here in Canada. I show up at the post office with the package fill out a form ,delivery address and name, my name and address ,state what is in the box and how much it;s worth. The package is shipped to the US and the receiver of the package has been happy so far.

Is it a inconvenience to ship from the US because of customs or is this a conspiracy to keep all XS1100 parts from leaving the USA

Hi Tinman,
#5 is true. USPS and the various private shipping companies will refuse to handle anything that has had gas in it. So if you ever do buy a used gas tank, tell the seller not to say that but write "used motorcycle part" on the customs declaration.
And DON'T let a U.S. seller send via UPS. Those guys will bill you a substantial "brokerage fee" atop what the seller already paid them.

[MaximPhil]

Naaa, it's just easier if you guys come down here and pick up the parts yourself.

Hi bikerphil,
I resemble that remark
Maxim Phil

[MaximPhil]

Hi TinMan,
I know the US postal service has Flat Rate boxes that can be sent Internationally. stuff in as much as you want for one fixed price so even easier than Canada Post.
Phil

[tinman905]

Hi Tinman,
#5 is true. USPS and the various private shipping companies will refuse to handle anything that has had gas in it. So if you ever do buy a used gas tank, tell the seller not to say that but write "used motorcycle part" on the customs declaration.
And DON'T let a U.S. seller send via UPS. Those guys will bill you a substantial "brokerage fee" atop what the seller already paid them.

So other than not saying there was gas in a tank or carbs (same applies here in Canada)it really isn't much different mailing something across the US than it is to Canada ?
I just assumed it was difficult to send something to Canada after being turned down to pay asking price on whatever some members were selling. A few members had no problem shipping to Canada so when I was told " I will wait and see if someone in the States wants to buy it first" I was surprised . I have no problem sending any part anywhere if it's going to help members of XS1100

[crazy steve]

...Anyway I am just curious about shipping from outside the US. I get the impression it is not as easy as it is here in Canada. I show up at the post office with the package fill out a form ,delivery address and name, my name and address ,state what is in the box and how much it;s worth. The package is shipped to the US and the receiver of the package has been happy so far.

Is it a inconvenience to ship from the US because of customs or is this a conspiracy to keep all XS1100 parts from leaving the USA

It can be a real PITA. I cleaned out my garage of my stash of mid-60s Fords parts a few years ago, and shipping to Canada was a crap shoot. Smaller items aren't too bad, but oversize/odd shaped/heavy packages could be horribly expensive. A big item like a fuel tank (even if you lie to them) can run $60 or more to ship out of the country. And if it's 'contraband' and you're unlucky enough to get checked at customs, nobody ends up happy.

It is cheaper to have stuff shipped to the US than it is to ship from...

'78E original owner

[b.walker5]

I've had plenty of bike parts shipped from the US and some from Canada, and aside from the price, and a pair of forks walking here themselves, I've had no issues. I always ask the seller if they'll ship international, even if the listing says they will only ship within the US, and I've never been turned down. I did, at one point, have some parts shipped to Diver Ray first to fill a flat rate box before shipping and that was no problem also. (still grateful for that Ray, thanks.)

Never had a bum deal, never been ripped off, and apart from the forks all have arrived within a few days. The forks came by ship and I think it took the scenic route through the north passage before heading my way.

[Cobia]

I shipped a set of fairing lowers to Crazyknuck (sp?, sory) a while ago and, besides having to fill a few extra forms, it was no big deal.

[CatatonicBug]

It all comes down to laziness. That, and here in the US, we are taught as children that the USA is the only country in the world, and outside of our borders is "no-man's land", and therefore evil. As Cobia said, all it really takes is filling out the correct form (all you have to do is stand in line for an hour at the post office to ask for the correct form, then stand in line again to submit it for postage), and paying the correct postage.

There are hard-and-fast instructions for what form to use in what circumstances, so it can be extremely confusing to try and figure it out. The postal employees are often of little help in that area too. The brokerage fees on the other end can get expensive, but that is always the responsibility of the receiver. Unfortunately, there are many international buyers who don't realize that, and complain, leave negative ebay feedback, or reject the shipment altogether because they were not quoted those fees before bidding. Many sellers simply choose not to deal with that hassle and refuse to ship internationally.

[DGXSER]

Wow, I never heard form anyone that we were the only nation in the world and all that crap. Grew up watching CBS Sports show, can;t remember the name of it but the entry tag line was something like showing a guy landing a perfect jump and saying the "thrill of victory" and then showing a ski jump dude going down and flying off the end of the ramp with "and the agony of defeat". And my dad loved the wild animal shows, Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom". So I saw alot of stuff about alot of countries. That and my grandma came over from Germany on a ship in about 1920 or before.

Anyway, I sent a package to Canada (brake lines, not a good story, previously posted on here). As far as I know the idiot got them. No big hassle or issues with mailing them though. Probably more the fear of the unknown.

[RS Thornton]

it depends

That bearing I sent you cost less in than the ones I sent within the US using the small flat rate box. I had to fill out a customs declaration so there was an additional form from the post office. You can pick up spare forms to keep at home or place of business so not hard to deal with.

That said, I have a lot of family that in London, Ontario that uses me as a mule when they cannot get things shipped, ranging from engine parts to paintball accessories to knitting/quilting books.

FWIW: you are not supposed to ship things with gas in them inside the US either, as in used fuel cells.

Scott

[CatatonicBug]

Well, maybe it was just in California... I literally thought Illinois was another country until I was 7! I only knew it existed because that's where grandma lived...

[Fix]

Well, maybe it was just in California... I literally thought Illinois was another country until I was 7! I only knew it existed because that's where grandma lived...

California is another country.