Importing a Honda Pacific Coast (PC800) into Canada from the US:
- This was my experience, research and results in March 1998 when I brought my brand new 1997 PC800 into Canada without any difficulties at all.
- No duty was applied to the Pacific Coast when I brought it into the country. See this document for confirmation of the duty free status http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4140eq/rc4140-e.html
- From David Ernst of Caronport Saskatchewan who imported his wife's PC800 in August 2001 from the United States:
"Here's something I thought might be helpful to add to your page on importing a PC800. Because most officers at the border are clueless and they want to charge us for the duty, I got the manual classification # so that when the next person does this, they can tell the person at the border, page and paragraph #.
It is: 8711.50.00
Hope it helps, David."
This should be an ENORMOUS help for future Canadian importers David. Thanks ever so much for sharing your knowledge with future PC800 importers!!
- All motorcycles from the large recognized manufacturers that are approved for use in the US are acceptable in Canada.
- Only 7% GST had to be paid at the Canada Customs entry point applied to $5,995US x the $CDN exchange rate based on the invoice price.
- $210 had to be paid upon crossing to the Province of Ontario as a fee to register the vehicle in Ontario.
- 8% Provincial Sales tax was applied at the time of licensing as with all vehicles in Ontario.
- A free inspection had to be made upon arrival in Ottawa on behalf of the Province by a private inspector who basically just confirmed the serial number and called it in to register it before I got my license plates. Mine was done by Hunt Club Volkswagen on Bank Street in Ottawa, Ontario.
- Insurance costs are now about $470 per year. Maintenance costs are for oil changes primarily and very low. Nothing much seems to wear out except tires every 12,000 to 20,000 miles depending on your driving habits. My first set wore out at 12,000, Tim Davies' 1998 model has gone up to 24,000 miles on his last set.
- Phone Honda of America in California at 310-532-9811 if you want to find out about the remote possibility of new PC800s still in crates at dealers around the United States. Honda will gladly look in their data base and tell you who has them unsold as they have to be legally advised when a new motorcycle is registered and put on the road. Even though the PC800 was discontinued in 1998, there are rumors that there are still new ones at some dealers in the US.
- Because this bike was discontinued in 1998 by Honda,
there now seems to be a tendency to increased value on the few that are
available for sale. Best way to find one now is on the PC800 Chat group.
- To subscribe to the PC800 Chat Group, send "subscribe " in the body of a message to ipcrc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com You will receive a message with confirmation request (reply)
- Click here to visit the internet Pacific Coast Riders Club web site. iPCRC Web Site (I call it the PC800 Chat Group for short when talking to new people who don't know yet what it is)
- Odometer reading in miles was acceptable and is still original to this day. (Currently 16,456.4 miles as of Aug. 20/2002)
- Dual markings on the Speedometer for MPH and KPH with MPH being the larger dominant markings was not a problem.