Import · Japan → USA

Importing a Kawasaki Ninja H2 to the US: real motorcycle costs

Bikes are cheaper to import than cars — and big ones come in duty-free.

By Priya Nair, Motorcycle import researcher · 7 min read

The H2's 998cc engine clears the over-800cc bracket, so US import duty is 0%.

Crating and LCL ocean freight, not tax, are the real cost of a bike import.

The full cost breakdown

Plug in your own purchase figure — everything below the vehicle scales only modestly with value. All amounts are researched 2026 estimates in USD.

Estimated landed cost — Kawasaki Ninja H2, Japan → USA, 2026
Vehicle (purchase price)	$24,000
Export agent & de-registration	$500
Professional crating	$400
Ocean freight (crated, LCL)	$1,500
Marine insurance (~1.5%)	$360
Motorcycles over 800cc are duty-free in the US	$0
Customs broker & port handling	$410
EPA / DOT entry & compliance paperwork	$150
Inland transport & registration	$750
Estimated all-in landed cost	$28,070

File EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7 at entry; a US-certified equivalent or a 25-year-old bike clears most easily.

Duty on a litre bike?+

Zero — over-800cc motorcycles are duty-free.

Real cost driver?+

Crating and freight, not duty.