Importing a Yamaha YZF-R1 to the USA
The crossplane R1 is a duty-free import — the paperwork matters more than the tax.
By Priya Nair, Motorcycle import researcher · 6 min read
No duty on the litre engine; the cost is crating, freight and compliance filing.
Track-only or de-restricted bikes complicate registration — buy a road bike.
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.
| Vehicle (purchase price) | $13,000 |
| Export agent & de-registration | $500 |
| Professional crating | $400 |
| Ocean freight (crated, LCL) | $1,400 |
| Marine insurance (~1.5%) | $195 |
| Duty-free over 800cc | $0 |
| Customs broker & port handling | $410 |
| EPA / DOT entry & compliance paperwork | $150 |
| Inland transport & registration | $750 |
| Estimated all-in landed cost | $16,805 |
Compliance & the fine print
Standard EPA/DOT entry forms; verify the bike was road-registered, not track-only.
Frequently asked questions
Duty?+
0%.
Avoid?+
Track-only bikes that cannot be road-registered.
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