The rules that comply with importing bikes in India

The speed machine definitely is loads of thrills that the Indian bikers would love to speed on. In particular, the new wave of craze for super bikes was kick-started through our very own Bollywood machos. John Abraham wooed the whole chunk of bike lovers riding the super bike Suzuki Hayabusa in Dhoom.

And, of course ardent bike lovers are not ignorant of the International brand of bikes that are making a way into our country. It is because of the heavy price tags these bikes are just at the reach of the elite. Despite the price factor these heart-thumping machines have earned a good number of connoisseurs who yearn to own one of these splendid vehicles.

And yes, getting these bikes imported on to the Indian soil can be quite a task; undergoes various stages of rules and regulations stipulated by the Government of India. Apart from the huge price you actually pay up for the vehicle per se, you will not quite own the vehicle until you clear the charges levied on the bike by the Indian Government for the process of importing your apple of the eye.

If you are looking to import a sparkling new bike then you will need to cough up 105% duty and if it is a second hand vehicle then be ready to shell out as much as 100% duty, although the 2001 the Exim Policy has cleared quantitative restrictions on the used bikes that have to be imported.

Guidelines to import brand new super bikes in India
* The brand new bike you wish import should not be assembled or manufactured in India.

* Ensure that you bike has not been sold/leased/loaned before getting imported to India.

* Make sure that the bike was not used in other nation as a registered vehicle prior to the process of importing.

* The bike to be imported must have a speedometer, photometry of the headlamps, and the most important thing the vehicle should belong to the nation of the manufacturer.

* Your new bike should also meet the provisions and rules of Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, exactly on the date of import.

* The new bikes can enter into the country only through custom ports of Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai

Guidelines to import used bikes in India
* Prior to the import the bike has to be sold/loaned/leased and should be a registered to be used in any nation of course according to the laws pertaining to that particular country.

* Remember that the second hand bike cannot be more than three years old from the manufacturing date. It is compulsory that the bike has to sport a speedometer and photometry of the headlamps.

* The used bike must follow the rules and provisions as stipulated under the Moot Vehicles Act of 1988 and the bike will delivered only on the Mumbai port.



* It is also important to note that the roadworthiness of the second hand bike that is imported and it is a hard and fast rule that the bike should have a roadworthiness of at least five years, which includes an assurance to deliver service facilities in the India for the stipulated 5-year period.

The importers are solely responsible in providing reliable information of the bike's roadworthiness and also attest a certificate provided by any testing agency, which is recognized by the Government of India.

Some of the testing agencies in India include: VRDE or Vehicle Research and Development Establishment in Ahmednagar, the Automotive Research Association of India in Pune and a few other testing agencies that are specified by the Central Government.