Bicycle Import Duties into US???

[OtayBW]

Does anyone know anything about the approximate duty fees involved with bringing in a bike from Europa? I'm coming up dry amidst the mountains and myriads of doubletalk published by the CBP and the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the US....

Any info appreciated as well as tips/strategies, etc.

Thank-uns.
OTBW

[MadeinGermany]

Should be 5.5% import duty and 0.175% Harbor Maintenance Fee.
HTS heading 8712.00, subheading ?? depending on bike.

[OtayBW]

^Thank-you. If you can understand these HTS codes, you're a better man than I....

Any other info (tips/suggestions, etc.) appreciated.

[Polyglot]

You don't need to pay teh harbor maintenance fee if air freighted.

http://www.usitc.gov/publications/docs/tata/hts/bychapter/1000c87.pdf

Check pages 20 onward for the bike related items.

You should use code 8712.00.25 00 If the bike weighs less than 16.3 kg complete without accessories and not designed for use with tires having a cross-sectional diameter exceeding 4.13 cm, which gives a duty rate of 5.5%

You can however generally pay less than that if you ship and list the constituent parts separately as most components can be imported duty free.

[Plum Hill]

I am contemplating a frame purchase from Canada. Line 8714.91 specifically addresses frames and forks. General duty column says 3.9%.

What does the Special column pertain to? Seeing 'CA' listed makes me wonder if a Canadian frame comes in duty free.