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.
A Kawasaki Ninja H2 costs about $28,070 all-in to import on the Japan → USA route in 2026 — a $24,000 purchase plus roughly $4,070 in shipping, 0% duty, compliance and registration.
- Route
- Japan → USA
- Est. all-in cost
- ~$28,070
- Duty & tax
- 0% duty
- On a purchase of
- $24,000
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.
How much does it cost to import a Kawasaki Ninja H2?
Every line below is a researched 2026 estimate in USD. We start from the $24,000 purchase price, add marine insurance at about 1.5% and ocean freight, then 0% US duty on the declared value, and the broker, compliance and registration fees. Change the purchase price and everything else scales only modestly.
| 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 |
Into USA the duty is light — there is none at all on this one, so tax is the small part of the bill. It is shipping (about $1,500), compliance and registration that make up most of the roughly $4,070 you add on top of the $24,000 purchase price — around 17% before you turn a wheel.
How to import a Kawasaki Ninja H2, step by step
- Agree the purchase and secure the title/export paperwork in Japan (an export agent or auction house usually handles de-registration).
- Have the bike professionally crated and booked onto an LCL ocean sailing (or share a container to cut the per-unit cost).
- Confirm eligibility from the build month — the US 25-year DOT exemption is calculated month by month, not by model year.
- Clear US customs and pay the 0% duty (over-800cc motorcycles are duty-free), then file EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7 at entry.
- Arrange inland transport, then title and register in your state — a few states add emissions or kei-vehicle checks.
Is a Kawasaki Ninja H2 legal to import? Rules & compliance
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.
Frequently asked questions
Duty on a litre bike?+
Zero — over-800cc motorcycles are duty-free.
Real cost driver?+
Crating and freight, not duty.
What is the total estimated cost to import a Kawasaki Ninja H2?+
About $28,070 all-in for a $24,000 example — the purchase price plus roughly $4,070 in freight, insurance, duty, compliance and registration. Your figure shifts with the exact price, route and exchange rate.
Read next
Importing a Nissan Skyline R34 to the USA: the true 2026 cost
Importing a Toyota Supra MK4 (A80) to the USA in 2026
