I'm back but not for long, MAYBE

[Okibusa]

What's up fellows? It's been a while since I've logged on. I've been doing the things we Soldiers must do in foreign lands. I was notified while I was on deployment that I am being reassigned back to the States. So I had my wife start making the contacts necessary to prepare my Canadian specification ‘Busa for shipment back to the States. My transportation office (Army) unlike the Marines, Air Force and Navy that are assigned here in Okinawa make us take the additional step of acquiring an importation letter from the corporate office before they will ship the bike. My wife contacted the corporate office several times and since this is something that they are unfamiliar with, they are very hesitant to give me this letter. So, I may be force to sell my ‘Busa to my Marine friend who will import my bike back to the States for his pleasure and my frustration and pain. Yep, this really suck!

So shortly here, I will be without bike. I put a lot of money and effort into my ‘Busa to make her agile enough to ride the curvy mountains and slippery roads on this island. And I have become use to the high speeds in short distances. So, if I do get rid of her, I think I may replace her with a 1000 once I arrive in Florida (Coco Beach). I know, it seems sought of backwards riding a ‘Busa on a mountainous island and a 1000 on the open, flat, straight roads of Florida but, it is what it is I guess.

Anyway, it feels good to be back and, I have about one month to put as many miles on my baby before I give her away for adoption.

 

[justtight]

I hope everything works out for you

 

[heavybusa]

welcome back. sucks there is no way around this.

 

[Okibusa]

Yep, it does suck. I have sent a letter myself to Suzuki Canada trying to get this mess cleared up. I also took pictures of the importation sticker that is on the bike. They replied with that they are discussing the matter with their lawyers. As soon as I read the word "lawyers", my hope decreased, lol.

I hope there isn't any lawyers here. If so, it was only a joke. I hope it doesn't offend you.

 

[Sir T Rex]

Sell it to him and buy it back when you get back to the states...

 

[Okibusa]

Thought of that also. The problem is: 1) He is leaving Okinawa for duty in California while I will be assigned to Patrick Air Base in Coco Beach, Florida. 2) He really want my bike.

 

[extreemachine]

Hope it can be worked out!!

 

[timmat1]

I wish I could bring my bike over here to Afghanistan... it woulda made this year a lot funner. Specially since I can count maybe about 10 days outta the year where I didn't see the sun... it could be worse... good luck though

 

[BA BUSA]

Sucks that you have to give her up

 

[Sir T Rex]

(Okibusa @ Feb. 03 2007,21:55) Thought of that also. The problem is: 1) He is leaving Okinawa for duty in California while I will be assigned to Patrick Air Base in Coco Beach, Florida. 2) He really want my bike.

There is an opportunity to ride across the country. If he is a good friend, he should understand that you wanna get your baby back to the states and not part with her, UNLESS you want to do it.

Tell him that you will help him pick out the parts that he needs to kit a busa just like yours...

 

[BigDiesel]

+1 to T-Rex....try to get your bro to ship it back supposedly "to himself" n then "buy" it back....may cost some $ w/sales tax but you'd still have your bike....then help your homey find himself a Busa n kit it out 'almost' like yours....twins are only a good thing when they both happen to be female, and HOT!

 

[MC MUSTANG]

I bought Bessie in Japan and shipped her back in my household goods, that went through the Army Depot at Sagamihara.  What letter are they asking for, and are you trying to ship the bike as part of your HHG or as a vehicle - the biggest difference is them crting it up where you live vs, riding it down and dropping it off at Naha Port at the Army office there.

What does the letter need to say?  I think it is just a letter certifying what the specs on the bike are to ensure that it meets American import rules... so there shouldn't be much lawyering involved unless somebody is asking the wrong questions or doesn't know how to ask the right ones.

Let me know what they are telling you, with a timeframe and lets figure something out.  Send me a PM...

BTW, what personal propert/travel management office are you working with?

 

[Okibusa]

MC Mustang, you have a very clear picture of the situation and I wish that I was dealing with the transportation office at Zama. But, they are two separate offices and Zama doesn’t want to get involved with Okinawa and how they interpret their policies. I’ll tell you the main problem, which is you have a guy sitting in the transportation office that won’t lift a finger to do anything. Instead, he is relying on his Japanese employees to interpret the regulation.

In Okinawa, there is Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine transportation offices. Only the Army (and because I’m in the Army, I’m stuck with the Army office) requires this importation letter.

Here’s the entire situation. My bike was made for importation and carries the importation label on the bike. This alone is good enough for the other services, but not the Army. The Army requires that the bike be identified by VIN from the corporate office on letterhead. So I contacted Suzuki Canada with the VIN and asked them to send me a letter stating that my bike was made for importation. Suzuki Canada says that although your bike was made for importation, it was never imported; therefore, we have nothing to do with it. I explained to them that I am not asking them to import my bike or do anything else with it. Only to verify via company stationary that my bike was made for importation (Canadian specifications).

Trekking across America sounds like fun but, I don’t think I will have the time for it. With this new job assignment, I will be spending a lot of time in Central and South America. Originally I was scheduled to leave Okinawa in September. I received a message while I was deployed that the Army needed me at Patrick and they needed me now. For those of you that are currently in the military or have been in the military know what that means.

Another issue is speaking to someone at Suzuki Canada. Their phone system is such that you must have the name of a person to call them. Otherwise, the phone system keeps you in a continuous loop. You must type in the person last name as the phone extension number. I’ve only been communicating through E-mail. Although there is a phone number on the E-mail, they are very careful not to leave a name.

 

[dadofthree]

Good luck dude.

 

[MC MUSTANG]

What about an office in Japan? Would they be able to identify the bike by VIN? I have friends in mainland Japan who may be able to contact the corporate office there and get something from them... they are Japanese and could at least maybe weed through some tape for you?

 

[Okibusa]

Yea, the Suzuki dealer that I purchased the bike from is doing that very same thing right now. He started workng on it last Tuesday. I will go out and see him later on today. I'll keep you informed on how that goes.

 

[MC MUSTANG]

(Okibusa @ Feb. 04 2007,22:50) Yea, the Suzuki dealer that I purchased the bike from is doing that very same thing right now. He started workng on it last Tuesday. I will go out and see him later on today. I'll keep you informed on how that goes.

Let me know if there is anything that I can do... I still know several people on Okinawa and the mainland...

 

[GMbusa]

If you redid the suspension to fit your needs then you may want to remove your current suspension and other addons and put some stock parts on in their place. Then ship the removed parts here to the states, buy another Busa and install the parts.

 

[Okibusa]

Yep, I considered that. That is a pretty slick idea but, I sold my stock pipes. The other stuff I could still do. But, the dealer where I bought my bike from is a really good guy. Often, I would ride my bike to his shop, drop it off and choose from one of his many slightly used '04, '05, '06 GSX-R 1000 and just ride off. Now, the 1000 bug is biting really hard.

I want my 'Busa but, if I have to give her up and buy a new bike in the States, it would "probably" be a 1000.

 

[Copperone]

Sure hope things work out the way you want them to....