Book a demo
Motocross riders racing through dust on a dirt track

Industries / Powersports

On the showroom floor
before riding season.

A powersports freight forwarder for crated units, a long tail of parts and the paperwork that goes with both.

Talk to an expert

Powersports

A powersports container is a puzzle of crates, engines and paperwork. We plan every piece from PO issuance, so units and parts reach your dealers before the season does.

ATVs, UTVs and dirt bikes ship crated and part-assembled, and they fill a container by volume long before they hit its weight limit. Crate design and load plans decide how many units fit in a box, so they decide your landed cost per unit. We agree them with your suppliers at origin.

Behind the units comes the long tail: parts, accessories and riding gear in small cartons and high SKU counts. A dealer notices a missing brake lever as fast as a missing bike, so we track both flows to the SKU in OWL Vision.

Why it’s hard

What makes it hard to move.

  • [01]

    Big, awkward, valuable

    Crated units run out of space before they run out of weight, and high unit values make damage and theft expensive.

  • [02]

    Fuel and batteries

    Gas units can count as dangerous goods unless tanks are drained and batteries disconnected. Electric models fall under lithium-battery vehicle rules that tightened in 2026.

  • [03]

    Paperwork on every engine

    EPA, CARB, NHTSA and CPSC requirements attach to engine families and VINs. A missing EPA declaration can leave a container sitting at the port.

  • [04]

    Two flows, one dealer

    Units arrive by the container while parts need constant replenishment. With floorplan finance, early costs money and late loses sales.

The year at a glance

Book in the fall, ride in the spring.

Spring and summer riding season sets the pace, and model-year changeovers add a second rhythm. Snow products run the other way.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec
Jan–Feb
The last spring units sail around Lunar New Year factory closures, so plan for the slow restart afterwards.
Aug–Sep
New model-year inventory lands for dealers, while snowmobile and snow accessory stock arrives ahead of winter.
Oct–Dec
Book spring floor stock and lock space before the pre-Lunar New Year rush tightens capacity.

At the border

The rules that apply.

Most powersports holds at the US border come down to missing documents, not damaged crates. Confirm your obligations with your customs broker or counsel; we make sure the paperwork is collected before the vessel sails.

  • [01] EPA

    Emissions declaration

    Off-road ATVs, UTVs and dirt bikes need an EPA certificate of conformity and emissions label, and the importer files EPA Form 3520-21 at entry. Without it, CBP can detain the goods.

  • [02] CARB

    California approval

    Units sold in California also need a CARB Executive Order covering the engine or vehicle family.

  • [03] NHTSA

    On-road safety

    Street-legal motorcycles and scooters must meet federal motor vehicle safety standards, carry a certification label and compliant VIN, and be declared to NHTSA at entry.

  • [04] CPSC

    ATV certificate

    Four-wheel ATVs must meet the CPSC ATV standard under an approved action plan, with a youth certificate for youth models. Since July 8, 2026, that certificate data is filed electronically in ACE.

  • [05] DG

    Fuel and lithium

    Carriers want a dangerous goods declaration, or confirmation that fuel is drained and batteries disconnected. E-motos and electric youth models follow lithium-battery vehicle rules.

  • [06] AD/CVD

    Carts and low-speed vehicles

    Antidumping and countervailing duty orders cover golf carts, personal transportation vehicles and low-speed vehicles from China. Check scope before you place the PO.

How OWL helps

Built around how you ship.

  1. [01]

    Space for model-year launches

    Fixed annual rates and capped peak surcharges move spring and new-model stock on a known budget, with Gain Share and index-linked options when the market softens.

    See ocean freight
  2. [02]

    Crates planned at origin

    Our local offices agree crate and load plans with your suppliers to fit more units per container, then consolidate units, parts and accessories into one flow.

    See origin management
  3. [03]

    Paperwork before the vessel sails

    EPA declarations, CPSC certificate data and dangerous goods documents are collected at the PO stage, so customs clearance isn’t waiting on a supplier email.

    See destination services
  4. [04]

    Every unit and part in view

    OWL Vision tracks each PO from issuance at container, PO and SKU level, with alerts when a unit or critical part slips. Dealers and planners know what’s arriving, and when.

    See OWL Vision
  5. [05]

    Parts flow behind the units

    Destination deconsolidation and distribution keep the parts and accessories tail on its own replenishment rhythm, with final-mile delivery on demand.

    Explore
Motocross riders racing through dust on a dirt track

“Their problem-solving creativity is unmatched in an industry where mediocrity is the norm.”

Director of TransportationPowersports and motorcycle retailer

Origins

Origins we ship from.

Our own teams across Asia, close to the factories. What we move from each origin depends on the category, so talk to us about what you buy and where, and we’ll show you how we’d ship it.

Talk to us about your origins

FAQ

Powersports logistics, answered.

[01]Do I need EPA paperwork to import ATVs or UTVs?

Yes. Off-road recreational vehicles fall under EPA’s nonroad rules, so the importer files EPA Form 3520-21 at entry, electronically in ACE or on paper. The engines must also be covered by an EPA certificate of conformity and carry the emissions label, or CBP can hold the shipment.

[02]What’s the difference between importing an on-road motorcycle and an off-road dirt bike?

On-road motorcycles are motor vehicles: they must meet NHTSA safety standards, carry a VIN and certification label, and meet EPA on-road emissions rules. Off-road-only bikes are declared as not intended for road use and fall under EPA’s nonroad rules instead.

[03]Do ATVs need a CPSC certificate?

Yes. Four-wheel ATVs must meet the CPSC ATV standard, be covered by an approved action plan and come with a General Certificate of Conformity, or a Children’s Product Certificate for youth models. Since July 8, 2026, that certificate data must be filed electronically in ACE at entry.

[04]Can gas-powered vehicles ship in a standard container?

Usually, but fuel and batteries can make them dangerous goods. Carriers normally ask for a dangerous goods declaration or confirmation that tanks are drained and batteries disconnected, so confirm with the carrier on each booking. Electric models fall under lithium-battery vehicle rules that tightened in 2026.

[05]When should I book freight for spring powersports inventory?

Most importers book spring floor stock in the fourth quarter and early in the new year, ahead of the Lunar New Year factory shutdown and the spring rush. Locking an annual contract rate in the spring contract season also protects the budget for model-year launches later in the year.

More industries

Other categories we move.

Light trails of a train racing through a tunnel

OWL Vision

Every crate, every part, one live picture.

Every PO, product and SKU on one live picture, from PO issuance to final delivery. So you know what’s arriving, and when, before your customers ask.

Book a demoSee OWL Vision