Tariff Update

[marshg246]

But AN does not provide the weight until after ordering, on their commercial invoice, no?
I guess you just estimate.

No, I put what I want in the cart, click to the end and see if Royal Mail is offered. If not, I go back an remove things until it is. PITA, but it's the only way. I've asked to know the weights up front, and don't, want to keep asking and being a nag.

I really hope they get a 20kg Royal Mail account. Then I could at least order all I need in one order.

The extra special annoying part is like my last order. I kept adding light things until I lost Royal Mail and then removed one, but when it actually shipped, it was 1.898kg. They have to have a fudge factor because the package limit is 2kg, not the part limit. You'll probably notice less padding in the boxes now.

 

[360 Twin]

Thanks for the tip. It must be difficult dealing with international shipping on the daily. UPS overcharged me from AN, but not RGM around five months ago.

This may not be the place to ask, but let me know if you have an interstate seat…

 

[marshg246]

Thanks for the tip. It must be difficult dealing with international shipping on the daily. UPS overcharged me from AN, but not RGM around five months ago.

This may not be the place to ask, but let me know if you have an interstate seat…

I don't and here's more on weight.

Large items like seats are generally calculated at double their weight. This is because they cause larger boxes to be used. I learned this the hard way a while back because I ordered a seat and a lot of small things from AN and the total shipping weight was way more than the package weighed so I questioned the shipping charge. Same thing happened when I ordered a lot of AMAL carb sets. The shipping weight and therefore charge was way high because it was a big box. If I remember right six carbs sets is calculated at the actual weight and any more is double.

If you order often, you will likely either be screwed or in for a big fight if DHL, UPS, or FedEx is used.:

About 50% of DHL orders before the current tariffs when there were none, were changed tariffs - DHL is the easiest to fix, but the order sometimes gets sent back before it is fixed.

UPS used to be the best but now they are very bad, about 75% of orders are charged wrong and they make it very difficult to correct. The key is knowing the email address: aknentyrvw@ups.com If you write them and clearly state the problem they can fix it - all other methods will not work.

I have never found a way to fix the FedEx errors and simply will not buy from suppliers who insist on using them.

 

[acotrel]

My friend had a small engineering business for most of his working life. I have also worked in engineering factories. We discussed the problem of bringing manufacturing back to Australia, including tariff protection. Neoliberalism is not reversible. 'Life is a learning process' - we need to adapt. If free trade is 'for the common good' - signing the Lima Declaration was ethical. Consumer preference is supposed to affect quality, safety, environmental and security issues. Bullshit baffles brains.

 

[nortonmargie]

I just ordered two oil filters and an "oil tank drain tool" from AN. The oil filters were $9.01 each. The "drain tool" was $11.97. I didn't know such an item existed and have been mcgyvering different spouts from the auto parts store. So- total parts bill about $30. Total bill was about $65. The shipping and tariff was more than the parts. Grin and get out your wallet....

 

[marshg246]

I just ordered two oil filters and an "oil tank drain tool" from AN. The oil filters were $9.01 each. The "drain tool" was $11.97. I didn't know such an item existed and have been mcgyvering different spouts from the auto parts store. So- total parts bill about $30. Total bill was about $65. The shipping and tariff was more than the parts. Grin and get out your wallet....

Many here use: https://a.co/d/1rj4jI6 as it will cover all Commando draining and filling needs. The AN oil filters I have in stock are pre-tariff - two from me delivered
to you they are about $30.00 so you could have spent under $40!

 

[concours]

I just ordered two oil filters and an "oil tank drain tool" from AN. The oil filters were $9.01 each. The "drain tool" was $11.97. I didn't know such an item existed and have been mcgyvering different spouts from the auto parts store. So- total parts bill about $30. Total bill was about $65. The shipping and tariff was more than the parts. Grin and get out your wallet....

You can buy the oil filters at your local NAPA auto parts store, German made MANN quality.
The drain tool is cleverly fashioned roof flashing.

Perhaps choosing to spend those ancillary dollars when you need British bike parts may help soften the blow.

JMWO

 

[nortonmargie]

Many here use: https://a.co/d/1rj4jI6 as it will cover all Commando draining and filling needs. The AN oil filters I have in stock are pre-tariff - two from me delivered
to you they are about $30.00 so you could have spent under $40!

The Amazon part you directed me to is out of stock. Must be a popular item!

 

[marshg246]

The Amazon part you directed me to is out of stock. Must be a popular item!

People must have jumped on it - it was available when I sent the link.

This seems to be the same thing, just red: https://a.co/d/hUzTqyI

And, there are a bunch more.

 

[marshg246]

Latest issue - hope it's just the holiday shipping load.

Royal Mail received my latest AN order on the 16th and they got it to "ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)" at 0257 local on the 19th. That's normal. The tracking has been stuck at "inbound to customs" ever since - over 4.5 days so far and the duties are pre-paid. The estimated delivery was the 22nd until today and now there is none shown

Anyone else stuck "inbound to customs" in NY?

 

[nortonmargie]

My package from AN showed up last weekend - normal pre-tariff travel time

 

[marshg246]

Latest issue - hope it's just the holiday shipping load.

Royal Mail received my latest AN order on the 16th and they got it to "ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)" at 0257 local on the 19th. That's normal. The tracking has been stuck at "inbound to customs" ever since - over 4.5 days so far and the duties are pre-paid. The estimated delivery was the 22nd until today and now there is none shown

Anyone else stuck "inbound to customs" in NY?

Forgot to update. The package arrived late on the 24th. Royal Mail

I guess US customs was just busy/shorthanded. Still only a little slower than UPS but MUCH less expensive and no drama

Thank you AN for getting this setup!

A little birdy told me that AMAL is almost setup for Royal Mail, customs pre-paid like AN. I'm hoping for the 20kg plan so I can order a lot of sets.

 

[marshg246]

OK, UPS just about gave me a heart attack!

I sent a big Wassell order over the weekend. They shipped this morning UK time as usual. Wassell is always fast and smooth.

UPS sent a request for Duty and Fee right away. The duty is correct and the fee is their standard $14. This is the only time it has been smooth with UPS since August 29, 2025. Of course, the shipping is extremely expensive with UPS - way more than Royal Mail and less than DHL.

I hate the extra expense of duties but then I cannot finish customer bikes without AN, Wassell, Tri-Spark, and AMAL. When you add drama to the expense, I question why I do it so I'm happy there's never any with AN and this Wassell order has had not.

 

[marshg246]

AN announced in the Feb "The Source" that they now are setup to do customs with UPS to some countries, including the US, "up front". I know they were working on it and was hoping it would be good. I've written for clarification, but I'm not overjoyed right now.

1) They appear to have eliminated Royal Mail for under 2kg orders. Royal Mail's cost was WAY less than UPS.
2) Since the duties started, UPS has charged the 25% duty plus a $14.00 brokerage fee (and sometimes tried to slip in other fees). I put in an AN test order, and the fees came to over $30. It is a small test: 24.84 GBP in parts, 72.73 GPB total. 293%! That comes out to about $100 USD delivered for about $34 USD. Pre tariff my factor was 1.32 to 1.45 for UPS - for Royal Mail, my last order factor was 1.92. If I were to checkout with this order, my factor would be about 4.03! (Factor: take GBP parts price * the factor. That gives my landed cost in USD which includes parts cost, shipping duties, fees, exchange rate, etc.)

This is not AN's fault/problem. The US tariffs are the key, but UPS, IMHO, it maximizing their income using the tariffs as an excuse. I do not begrudge them charging $14 to handle it, even though is it all electronic and has little or no cost per transaction. It's the high shipping rates and adding fees to AN to do what they already do that annoys me.

I've been telling people lately that if they take the AN GBP price and multiple it by 2 they will be in the ballpark of my price to them plus shipping. Guess I have to quit saying that now.

If Royal Mail is really gone, then small orders will really hurt your wallet! I still have about $65k of pre-tariff AN parts in stock so I'm not replenishing that stock. I am ordering what I need for my builds and adding specific requests to my AN and Wassell orders for this not in a hurt. With Royal Mail gone, large orders are the only way to somewhat hold the cost down.