Glossary
The words in the quote, explained
48 terms from Incoterms to engine codes. If a supplier uses one you cannot find here, ask them to explain it; then tell us and we add it.
Trade & pricing
- CFR (Cost and Freight)
- FOB plus ocean freight, without insurance.
- CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight)
- FOB plus ocean freight and marine insurance to your destination port. Import duty is usually calculated on the CIF value.
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)
- Seller delivers to your door with duties paid. Convenient but opaque; taxes are usually cheaper when your own broker clears.
- Escrow / Trade Assurance
- A platform holds your payment until you confirm shipment or receipt. Alibaba Trade Assurance is the common form; good for first orders.
- EXW (Ex Works)
- Price at the factory gate; the buyer arranges everything including Chinese export clearance. Rarely sensible for overseas dealers.
- FOB (Free On Board)
- Price with the crated vehicle delivered on board the vessel at the Chinese port. The buyer pays ocean freight, insurance and everything after. Our default quote basis.
- HS code
- The Harmonized System customs code. Motorcycles are heading 8711, subdivided by engine size (e.g. 8711.30 for 250–500cc). Duty rates attach to the subheading.
- L/C (Letter of Credit)
- A bank guarantee that pays the seller when documents match. Used for larger repeat orders; costly for a first small container.
- Landed cost
- Everything it costs to get a unit into your warehouse: FOB + freight + insurance + duty + VAT/other taxes + port and broker fees + inland transport.
- MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)
- The smallest quantity a factory accepts per model, typically 20–30 units. Consolidators like us reduce this to 3 per model by combining orders.
- Proforma invoice (PI)
- The pre-order document listing models, specs, unit prices, Incoterm, payment terms, lead time and bank details. It is what you pay the deposit against; check every field.
- T/T (Telegraphic Transfer)
- A bank wire transfer. Standard is a 30% deposit and 70% balance against shipping evidence.
Shipping & documents
- 20GP / 40HQ
- 20-foot general purpose container (~26 m³ usable) and 40-foot high cube (~65 m³ usable). A crated full-size bike takes 1.8–2.3 m³.
- B/L (Bill of Lading)
- The carrier’s receipt and title document for the cargo. Needed to collect the container at destination.
- BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor)
- A fuel surcharge added to ocean freight; moves with oil prices.
- CBM (cubic metre)
- The volume unit used to plan container loads and price LCL shipments.
- Certificate of origin (CO)
- Document proving the goods were made in China. FTA versions (China–Chile, China–Peru, China–Ecuador) unlock preferential duty.
- Commercial invoice
- The seller’s invoice used by customs to value the shipment. Must match the packing list and B/L exactly.
- Form M / PAAR
- Nigeria’s import permit (Form M, via a bank) and pre-arrival assessment report used to compute duty. Start before the goods ship.
- IMO dangerous goods
- Classification for hazardous cargo. Lithium batteries fall under it (UN3480/UN3481); lead-acid batteries and fuel residue have their own rules. Our packing follows the carrier’s DG requirements.
- LCL (Less than Container Load)
- Sharing a container with other shippers, priced per CBM. Used for samples; a full container is cheaper per unit from about 8 bikes.
- MSDS / SDS
- Safety data sheet for batteries and fluids; carriers ask for it with UN38.3.
- Packing list
- Itemised list of every crate: contents, VINs, weights and dimensions. Customs and your warehouse both work from it.
- Telex release
- The carrier releases cargo electronically without the original B/L being couriered. Faster; standard for trusted trades.
- THC (Terminal Handling Charge)
- Port fee for moving the container on and off the vessel, charged at both ends.
- UN38.3
- The lithium-battery transport test report required to ship e-motos and battery packs by sea or air.
Certification
- 3CV (Chile)
- Chile’s vehicle certification centre. Models must be homologated or enter under the small-series route before registration.
- COC (Certificate of Conformity)
- A manufacturer statement that a vehicle matches an approved type. In the EU it is issued under EEC type approval; Chinese factories usually provide a COC-style spec sheet, which is not the same thing.
- EEC / DOT / EPA
- European, US Department of Transportation and US Environmental Protection Agency approvals. Model-specific, expensive and slow; most Chinese tier-2 models do not hold them.
- Euro 5 (China IV)
- Emissions standards. Many Chinese domestic-market bikes meet China IV, broadly equivalent to Euro 5, which helps in registries that accept an emissions statement.
- GSO / ESMA (Gulf)
- Gulf Standards Organisation and the UAE standards authority. Road-use vehicles need conformity; off-road machines face lighter rules.
- INEN (Ecuador)
- Ecuador’s standards institute; motorcycles need an INEN conformity certificate under the RTE INEN technical regulation.
- NOM (Mexico)
- Mexican official standards. A broker confirms which NOMs (labelling, emissions) your model must meet.
- PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection)
- A checklist inspection of each vehicle before it ships. Ours is 18 points, filmed per VIN. A second, shorter PDI at destination after assembly is good practice.
- PVoC (Kenya)
- Pre-export Verification of Conformity: inspection in China by an appointed agency before shipment, producing a certificate needed at Mombasa.
- SABER / SASO (Saudi Arabia)
- Saudi product-certification platform and standards body; motorcycles need a product certificate registered on SABER before clearance.
- SONCAP (Nigeria)
- Standards Organisation of Nigeria conformity certificate, required for vehicle imports.
- Type approval / homologation
- The regulatory process by which a vehicle model is approved for road registration in a market. Requirements range from full EEC/DOT approval to self-certified spec sheets.
- VIN
- The 17-character Vehicle Identification Number stamped on the frame. It links the bike to its PDI video, documents and parts.
Vehicles & technology
- ABS / CBS
- Anti-lock braking system, and combined braking system (a cheaper linked-brake setup). Some registries require one or the other on new motorcycles.
- DOHC / SOHC
- Double or single overhead camshaft. DOHC engines (e.g. NC450-class) rev higher and make more power; SOHC (CG-type) are simpler and cheaper to maintain.
- Dual-sport / enduro / rally / ADV
- Dual-sport: road-legal off-roader. Enduro: competition-style off-roader, often not road-legal. Rally: enduro with big tank, fairing and navigation tower. ADV: heavier touring bike with off-road ability.
- E-moto: kW and Wh
- Motor power in kilowatts sets the legal class (e.g. under 4 kW often counts as a moped). Battery capacity in watt-hours sets range. Lithium packs are lighter and last longer; lead-acid packs are cheaper and easier to ship.
- EFI vs carburettor
- Electronic fuel injection adjusts to altitude and temperature automatically; carburettors are simpler and cheaper to repair. EFI is recommended above 2,000 m (Andes).
- Naked / cruiser / commuter / cargo
- Naked: unfaired street bike. Cruiser: low-seat V-twin style. Commuter: 100–200cc daily transport. Cargo: reinforced frame and rack, often 150–200cc, for delivery and farm use.
- NC450 platform
- A 450cc DOHC liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine family originating at Zongshen, used by several Chongqing brands. Shared consumables make after-sales simpler.
- SKD / CKD / CBU
- Semi-knocked-down (partly disassembled), completely knocked-down (kit for local assembly) and completely built-up. SKD fits more units per container; CKD often attracts lower duty but needs an assembly line.
- UTV / SxS / ATV
- Utility task vehicle or side-by-side (two seats, steering wheel, 4×4) versus all-terrain vehicle (straddle seat, handlebars). Off-road only in most markets.
Related: documents checklist · FAQ
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