I can understand why folks in Australia are angry about second hand imported bikes being sold through bike shops at inflated prices.
I get annoyed however when those same dealers get pissed off with someone like me importing my own bike because I cant afford the prices being charged in Australia. It annoys me even more when these same dealers then refuse to service my bike because it was not originally Australian delivered.
Bad attitudes like this will certainly make me take my business and the business of my friends to dealers and workshops who have a genuine interest in any Harley rider and their bike and not waste my time with big egos.
For me, it was either import my own bike and use a RAWS for compliance or never get a Harley.
I would sugest to anyone if they went this way to get something that is stock standard or very close to it !! even pipes etc.
cheers Jimmy.
got my jap import from www.robzridez.com.au he has a import ad on ebay. had no trouble and had bike delivered to the door trouble free
My sincere condolences Chopa.
Wayne,
I know your wife had been sick for a long time. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I wish you success in your new business venture. I think you are doing the right thing. Follow your instincts, that innver voice is seldom wrong. Good Luck Buddy.
Michael
I just had my Bike shipped from Hawaii to Auckland NZ. As a non Resident i had to shell out $ 1700 nz on Taxes and another $600 nz for the Paper work. I was blown away by that since i Paid $1700 + tax to have it shipped. If you need a Shipper from the US ...try The Shipping Shack......Owners name is William (Will) Danahue
There has indeed been some "nightmare" scenarios here in Perth AND some of plain sailing ?? One mate of mine has just last week picked up his 2008 CVO 105th Anniversary Springer. THE ONLY DRAMA WAS the waiting waiting for the process to unfold , paperwork and pink stickers to cross Australia etc etc ! All good in the end , just took 7 weeks + . I had the stock exhaust / Km/H speedo etc etc for it Another good mate ,mint low miles 2006 Heritage Springer , has had NO END of grief , bike has been in Australia for well over 6 months and it's still not passed compliance. All sorta grief , the only Heritage to have twin exhausts one either side of the bike like a dresser , they didn't like the stock OEM Tombstone rear light and LOTS more. Height of the stock Mini Apes yada yada... Some kind of "Inspectors" from Canberra involved themselves with that bike , a " random " chance apparently , which is where all the grief ensued. The bike was a PEACH ? WTF ?? Bike has now been trucked to Qld for " finishing " ?? A severe dose of FUCK THAT says me !! Now both of these bikes were clean one owner jobs bought from US Harley dealers , the CVO in North Carolina and the 2006 Heritage springer from Bartels HD in Marina del Rey in LA.
My own 2008 CVO Springer came from HD of Central Texas direct to Perth , and just sailed right thru' NO WORRIES , that was 12 months ago nearly ! So it looks like it's just " YER LUCK MATE "
The Australian Government Agency that governs import laws is known as the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Their Registered Automotive Workshop Scheme (RAWS) Department deals specifically with importing vehicles. (http://raws.infrastructure.gov.au/)
If you log onto their web site click on the “Search for a RAW” button on the left column of the page, third from the bottom. There you will be prompted to select your state and what motorcycle manufacturer you want to import. The site will then show you a list of approved RAWS vendors in your state.
Most of these companies will charge in the neighborhood of $2500 for their service. If I were you I’d try to negotiate the price. Using the ploy of “hey if this bike works out there is a good change I will be doing this on a regular basis”, etc. It’s worth a try!
Most of the problems reported in this forum relates to two main issues. 1. The bike gets damaged during shipment or 2. The bike has too many modifications from stock and the costs to correct the issues becomes extensive and eliminates any potential savings.
We overcome these problems by adhering to a process we know is proven and reliable. 1. We always crate our bikes and keep them separate for all other bikes and other cargo, it’s a little more expensive but it eliminates a ton of headaches and is money well spent. 2. We make sure the bike is back to stock condition before we ship it. Many times used bikes have aftermarket exhaust systems, many have custom handle bars, mirrors, tail light, license plate frames or turn signal modifications.
If the bike you want to import has these modifications, do your best to find inexpensive used parts on eBay and Craigslist. First and foremost the exhaust system should be nice and quiet like the original stock exhaust. It’s a good idea to replace any and all of the items mentioned above if they are not stock. We cover the aftermarket parts in protective bubble wrap and put them in boxes we secure inside the crate. This way the bike will pass the Australian Design Rules (ADR) conversion without any problems. Once the bike is in your garage, you can put the cool aftermarket stuff back on.
Expect to pay $750 for crating and loading and between $800 and $1100 sea freight to Australia depending on the port (Sydney to Fremantle).
Feel free to IM me or call me in San Francisco at 925 890-0691. I have added a couple of pictures of our crating process…
Thanks USMotorcycleSales. It was helpful to read about the two common issues experienced by importers. As stated in my post, I am buying a brand new bike. It should come in a crate of its own. I will make sure to ask the USA bike dealer to keep my crate and pay them to crate it back up. What I am looking for is forum members to REVIEW some Melbourne based import service providers and share their experiences with me (and many others who will read this thread in months/years to come). I can google or search gov sites for importers but I don't know who is good and who is dodgy.
Harleys dont come in a timber crate they only have a steel tray bottom and the rest is only cardboard with a couple of steel supports.
