Recently I have been looking at the HD's for sale in the States on ebay. They certainly cost a lot less than those over here (particularly with the strength of the Aussie Dollar). This got me thinking about importing a bike. It seems that the import regs allow you to import a bike built in 1988 or before. Has anyone imported a bike to Australia and what are the additional costs likely to be to get enable it to be it registered. I know that old cars can be left pretty much intact ie the mph speedo does not have to be changed to kph, but I am uncertain if this applies to bikes. Any feed back would be great.  Safe riding.. Harleypup   

Hey Harleypup..

Work on around 2.5K to get it back here....and that is in AU spondoolas!

Depending on who you ship with, the freight could be $650AU
Australian Import Charges around $800AU
Total: $1450

Plus you pay 10% GST on the whole shebang including the purchase price of the bike.
Working on a bike worth say 10K in AU $'s (this is 'declared' value)
650+800+10000=11,450

Divide this by 11 to get the GST = $1040
So, all up it will cost $2450
But you could write down the value to 5K and save $500 spondoolas!

Now....the Aussie port charges for this quote has about $400 worth of fees that if you shipped with someone else's container, you wouldn't have to pay.

See what happens is that you get charged a fee per 'bill of lading'

This relates to the person of origin in the above case it's you, but if you were to ship 2 bikes under one bill of lading you would only get charged the bill of lading ONCE, but port fees for every item.

So the second bike you would save $400, that's why the trick is to ship a heap at once or with a container with other vehicle in it.

Word is, these guys are best to get a 'ball park' figure:
http://www.dasautoshippers.com/ebay/motorcycle-shipping.html?&referral=EBAYMOTORS.COM

Hope this makes sense to you mate....and I thought it was any pre '89 models...not sure?

Contacts are the go....
Cheers

Gudge, thanks for the info. Certainly gives one food for thought. Couple of questions, do you know if the the build date for a legal import increases each year eg in 2010 could you import a 1991 model? secondly are you aware of any mods that need to be done to the bikes for registration.

Thanks for taking the time to reply

I looked at the possibility of importing bikes a while ago, I found this site in the US that turns over quite a few bikes at reasonable prices:

http://www.bikerbill.com/

I wasn't aware that there was a restriction on the year of the bike though?

Hey dudes..
Gotta be pre 89....anything after that will need compliance to be registered, don't think the ten year gap has anything to do with it Pup....should have a look at that.
Maybe it's due to the emmisions and EPA crapola??
And I would expect import duties would be dearer..

The goss I heard once (could be crap) but back in the 80's the aussie dollar had boomed, over the $1US mark and around $1.20+ or something.
Anyways, dudes were going to the states and buying Harleys, container after container of shovels and pans, knucks you name it.

Harley shops were the ones goin at it the hardest, they got the spondoolas to buy up big and get better deal.
Well, Harley Davidson Dealerships (mainly Peter Stevens) were losing out for everyone is buying bikes over there and having a holiday and still have change rather than buying a new one.
It was money making heaven then, South Coast Harley bought a majority of all the servi cars used buy Police from one of their auctions.....awesome.

So I like I said, it 'could' be crap that it was due to the HD shops causing a stink and getting them to put restrictions on what can be brought in and legally registered..

At Vic Roads website you can read all the crap about importing bikes:
http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Registration/HowToRegisterOrTransfer/RegistrationRequirements/ImportedVehicleRegistration.htm
Scroll down to Documents Required for Registration and read Imported vehicles manufactured before 1989 (after June 1975 for motorcycles).

Cheers dudes

I have a question about this. What if I'm moving to Australia and I own a new bike? Does this mean I have to sell it?
This is going to really suck if this is the case.

Had a read of the Vicroads data and the DOTARS site. It seems as if you can import a bike built before 1989 and import it. The RAWS scheme apploes to bikes built after 1989, and the personal import applies mainly to bikes that you own, for at least 12 continuous months, while overseas.

Gudge, it wouldn't suprise me if the bike shops had a bitch about the imports in the 80's and closed down the markets for an 'entrepreneur'. Looking at the price for new harleys in the US compared to the cost here (given the $aud) it sure looks like we get shafted. 

Thanks for all the interest in the post. Be interested in hearing from anyone that has gone through the import process.

Safe riding, Harleypup

 

Well When (not "if" acording to me wife) we move to Australia sometime next year I'll have to post all the hoops I have to jump hrough to get the bike there.

Hey OSP1340...

If you have owned your bike for more than 12 months I reckon you will be fine mate.....whether your from Ozland or the States.
I am sure that is the only drama apart from the std fees ya gotta pay.

Well I think anyways...

Cheers

G'Day from Perth also, on importing your bike, a mate has just done same with his 04 Fatboy, as he moved back from Chicago, you'll need to get it passed for ADR's (Australian Design Rules) so that may need to include an engineers inspection, (mate was in Victoria but I'd guess will be same Oz wide on ADR's), defintely need to put the std pipes on it, that was biggest issue on the FB import and getting it approved fro ADR's.

Other points that will likely need attention:

- Headlight - low beam points the opposite way.

- Front indicators we don't  have the front indicators on as running lights

- Speedo will need to be in kilometers (not MPH)

- Don't think your licence plate mount will pass, will need to go on the rear guard and the plate to be in horizontal position.

- There are probably a few other minor points, there are outfits that bring in bikes so they should be able tohelp / direct you to someone that can run to ground the engineers report process. Generally should not be too great a hassle and definetely worth bringing given pricing and order lead times here in OZ. 

Hope this is of some help.

Pokey

 

Gidday Pokie and thanks for the info. Did your mate have ownership of the bike for 12mths while overseas or did he find some other way to import it. be nice to be able to bring over a twin cam (no offence to you evo riders!)

Cheers,

Harleypup

Harleypup he owned it for longer than 12 months while living in the states and before moving back.

Pokey

How does one import a bike back into Australia that they have owned for less than 12 months? I'm on a 3 month road trip around the states and i bought a 2005 Wide Glide, I'd love to be able to ship it home...