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stormerUK
23rd November 2008, 21:51
Hi all,
Wife and I been looking at NZ for a few years now.....getting a bit full in UK!.....been over in November for a good look around and....well, no need to say more you folks know. The present world financial situation means we won't be selling up until things brighten up a bit but hopefully over there for next World Rugby Cup (be able to support a winning team for a change!). Like the feel and look of Rotorua area but will depend where wife can find a job (Microbioligist). We are both heavily involved with the Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists as Observers with our local group www.cwam.org.uk and I am wondering if there is a comparable set up in NZ? I ride a Blackbird and she rides a Vtec and I am starting to wonder about the prose and cons of shipping them or buying fresh in NZ. Will be reading a lot about your biking NZ on the forums and hopefully soon will not be on the wrong side of the planet.

Fatjim
24th November 2008, 07:00
Well you're lucky the NZ dollar has fallen as fast as the pound. WTF is happening there? House prices are in a dip at the moment, about 10-20% below there peak of last year.

New bikes tend to be a tiny bit cheaper here, a newish blackbird could be had for around $14 -15k. CB1000R lists at $19k. The current rate is $2.80 to the pound.

fire eyes
24th November 2008, 14:43
helllooooooooo & welcome .. umm for when you here :cool:

stormerUK
25th November 2008, 01:21
Thanks Blackbird will follow your lead. Northern hemisphere is suffering from bad lending policies caused by USA....the old saying America sneezes and Britain catches a cold! If there are private schools who teach the road skills to attain advanced motorcycling status in NZ then who is the governing body that carries out the final assessment or test? In the UK it is the police force.
Are radar detectors legal in NZ, like England, or should I sell mine now?

Blackbird
25th November 2008, 06:36
Thanks Blackbird will follow your lead. Northern hemisphere is suffering from bad lending policies caused by USA....the old saying America sneezes and Britain catches a cold! If there are private schools who teach the road skills to attain advanced motorcycling status in NZ then who is the governing body that carries out the final assessment or test? In the UK it is the police force.
Are radar detectors legal in NZ, like England, or should I sell mine now?

There isn't a final official body to examine advanced standards and that's part of the problem. There are some national standards but they are somewhat piecemeal. Some of the other people on this site associated with training will give you a better overview. You might want to talk to Freebird on that too as he's recently been looking at the issues at an official level. To give you an example which is still relevant, I did my advanced training several years ago with a guy who used to be the chief instructor for the NZ police. He was one of the architects of the revised learner programme. He runs his own advanced course and examined me against his own criteria but there's no way he could issue me with a nationally recognised qualification.

And yes, detectors are legal, at least for the time being. They are widely used by NZ's biking community. Jammers less so (the 2 or 3 brands that actually work!) because the majority of police detection is microwave rather than laser.

BM-GS
25th November 2008, 06:56
Bringing or buying bikes probably depends on how much stuff you're bringing. If you end up with a whole (ish) container, chuck the bikes in & ship them for free! Savs cost of changing etc. It will delay your biking while the slow boat comes, though. Both bikes are official imports here, so no dramas at resale time.

If you just have 3 suitcases, "sell 'em there & buy again" may be a better option.

If shipping the bikes, they have to be a separate consignment, even if sharing the container. Badger the shippers about this and copy every single bit of official paperwork to bring with you. Then contact the shippers here to make sure they know bikes are coming and they're happy. DAMHIKT.

Good luck, & happy moving!

Pixie
1st December 2008, 14:38
Hi all,
Wife and I been looking at NZ for a few years now.....getting a bit full in UK!.....been over in November for a good look around and....well, no need to say more you folks know. The present world financial situation means we won't be selling up until things brighten up a bit but hopefully over there for next World Rugby Cup (be able to support a winning team for a change!). Like the feel and look of Rotorua area but will depend where wife can find a job (Microbioligist). We are both heavily involved with the Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists as Observers with our local group www.cwam.org.uk and I am wondering if there is a comparable set up in NZ? I ride a Blackbird and she rides a Vtec and I am starting to wonder about the prose and cons of shipping them or buying fresh in NZ. Will be reading a lot about your biking NZ on the forums and hopefully soon will not be on the wrong side of the planet.
Wifey shouldn't have any trouble finding work,
Labs have trouble finding staff

mstriumph
1st December 2008, 14:43
another Brit. sees the light .......... i certainly never regretted it! :sunny:

Freebird
1st December 2008, 14:44
Hi, I made the same move just over two years ago and brought my Blackbird with me. Not the wisest choice but I have owned it from new (1999) and couldn't bare to part with it. I think they are generally cheaper over here so it’s not really worth the hassle and then there is the MPH clock which I keep forgetting about honest officer.

All in all its been a great move, look forward to meeting you

slimjim
1st December 2008, 15:35
gosh not rotorua..:(...buy in tauranga or welcome bay..travel across to rotorua for work...the old stage coach road is nearly all finished and its only thirty minutes from tauranga nowdays...but a big "Kia-ora" ..

stormerUK
4th December 2008, 00:07
Will be in touch Freebird to pick your brains on your move.....soon as i get rights on this site!

426crasher
7th December 2008, 20:04
Hi there stormer
I made the big move 6 years ago and never regreted it from day 1. I brought my fireblade over and had no probs with customs and rego etc. Dont think it will have to be a seperate consignment, i just bunged it in with the household junk. Really good idea to copy every piece of oficial paper at least 3 times. I'm in Christchurch, south island and with 1 million people in a place the size of England you soon get the idea there's plenty of space:Punk: and loads of deserted roads:niceone:

stormerUK
7th December 2008, 22:29
Hi 426crasher,
Thanks for info all I can get I really appreciate...but then I am coming to realise that is what the Kiwi's are all about....nice peeps. Was in Christchurch in October just gone trying to trace a couple of Welsh relative who have moved house and email without me knowing. Beautiful place spent a lovely day down in the park especially in the botanical gardens. Picked up a Kea camper and spent 10 days travelling the South Island......just breathtaking and friendly.
Looking to arrange things here to be in North Island july 2011, lots to organise beforehand. Trouble is since coming back to the UK I just can't settle.....everything seems colder, wetter, darker and more hostile.

426crasher
8th December 2008, 20:17
Hi 426crasher,
Thanks for info all I can get I really appreciate..... Trouble is since coming back to the UK I just can't settle.....everything seems colder, wetter, darker and more hostile.

Hmmm hit the nail on the head there stormer.... firstly Kiwi's are ultra nice peeps and the UK is colder,wetter,darker and very hostile. Make the move i'm sure you wont regret it.
Can always send me a pm if your after any info and i'll do my best.
Cheers Tony.

Paladin
11th December 2008, 00:08
Just get outta the UK as fast as you can before the nazis put some new law in place to stop people emigrating! I'm well glad I left, England is going down the toilet mate! My kids are WAY better off growing up here!

iceclimber
8th January 2009, 16:03
Hi all,
Wife and I been looking at NZ for a few years now.....getting a bit full in UK!.....been over in November for a good look around and....well, no need to say more you folks know. The present world financial situation means we won't be selling up until things brighten up a bit but hopefully over there for next World Rugby Cup (be able to support a winning team for a change!). Like the feel and look of Rotorua area but will depend where wife can find a job (Microbioligist). We are both heavily involved with the Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists as Observers with our local group www.cwam.org.uk and I am wondering if there is a comparable set up in NZ? I ride a Blackbird and she rides a Vtec and I am starting to wonder about the prose and cons of shipping them or buying fresh in NZ. Will be reading a lot about your biking NZ on the forums and hopefully soon will not be on the wrong side of the planet.
Hi there, I just thought i'd add my 2 penny worth ...........

I moved over here in May 2008 and was in a dilema as to whether to bring my prestine low mileage bmw1220st over, as was shipping my own 20ft container so could easily have done so for extra 600 or so. BUT in the end decided against it, as .......1.) I didn't want to wait 2 or 3 months for it to get to NZ & have to buy something until it came. ........... 2.) I was not sure what type of bike I would need in NZ. I thought I might want something that would do gravel also ......... 3.) I was pissed off at the idea of having to get conformity certificates and inspection etc.... which would add another 2 or 300 quid. I initially felt gutted.

However, now I am glad I didn't, as I now have a bmw1200gs which has been great BUT I am about to sell it and downsize to a bmw600gs THEN i'm gonna get a 2nd bike, possibly and old Suzy GT550 or 380 just for fun, and then I may get a 3rd bike, an off-road trial bike for the forest tracks..... ONE BIKE AIN'T ENOUGH IN NZ ! :crazy:

OK, the bikes here are more expensive - but it's just one of the many financial 'hits' you have to take in moving here ........

all the best
Steve

Molly
9th January 2009, 21:07
Shipped two bikes from the UK as it worked out cheaper than selling them there and buying again here. Second hand bikes in NZ (and some new) are more expensive than the same bike in the UK. There's not a lot in it (maybe 20% saving after shipping / insurance costs) so perhaps it's not worth the hassle.

Good luck with the move. Take the rough with the smooth and see it as an adventure.

stormerUK
11th January 2009, 22:41
Thanks Steve....I think that by the time this depression starts to lift and the nz authorities re open their allocation numbers my Blackbird will be getting a bit long in the tooth. I, like you, have also been thinking about gravel roads and my smaller bike a Yamaha TDM may be a better proposition in nz, that is sell up and restart when over there. The wife rides a VFR VTec.....dont know about her views yet.
Dylan.

stormerUK
11th January 2009, 22:43
Thanks Molly...def made up my mind now.
Dylan

Otis243
11th January 2009, 23:59
Hi Dylan

I moved here from Kent nearly three years ago, and to my wife's disgust, sold all of our furniture and filled the container with the contents of my garage ! LOL. This included 4 bikes.

They did not have to be on a seperate consignment, but they did have to be clean so I had them steam cleaned before loading.

Assuming the rules are still the same, to be exempt from GST on import you must have owned the bike for at least a year before it's departure from the UK AND you have to give an undertaking not to sell the bike within two years of it's import into New Zealand.
I had to visit NZ Customs who wanted to see proof of ownership and proof of purchase (or a NZ valuation) of all the bikes. I then had to sign guarantees that if I sold any of those that were exempt from GST on import within the next 24 months I would pay GST on their import, although I think this would have been reducing, pro-rata, each month of the 24.

If I were in your shoes, I'd look at trademe.co.nz and motorcycletrader.co.nz to get and idea of prices then do the sums. Obviously if there is spare room in your container the actual shipping costs would be minimal.
The other thing to consider if you plan on buying here is availability...
You should also find info on importing vehicles and many other things at ltsa.govt.nz

If you decide to bring 1 or 2 bikes with you, and want to change first, make sure you do it more than 12 months before you leave or the cost will go up by 12.5%

Andy

stormerUK
12th January 2009, 00:39
Thanks Andy......experience of a move and bikes is very welcome and much appreciated. I think as advised I will have to look more closely at the sums.
How are you enjoying nz? Miss anything about UK?

Winston001
12th January 2009, 01:49
I know quite a number of Brits who have emigrated to NZ in the last 6 years. Generally they tend to be get-up-and-go people who are just the type we want. Can-do attitude.

They certainly notice the wages are lower but the open space and quality of life more than compensates. Going back to the UK for a visit usually confirms the decision to stay in NZ. Indeed, I'm seeing parents, brothers and sisters etc following the move of a family member to NZ.

Redmoggy
12th January 2009, 10:06
Hi Storm. I got here in November and my bike is currently waiting to clear MAF tomorrow. As far as MAF go they seem more concerned about some second hand bike parts i tucked away in a box but still want to inspect the bike as a seperate consignment. As far as customs go im getting conflicting information. According to the woman on the desk at customs,cause im here as a visitor while my residency is approved i am required to pay GST on everything im bringing in. A receipt from a private person/sale is apparantly not good enough proof of the price paid (should be a company receipt). I've had to provide bank details corresponding to the time i took ownership according to the V5. However the shipping agent is convinced i can pay a bond covering the GST that is refundable when my residency is approved. I should have spent much more time looking into all this and not taken the shipping companys word for it.
Still no regrets about leaving the UK.

Rod

Molly
12th January 2009, 19:43
Been out here just over four years now. I teach and my wife's a nurse. After three years we wondered if the adventure was over so went back to the UK for nine months. However, it only took two to realise we were better off in NZ.

You can't weigh-up the tangibles against the intangibles. You'll leave family and familiarity behind and that can weigh heavily (what you may go through has been compared to a process of grieving). But stick with it. I'd have got back on a plane the day after landing but my wife convinced me to see it as an adventure, give it a year, and just see how I felt.

There are things I miss but it's romantic stuff really - silly stuff: dry stone walls, old country churches, historic buildings and towns, easy access to Europe (visited Italy last year - bloody nice). That said, we've a new baby on the way and this is a wonderful place to bring up a child. Also, the housing here is much cheaper (though often poorly constructed / insulated). My view from this chair looks up onto the Port Hills, down over Brighton and up the coast. Couldn't have hoped for anything so nice in the UK.

Good luck. Hope you go for it.

P.S. Here's a few pics taken last weekend. Nice roads. Nice scenery.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/album.php?albumid=1385

McJim
12th January 2009, 20:33
I'm from the UK - I want to go home :(

I'll elaborate:

If salaries were commensurate with housing prices I'd be happier.
If they abolished the stupid give way rule that confuses the locals, I'd be happier.
If they made motorvehicle insurance compulsory, I'd be happier.

I have struggled financially with housing my family since arriving here 5 years ago - I have never had disposable income as a result of this and have therefore not experienced any increase in quality of life that was alluded to at the expo in Earls Court.:rofl:

Due to the questionable give way rules that exist on the road here I have been T boned twice since arriving here by local drivers once in a car which I walked away from and once when I was on the bike and I will always limp now :( Neither driver was insured nor was there any legal requirement for them to be. therefore I had to fight long and hard with my own insurance companies to get any recovery and in the end it wasn't enough to get me a vehicle of the same standard as the ones that got pranged - result? I don't think so.

By all means come over but be advised that it is not all a bed of roses.

Oh yeah - broadband is farken expensive over here AND it's still slow too!


Eh, apart from that it's peachy :2thumbsup:

Otis243
12th January 2009, 23:40
Thanks Andy......experience of a move and bikes is very welcome and much appreciated. I think as advised I will have to look more closely at the sums.
How are you enjoying nz? Miss anything about UK?

Redmoggy raises an interesting point. I had a full residency visa before coming here so my experience with customs may have been easier than someone arriving on a work visa or a work to residency visa.
The LTSA web site is pretty good and should cover most questions, however, I get the impression that there can be inconsistencies with NZ Customs.

I'll PM you with all the nitty gritty things that we like or don’t like about here compared to the UK, but overall, I think coming here has worked out well for us as a family.

stormerUK
13th January 2009, 01:30
Wow thanks peeps...info and views coming in now and very welcome.

Winston....get up and go people are the ones I like and I did find that to be the case on a recent NZ trip... glass 1/2 full.

Rod...Redmoggy....good feedback there about the residency and GST payments....I will stsrt checking that out ASAP.

Molly....see why you took both bikes with you...nice machines. Both the wife and myself are people who check into everything before we take a big step and the step will be a positive one. Nice to hear from a YoYo happening (been watching the telly) and one that has worked out well.

McJim....your experiences I have found invaluable...many thanks. I really need to find out as many hates and bad experiences as possible so that I can compare the circumstances against ours and sit down and list the cons against pros.

Otis243...Andy have recieved your mail and am now going to see if I can answer it yet (i.e earned sufficient points on this site yet)
Many thanks Dylan

Redmoggy
13th January 2009, 09:23
Just a quick update on the bike shipping thing. My bike and tools (car mech) arrived in Auckland on the 4th Jan. Just found out this morn that they have cleared MAF (13 Jan) and could wait in a que to clear customs for up to a week before being inspected and sent down to Christchurch with the bill. Not sure i want to think about that bit right now. If it wasnt a classic bike that i put a lot of effort into restoring id have been better off leaving it in the UK. Besides that its used to living in my lounge now its in some cold damp dockside wharehouse with no one to kiss it goodnight :(
Rod

Redmoggy
13th January 2009, 13:32
Just had an email to say its all just cleared customs WooHoo!!
I just have to hand over the £900 in charges and they will ship it to Christchurch.
Rod

Molly
13th January 2009, 20:02
Interesting replies and especially interesting to read different experiences of Brits coming this way.

It's possible that we over analyse the whole migration thing. It's much easier these days and doesn't have to be seen as an 'all or nothing' thing. If after a few years you choose to return, at least you've had an interesting life experience and at least you gave it a go.

The Kiwis (and I know I'm generalising here) are a friendly and helpful lot on a one to one basis. Lots of petrol heads, and they seem to just take you at face value without any sinicism. Groups can seem impenetrable and 'clicky' though (but that could be said of anywhere).

Hope you go for it and find you settle in OK. PM me if there's any local info or help I can give.

freshair
13th January 2009, 22:30
new zealand is new zealand, england is :angry2: angry, look how full this thread is with happy albeit (some whinning poms) here's my take on it, now keep in mind i'm a kiwi who spent some time in - london -

pro's

you can buy a house instead of an apartment or flat and have a lawn full of grass
minimal pollution/smog
small population
the exchange rate on your pound is great
no beggars
most of the people here speak the queens english !
you can travel by car or bike with no congestion tax (and it's enjoyable)
nowhere near as much crime
nature's on your door step with plenty of reserves, parks, gardens
amazing roads (with no one on them) no traffic jams
better weather
we're not involved in wars and politics like the u.k
people smile at you when you pass them
cheerful and friendly customer service everywhere (mostly)
wherever you live, its only a small distance to snowy mountains/beaches/forests
i can't imagine raising kids over there

cons

you have great history/art/achitecture
your next to europe


anyone else ??

McJim
13th January 2009, 22:40
new zealand is new zealand, england is :angry2: angry, look how full this thread is with happy albeit (some whinning poms) here's my take on it, now keep in mind i'm a kiwi who spent some time in - london -

pro's

you can buy a house instead of an apartment or flat and have a lawn full of grass-Same in Scotland
minimal pollution/smog-Same in Scotland
small population-Same in Scotland
the exchange rate on your pound is great-N/A
no beggars-we have them in Scotland but they have really good jokes they can tell you.
most of the people here speak the queens english !- Achtung mein froind! :rofl:
you can travel by car or bike with no congestion tax (and it's enjoyable)-Same in Scotland
nowhere near as much crime-We don't have Mongrel Mob, Black Power, Nomads, Road Knights....
nature's on your door step with plenty of reserves, parks, gardens-Same as Scotland
amazing roads (with no one on them) no traffic jams-You never been to Christchurch, Auckland or Queenstown bro?
better weather-No such thing as bad weather - just the wrong clothes
we're not involved in wars and politics like the u.k-got me there - we've been at war with whoever was English for the past 6,000 years :rofl:
people smile at you when you pass them-Just like in Scotland
cheerful and friendly customer service everywhere (mostly)-It's actually better in Scotland-much better in fact.
wherever you live, its only a small distance to snowy mountains/beaches/forests-Same in Scotland dependant of time of year (no snow in the summer)
i can't imagine raising kids over there-I was raised over there didn't do me any harm did it?:weird:

cons

you have great history/art/achitecture
your next to europe


anyone else ??
Ah the comparing New Zealand to London ploy eh? :rofl: remember that London is completely unlike the rest of the UK.

Most Brits avoid London like the plague if they can get away with it.:Pokey:I've compared it with home so you can see why I want to go back - my wife and kids are Kiwis though and I love them more than I dislike NZ so at least I can provide a little balance rather than the "New Zealand is fantastic in every way" spiel I received and then, once committed, found out wasn't so true after all - too late!:gob:

freshair
13th January 2009, 22:55
here's a new list for england in general, i've had many talks on the topic with english people living here or thinking about immigrating

pro's

you can buy a house instead of an apartment or flat and have a lawn full of grass
minimal pollution/smog
small population
the exchange rate on your pound is great
no beggars
most of the people here speak the queens english !
you can travel by car or bike with no congestion tax (and it's enjoyable)
nowhere near as much crime
nature's on your door step with plenty of reserves, parks, gardens
amazing roads (with no one on them) no traffic jams
better weather
we're not involved in wars and politics like the u.k
people smile at you when you pass them
cheerful and friendly customer service everywhere (mostly)
wherever you live, its only a small distance to snowy mountains/beaches/forests
i can't imagine raising kids over there

cons

great history/art/achitecture
next to europe
you could have alot of grass but it will cost you $$$
you can have great customer service but only in your villiage
you can travel by car or bike with congestion tax (and it's enjoyable)

please feel free to add to the cons :clap:

freshair
13th January 2009, 23:01
Ah the comparing New Zealand to London ploy eh? :rofl: remember that London is completely unlike the rest of the UK.

Most Brits avoid London like the plague if they can get away with it.:Pokey:I've compared it with home so you can see why I want to go back - my wife and kids are Kiwis though and I love them more than I dislike NZ so at least I can provide a little balance rather than the "New Zealand is fantastic in every way" spiel I received and then, once committed, found out wasn't so true after all - too late!:gob:

how long has it been for you over here ? it was five years i think i read in your previous post, i find it hard to believe you would consider leaving but then again i dont know your circimstances, surely property would be significantly cheaper in invis than back home, i will agree with you about the wage thing but the pain in commuting to work over there should outweigh the lower wages ?

McJim
13th January 2009, 23:01
Maybe I replied in a way that was difficult to understand.

In Scotland you can buy a house with a lawn or even a mountain in it instead of a flat or apartment in Auckland.
In Scotland there is minimal pollutuion instead of the smog of Christchurch.
In Scotland the population is not too different to New Zealand
We use the pound too but don't have the English monarch's head on it! :rofl: (Unlike New Zealand:Pokey:
We have beggars but thay tend to have great senses of humour.
Very few people in Scotland speak the Queen's English - I myself only know the most basic German phrases. (the Queen is German in case you didn't know)
The congestion charge is a London thing innit?
New Zealand allows gangs to parade their identity in public.
Scotland has a lot of parks and countryside too.
Fewer traffic jams than Auckland or Christchurch or Wellington or Queenstown.(due to better transport infrastructure)
No comment re the weather :rofl:

McJim
13th January 2009, 23:17
how long has it been for you over here ? it was five years i think i read in your previous post, i find it hard to believe you would consider leaving but then again i dont know your circimstances, surely property would be significantly cheaper in invis than back home, i will agree with you about the wage thing but the pain in commuting to work over there should outweigh the lower wages ?
My experience of living in Auckland was that it took longer to commute from Botany to Ponsonby than it took me to commute from Hendon to Holborn.

In New Zealand I have been faced with the following decision:
Pick two of the following:

a/ Feed your family properly
b/ Clothe your family properly
c/ House your family properly

But we are only going to give you enough money to do two not three of these things.

If you have never lived somewhere like Glasgow where you have the Trossachs and the West Coast on your doorstep then I can understand your bleak view of the UK. A great many kiwis seem to do things that are strange to me like visit Edinburgh instead of Glasgow when they go to Scotland.

I used to go mountain biking in Scotland - 26 miles and you were in the mountains - you didn't even need to take a car. In Auckland and now Invercargill the decent mountains are f'n miles away - really inconvenient.

For me standard of living is defined by disposable income - if you have none then you can do nowt - just coz your doing nowt in a beautiful environment doesn't mean your still not doin' nowt does it?

I just wish I had known then what I know now and I would have made a lot of different decisions.

freshair
13th January 2009, 23:32
well i have no real come back for that, as i've never lived over there like you, i'm speaking of england and not the surroundings, my only experience comes from talking to many travellers over many years, these where people on their second or third visits here and pretty much sayin they are fed up with england, mostly with the crime, and want to live somewhere safer (watching alot of t.v will do that to you no matter where you live) so yeah your circumstances sound bloody annoying, maybe the new government will change things who knows.

sounds like a blast in scotland, especially the beggars havin a sense of humor :niceone:

McJim
13th January 2009, 23:34
sounds like a blast in scotland, especially the beggars havin a sense of humor :niceone:
The beer's good too...although Speights' Summit is a damn fine brewski! (when I can afford a bottle o'course!):rofl:

stormerUK
14th January 2009, 00:32
Redmoggy.....well done but what is it?????
Molly....thanks for the offer of info help.
Freshair and McJim......having a useful discussion there! Scotland is a beautiful country......because it is too far for the masses to travel to and invade. I have spent many quiet holidays from the Trossachs to Bonnar Bridge to the West coast, Skye, Arran, top of Ben Nevis and the Cairngorms...yes truly fantastic. I, however, live in England, the Midlands and this is totally the opposite of Scotland. Not many people here speak any kind of English never mind the Queens.....more Eastern Block nowdays. London suffers even worse as most of the population walk with veiled faces and do not communicate at all! The kids in Coventry schools are no longer allowed to sing Xmas carols as this is found to be offensive to the MAJORITY religions. The main roads in England are having their speed limits reduced to 50mph at an alarming rate by local authorities (not that you can go any faster in the heavy traffic anyway!)
Don't forget the Scottish weather McJim....Scotland didn't invent Whisky for no reason!......and if you are English get someone with a Scottish accent to order your beer at the bar!!!!!(and I,m Welsh!)
Keep the discussion going you two as it is feeding me plenty of food for thought!

Redmoggy
14th January 2009, 01:58
1966 Triumph Trophy. All exited about seeing her again!!
Sorry to hijack your thread hope my experience added more food for thought.

Rod

Whynot
14th January 2009, 02:38
these where people on their second or third visits here and pretty much sayin they are fed up with england, mostly with the crime, and want to live somewhere safer

I think you'll find that NZ isn't a lot better than the UK in terms of crime ....


link1 (http://www.emigratenz.org/oldforum/archive/violent-crime-in-new-zealand-176.htm)


link2 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10499320)

oh i forgot to mention, how about ....

Much bigger biking community in the UK.
NO congestion charge and/or parking charges in London(even allocated bike parks), bikes allowed in bus lanes.
Higher speed limits on motorways.
Better condition roads.
Much less police enforcing speed limits (have yet to see one).
Speed cameras are painted bright yellow, have warning signs and also have lines painted on the road which gives them away.
When you go overseas your money is actually worth something.
You can ride from here to anywhere in Europe/Asia/Africa if you want to.
Most drivers had to actually pass a decent practical test to get their license.
No Maori activists trying to claim everything.
Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donington Park .....
Oh and they have this funny thing called public transport, its not cheap, but at least it exists.

Molly
14th January 2009, 07:30
This is in danger of turning into a 'my country's better than your country' load of bollocks. Whichever is best is what's best for you at any given time in your life. Just be glad you have the choice to move as you want.

freshair
14th January 2009, 07:49
interesting stuff, i think with survey's like this statistics can be lost or numbers can be crunched wrong, i dont believe anything i read in the papers ! in fact i dont watch the news or read the paper anymore, i agree we do have horrific crimes in nz for our population stuff that really stands out like the Mia Glassy murder and the Kahui trial, whats up with this !! i dont know but it certainly needs to be addressed, maybe this new government will grow some balls and put some sort of cap on who can have children in this country, now the stuff i hear from travellers about crime in england is worse beacause its on the street and it's pointless it's the i'm better than you you sort of crime you get in over populated areas like 12 year old kids killing other kids with pistols with no motive in manchester, another guy i talked to said his mate was murdered with an iron bar just for standing on the street outside a night club, no motive, i've heard more..... it is a hard one to try and get my point across, i mean people killing children or kids killing kids. i still feel alot safer here than i did in london, you still need to have your wits about you here of course, but in london its around every corner and people just aren't happy maybe i have talked to all the sad ones !!

Winston001
14th January 2009, 09:09
McJim makes good points. If you are living in a scenic low population area of the UK and earning a good living, then the comparisons with NZ aren't quite so strong.

Also NZ has just experienced 5 years of economic growth such as we have not experienced since the early 1950s. One result is that house prices have skyrocketed beyond the average persons wages making life pretty tough if you have recently taken on a mortgage.

The good news is that mortgage rates have dropped dramatically and house prices are following. Not so good if you need to sell - but that's happening all over the world.

stormerUK
15th January 2009, 01:25
Just listening to the radio....a young woman in Aberdeen was attacked by two older men who overheard her speaking with an English accent....medics are trying to repair her face....Sad.
Good point Winston...Scotland like NZ is somewhere you go on holiday to get away from the rat race.
Freshair you are right.....the real violence in UK is not what you read about (I do not read newspapers) but what I encounter daily on the street.
Rod .....nice bike....wont find many like that in NZ I bet.
Now forget about crime.....what about our weather. Naturalists are pointing out that if we do not get a summer again this year(2 years without sun) then we are going to see drastic results on our bird/insect poulation.
Dylan

Molly
15th January 2009, 07:36
I would describe the weather here as being like 'nice English weather'. By that I mean it's mostly like the better end of what you get in the UK. We don't get the severe winter weather and we don't get that wearing, endless heat you might find in Australia.

I live in Christchurch and find I can comfortably expect to ride my bike all year round. In the depths of winter I'll usually wait until the frost has gone out of the shaded bends though. They put gravel on the road on some of the colder days too. Bloody dangerous but at least it doesn't rot your bike like the salt used in the UK.

Waiting for fine weather to coincide with a day off work could take weeks and weeks in the UK. Those rare, hot, sunny days when I used to take a run to Devil's Bridge or Rivington Barn are etched in my memory because they were such an infrequent event (two, three times a year?). To cut a long story short, the riding weather is bloody good.

This summer's been nice so far. I'm waiting for the sun to pass round a bit so I can get on with painting the house... Well, that's my excuse.

freshair
15th January 2009, 09:14
no sun for two years!! forget about the bird life, there must be a few depressed humans hanging out of trees !!

Whynot
15th January 2009, 21:01
no sun for two years!! forget about the bird life, there must be a few depressed humans hanging out of trees !!

I think he may have been exaggerating .... i'm pretty sure i saw the sun yesterday.

Supertwin Don
16th January 2009, 01:16
I think he may have been exaggerating .... i'm pretty sure i saw the sun yesterday.
Saw this one so I thought I'd sling in my two-pnnorth (5c worth)
Wife and I (both Kiwis) are looking at returning to NZ after 25 years in UK - I've just had a 4 week bike tour of NZ (see NZ Holiday Ride 2008) so I reckon I can say I've seen both countries recently.
UK still has plenty going for it - you don't HAVE to have a bike/car to get around, just takes a bit more time.
BUT: NZ definitely has the edge when it comes to the clean/green thing but you do (virtually) HAVE to be able to operate a vehicle to get around.
I agree with an earlier comment about age / time of life having a big impact on perceptions of lifestyle and standard of living, so the following breakdown of kiwi life may draw some comments
0yrs to 5yrs - great dairy products, good support for Mums, social activities a bit limited.
5yrs to 15yrs - great outdoors, interaction with other cultures pretty limited
15yrs to 25yrs - great outdoors (if you are still into it) limited cultural opportunities (unless living in certain areas) not many proper graduate jobs for all the graduates, all good opportunities seem to be overseas.
25yrs to 50yrs - great place to bring up kids, providing you have a job/income and are able to drive the people carrier
50yrs plus - great place to retire providing that you are in reasonable health and able to drive/ride (unless you live next door to doctors/A&E)

P.S. I reckon I saw the sun yesterday, too

stormerUK
16th January 2009, 01:47
Supertwin Don......I'll go with the 'great place to retire'
Molly most bikers in the UK ride for 1/2 year and store their bikes for the other1/2 (sad).
Whynot....if you see it again then please send a picture!

McJim
16th January 2009, 21:54
Molly most bikers in the UK ride for 1/2 year and store their bikes for the other1/2 (sad).

Mate, you need to stop mixing with those Honda riders. Get over here and come out for a rainy ride with me on my Ducati!:rofl:

She rides in all weathers - I used to use the Duc to commute in Auckland coz they have appalling congestion on their one and only motorway (they have a dual carriageway they call the Western Motorway as well but that doesn't really count) and no public transport.

All in all the decision to move should be made with your eyes open - it all depends on what you are looking for. If you have no young dependants and a bit of money for a house you will probably have a ball.

When I arrived the emigration itself sucked up most of the money I had intended to use for a deposit so I had to buy a house at the absolute limit of my finances. My wife couldn't return to work as baby number one was too young. We then had baby number two and she certainly couldn't return to work. I have therefore been the sole breadwinner for five years now and the culture shock has been harsh. For the 4 years before I came here we lived in a luxury London apartment with a 12.5 metre heated pool, a car each and well paid jobs - as a result we would piss off abroad when we felt like it for a holiday in the sun - most Fridays, Saturdays were spent pubbing and clubbing in London - other weekends we would pop up to Glasgow for a curry.

So I have had to live for 5 years with no disposable income after having had a party for 4 years. Hence my experience is NZ = no fun but UK = loadsa fun.

Now here's an important perspective. Make sure you come to New Zealand for New Zealand's sake - If you are just coming to New Zealand to get away from the UK or the world recession then it's probably a bad move.

Best of luck with the move. Remember to visit the South when you get here :2thumbsup:

stormerUK
17th January 2009, 01:34
Hi McJim.....definately ride my bike all year...hate the 6 month riders they come out every May with m/c's way above their rusty skill levels and go about killing themselves or other bikers going the opposite direction.
Think you might find the UK a different place than when you left. Wages in the city are twice the level as elsewhere now with property being out of the range of all but a millionaire hence the commuter belt moving out well beyond the 100mile radius. Traffic levels have doubled in that period so nipping up to Glasgow now would most probably take all weekend! Young people in the UK cannot get a mortgage unless both are working full time and property repossession is at an all time high. In the last 3 years we have seen a monumental influx of European races coming in mainly from Eastern Europe so we now have a population the government think is nearer to 65 million with another 25 million expected in the not too distant future. Since you vacated London the population has grown by 1/2 million!. Fly into the UK now look out of the window and be shocked by the housing growth. The Euro is now 1:1 with the good old £, so cheap hols are a thing of the past!
The recession is something that had to happen due to people trying to get too fat too quickly and for the time being at least it has stopped ridiculous house building in its tracks.
NZ immegration have all but shut its doors at the mo to help protect NZ jobs for NZ workers...a lesson we need to learn but fast!
My wife and myself want out of the UK to get away from the shear hostile attitudes that have entered our society in the last 3-4 years, road rage now is frightening..ask any UK bikers site as to what we have to put up with. Average speed up the M6 m'way is so low that the average speed cameras are defunct.
Majority of major roads in the UK are now controlled at 50mph (80 kph) with 6000 speed cameras in operation!
Worse of all is crime nowdays, not breakins even, they are a daily issue where the police send an incident number over the phone and do not attend unless someone is seriously hurt. The crimes I mean is where our ambulance crews and fire fighting services cannot attend a lot of calls without police protection as they are themselves being subjected to serious attack! Only a brave man goes out for a beer in the town centre on Friday or Saturday nights in case of violence.
OK parts of Scotland and Wales are still untouched but their weather I do not need I want to live outside not with my head stuck up a chimney 8 months of the year1. here in the midlands we have just had 3 weeks with the temp not getting above freezing! and I still had to ride the TDM to work.
So I will go along with SupertwinDon....'over 50 a great place to retire.'
ATB Dylan

Whynot
17th January 2009, 01:58
lots of stuff

I can see what you're saying there mate .... all good points.
Just don't think that you are going to get away from crime, traffic, speed cameras and expensive houses by moving to NZ.

stormerUK
17th January 2009, 02:23
Maybe right there Whynot...but at least it won't be so cold! Plus side is I have a house to sell.

Molly
17th January 2009, 08:21
Funny you should mention average speeds on UK motorways. I drove on the M25 last year and couldn't understand why everybody was going so slowly (barely more than 60mph). I think the huge numbers of cameras have finally frightened everybody into submission.

Just so you come in with your eyes open, keep watch on www.stuff.co.nz for local news and issues.

Supertwin Don
19th January 2009, 04:30
Hi, Guys,
I wouldn't judge the UK motorways by the M25 - it has been called the "longest car park in Britain" !
The average speeds on other motorways aren't too bad, but once you get onto the A and B roads the average drops significantly. That is, unless you are being a maniac and giving the rest of us a bad name!
I'm having to use four wheels at the moment while I'm refurbishing the front forks on my Guzzi, and while I was taking the fork tubes to be reground and rechromed, I was thinking about what I like and dislike about UK and NZ.
UK likes - never more than a couple of miles from a pub (midlands area), europe is on the doorstep (I'm 15 minutes from East Midlands Airport), a postal and courier system that works reasonably, a public transport system that is available (though sometimes late/overcrowded), museums / architecture, pretty much anything you want can be had in a variety of quality grades and prices, Santa Pod and Shakespeare County Raceway being only a couple of hours run away
UK dislikes - traffic, sheer numbers of people, the fact that, no matter where you go, people have been there before, the number of things that I don't need that people keep trying to sell me, the assumption that if it is different it must be better.
NZ likes - less traffic, fewer people, space, the fact that it is a long way from other places, most people are a bit more friendly, it's warmer and drier.
NZ dislikes - it is a long way from other, different places (Australia is too similar), having to have and be able to use a motor vehicle, parochial attitudes.

Note that this is not a total list - I'm sure I could find more in all categories if I tried.

stormerUK
19th January 2009, 23:30
Molly...,thanks for the link.
Supertwin Don.....totally agree...well.put.....exactly why I want out!

Molly
20th January 2009, 13:02
Having bounced around the world a bit my lasting feeling is that a person should decide where they want to be and make the most of it. You've got to take the rough with the smooth.

If I found myself living in the UK again it'd be in the Lancaster area (studied there and loved it). I'd make the most of the Lake District, Kirkby Lonsdale, etc. and of being a short hop from Liverpool and Manchester, and of the live entertainment opportunities. I'd take as many trips into Europe as I could, and do my best to avoid the constant bad news, negativity and doom-sayers.

England is a truly beautiful country (or at least parts of it are). The sense of humour is great, the media is of a high standard, and the infrastructure impressive. For me (forty something teacher married to a nurse) it was just too difficult to get established in a reasonable home and area, and my job had become so prescribed, measured, and generally governmentally interfered with there was just no pleasure left in it. I came to feel that everybody wanted an increasingly large cut of my pay; that I couldn't turn without having to pay someone something: car tax, TV licence, parking, petrol, and more and more stealth taxes, property taxes etc. etc. etc. Any sense of freedom was gradually being eroded, every road was bristling with cameras, surveillance technology seemed to be pointed at the average person rather than the criminal element (just a perception but that's all it takes to affect quality of life).

In short, to me England is a beautiful country run by nasty, self-serving f*****s, where you need a six figure income to enjoy a basic standard of living. NZ feels freer and more egalitarian by comparison and a decent standard of living more accessible. The people are friendly and, on the whole, optimistic, and you've a sense that you're here at the start of something rather than struggling in the dying embers.

But that's just my feeling.

stormerUK
20th January 2009, 23:39
Excellent write up Molly:2thumbsup

Molly
21st January 2009, 05:00
By the way Stormer, a few years ago I stuck a camera on my bike and filmed a few local rides. They're still there on Google Video (as are many from other riders). I searched on 'Harley Ride Port Hills Christchurch' and got this link:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6060685075909985914&ei=iQF2Sb3OBI7Q-AHM9PGnBQ&q=Harley+ride+port+hills+christchurch&emb=1

There are a few more under 'More from this user' if you've broadband and can be arsed ;-)

Redmoggy
21st January 2009, 07:05
Well put Molly,couldnt agree more!

Rod

Redmoggy
3rd February 2009, 11:52
As of November 2008 the rules for importing to NZ apparently changed. If you are a visitor and you bring you bike over (for instance) you will be charged GST this is refundable when you take it back out of the country. If you come over as a visitor while you sort residency or work to residency you will be charged GST and this is non refundable unless you take your bike back out of the country. The only way to avoid the GST is to already be a resident at the time the bike or any new or secondhand belongings enter the country.
Have now found this out to my cost!
Rod

Molly
3rd February 2009, 18:59
And you need to have owned the bike for at least a year.

I'd owned my first import for nearly two so got that in free (had to keep it for, I think it was, two years though - or was it one?) but the second bike, my Guzzi, cost me about $700.

The worst thing is that they charge duty on the shipping fee too!!! What the f'k's that all about? Oh, and duty on the tax (a tax on a tax). Bollocks eh?

Supertwin Don
3rd February 2009, 20:57
Rod / Molly
If I do manage to move back to NZ, I would hope to bring at least three bikes with me - a Yamaha XS750 (owned 20 odd years) my Guzzi California (owned from new 1993) and my VTR1000 powered top gas drag race bike - I am still an NZ citizen, but probably wouldn't be "resident" by the time they caught up with me - question - what am I likely to get hit with in the way of tax / import dutry etc??

Redmoggy
4th February 2009, 07:59
Doc
I dont know what difference being an NZ citizen would make. As an example though. I had to supply a receit (company not private) sight unseen valuation or some other proof of the origional purchase price. I paid £3000 for my old girl and gave them the corresponding bank statement as proof. The tax payable on the bike was $1166with an extra $950 in associated charges. These covered port costs MAF and Customs inspections etc etc etc and yes tax on the origional cost of the shipping!!
Rod

stormerUK
4th February 2009, 23:51
Good info peeps this is something I will def have to look at...makes more sense to sell in UK and buy again in NZ.

Jaxi
5th February 2009, 08:46
Rod / Molly
If I do manage to move back to NZ, I would hope to bring at least three bikes with me - a Yamaha XS750 (owned 20 odd years) my Guzzi California (owned from new 1993) and my VTR1000 powered top gas drag race bike - I am still an NZ citizen, but probably wouldn't be "resident" by the time they caught up with me - question - what am I likely to get hit with in the way of tax / import dutry etc??

Hey Don,

We arrived in NZ (we've got dual citizenship) in July 05 with two worn out BMW's fully expecting to pay the GST of what they were allegedly worth.... The law had changed earlier in the year meaning that so long as we didn't sell them for two years, we didn't have to pay it which was a nice surprise...

We still had to provide something in writing as to their value so we went to a bike shop, (I think it was a Harley shop) and after explaining what we were after the guy there wrote us two letters on headed paper stating what they were worth (f&*k all!) and we took that back to customs.

No problem not selling them for two years, they have been sitting in a garage for the last 3 and a half!

When we originally decided to head back to NZ (2003) we'd had a good shipping quote for sending our other bikes back - a Monster and a T595 - but the cost of paying for the GST when we arrived made us decide to sell them.... Now though we will be bringing all our bikes back when we eventually
get our arses into gear and head home.

Cheers

Molly
7th February 2009, 03:53
Though this can seem a bit cryptic, all the info is on the Customs and MAF websites. They're approachable bodies and used to dealing with these questions so ask away.

I used the original sales receipt for my Guzzi (seller had his own business so it was on letter headed paper - not a bike dealer though). I was honest about it but could easily have written any BS receipt on the PC.

Good luck.

Supertwin Don
8th February 2009, 21:39
Molly,
please don't take offence, I know I can get most of the detail from the Govt. websites, but I'm more trying to get a feel for how much attachement I need to feel for my bikes that would make it worthwhile to bring them with me.
Money-wise, they're not worth a lot over here anymore, I paid £5750 for my Guzzi, but I would only get £800 - 1000 for it now (if that).
My race bike is perhaps a bit easier - because it's a limited market, I'd virtually have to give it away - and don't want to do that!
Valuing it could be a bit interesting also.
P.S there's a 1997 Guzzi 1100 Sport injection for sale near me - £1000 ono - how does that compare with NZ values?
Don