Ordering a helmet internationally?

[nzspokes]

Because he has already made a convenience of a shop by trying one on. With no intention to support local business that employs local people and recirculates its eaernings back into local communities

No because they only bring in one or two colours. He would have bought if the right colour was available.

[Robert Taylor]

Short sighted attitudes tend to bite you in the bum, it would be different if you fed yourself from the motorcycle industry.

Most retail industries are of course afflicted by this shift in purchasing and a total ambivalence to the negative by-products. Notably Australia and the UK who are also afflicted with this issue are also looking at levelling the playing field so that private purchasers pay the same importation costs and taxes as legitimate businesses. You effectively pay those anyway if you purchase from a NZ store, so why should it be any different if you purchase offshore. The Government is losing a lot of gst revenue that it would otherwise have accrued, so why shouldnt it look at taxing private imports to redress the balance? In reality its not a new tax

My own main helmet is an Arai, purchased locally. And the distributor reciprocated by purchasing bespoke suspension units.

[White trash]

As an Arai wearer I would be surprised if the local importer wasn't interested in indent ordering the colour scheme I wanted if it wasn't one of their normal stock lines. I've always found them particularly helpful, even sourcing obsolete visor side plate colours from dead dealer stock.

[T.W.R]

geeez modern motorcycling the new fashion parade image makes you a better motorcyclist aye

[HenryDorsetCase]

As an Arai wearer I would be surprised if the local importer wasn't interested in indent ordering the colour scheme I wanted if it wasn't one of their normal stock lines. I've always found them particularly helpful, even sourcing obsolete visor side plate colours from dead dealer stock.

Huh, so it is diametrically the opposite experience of 98% of users.

[swbarnett]

I have recently purchased a new helmet from overseas. I had no problem with sizing as it was an exact replacement on insurance. Even if I had been stung with GST and import charges I still would've saved $80 on what is $600 from an NZ retailer.

My wife recently purchased boots from the same site because boots that will accommodate her large calves simply are not available in this country.

We very much prefer to buy anything that requires precise sizing from an NZ retailer. The problem is that either the price is OTT or something that fits properly is simply not available.

The Government is losing a lot of gst revenue that it would otherwise have accrued,

The way I heard it we're not charged GST on small value imports because it costs more in administration. If this is true how is the Government going to gain revenue?

[onearmedbandit]

As an Arai wearer I would be surprised if the local importer wasn't interested in indent ordering the colour scheme I wanted if it wasn't one of their normal stock lines. I've always found them particularly helpful, even sourcing obsolete visor side plate colours from dead dealer stock.

Also as an Arai wear who had bought his two previous Arais from the same retailer I was told there was no chance of them importing my model. And yes they did enquire for me.

[onearmedbandit]

geeez modern motorcycling the new fashion parade image makes you a better motorcyclist aye

Get over yourself, motorcycling has always had an element of image or fashion. Mods and rockers or whatever they called themselves in the day from what I've seen were extremely image conscious.

[Robert Taylor]

I have recently purchased a new helmet from overseas. I had no problem with sizing as it was an exact replacement on insurance. Even if I had been stung with GST and import charges I still would've saved $80 on what is $600 from an NZ retailer.

My wife recently purchased boots from the same site because boots that will accommodate her large calves simply are not available in this country.

We very much prefer to buy anything that requires precise sizing from an NZ retailer. The problem is that either the price is OTT or something that fits properly is simply not available.


The way I heard it we're not charged GST on small value imports because it costs more in administration. If this is true how is the Government going to gain revenue?

Because they may legislate the banks to do so with an administration fee. There are difficulties but they are not insurmountable and many just dont buy that it need cost more in administration.

Why does everyone use the term ( or similiar ) ''stung with gst''. Isnt it more akin to ''avoiding gst ( and border charges )'' by purchasing low value items offshore?

[onearmedbandit]

Why does everyone use the term ( or similiar ) ''stung with gst''. Isnt it more akin to ''avoiding gst ( and border charges )'' by purchasing low value items offshore?

I think while as a nation we've accepted GST there is still a resentment towards it.

[swbarnett]

Why does everyone use the term ( or similiar ) ''stung with gst''.

The term applies to all purchases. Even when purchasing locally.

IMO this whole argument would be solved in a flash if GST was abolished. Just increase income tax slightly to take up the shortfall and save us all a fortune in administration costs.

[White trash]

Also as an Arai wear who had bought his two previous Arais from the same retailer I was told there was no chance of them importing my model. And yes they did enquire for me.

Well if they're not prepared to indent shit for customers, I can see why you'd buy over seas. I quite fancied the Fast Freddy replica myself.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Well if they're not prepared to indent shit for customers, I can see why you'd buy over seas. I quite fancied the Fast Freddy replica myself.

Mate, I tried to buy it here. I went to the local dealer, pointed to a picture, and said: get that for me, I dont care how much it costs, thats what I want.. Sure thing he says. The picture was in a Two Wheels magazine. The dealer was great and ran it up the food chain. And the answer was "fuck you". So (see my post above) I said "no, fuck YOU", and bought it anyway. It wound up costing me just over $1400. dont care.

here is where it gets murky and stupid. it appears that whoever distributes Arai in NZ get range A and B. The Schwantz rep is in range B (from memory its a Chaser or a Corsair I cant remember which). The Strayan distro is different, and distributes ranges A and C (or C and D) and the Spencer rep is in range C. Hence the "Fuck you" from local Arai peeps.

The sheer stupidity of this is mind boggling to me. Its like the guy with the broken Aprilia: I am a consumer. All I want is more big macs and lollies and as long as I have money you should be feeding me: and the great great thing now is: I have a choice. I can and do import my lollies if you dont want to sell to me. Your retarded supply agreements, your murky deals with your stupid suppliers? I dont care. I want what I want.

I would pay MORE (generally) for internet shopping because I can do it in my boxer shorts or naked at home nursing a beer and entering credit card numbers. I dont WANT to go to a shop to have to deal with some fucking 12 year old with a bad attitude who last week was slinging big macs and this week is selling accessories at the LBS. I hate those people. The fact that it is cheaper and way less hassle? bonus.

[T.W.R]

Get over yourself, motorcycling has always had an element of image or fashion. Mods and rockers or whatever they called themselves in the day from what I've seen were extremely image conscious.

Pull your head in Fraser, and don't use mod & rockers as an example they were trying to standout from the pack, not by being a travelling collage of colours....black with chrome studs & patches isn't a chunder of graphics. And motorcycling once was the domain of the rich then became the transport of the common man and black, brown or harris tweed was the colour of choice
All the extremes now are fuelled by racer image & the advertising from sponsors and it's just transgressed over to the road with riders wanting to portray their track heros...shame most try but can't.
Safety~wise the travelling kaleidoscopes these days blend in more than they standout from their surroundings, old joe bloggs in his tin-top..."what was that?, I think I saw something, think it was!...oh shit a f@#ken bike!"

I know you've got your Lucky Strike replica thing going on with your bike & matching leathers but at least you can follow up the image by being able to ride well. And the power rangers nowadays looking worse than harley riders that look like they've been through a leather shredder

[Robert Taylor]

I think while as a nation we've accepted GST there is still a resentment towards it.

Of course, there is a resentment to any form of taxation. But equally there is resentment towards Government when they ''wont fund this and wont fund that''. We forget where the money comes from in the first place. The Greens agitate the most. They want cradle to the grave welfare and funding for all and sundry, whilst at the same time trying to close everything down that creates revenue.

But I do accept what many people say about choice limitations, but without the emotive over dramatisation painting distributors as the bad guys with an attitude problem.

Certainly yes there needs in some instances to be a greater level of help and interest on the part of local sellers. But, not everyone is hopeless as a number of people here intimate