Purchasing and freighting of tyres from overseas?

[RMOTO]

Greetings all

I normally source my tyres from here in New Zealand. I am not primarily concerned with the price as such, moreover the fact that the range of available tyres (and sometimes stockholding) is naturally limited by our country’s consumer population and often sees tyres either not in stock or simply not available at all. I have always assumed that the freighting of such a large item into New Zealand (in small quantities) would be freight cost prohibitive however I am interested to hear if this is valid assumption or not. Does anyone buy their tyres in from overseas?

Cheers

Josh

[pouakai]

I have a cohort who recently purchased large Superbike tyres (Michelin) through Jake Wilson's at a significant savings to the local price. They arrived at the door in about 4 days! I looked at a price for my Pirelli Superbike tyres which worked out only a few dollars cheaper after freight of $140.
Nice to have the option though when choice is scarce...
P

[Crim]

They arrived at the door in about 4 days! .
P

sounds like airfreight - we get stuff from China for work and the cost difference between sea and air is amazing, a man of your organizational skills, Josh, must be able to be thinking 6 - 8 weeks ahead, you might be surprised at how cheap sea freight is.

[Waihou Thumper]

sounds like airfreight - we get stuff from China for work and the cost difference between sea and air is amazing, a man of your organizational skills, Josh, must be able to be thinking 6 - 8 weeks ahead, you might be surprised at how cheap sea freight is.

Sometimes, well almost all of the time you don't get a choice?
I guess some things HAVE to come by sea right?

[Gremlin]

Not many places will ship tyres to New Zealand now. They have to be ground freight being tyres.

I've ordered a set of tyres from Jake Wilson previously, mainly because I was told the tyres wouldn't be arriving for about 6 months (new model) then they rocked up a month or two later. Yes, I did save, as I ordered two sets plus air filters for a mate and I, plus another two filters for other bikes. Realistically, if I'd known, I would have waited the month or two for the tyres.

However, now it seems it's changed, and Jake Wilson will not ship tyres here any more. It's either a restriction on their side, or manufacturers limiting their market. Not sure if it was all tyres, or just the ones I was after...

edit: If I feel heavy demand for tyres either by me, or potentially a no stock situation, I pre-buy them and hold them myself. Doing that this weekend, picking up a Road 4 Trail front, as they've just come back in stock last week or this week, and I'll be due for one shortly (and I want THAT tyre). Other times, I've bought a set while getting one fitted, so I have one set up my sleeve.

[R650R]

For sticky roadbike tyres it looks worthwhile on some brands, for ADV tyres many actually cheaper or negligible difference here!
BTW the dollar seems on a downward trend against USA so buying ex USA will be less worthwhile soon. Typically our dollar goes up and down in a 7-8 year cycle, which I found out about when returning from UK OE and wanting to bring my savings home Had to wait couple years before it was worthwhile.

[timg]

Greetings all

I normally source my tyres from here in New Zealand. I am not primarily concerned with the price as such, moreover the fact that the range of available tyres (and sometimes stockholding) is naturally limited by our country’s consumer population and often sees tyres either not in stock or simply not available at all. I have always assumed that the freighting of such a large item into New Zealand (in small quantities) would be freight cost prohibitive however I am interested to hear if this is valid assumption or not. Does anyone buy their tyres in from overseas?

Cheers

Josh

Yeah Josh, purchased racing slicks from USA wham unable to get the weird size tyres my race bike required - clearance issues after changing the 16" rims to 17" and std profile tyres wouldn't fit and nobody prepared to indent order what I needed....... Not that expensive or difficult. Cheers.

[RMOTO]

after freight of $140.

Cheers for the input mate, very helpful with indication of the freight price

a man of your organizational skills, Josh, must be able to be thinking 6 - 8 weeks ahead

For sure, sea freight is fine, just as long as it is feasible to order tyres not stocked in NZ is the goal

However, now it seems it's changed, and Jake Wilson will not ship tyres here any more. It's either a restriction on their side, or manufacturers limiting their market. Not sure if it was all tyres, or just the ones I was after...

It's good the manufacturers look after their local distributors by putting systems like that in place but when the local distributor only stocks a few of the products in the range and you are still restricted, that makes it a little tricky

Yeah Josh, purchased racing slicks from USA wham unable to get the weird size tyres my race bike required - clearance issues after changing the 16" rims to 17" and std profile tyres wouldn't fit and nobody prepared to indent order what I needed....... Not that expensive or difficult. Cheers.

Hi ya timg, what company were you using?


Cheers all