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Thread: Importing bike from USA?

  1. #1
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    11th January 2015 - 13:20
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    Importing bike from USA?

    Just wondering if anyone had done this? There are some great examples of bikes over there that are almost half price of asking prices here. I'm talking private sellers that i see advertised on forums.

    What would shipping and nz road costs be on average? If less than $4k might be worth it.

  2. #2
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    7th September 2009 - 09:47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jin View Post
    Just wondering if anyone had done this? There are some great examples of bikes over there that are almost half price of asking prices here. I'm talking private sellers that i see advertised on forums.

    What would shipping and nz road costs be on average? If less than $4k might be worth it.
    Nope. No one has ever imported a motorcycle from the States to NZ because the USA bikes are all left hand drive...

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by jasonu View Post
    Nope. No one has ever imported a motorcycle from the States to NZ because the USA bikes are all left hand drive...
    Cruel. Cruel but funny.

    I did know a guy who brought a Harley ex-cop bike in from the US Unfortunately I can't get an update on what he did because a woman crossed double yellow lines and killed him.

    He did say he had asked the freight forwarding company not to use too big a box and he was pissed off because they used a crate you could have put a car in. That affects the freight charges. Then there's GST, and GST on the GST charge, and MAF and possibly cleaning, and buying a new headlight lens and...

    You'd really need to know what the Customs regs are. He had to go to the USA to buy it and prove he had ridden it there. Whether that applies now I have no idea.

    And I wouldn't just be sending money to some dude on Craig's List or E Bay in the hope that they'd actually send the bike.

    Frankly if you were buying something expensive or rare it might pay, but $4000?
    There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop

  5. #5
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    PM XKNuts he's brought a few in .....Victorys & just recently a couple of the new Indians.
    He'll know the ins & outs and what hoops to jump through

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jin View Post
    Just wondering if anyone had done this? There are some great examples of bikes over there that are almost half price of asking prices here. I'm talking private sellers that i see advertised on forums.

    What would shipping and nz road costs be on average? If less than $4k might be worth it.
    Depending on the type of bike, there might be a few things that need to be done to make it suitable for left side of the road countries like NZ (beam angles for example).

    Plus I read there is a fair bit of paperwork involved.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by jasonu View Post
    Nope. No one has ever imported a motorcycle from the States to NZ because the USA bikes are all left hand drive...
    indeed they are, make sure you convert yours to right hand drive otherwise you're stuck with it, not all can be

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by jellywrestler View Post
    indeed they are, make sure you convert yours to right hand drive otherwise you're stuck with it, not all can be
    I'm assuming the left hand side comments are jokes. Is there something I'm missing here?

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jin View Post
    I'm assuming the left hand side comments are jokes. Is there something I'm missing here?
    There are the headlight dipping to the right issues to contend with ... an instant WOF FAIL in NZ ...
    When life throws you a curve ... Lean into it ...

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by FJRider View Post
    There are the headlight dipping to the right issues to contend with ... an instant WOF FAIL in NZ ...
    An easy fix usually I think with a bit if reflective tin beside the bulb, just flattens the beam to stop the kick to the right. I did it on mine.

    Customs is easy, just ship it and head to Auckland and plead for help at the desk.....worked for me

    Maf is sweet, just more $$.not much though. WASH IT.

    Brakes may need a mechanic to sign them off....best if they are original I'd say or a we'll know brand..... few more $$

    My bike was a euro and luckily it had a euro stamp recognised here for compliance....this bit is important as if it didn't have that I would have been in a world of faxes emails and paperwork??
    I would really check that out, maybe even bike specific?

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by FJRider View Post
    There are the headlight dipping to the right issues to contend with ... an instant WOF FAIL in NZ ...
    Simply swap the headlight for the tail light. Problem solved...

  12. #12
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    I have bought a a few bikes from the states. A few things I learnt, some the hard way.
    Make sure the bike you buy has a clear title, some states don't title bikes more than 10 years old.
    Make sure you get a receipt and any other paperwork.
    Be aware that internal transport in the USA can add a lot to the final price
    Make sure the bike is clean if possible
    Enjoy your new ride.

  13. #13
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    Expect the unexpected. The last bike I bought off eBay in 2008 the seller said it comes with bill of sale and pink slip/ownership papers. It didn't. I phoned the seller and he said a whole lot of irrelevant and unhelpful crap then stopped communicating so that was a dead end. The bike was a boat anchor as far as LTSA was concerned. I Googled the USA DOT but that was hopeless (you've no idea how big that place is) and also spoke to LTSA again and they said I'd need a receipt from the previous owner and it would have to be notorised by a justice of the peace in USA. The seller was selling "on behalf" of a U.S Albanian immigrant with an unusual name who, after I googled him, was able to track to the Atlanta Albanian Society or whatever it was. I sent a message there and blow me down about a month later a notorised receipt arrives in the bloody mail. But best of all, the bike was a complete POS. But I brought it back to life and won a Best in Show for it in 2010. The eBay seller who I stalked-out on Google was a car/tyre dealer in Atlanta and also a hypocritical pillock (do unto others) of the Christian community there. Hiya there, Joe Houdeshel. Do I get a 'cool story bro' for this....?
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    I'm livin' the dream.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by jasonu View Post
    Simply swap the headlight for the tail light. Problem solved...
    bloody hell,if ya swap the headlight for the tail light on a merrican bike then ya still gonna have the same problim, the light is still gonna shine the rong way. no all ya really gotta do is just turn the headlight round, problem solved. but the other thing ya gotta rememba is the mirrors are gonna be pointin lookin at the rong side of the rode and thats not so easy to fix, ya may have to get new bars so the brakets are on the right side and then ya gotta find right hand drive mirrors to fit a left hand drive bike and if ya look up ebay they are as rear as mary-janes teeth

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by jasonu View Post
    Nope. No one has ever imported a motorcycle from the States to NZ because the USA bikes are all left hand drive...
    Well that's quite a good point. I imported my bike unregistered, as new, from LA. If I'd have had to have changed the reflectors for RHD, the cost would have been around $700 - $900 extra. Fortunately my model has asynchronous beams, so it's good for both sides of the road.

    I used www.kiwishipping.co.nz cost US$500 and I saved over $NZ5K on the road.

    The bike I wanted wasn't yet available in NZ with ABS. That's my excuse anyway

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