Importing from Japan

[FEINT]

I will be in Japan sometime at the start of next year and was thinking of buying a bike then shipping it back to New Zealand. If it is feasible.

Is the procedure for importing a motorbike very different from importing a car? Anybody know the cost of shipping from Japan - NZ?

Anybody ever done this before? Is it even worth doing or is it cheaper / easier to purchase one in NZ?

Thanks for your help.

[bugjuice]

depends on the bike.
a container load of 250s would have you set up very nicely for a while.
anything bigger than 250s don't seem to have the same margin, so not as worth while. Just my observations anyway.

Wouldn't have thought the import process would have been any different tho. It's still a vehicle

[FEINT]

Buggy, planning on buying a bike for myself... not buying to sell. hehe.. :eyepoke:

[bugjuice]

why not? import one, might aswell import a few..
I stumbled on a site that was selling bikes in Hong Kong, and they were as cheap as, for the wee ones, but the bigger bikes (600+) were only a couple of grand less than what we get them here for, and after shipping, insurance, re-reg etc etc, you wouldn't have saved much..
The 250s, there were decent ones like 5 years old with 5000ks going for NZ$2000.. you'd make a killing on things like that! No wonder the shops are driving the prices up. I had thought about doing it, but you have to have the contacts to do it right, which I don't have, and I'd just be taking on too much

[HenryDorsetCase]

let me know how you get on, because I really want to bring a bike in ex Japan
but shipping is the killer. Some sort of amortising of the costs might be the go.

I did hear of a guy who was concerned about this so what he did was buy a van and two bikes: strapped the bikes into the van, shipped the lot back. when he got it here he sold the van and one of the bikes and bada boom bada bing got free shipping for his bike. bit of capital required though.

[Colapop]

I just spoke to TSS here in Wgtn and the guy reckons that if you're bringing in one or two bikes (might talk to you about that) the best bet may be to buy a cheap van and put them in the back he reckons. Get the lot back here and sell the van (even help recover the bike costs).
www.tau-net.jp has some info on shipping costs.

edit - oh ok what he said - HenryDC

[FEINT]

That is a good idea with the van!! Shipping for vehicles (as in cars) are about $1200NZD.

Anybody know what kind of bikes are allowed to be brought in? eg, cars have the frontal impact standards, any standards for bikes?

Thanks for the info.

[HenryDorsetCase]

what I want doesnt need to be road registered so Ive not looked into it, sorry.

http://www.honda.co.jp/HRC/products/dream50r/

[bugjuice]

bikes don't have standards
I'll buy the van... or ute

[Coyote]

what I want doesnt need to be road registered so Ive not looked into it, sorry.

http://www.honda.co.jp/HRC/products/dream50r/

That's an awesome looking bike How much is it?

And what is the basic cost in total to ship a bike from Japan? Haven't had a straight answer yet. Also how much is it to ship from Christchurch to Wellington?

[Brian d marge]

How can i help. I am here and play around with bikes and can arrange shipping etc.
While I cant give you specifics here the , shipping will be around 30 to 50 000 per bike
Also the cost of the bike, if bought through auction the Auction house charges 10 000 per sale
Then you have whatever LTSA charges in NZ

Bike prices here are roughly 200cc to 400 cc 100 000 to 300 000
400 to 600 500 000 to 800 000 for new
750 above 600 000 to 1000 000 for new

This is a club it with a big stick rough guide

There is a dealer here who is really quite good, at the end of the day it was easier and just as cheap to let him do all the work buying and shipping ...

Stephen

example

this is average ( auction house sometimes is cheaper )

[bugjuice]

not bad. At the moment, 500,000.00 JPY = 5,764.08 NZD starting bid for a 2000 CBR 929, and the 700,000 price (I assume is buy now or reserve?) is just over NZ$8,000

how long are you there for Brian? With deals like that, you could become quite popular!!

[Colapop]

currency converter (if you can't be bothered looking for one)
http://www.xe.com/ucc/

[Brian d marge]

I live here, ! came for a year ..and that was 6 years ago ! There are a few doing this importing thing , I would just redirect you to me mate , who really doesnt put much on ! ( I wouldnt know on an individual case , can find out , but the quote he gave me, there was NO point in me trying to do it as it would have cost me more in time and shagging around! )
But yes I often lurk on Yahoo auctions here as well as the local trade me.... The thing is at the mo , there is a big bike group here which, is sort of driving up the prices of bikes, they are a bit over inflated at the mo

There are some bargins around but some people are Shmoking some wicked weed when they post there asking price ,,,... ( good for a laugh though !!!)

Henry , No I havent found a dream 50 yet !! will give you a heads up when one pops up !!!

Stephen

[k14]

What about late model (as in 2000 or newer) RS125's? Im pretty keen on buying one of those babies within the next few months and importing from japan seems the best option. Do you know if many of them go up for sale at auction?