UK biker (stormerUK)

[Redmoggy]

Well put Molly,couldnt agree more!

Rod

[Redmoggy]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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