Warning...if you are importing from the UK

[Juan]

Are you shipping them out to ride while you are over here?

No, will be saving that till we come to stay.... can't really afford to bring then over twice, and if we did we might not have time to do anything else

[Ninja51]

No, will be saving that till we come to stay.... can't really afford to bring then over twice, and if we did we might not have time to do anything else

Ah so this coming visit is a recce is it? Well take it from me ya wont want to go home and you'll be gagging to get here for good! I came out on spec.
Although friends and family had all said how wonderful it is here.
The earth tremors will keep you amused too!

[Biff]

I work with a guy whose parents rode "some old bike he re-built" to NZ from the UK. UK > Singapore > Sydney > Auckland, with ferry hops over the wet bits. Apparently it took them three months and they had the "time of thier lives".

Now that's what call a road trip. Now his father has shares in Anusol.

[Juan]

Can't wait to ask Ruth..... "did the earth move for you love?????"

[Rainbow Wizard]

I bought a UK metal crate for mine. It cost me 40 quid plus another 50 to get it freighted to the bike and then another 120 quid to have the dealer take off the fairing etc to fit it in and wrap the crate in carboard to hide the bike from prying eyes. The bike arrived no less damaged than the state it was left in by the prick that stole it in the first place.

Yesterday at the Merkel/Rees/Bernard/Linburn riding school at Taupo there were 4 or 5 Danes that did a deal with Red Baron. They bought bikes on a guaranteed buy-back of $1500 less than they paid, for that they get 3 months use! Much better than a daily hire rate.

[Fordy]

I'm toying the idea of shipping my bike over, but shipping and wof or whateva it is to get on the road will probably be less than the depreciation on the bike so probably better off selling it here. And as there's less choice in the 2nd hand market and bikes depreciate less I ought to get a new bike there. That's what I've been telling the missus anyway

[moko]

At least you can knock yourself up a couple of book-shelves with the wood from that "crate" and get a warm feeling all over that it had hardly any effect on world de-forestation.

[Bob]

Glad to see it made it in one piece... even with that sorry attempt at crating.

Daft little fact:- Did you know that when you buy a new bike, technically speaking, you are also paying for the crate (it forms part of the p&p costs)? So in theory, you can demand that they give you the crate as well.

Not that I'd want the one your bike came in mind you...

[jrandom]

I'm toying the idea of shipping my bike over, but shipping and wof or whateva it is to get on the road will probably be less than the depreciation on the bike so probably better off selling it here. And as there's less choice in the 2nd hand market and bikes depreciate less I ought to get a new bike there.

I dunno, that'd really depend. I know a chap who brought over his lovely minty XJR1300, which was probably a good move, because it wouldn't have been too easy to find a good 'un like his straight off in the second-hand market.

I reckon the rule of thumb should be, if you have a bike lined up to buy second-hand before you arrive, or you can get one new, buy it when you get here. But if you love your two-wheeled baby, and it's not that easy to replace, ship it.

If I were you, I'd just sell the sixxer and buy a new one when you get here, seeing as they're common as muck anyway...

[Ninja51]

At least you can knock yourself up a couple of book-shelves with the wood from that "crate" and get a warm feeling all over that it had hardly any effect on world de-forestation.

It'd be an insult to my books, Moko. I did think of offering it to the Te Papa
here in WGTN as a museum piece, but it fell completely apart before I got it there. I think it was only the bike's tie-downs holding the crate together!!

Anyway... some further before and after pics attached.