Bikes are expensive in NZ!

[rizza]

Hello everybody,

I'm from the USA and I'm thinking about coming over to New Zealand to work for a year. I have two motorcycles in the US so of course I'd want to get one in NZ (it's an addiction). So I was looking at bikes listed on bikepoint.co.nz and they are expensive.

As an example, I've seen many Suzuki TL1000S in California for around $4000US which is about ($6800 NZ). It seems like there arent really that many bikes on bikepoint that are even in that price range. And certainly not a 1000 V-twin. Can anybody explain why this is? Smaller market maybe? I thought that with the currency conversion that somehow I would be able to get a bike for cheaper in NZ than in the US. I guess not.

Another thing that is interesting to me is that many bikes for sale in NZ have over 50000 kms. That amount on a bike in the US is VERY rare. Congratulations to all of you for actually riding your bikes and not just riding through the city hoping people look at you.

I also like how you guys have the license requirements where you have to start on a small bike. In the US many people start on 1000cc bikes and end up killing themselves.

Well thanks for reading my comments. Sorry if they dont make too much sense.

[Dave]

If you do come out here,It may be worth while to fill up a container with $6000 TL1000's and bring them out here.
Might pay your airfare and get your own bikes out here for free at the same time.

[MikeL]

Hi Rizza
You have a point about bikes here being more expensive and the reasons for that are a bit of a mystery to me although as you suggest the size of the market probably has a lot to do with it. But at least nowadays we have relatively unrestricted access to a wide range of bikes compared to the bad old days of high duty and sales taxes, import licensing and currency restrictions which the younger members of this forum won't have a clue about. Count your blessings, I say...
You should have planned to come two years ago, when the NZ $ was about 42c US - but if you wait a while it will probably happen again.
Don't forget that in most cases the dealer's list price is very negotiable.
Anyway, don't be put off by the cost. This is a great place for riding and you won't regret coming here. You'll find lots of helpful advice from people on this forum (just ignore the obvious psychos ) and when you arrive I'm sure there will be more offers of help.
BTW as a matter of interest are you from a state which insists on seat belts in cars but allows bikers to ride without a helmet?? I need someone to explain to me the logic of that...

Cheers
Mike

[rizza]

I'm from California. We have a helmet law here. I dont understand the logic of not having a helmet law. They obviously make things safer if you crash and i think they help prevent crashes by keeping flies, dust etc out of your eyes.

There are strange laws everywhere though. People were trying to tax fatty foods here for a while. and what about that "fart" tax they are trying to force on all of you? That is just ridiculous!

[Coldkiwi]

to be honest, I think that 'fart tax' makes sense. We're going to have to pay for our countries gas emissions somehow when the Kyoto Protocol finally gets ratified (don't get me started on the US position on that one!) and the money either comes out of the govt.coffers from our existing tax budget or we create a new tax (lets call it the wool/redmeat/milk tax) to pay for it.. the farmers will just pass the tax bill for each cow or sheep on to the end user... fair enough.

Another good place to look for bikes in NZ is www.trade-exchange.co.nz . this is our general trading publication and seems to sometimes have bikes at a better price than bikepoint.co.nz

best of luck in your search... don't suppose you could put a cheap Aprilia RSV R in that container of TL's could you?

 

 

 

[NhuanH]

Add a Duke 998R into that container too Rizza

[SPman]

Hell, just a couple of good R1's would do for a start!

[rizza]

i'll see what i can do about those bikes. would it be difficult to register a bike from another country in NZ? i know here in the US it is very tough to register a bike from somewhere else, especially in california.

here's another question: what are the seasons like down there? I was thinking of coming down around march but then out found out that it rains and gets cold around then. and it keeps getting worse all through june, july etc. i think i want to live in auckland just because i want to be in a big city with some action. how is the weather there compared to other places in NZ. any advice you could give would be great.

thanks,
ross (Rizza)

[Kwaka-Kid]

weather? oh you get used it it.  Just buy a set of goot wet weather gear and forget all about the rain then sun every 10mins.

any chance of adding a shoddy RVF400 as a parts bike for my racebike to that container?

[rizza]

RVF400s are VERY rare in the US. So it would probably be a lot cheaper for you to find one there.

How much does it cost to ship a container halfway around the world anyway? Sounds like a good business opportunity to me...

[MikeL]

Rizza
Importing and registering a bike shouldn't be a hassle provided you have all the necessary documents. People import used vehicles (mainly from Japan) all the time here. I don't know the exact procedure or cost but it shouldn't be too difficult to find out. I have a feeling though that if you bring in a whole lot of bikes to sell, you will run into tax complications as you will be considered a dealer. Also the cost of shipping a container from California to Auckland would be a critical factor, I think, in terms of whether the profit would be worth it.
As for the weather, March is not at all bad (warm, settled, not much rain) but by May/June it starts to get cool. The worst months are July, August and September (cold, wet, windy). But Auckland's weather is very unpredictable (often 4 seasons in one day). The good thing is that even in the middle of winter we are unlikely to get any more than two or three days in a row when it's too wet/cold/windy to ride. Generally speaking the further north you are the warmer it is (obviously), while places on the east coast (both islands) are drier than the west. No sane person would choose to live at the bottom of the south island (next stop, Antarc tica), and even Dunedin (a beautiful city with many advantages) has a climate that someone from Socal would find "challenging" to say the least.
If you have a choice you would be better off coming here in late October or early November, to enjoy spring and summer. A bike tour of the South Island in November/December would be magic!
Hope this info is of some use.

[merv]

Rizza don't worry about the weather or the time of year either. This country is renowned for having about an 8 day weather cycle that roughly sees every season every week. As Kwaka-Kid says just make sure you have a set of wet weather gear and a bag on the back of your bike to put them in because you won't need them that much of the time but will curse it if it rains and you haven't got the gear with you. We are still getting lovely sunny weather now interspersed with the odd wet day. Where I live July is normally the cooler month but by August its starts to improve and I can remember some great rides on sunny winters days. The main annoyance down my end of the country is the wind which can make riding interesting at times. So its cooler than California but we still can ride all year round not like your brothers in the snow zones of the US who switch to snowmobiles for their winter pleasure. I visited Wisconsin once in July (nice and hot) and was intrigued to see all the bikers and their chicks riding with virtually nothing on - shorts, tank tops and sandals - but also wondered what all the poles were around the place, to be told they marked the snowmobile trails.

Check out my road ride photos at my website starting with this page http://bikemerv.topcities.com/road05.html and you will see we are out any old month. The Coast to Coast ride December 2002 mid-summer you will see it pissed with rain, but other days are fine summer or winter - we get used to it. You will love the roads no matter what.

[Dave]

If you can find specific buyers for the bikes,(i.e. pre ordered)
then you wont have hassles with registering them.
The freight is probably not that bad, I have a customer that sends Austin minis to the states, Pre sold on E Bay at the rate of about 2/week and is still making money. The company that he uses for freighting is called JAS Jenner, here in Auckland.
When I have been out there, I have seen plenty of Mustangs coming into the country the same way.(also cases of brand new dukes!!!)Might pay to give them a call and find out.
0064 9 275 1103.
Good Luck.

(ps.Auckland-4 seasons in one day)

[750Y]

to bring a bike in...
It will cost approximately $700 NZD in freight charges.
$100 in customs clearance fees.
$300 for a 'certificate of compliance'
$300 for a warrant & rego(roadworthiness & roadtax)
$25 for plates etc.

that means around the $1500NZD mark if You're bringing in Your own bike for private use. if it's a modern bike with 'fixed' headlight etc. the headlight will be angled incorrectly for the LHD market & so that will need replacement too.

If Youy sell it here within a year You may face some sort of duty/tax (gst 12.5%).

[Hoon]

Yes a 97 TLS cost about $8000-$9000 here.  You'd be better off bringing TLRs which aren't as common but still go for around the $13K range.

I'd be interested in a Hayabusa in the US copper color scheme