Shipping a bike from USA to Australia

[b2]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience shipping a bike (by sea) from USA to Australia ?

I'm thinking about it for next year, but having trouble getting any reliable estimate on the cost.

Appreciate comments from anyone that has done it before.

Thanks,
Brian

[Netnorske]

If you are going on a vacation there, it might be cheaper and less hassle just to rent a bike once you get there.....just a thought.

[macmac]

It will not be anything like easy. Mostly it is a horror show of screw up after screw up. There will be shipping screw ups and insurance screw ups.

How I know, is I helped out Maxine akak Max from NZ. Her bike was supposed to be in Cal 3 days before she was. She had dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's too.

Finally her bike arrived in NH 3 weeks later. The battery was deader than a door nail, the crate was smashed and only her belongings saved the bike from being a total wreck.

3 of 4 turn buckels were pulled free from the crate, which was broken in several places. This was a little Susie Savage thumper 650, so no Nomad.

You may know of her, as she organizes cancer rides in NZ and Au.

Later if you wish I'll shoot her a e-mail and ask if I can give her your e-mail.... I would need your e-mail in order to get that done.

Of course this is the other way around, but she shipped her bike back too.

[ringadingh]

If its is crated up well it should get there in one peice for the most part. I had some minor cosmetic damage when I shipped mine across Canada. Had it been totally enclosed in a crate it probably would have made it unscathed.
Go to a Harley dealer and get the bottom from one of their shipping skids, they are metal and have eyebolts in them to fasten the straps to. This is what they used on my bike, but they only wrapped it with the plastic stretch wrap rather than enclose it in a crate. it got scuffed up a bit during transit. Had it been enclosed even with heavy cardboard I doubt this would have happened.

[Cajunrider]

I'd rent one unless you are moving "Down under" permanently.

[chainsaw]

Why not give Finky a shout and see what info he may have for you. I am sure he would at least be able to help you with rental information.

[dogdoc]

if you can catch him long enough when he ain't out riding. LOL

[bundyrumandcoke]

Oz has some funny laws about importing vehicles from overseas. Not so bad if you are visiting, and taking the vehicle back out of the country again, but if your importing it permenantly, I am pretty sure you would have to bring it up to the equivelant AU spec, ie meeting ADRs (Australian Design Rules) This would mean things like standard exhaust, they seem to be trying to clamp down on aftermarket exhausts, correctly fitted and placed reflectors, spotlights correctly wired, ect. For example, cars must be converted to right hand drive, things like indicator lenses have to be changed, headlights realigned, ect. Older vehicles, I think over 30 years or so, can get away with a lot less being done to them, even remaining left hand drive. Another factor would be the state it is being imported into, different states sometimes have different rules, over and above the ADRs. Check on the web for the relevant DOT.

[madcow]

yep as bundy has said. there are a few specialist bike shippers here in oz, a quick google search should sort you out. when you are coming over give all us aussies a shout out down in the aus rooms and we will try and help you where we can, or at least share a beer or 2.

im pretty sure if your bike is to calafornian specs all you should need to do is re align your headlight. and pay our stupid rego costs. unless you are moving here then bringing the bike over will do no good as you can only import and register a bike that either was not avalible for sale in australia or is an historic or special interest bike.

[b2]

Thanks for all the replies.

I might look into that metal harley crate base.

I am from Australia, been here in Cali about 3 years, but considering going home in about 1-2 years. If I own a bike for 1 year before going, I can take it home with no taxes to pay.

I got a quote from a shipping company in Long Beach for $750 per bike plus crate costs, estimated at $350-500.

Taking that into consideration, along with exchange rates etc, its really not that much cheaper than just buying a new 'mad in Australia.

The math works out a little different, however, if I think about taking home a Goldwing. These are about $42k new in Australia (as far as I can tell online), and I reckon I can land one in Australia for about $30k, inc shipping, insurance etc etc... so that's tempting...

Brian

[Cajunrider]

Brian, Be sure to ask about hidden brokerage fees before you ship it. That could be an astronomical fee that you won't find out about until it gets there.