Bike import HELP!!!

[mcmad]

Hi all, not been on for ages, but the time has finally arrived for me to start planning moving and im struggling to make sense of getting aVehicle import approval, Before i bore you all to death with the details the bike is as you may remember mildly modified( :-O ), have been bouncing emails back and forth and finally been advised i need a VIA for a racing vehicle..... fat chance as the criteria insists that the vehicle has to be FIA homologated, which it isnt cos they wouldnt pop round to my shed to do it, lol. Has anyone recently imported into Australia(and preferably Perth) a seriously unusual or modified bike and if so how, i suspect im talking to the wrong person at vehicle imports, ive said I want to register it if poss, but if I cant i'll do whatevers necessary to make it comply, or even just show it and drag it occasionally, is this not reasonable? God i'll even keep it in my garage and never take it out if necessary, I just want to bring it after the 3 years ive spent building it, any advice on the subject appreciated.

I should say I asked some questions 2 years ago about this, i have since lost replies i got and names so sorry if im going over old ground! :)
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1290511486.jpg

[Jinx]

If you are emigrating, an old vehicle that you have owned for several years should be easy to import into Oz. Not being an expert but there's no ADRs and only a few compliance issues (rear end and exhaust etc) to worry about if you want to register it. Thousands of old bikes are imported here every year from Japan, US and UK so I can't see any major problems. Good luck.

[DiscoDan]

Yes, if you've owned the bike mor more than 12 months you can bring it in as a "personal import" (google that term). As a pre-89 bike I don't think it even needs to meet ADRs (Aust Design Regulations) which is probably a good thing looking at it :)

They will then issue a one-off compliance plate which then lets you register it after jumping through a few state-based hoops. The only thing I'm not 100% sure of is if you need to be a citizen or a resident to do a personal import, best check that out

[mcmad]

just had a reply from them saying it will only be granted a Vehicle Import Approval as a racing vehicle as it would be classed as a newly built vehicle, even tho its registered here as 1985? so not looking good at the moment. What I dont get is people have imported chops etc so whats the difference?

[Large]

You might be telling them too much info?

Can you drop the turbo and swinger and claim it as an original unmolested gsx?

[mcmad]

was thinking about this myself, you try to do the right thing.............

[Jinx]

Its your personal vehicle, imported and arriving with your belongings. Tell the idiots fuck all.

[mcmad]

lol whilst this is my sentiments exactly id be a little irked if said people decided to crush it, or worse make me export it back out and fine me $13k for the privilidge. There must be a way of sorting this out, god its a work of art for gods sake, they should be begging me to bring it!!!!!

[Kamakazebusa]

Yeah, like everyone said., ur better of importing it as a personal vehicle. U need to have it MOT for more than 12 months in ur name thou, so u can prove u own it. Dont tell them anything else, there will be customs officers to check it at the holding depot, but generally they dont know a bicycle from a moped.they will check frame numbers and such thou..and most important is to have the bike spotless otherwise they will charge u extra for steam cleaning the thing, NO grease marks, NO dirt (especially inside the panels, they do check them).

They take it to the holding yard,which is generally the shipping carriers holding base.(whoever u decide to use) which somewhere close to the docks or port. it stays there for 3 months (quarantine)so be prepared to wait.

Speak to the carrier (the ppl u intend to use to ship ur stuff) they know best, fuck talking to anyone else....they know dick squat...!!!

I moved to Europe from Oz, have a bike MOT and taxed in London for more than 12 months, but use it all over Europe and all i need to bring it across to Oz is to show my TAX and MOT papers. Being a resident or not will not make a difference. U can only import 1 personal vehicle every 5 years. So i hope the misses dosnt have a car unless its in her name... all up u should be looking at approx $2000 AUD for tax and import costs...this is approx, price was about that 2 years ago...

[Jinx]

McMad. This site should be able to answer all your questions.
http://www.pomsinoz.com/