Importing an Australian bike

[Ice Burger]

For more than a year now I've played with the idea of importing an old 4 cylinder 250cc from Australia or NZ. From what I've learnt the Honda cbr 250rr is the most reliable and most popular on the market. They go for $2500-$4000 Australian so that's £2,100 for a tidy one, and just about £1,300 for a lower end one.

I know very little about importing, registering and shipping but I do know I'm expecting another 4 digit sum.

Anyone have any experience with this and know what needs to happen?

[P.]

It'll cost an absolute fortune.

Good luck with spares.

No.

[chickenstrip]

Is nobody still importing this kind of stuff, no specialist dealers or owt? Would be much simpler, and probably cheaper overall.
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[Ste]

19,000 rpm

[Polarbear]

DK used to import a lot of bikes. Whether they still do, and where from I have no idea but they had a sh1t reputation a while back.
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[chickenstrip]

[linuxyeti]

[redeem ouzzer]

Buy a 2t or a 400. Massive RPM is Lulzy but once the novelty wears off you are left with a pretty slow bike with fairly basic suspension and brakes. Service parts should be ok (think the plugs are very expensive) but other items may be challenging unless you get good using Japanese auction sites.
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[Grubscrew]

You’ll need to find an importer who knows the system, plenty out there.
The cost can depend on time of year you import.
For instance , if you are shipping an item weather is a big factor on costings, as is being able to share a container, and having an agent each end of the link.
Also you’ll have to look up on the Gov.uk web site about importing goods, a useful list of requirements etc, and you’ll need to get what’s called a commodity code, that will therefore give you an indication as to whether a certain duty will be added or not.
I imported from the USA once, and the importing cost more than the item!......it was heavy though. Good luck, but it can be done if methodical.
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FJR1300/CBR1000F

[Grubscrew]

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk
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FJR1300/CBR1000F

[hellkat]

I bought an old XJ900 (non-Diversion) in NZ back in 2003, rode it down to Timaru and back, and then imported it back here. I don't recall it being "that" expensive to ship, register, etc. The duty was a bit of a lump, couple of hundred if I recall ... but the procedure wasn't all that onerous.

Mind you ... that's over 15 years ago now
Things mighta changed a bit by now.
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[stinkwheel]

Mate of mine had his KLR650 shipped over from Aus then continued to ride it on the Aussie plates for years. Nobody batted an eyelid.
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[Ste]

Does it have to be Australian?

https://www.visordown.com/marketplace/honda/cbr250rr-mc22/mc221003927825023

[steve the grease]

Ring up customs and have a chat. I did and found out that Import duty on second hand motorcycle parts is 1/2 % , so not a huge problem, what duty on complete machines is I don't know. People emigrating fill a huge container with family belongings, can it be that much of a nightmare, bringing just one bike.

[Ice Burger]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I'm getting one from Australia because there is almost no market in the UK. Ste, honestly I'm really surprised you've found one for sale, I've seen these bikes pop up for sale only about 4 times in this year.

I appreciate that the redline is a novelty item that can wear off, I'm more concerned about it's compliance to an A2 license. I'm 19 and put off by many of the parallel twin 300 and 400's etc. Also the styling is not for me, I don't like all the really sharp points and edges, a lot of todays bikes are trying to look like alien weaponry IMO.

And Yes! the 19,000rpm redline...
A couple of nights ago I had one of these go past me at the lights (yes really - quite a few of you lot think I just come here to chat shit), I couldn't get a proper look so it may have been a Yam, Kawi or Honda. All the videos I've seen online of these don't do justice to the sound. They sound so bloody good, they make an angry buzz/garble all the way through the revs. It blew my mind listening to the bike and the revs going up, I was expecting to year a gear shift but instead it kept climbing to an immense roar only comparable to an on F1 racer.

[Motorhate]

If you're after imported Japanese bikes, this lot import quite a bit. They're expensive so the costs would need to be weighed up but they regularly get some rare items and bikes only made for the Japanese market.

https://motorcyclegiant.net/category/motorcycles-for-sale/
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[doggone]

Shipping a crated bike the slow way (by boat) isn't outrageous, in fact a full blown shipping container load of stuff might surprise you.
A former neighbour now in NZ flies home 2x a year to visit family, and pays for the trip by cramming two caravans with small items of antique furniture and putting the two vans in a container to ship over there - where those things are surprisingly sought after.
Not quite the same but always worth properly checking.

[aceofhearts]

I have just done this! (Shipped 2 x MC22's from Australia)

TBH it was a PITA and I was there at the start of the year to choose and organise the shipping of the bikes. The boat took around 2.5 months to delivery (they arrived in May)

Due to issues with customs I still don't have the NOVA documentation sorted which is a real pain as the second one I have already found a buyer for, although this should be sorted imminently.

Mine were cheaper than you quoted and are good bikes (roughly £1k each), and i brought back 2 as the shipping cost was the same. Overall the shipping, crate building, paperwork, customs charges, VAT etc came in at around £2k for both bikes.

That being said I had an awesome time on my 250 in Australia and can't wait to get it on the road next year! If you want one as a keeper it might be worth it, but if its just a stop gap until your full license or you want to make money I would say its not worth the time or effort.

Any questions I will be happy to help as best I can

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=74&t=1771996

https://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/lewis_sharman/IMG_20190223_143431_zps4tjohu6s.jpg

https://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/lewis_sharman/IMG_20190528_170341_zpsentbnese.jpg

[P.]

That looks like very little packaging for 20+ year old plastic

They look great however!

[Ice Burger]

Wow that's bloody convenient you showed up here!

I'll probably be a month before I've sold my current bike and sorted out extra savings for shipping.

Anything you wish you did differently in the process to save money? I'm hoping to get the whole thing done with <£3000 for one bike.

[aceofhearts]

[aceofhearts]

[Ice Burger]

After reading this I'll probably be looking at another option honestly, I don't fancy jetting off to Australia. There's a chance a seller will be nearby a shipment facility, however I'd have to gamble on a lot of puzzle pieces to fit to expect a bike arrive at my door.

I'm going to see if I can get lucky asking motorcycle giant if they can bring back a 250 next time they go to Japan. I think it's worth a shot.

[Robby]

The bikes aren't that good, and are 25-30 years old now. That's 25-30 years of learners and new bikers maintaining them cheaply.

You're talking about spending the price of a brand new KTM 390.

Its a bad idea. If you want a bike that looks like that, do your full licence and buy a fireblade of the same vintage. It will cost less, have the same styling, and be a fireblade.

[Fizzoid]