Shipping LA to NZ
 

Hi,

We just shipped our bikes from LA to NZ with Robbie Stevens (find him under shipping) or we have all contact details and GPS co-ords of drop off and collection points.

The bikes were shipped uncrated in a container for $700usd each all inclusive.
Robbie has been first class all the way through and the bikes were in perfect condition when collected. Robbie handles all the paper work both ends. all you need to do is turn up with a carnet or pay the duty.

I proper nice guy and we highly recommend him.

Welcome to Two Bikes Running

went to your blog for details but nothing there...

you said it was $700? what were your clearance costs in NZ and did you have to do any additional stuff, i hear some saying roadworthy test and such? cleanliness issues/ inspections?

did you do your carnet in the UK or US, (or pay the duty? what is this option?)reason i ask is i have both passports - dual nationality and heading to NZ in a year or so so would like some real time information

i'm on the xt660.com site as rtwpaul as well BTW

You don't need a carnet for New Zealand. If you don't have one, you just pay 15% GST tax on the value of the bike, and get it refunded when you leave with it. If you don't want to take it back out, then you have paid the import tax. You then get a Warrant Of Fitness (local safety inspection) and a local number plate, all up about NZ$375, and you can legally sell it here.

There are different stories from many people about what they are required to do, but I do know of many who just ride away after clearing customs. If you are not in the traffic police system, it doesn't seem to matter.

Cheers

Nigel in NZ

Another alternative exists to paying the deposit (which has to be made via certified funds), depending on how you've entered the country, visa-wise.

I entered NZ 2 weeks ago on a working holiday visa, and the woman at customs drafted a document saying that they can chase me down for the GST if I sell the bike or leave it here for over 2 years. I paid $38 NZD for the paperwork, which says in fine print that it included the ACC levy. I was a bit confused at this point, wondering when I do the temporary-import documentation, but it was never raised at MAF or Customs, and I was too space-cadet to ask, so I let it go. I also read some other travellers' blog that never mentioned the NZTA steps, so at that point I figured everything was done once customs approved the cargo release.

RTWPaul: All-in I paid $51 for the MAF security inspection (cost will vary depending on time spent inspecting the bike, and if there is any disinfection required), $38 for my customs paperwork (costs can vary depending on whether you have to pay the deposit or not), and $50 for the cargo-handling fee. This was all at the Air New Zealand Freight terminal at the Auckland airport. I had shipped from Santiago, Chile, but I don't think they care where it came from.

Last Sunday I was pulled over by a confused policeman on the motorway going through Auckland. Paperwork was exchanged and he made a few calls, but found that I "hadn't done anything wrong" with regards to the importation. Afterwards I checked the rules again, and it appears that notifying NZTA and doing the WoF (Warrant of Fitness) is a requirement for foreign vehicles, so I'm now going to follow through with that, to avoid any unnecessary hassles while on the road. I will be able to keep my Canadian plates, they just enter your details into the system.

Here's the NZTA factsheet on importation that comprehensively explains what is required of foreign tourist vehicles:
Importing a vehicle temporarily (Factsheet 35) | NZ Transport Agency

I'm waiting for my exhaust to be fixed, as I currently have a leak, and then I will do the WoF and registration; I'll try to update this thread with the costs afterwards.

-Nick

im also now thinking of shipping me and my wee-strom to NZ from LAX late this year since shipping into the Philipines looks impossible (Why?) so ill try to contact that dude. We do still need a carnet to enter Oz, correct? Why's it so expensive to hop from NZ to OZ, compared with USA to NZ?

Deed of undertaking
 

Yes you can enter NZ without a Carnet, You ask for a "DEED OF UNDERTAKING" In respect of motor vehicles imported under concession 80 part 2 of the Tariff act 1988. Only cost about $40 and saves the hassle of reclaiming the GST on exit. The WOF is a doddle, it covers about half that a UK MOT requires.
As for OZ, no such luck - the only way is Carnet.

As an update to the above. We have been dealing with NZ customs as our Carnet expired with the bikes still in NZ.
If you are in country you can get the Deed of undertaking that lasts 12 months. If you are out of country but the bike still in NZ you have to pay the GST on the value of the bike and shipping costs. This is non refundable. You don't have to register the bike in NZ but it should be legal from country of origin. A police man has no way of knowing this, unless the bike has an obvious fault that would fail an NZ Warrant of fitness - i.e. bald tyres - no lights etc.

The Rac will freeze your expired carnet until you return with proof of paid GST in NZ and the bike - then a refund will be issued. Or when you resume your travels and apply for a new carnet. This makes NZ quite a good place to store a bike if you have to take a break in travels.

updated the above post

Thanks for the info, very helpful. My carnet from the rac will expire when I arrive soonish, I asked the rac if I could renew my carnet and was told I'd have to get permission off nz customs.

i'm intrigued as a price comparison between Fern, twowheels03 and Rustysauce as you all appear to have a carnet for ongoing travel to other countries, guessing all of you go to OZ next

so i'm guessing that the RAC was used and also CAA, and fern not sure where you got yours

would all three mind sharing that information of costs with me here or by PM as i'll be headed that way in 2014 and also what other countries you have included as the Carnet is always a shot in the dark it seems

now i know not to include NZ, this would be great information to have

Fern,

It seems that now Paul Gowan has jumped ship from the Carnet Dept it's not so easy to get a straight answer. First they told us we couldn't renew then that we needed permission and might be able to do it. You just have to remember that the RAC don't make the rules, they do make policy that they use but the RAC is bound to the customs regulations in each country just like anybody else. Easy to forget that the RAC isn't doing you a favour - just selling you a product. We dealt direct with NZ customs and more or less told the RAC what was happening and all was good.

It's going to be easier if you temp import the bike on the Deed of undertaking.
You then just inform the RAC and they will freeze your expired Carnet until you apply for a new one. You will start it from OZ so you will need to show proof of the Deed so they know that NZ customs won't make a claim against the expired Carnet. When you apply for the new Carnet, the Rac will transfere your refundable deposit to it and you just pay the difference.

Don't forget that your bike will have devalued loads as it's now all dirty and worn out !!!! Our 07 XT660R's are down to £1200 on the Carnet - makes it less painful when they do the sums. If you are shipping from LA - Would highly recommend Robbie Stevens.

Regards Paul

would it be possible for me to ride over to Vancouver Canada, as an American, and ship her from there to NZ or OZ? I've heard our USA TAC is making lots of hassels shipping out anything nowadays.

My Carnet was from the RAC.. My bike is valued at £1000 (minimum valuation level for insurance underwriters) and done through the insurance scheme the total bill was about £1000.

I am sat in Kolkata at the moment getting shipping quotations to get the bike from here to Auckland.

Can anyone enlighten me as to the exact fees at the NZ end and whether a Shipping agent is needed for clearance, I will not leave until I have the Bill of Lading in my hand.

Thanks for the advice, I won't use the carnet to enter NZ but do the other scheme. I think the carnet will expire then the bike is on the water-

Cheerio

F

i was talking to simon and lisa thomas (10 years on the road) at overland expo last week about a similar situation so i'll relay what they told me as it maybe useful to you...

they were in OZ and shipped to NZ, they said because the bike entered OZ on a Carnet it had to leave on the Carnet, this meant that it had to enter NZ on a carnet as thats what is on the bill of lading from the australian shipper, then they had to cut short their time in NZ because the Carnet was running out and would have to be renewed or get out before it expired, as they were heading the states where no carnet is required they opted to leave early

you may want to look at that as they told me otherwise there is a possibility of the bike bike getting impounded until paperwork was resolved

based of this information i am heading inbound to NZ first (no carnet) and then to OZ as this works out as a cheaper option for me...but that doesn't help you right now