Should I take my bike to NZ?
 

I'll be moving from Australia to New Zealand before the end of the year, and am undecided whether to take my bike with me.

It's a BMW R1150R with about 110,000km on the clock, and I still love riding it - as long as I'm not battling city traffic.

As I'll be living on the South Island, I think the touring opportunities will be fantastic.

However I'm not sure how good BMW support is over there (I'll be a fair way from Christchurch by the way) and haven't yet sussed out the transport costs.

Would be pleased to hear from any local BMW riders, and from anyone who's recently shipped a bike to NZ for any tips/warnings, etc.

I shipped my Honda VFR800 over there 4 years ago as I moved to Christchurch for a few years. The moving company I used for my personal effects shipped it in the same container. Import requirements were fairly easy(do a search on the Web). All I had to do was pay $245 for MAF inspection and give an assurance that I wouldn't sell it within two years.

There's a great BMW dealer in Christchurch- I don't know about the rest of the South Island, but there are a lot of BMW's rolling around

Kenny

I would do a search to see what prices you can buy for out there.

You may find that in selling it here and buying another once over there, you can get a newer model, for example.

Bear in mind that there will also be import charges, more than likely as well as registration fees which might entail vehicular inspections. It all mounts up as I found out when riding and registering my bike here in Estonia (and that is all in the EU, and probably less hassle, too).

If it works out financial viable enough to make it worth your while, then go for it!

However, unless this bike has particular sentimental or practical value, I think it could be a lot less hassle and one less thing to worry about...

I found this BTW: HTH

Experience BMW, New and Used Motorcycles in Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand

Check with GetRouted : Bike shipping and Tour Operator but the last time I looked they were charging $1185 One way between Melbourne & Christchurch including Marine Insurance, MAF inspection, Customs Clearance. Ride your bike to their Melbourne depot and ride it away from their Chch depot. Crating not required.

Yes, you can get a waiver on paying the GST if you promise not to sell the bike for 2 years.

Compliancing is not expensive or difficult. As long as the bike can pass a Roadworthy and a simple check-up it should be OK.

Thanks for the info, guys.

Where in the South Island will you be? That way I can tell you about your closest dealer.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

Hi Nigel, I'll be in Queenstown

To find out what BMWs are worth in NZ you can contact BMW Owners Register Inc. of NZ and look into trademe.co.nz

While it is correct that compliance in NZ is not an issue, you do need a new VIN. I don't know how much that costs, they didn't exist when I imported my R75/5. For me that was a big mistake: the bike is worth around 2-3000 Euro in Germany, but turned out to be unsellable in NZ.

No
 

Brought my bike over from UK. Wouldn't bother doing it again. Cost of shipping, cost of MAF spraying, paperwork! Why bother? There are thousands of good bikes here. Sell it while you can and enjoy the freedom of choosing another machine once you have arrived and settled. Good luck!

Flying Biker,
Have just this last week moved back to NZ from OZ.
Bought my TTR250 over with me, 2006 model with a declarable value of AU$4500.00.

Has so far cost me $650.00 for customs clearance and $640.00 to ship.

Would not do it again unless I had something rare or was very attached too....

Am yet to go through the proccess of registration etc but I am expecting another $500.00.

Your call but as someone has already said bikes here are readily available and given the current economy there are some bargains around.

Cheers and good luck.

Thanks again for the advice everyone.

I am rather fond of the bike as it has served me well, but the costs and bureaucracy are dampening my enthusiasm for taking it across the Tasman.

After a lot of research on the web, I've also concluded my rather expensive TV is not compatible with the NZ system because - even though both countries use the PAL B/G system - the Kiwis use a different method to transmit the audio.

If there are any Queenstown bikers here, give me a yell, and I'll shout you a beer.

Tv
 

I think your research may have misled you. If your TV is relatively new it should work in NZ. The only difference I can ascertain between the Aussie system and the NZ one is that the Aussies (just to be different) have their UHF channels spaced at 7MHz instead of the standard 8MHz. However, most modern TVs can tune to any UHF frequency, and do not necessarily step through the channels at fixed intervals.

Also some TVs cannot tune to VHF channel 1 and 2, which are at a lower frequency than those used in many other countries. In certain parts of NZ these are used for TV1.

NZ uses the same method to transmit audio as other PAL B/G nations. The odd ones out are the UK and Ireland, who use PAL I with a different audio frequency offset.

Most modern TVs should also be able to decode the NICAM stereo signal. If you have the type number of the TV it should be possible to find out whether it will work or not.

Alternatively you can get a Freeview receiver, connect it to your TV, and watch most of the TV channels on Freeview. In Queenstown a satellite dish and receiver would be required, since there is no UHF terrestrial coverage there.

Canadian Australia New Zealand
 

At the end of October, I am travelling to Austarlia and then mid-January back over to New Zealand until May, 2009.

I am considering shipping my 1999 Yamaha v-Star 1100 twin cylinder cruiser. It has 92,000 kms.

If I chose to sell it there, how much would it fetch?

What Yamaha services are available in both countries, please?

Also, are there many used and similar bikes available for purchase and resale in both countries?

I have just completed this year a trip from eastern Canada, through 38 US states, 70% of Mexico, central America, Colombia south to Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Ia m now in Victoria, British Columbia.

The best places to look for price and availability of bikes are TradeMe and Motorcycle Trader. There are some Yamaha XVS1100 V-Stars with prices on both.

If you intend to sell the bike in NZ you will have to pay GST of 12.5% of the value NZ Customs places on the bike, and you will have to have the headlight changed for riding on the left. Also there are inspection fees and registration fees to be paid.

There are Yamaha dealers in most cities and largest towns. See Yamaha's web site for details and locations.

Hello artig,

Yes both Australia and New Zealand use PAL B/G, but according to what I've read on the internet - and unfortunately I don't recall now exactly where I read it - Australia uses ZWEITON not NICAM for the audio.

To be honest I'd never heard of either of these things before, so I don't know whether you are able to enlighten me.

I don't think channel spacing is an issue because the TV scans through the frequencies until it finds something and then locks onto it. There is no channel selector as such.

Zweiton (or Zweikanalton or A2) and NICAM are methods of transmitting stereo sound. Australia does use Zweiton, which allows for transmission of stereo or two separate sound channels in mono. See, for example, Australasian television frequencies on Wikipedia for an explanation.

But if your TV is fairly modern it is very likely that it will decode both signal types correctly. On a recent Panasonic TV there is a I/II button on the remote control for selecting the sound output mode. It works with both NICAM and A2. Check the technical information section of the TV operating instructions, or call the importer with the model number of the TV and ask if it will decode NICAM stereo broadcasts.

Unlike the TVs I helped to develop 25 or more years ago the modern ones are so full of computer power that it is almost cost free to develop and cheaper to manufacture ones flexible enough to decode most signals, instead of having different models for almost every market in the world. It's amazing how many different standards there are for TV signal transmission. In the Wikipedia article for Zweiton there is a list of broadcast formats for analogue and for digital TV signals.

Thanks for the info artig. I think it's become an academic exercise as a family member now wants to buy the TV at mate's rates. I'll get a new one in NZ when I arrive.

NZ Tour 2010 - Looking for another rider
 

It is a 'must do' for me to ship my bike to NZ and tour both islands. Heard so much about all the papers req and costs etc that can drive you crazy to almost give up the idea but no challenge no adventure, right? I am dreaming to do this tour somewhere in mid 2010. It will not be far wrong to say that if I tour NZ for about 3 months then shipping my bike would be the best way to go.
I am a Malaysian (going to retire from the Navy) and ride a Kawasaki KLR 650 model 2008. Awesome machine! Want to tour NZ with this bike. Looking for another biker to join.
Any comments?

Hey I agree that touring both islands of NZ by motorcycle is a "must do".

I've travelled around both islands by car, but so far only the North Island by bike.

The question for me is whether it's more practical to ship my bike over from Australia, or sell it and buy a new one here in NZ.

At the moment a mate in Sydney is making good use of it, and I think he's rather keen that it shouldn't leave Australian shores.

probably not worth it, mate... prices are reasonable here and good BMW support in the big cities...

How long to Tour NZ?
 

Hello
I,m sure others have different views but how long does one need too tour NZ?
The North island has a lot more traffic than the South Island by NZ standards but has the Native culture.
The South has the better scenery and a lot less traffic and more relaxing.
Unless you want to do every road, you can do the South Island in three weeks if you need to ride daily.
Far less if you ride point to point.
Depends on how many ride free days you want and other activies.
4500km would do a comfortable round trip of the South island that,d make a local happy ( perhaps)
I reckon the North island would be nearly the same but if you pefer just riding , South Island.

All this should go into wether you want to ship or buy in NZ.

Bring your bike.
 

If you are here for three months, then it's probably a good idea to bring your bike. there is a shipping link over there <----- on the left sidebar under the Planning heading. NZ is one of the easier places to bring a bike into. You don't need a Carnet De passage if you are prepared to put up a 12% refundable bond on the value of your bike. You have to get a Kawasaki dealer to write you a value, but they are usually happy to do that for free. Other than the GST bond, it will cost you about NZ$4-500 (about US$300) in fees, inspections and registration costs.

Mid-2010 would of course put you here in NZ in winter. Much better to try to come in late summer if you can. The best times would be from mid-January to April. By the middle of January most locals have finished their summer holidays.

There are many tens of thousands of kilometers of back roads and gravel trails that your bike would be perfect for.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

Dear Nigel,
Very much thanks for your in-put. Will adjust my timing to suit the weather but I am prepare for the worst. For now, just doing local trips, trying to adjust myself and the load on my bike. Glad there are lots of you guys who are very helpful. Will keep in touch. Cheers mate. Amzah