Okay so some maths first- now I have proper figures.

To ship the bike here via air-freight will cost me 1250GBP - which I think is quite reasonable - then I have to pay...

GST (Value+freight) = 6250GBP (10% of) = 625GBP or $1403AU
Docs, Agency and Handling = $125AU
Customs Clearance = $150AU
Port Charges = $85/cbm (total $340AU)
Delivery to Melbourne CBD - $185AU
Crate disposal fee = $150AU
Quarantine Fee = $144AU

Excludes cleaning if needed.

Total in AUD is = $5304AU (give or take depending on the exchange rate)

To buy a new bike here will cost min $10k - that's a Triumph Bonnie - or a decent second hand something.

BUT if I sell the bike in the UK I should in theory get about 2k - that's $4.5AU so I'd still need to find another $5k.

So that basically means cost wise it's pretty neutral. It's gonna cost me around $5k AU what-ever I do.

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So that now leaves two other things. Time & Paperwork and How much I want the bike.

Time & Paperwork. It's a hassle I need

- Proof of ownership (Copy of V5)
- Carnet
- Passport
- Export waybill


+ Permission to import docs, plus a few other things. Hell of a lot of paperwork, quite a lot of time sorting it out. But I've found a company that will help me do it (included in the 1250GBP cost)

If I buy here, I need to sell the bike in the UK. Sounds simple enough, except I'm the other side of the globe and my wife would have to do it, and she doesn't ride. I don't fancy people taking it for a test ride without me near-by and I can't answer questions very easily. It would be a hassle to sell the bike, and with 50k on the clock and no MOT I'm concerned I wouldn't even get my 2KGBP.

So that's a tie between Time & Paperwork

Grrrrrrrr I think the decision making is damn harder than the actual doing!

m

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