Importing from the US

[2stroksmoka]

Perhaps this topic has been done to death on these forums, but here is my experience and advice anyway.

If you are looking at bringing a bike in from the US talk to Darren Cheney 0488 188 827 darren@htxaus.com. He provides a hassle free service and a price that includes everything to your door, no surprise taxes or fees when it lands.
I recently got screwed over by a vintage bike shop in the states and Darren cleaned up the mess for me, the shop even stuffed him around causing Darren to incur additional transport costs but he stuck to his word and his original price.
He is a genuine bloke and there are plenty of other forum members that recommend him.

For those who think they can import a bike themselves or get suckered into "cheap" shipping by an overseas bike shop (like me) I provide the following info that I found out, although it was too late for me:

G’day, once the bike arrives in Australia, we will be able to handle the clearance for you. I understand that the shipper has included the Ocean freight in the sale price and will be using our sister company Carotrans.

As I mention of the phone it is imperative that you apply for your import permit ($50) asap to avoid complications when the bike arrives, which could result in storage being charged. If you have any questions please feel free to give me a call

Import application link https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports/application_forms.aspx

Australian Local charges

Port Charges per m3
AUD 78.00

Terminal Handling per m3
AUD 23.00

Terminal Security
AUD 3.00

Delivery Order
AUD 60.00

EDI Fee
AUD 5.00

Sea Cargo Automation
AUD 25.00

CMR Fee
AUD 27.00

Customs Clearance/Professional Fees
AUD 150.00

Quarantine entry
AUD 139.00

Quarantine inspection
AUD 95.00

Excludes GST, duty, Insurance and quarantine related cleaning costs

Then when you go to pick it up be ready to open your wallet up again and pray the bike has been cleaned properly and the crate has been constructed from the correct timber etc...

[alexbrown64]

Wish i had read that 6 months ago....
Going through it all now.  Bike is stuck in Freo Port as i didnt get the permit. You actually dont need an import permit for a dirt bike, but you have to apply for a permit that gives you permission to not have a permit.  All the same paperwork, money, baloney etc...
I started off with a $600 bike from a vintage dealer in US, and amazingly, every man and his dog wants a slice of the action and i cant throw the money out fast enough..
I have the bike i always wanted but yes, be aware, there are tonnes of hidden costs......
Cheers,
Alex

[NGK]

i got my bultaco astro from darren.. his a great guy and easy to deal with & i recommend him..

[alexbrown64]

OK, im going to make a big deal of this as i have been ripped off and there is nothing i can do about it now except warn others.

As some of you may know, i have been importing a YZ125K from East Coast Vintage MX for quite some time.  I will be straight forward with the costs.  The bike ended up costing me $1500 all up and that was with Jason at East Coast tarting it up etc.  He then wanted $1000 for shipping to Australia.  This is where it goes wrong.  In my stupidity, i believed that the fee would be the full cost of transport and i would just be up for GST.  Well, today i can finally pick up the bike from Fremantle and i got the final invoice from CaroTrans.  What a forking rip off.  There are fees on fees on fees.... port services charges, terminal handling fees, inspections, quarantines, admin, delivery order, compliance, aqis recovery etc... all up $1361.00 on top of the freight i paid.  Plus i still have to pay GST!
Well, i know i have been ripped of and let that be a lesson to me but i hope no one else falls for this blatant shipping ripoff.  Im not sure if East Coast Vintage MX is aware of the hidden costs when it gets to Aus so i'm not blaming them entirely.  I will be emailing them to let them know, and that they should disclose this to potential customers.
However, CaroTrans should be put on notice as the way these hidden charges are added, its just a plain out and out scam.

I have the bike i wanted and all up it has cost me 4K and East Coast Vintage helped me out to get it as they organized purchase of the bike from New Jersey and transport to their yard in Carolina + tarting up and crating and organizing shipping to Oz.  But, this shipping con is a con and has to be brought to the attention of everyone on this forum.

Talk to Darren or someone else that is recommended and get the full up front costs before you go ahead with any overseas import.

Cheers,
Alex

[Freakshow]

The word shipping is a 'con', and yes they make shit up even on the day, and the piss weak port agents pay it so they don't get there containers red flagged anyway.  the whole thing is a mess and no one will ever tell you a price " To my door cause they cant"  and the amount of stuff that goes missing is crazy, boxes fall apart, shit get picked up by other clients etc etc. last time i got 5 bikes out the states i got stood over to pay up in the US by names mentioned above, then they lost shit over here ( and yes if anyone has my my 8 yza brake backing plates that were on the wheels id like them back.....

and then worst still they post up your bikes and refer to them when there selling there service.  " ie look we only just brought these bikes in.... which is strange cause they were only sharing the container.

What ever you pay for a bike, you can prity much say you will pay the same amount again before you have it.  that rule of thumb has really worked out correct time and time again.

[HL500]

This is interesting and confirms my original research.  I almost fell for a USA ebay sale where the seller would handle everything, had experience in sending bikes to Perth, could quote upfront costs and "don't worry".  I really wanted the bike so I spoke to a few importers as well as people in customs and found private importers are basically not tolerated and won't receive any help along the way.  I believe this to be the case.

I enquired to an Australian importer to buy and bring in the same bike and found for the hassle, it was easier to go local importer.  The problem for WA is that there are generally freight costs in Aus to gert it from the East Coast.

[alexbrown64]

Had a sniff around the net and it seems its a common thing.  http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/australia-new-zealand/port-fees-and-costs-perth-43105
The inconstancy is unreal and it just seems they charge what ever they want and can dream up on the day.  Thank god East Coast Vintage had done a good job of tarting it up and cleaning it and using the correct crating wood or else i would of been up for another small fortune in cleaning and all the other costs of an import that is dirty. 

[jimg1au]

up untill last year it was piss easy to import stuff from the usa
frame 100.00
wheel 30.00
engine 50.00 ect
all was done on 450.00 a cubic meter by my shipper
i have paid 500.00 for a cz400 in two large tv boxes
IT WAS FUN WHILE IT LASTED
I HAVE ONLY IMPORTED 1 BIKE that needed the 50.00 govt import papers that went smooth as
you must be crasy letting the seller pack in cardboard boxes they are used once they get them.tv boxes are double wall so that ok(i work in packaging).all the time i pay the seller to pack in rubbermaid plastic tubs then zip tye the tops down(no loseing brake plates that way)
last week i enquired about a bike to come here the seller would strip it down for me in to 2 tubs and srink wrap the rest.total cost for that was 300.00 including transport to long beach.
with the new taxes the customes slug you per 1000.00 invoice the shipping + custom charges is getting over a grand so i bailed on the deal
the dollar is too low atm to make it worth doing.it used to take approx 3 months from payment in the usa till pick up in sydney.
firko used to use the other guy mentioned here but found my broke cheaper.
getting stuff from the uk is very expencive i would only recomend it if the product is nere imposable to get here.ie eso unit scrambles bikes(jonesy)

[Lewis]

I recently had a quote to import 2 bikes to Oz from the West Coast of the USA and the price I thought was quite fair. Had a quote to get a bike over from the East Coast(same importer) and I was a bit stunned at the difference. Much dearer by a country mile. Then there's still the extra cost of getting the bike to the port. America is a big place!!!! As has been previously mentioned "do your homework,talk with a broker and an importer"it costs nothing.Don't ask and it may be a shocker.
It was actually cheaper for me to have a bike totally dismantled by the seller and sent to Oz in pieces through the mail(people at the local post office joke about it)than to have the bike crated then shipped to the port and sent to Oz from the East Coast. If you want a bike make sure it is on the West Coast of the USA and near a port otherwise it will cost. Also depends on what you're buying. Why import something you can buy in Oz? If it's not available here then it will cost. That's the price one pays for being self indulgent.(like me)