Importing Bikes

Watimena said:

Anyone imported a bike to Australia b4? I am thinking of importing one from the US and need some
advice. Seems like you can save a lot of money for a little of leg work. The exchange rates not
too savage a the moment as well.

(UK experience) The reality is much harder than the dream. The big one is import tax. You'll get
screwed, making the savings nowhere near as attractive. I paid something like 33% when I brought a
bike in from the US. It still worked out cheaper, but if I'd had a problem with it, I would have
been shafted.

If you're not too worried about the warranty aspect, then your best bet is to work out a way of
getting it back in the country without paying the duty, or paying a much lower level of duty. To do
this, you really need to travel to the US, and there are some tricks that you can employ. Obviously,
this leaves you open to criminal prosecution - but only if you get caught 🙂

Basically, depending on the amount you're planning on spending, you can set aside the Aussie
money you'd pay for your bike, get the bike and take in a nice week or two's holiday in the US
with the change.

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bomba said:

If you're not too worried about the warranty aspect, then your best bet is to work out a way of
getting it back in the country without paying the duty, or paying a much lower level of duty. To do
this, you really need to travel to the US, and there are some tricks that you can employ.
Obviously, this leaves you open to criminal prosecution - but only if you get caught 🙂

Basically, depending on the amount you're planning on spending, you can set aside the Aussie
money you'd pay for your bike, get the bike and take in a nice week or two's holiday in the US
with the change.

I've had customers from the UK do just this. One pair of riders flew to Florida, picked up their
bikes, flew to Moab and spent a week - claiming that the whole thing cost only a little more than
shippng the bikes directly to the UK and paying taxes and duty.

Apparently there isn't any tax or duty associated with bringing your "used bike" back from vacation.
And with the US $ dropping against most other currencies, it may be a good time to plan a trip
across the pond (whichever pond that may be).

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles habcycles.comhabcycles.comOpen ↗ Home of the $695 ti frame

Mark Hickey said:

I've had customers from the UK do just this. One pair of riders flew to Florida, picked up their
bikes, flew to Moab and spent a week - claiming that the whole thing cost only a little more than
shippng the bikes directly to the UK and paying taxes and duty.

Apparently there isn't any tax or duty associated with bringing your "used bike" back from
vacation. And with the US $ dropping against most other currencies, it may be a good time to plan
a trip across the pond (whichever pond that may be).

I'm thinking this is the way I'm going to go, for my 'bike-after-next'.

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"Mark Hickey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Apparently there isn't any tax or duty associated with bringing your "used bike" back from
vacation. And with the US $ dropping against most other currencies, it may be a good time to plan
a trip across the pond (whichever pond that may be).

Bzzzt. When I lived back in Canada, I had my bike shipped from the US after a vacation. They held it
hostage until I paid about $350 in taxes to get it back. Then I spent the next 3 months fighting
with Customs to prove that it was my own personal used bike that I had taken on vacation and not a
new bike purchase so I could get my money back. What a frickin' experience...

- CA-G

Canadian Girls Kick Ass!

Carla A-G said:

Quoted message said:

Apparently there isn't any tax or duty associated with bringing your "used bike" back from
vacation. And with the US $ dropping against most other currencies, it may be a good time to plan
a trip across the pond (whichever pond that may be).

Bzzzt. When I lived back in Canada, I had my bike shipped from the US after a vacation. They held
it hostage until I paid about $350 in taxes to get it back. Then I spent the next 3 months
fighting with Customs to prove that it was my own personal used bike that I had taken on vacation
and not a new bike purchase so I could get my money back. What a frickin' experience...

Yeah, but you had the bike 'shipped', which is going to arouse suspicions. Travel on holiday with
your bike, travel back with the bike and have no problems.

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"bomba" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Bzzzt. When I lived back in Canada, I had my bike shipped from the US

after

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a vacation. They held it hostage until I paid about $350 in taxes to get

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

back. Then I spent the next 3 months fighting with Customs to prove that

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

was my own personal used bike that I had taken on vacation and not a new bike purchase so I
could get my money back. What a frickin'

experience...

Quoted message said:

Yeah, but you had the bike 'shipped', which is going to arouse suspicions. Travel on holiday with
your bike, travel back with the bike and have no problems.

Well, I took it with me on the flight and had it shipped back to me on my return. I had proof that
it was my bike that I had originally taken with me.

But its true, I have travelled and brought along my bike and have not had problems, other than
trying to lie about it and trying to claim its a musical instrument so that I wouldn't have to pay
the exhorbitant airline fees (the lie didn't work)...

- CA-G

Canadian Girls Kick Ass!

Quoted message said:

But its true, I have travelled and brought along my bike and have not had problems, other than
trying to lie about it and trying to claim its a musical instrument so that I wouldn't have to pay
the exhorbitant airline fees (the lie didn't work)...

Why on earth not?

The sound of tyres on dirt is MUSIC to my ears. This music can be altered by how hard you
corner, etc. so the "music" could, in theory, be "played" And the wind through the frame makes
it a wind instrument. (Though when you crash one it becomes a percussion instrument, and makes
horrible music.)

Trentus

"Trentus" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But its true, I have travelled and brought along my bike and have not

had

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

problems, other than trying to lie about it and trying to claim its a musical instrument so that
I wouldn't have to pay the exhorbitant

airline

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

fees (the lie didn't work)...

Why on earth not?

The sound of tyres on dirt is MUSIC to my ears. This music can be altered by how hard you corner,
etc. so the "music"

could,

Quoted message said:

in theory, be "played" And the wind through the frame makes it a wind instrument. (Though when you
crash one it becomes a percussion instrument, and makes horrible music.)

I don't think they would fall for that one either...

- CA-G

Canadian Girls Kick Ass!