Exporting my bikes

[Lobo]

I guess James - Sussex is the man here, but if anyone can help please chip in. I plan to retire later this year (yay!) to Oz, and want to take the 5 bikes with me - one is post ‘89, the others all pre ‘89.  Any “gottchas” to be aware of; is it simply filling in the appropriate bit of the V5C and bunging them in a crate? I have of course, got an importer set up for the Brisbane bit. All help / comments wrt the UK side of things appreciated. Ta. Simon

[kevski]

Filling the part out on the V5c is what i have done with the two i have sent abroad along with a bill of sale, which you won't need.

[JamesH]

Hi Lobo. Pretty straight forward - you just fill in the V5 declaration saying you’ve exported the bike - and keep the main part of the V5 for your import requirements in Oz. You should get a dvla confirmation letter (to your Uk address) confirming you’re no longer the registered keeper. Simple as that.

[Andych]

From the Aussie side you may wish to check out getting them all checked and certified that there is no Asbestos in any gaskets or brake items.. They are clamping down hard on that here.. and unfortunately it is your responsibility to comply.. if you cant prove it then they can impound and it will cost a small fortune to have them independently checked here..
You may want to check with your importer about having an Import License as well.. I think pre 1990 isnt much of an issue but post 1990 could be.

[Lobo]

Thanks gents - Andy good point and will get onto the importer. I am intrigued as to the pre/post 1990 bit, it does seem thr modern ‘Guzzi is the one causing all the hardship wrt my ‘stable’. So many bloody requirements here, termination letters, airline ticket, proof of termination of home (Oz) rental address, and most perplexing of all, my personal (not the bikes) travel itinerary over the last 12 months. Aargh.
(seems like the DVLA has come up trumps in this respect!)

[Colonial-Clive (yindi)]

Envious of your moving to Oz lived there for 30 years and all my family there, but Brisbain really is not biker friendly any more than 3 in a Group and you get bounced by the police. They call it anti-consorting laws!

[Lobo]

... trouble is Clive, everything in life is a bloody compromise... the bikes, the wife, where you holiday with the wife, where you live... it goes on. We’ll miss bits of the UK, but all considered blah blah... (!)

[Green1]

Been a busy boy Simon I was beginning to think you were dead 
Why does that not surprise me the Guzzi's causing issues. 

Mick

[Lobo]

Ha! Far from it Mick, still working in Asia but alas with fewer ‘quality’ days in Hampshire / tinkering. Yea, of the 5 bikes the Guzzi gives me pause for thought... until I open the garage door and see it in the flesh. What a looker...!

[Lobo]

Andy... thanks for raising the Asbestos thingy, bloody hell, what a potential nightmare. Frankly a bit peeved at the Oz based shipper, who at every stage has ‘forgotten’ to mention it. Now he’s sending me infos / declaration forms. My 4x 70s bikes are almost concours, and have all had Engine rebuilds in the last 10 years (2x me; and 2x declared by the PO) and most certainly new brakes. I’m at a bloody loss what to do next, I’m 100% confident the bikes are clean... but very fearful of some official wanting an expensive delve. Hmm. Any thoughts / knowledges  here? Ta, Simon

[hairygit]

I read recently on another forum about an Aussie importing an old Land rover, and it had to be completely stripped, engine, brakes and clutch in a "Safe clean zone" to remove ALL traces of asbestos and dispose of it in the approved ( very expensive!) way. It currently only applies to imported vehicles, but basically they have banned import of anything containing asbestos, including gaskets. The major issue with bike we ride will be finding gasket sets that are asbestos free AND actually seal properly.

Sent from my X6pro using Tapatalk

[Andych]

While the gaskets are certainly potential for asbestos the main culprit seems to be brakes and brake linings.. I have heard of people removing the pads and brake shoes and that mostly seems to satisfy the authorities..
This guy ( https://northcoastmoto.com.au/ ) inspects, reports and imports vehicles and bikes from the USA and he may well have more specific details to assist you.. then again he may not want to part with said information without the passing of Sth Pacific Peso's across his palm..
I only know of him because he has or had a CB400F that was imported (engine in bits... I wonder why) that was for sale..
I am not sure on the pre/post 1990 thing either. I do know that I enquired on importing an SRX250 3WP (1991) frame complete from Japan through a specialist JDM importer) and was advised that to register it I would need an import certificate.. and they cant get one for it as it was a 1991 model. There are earlier frames but they are a little different to the 3WP model..

Anyway.. maybe drop him a line and see if he is able to cast more light on it all for you.
Good luck with it..

[Lobo]

...thanks gents. Just been on the phone to the shipper / importer who says he’s never had a bike pulled aside by the authority. Apparently it’a question on some electronic declaration, with a Yes/No/Don’t Know tick-box. If ‘straight forward’ shippers complete the form, they invariably tick, “Don’t know”.. which sets the train in motion. The chap I’m dealing with is more than a basic shipper, and will do all the importation forms / customs clearances etc. He will tick “No” and we’ll cross our fingers. I’ll of course, try to get documentations for each bike ready - showing their cleanliness - just in case. What a bloody pain.  (and giving though to removing all the brakes)