UK to Australia R1200GS Adventure export

[rlbgs]

Am wondering if anyone can shed some light on the following. i am an Aussie citizen who is returning to Australia from living in the UK for an extended period of time and would like to bring my 2008 model r1200gs adventure with me. I have investigated freight and import duties etc and as I have owned the vehicle for more than 12 months it all seems fine. I'm bringing the bike with me to ride as my primary source of transport and understand that eventually when I come to sell it, it's value as an import will be less than an aus delivered but for the time being I think its worth holding onto.

My question is has anyone had experience with doing the same and needing to replace the speedometer facia to read kph only as the uk spec bikes have mph and kph with kph on the inside of the dial, mph being the larger font and on the outside. I have heard that vicroads (the state govt body equivilent to dvla) may be finicky and require kph to be on the outside and hence larger font than mph or perhaps no mph at all. My dealer in the UK has confirmed he can alter the trip computer and oddometer etc to read kph when hooked up to diagnostic equipment. Any advice you could provide would be appreciated as a replacement of the facia only does not seem possible and the whole unit would be GBP550 and in Australia I imagine much more. I literally just need the plastic changed over and GBP550 seems around GBP 525 more than I'd hope to spend on it.

 

[Mallard]

I seem to remember a post awhile back. Someone was selling speedo/revcounter inserts - these were coloured white with GS logos on them in I think both kph & mph. Just take off the speedo glass & insert the insert. can't remember the title of the post but worth a search.

 

[Aidan1150]

I seem to remember a post awhile back. Someone was selling speedo/revcounter inserts - these were coloured white with GS logos on them in I think both kph & mph. Just take off the speedo glass & insert the insert. can't remember the title of the post but worth a search.

Lloyd at Dakar Decals custom makes clock inserts.

Here's one he did earlier;

HTH

 

[rlbgs]

thats awesome, its exactly what i need. I've shot him an email. thanks alot for the tip.

 

[laurent100469]

thats awesome, its exactly what i need. I've shot him an email. thanks alot for the tip.

I move to mainland Europe with my uk bike too
For your information you can ask your BMW dealer to change the board computer from miles to kms, it is a 2 sec job.
I'm left with the headlights that I should change for "right hand drive" ones before going to the MOT

 

[Roge]

You have to apply to import the bike before it leaves the UK, ie prove ownership and use (MOTs Servicing bills...........) otherwise what you are saying is true, it needs to be spotless on arrival and then go through compliancing and fitting an Aus compliance plate. Its a bit of a bother but what isn't?

I got a local dealer here to value the bike and hence challenge the customes valuation saving a considerable amount of duty

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/ImportingaVehicleFactSheet_Nov09_Final.pdf

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4371.asp#whatToDo

I have done it so if you have questions ask good luck

 

[Pukmeister]

It probably depends what state you are moving to as to how much hassle you will have. I moved to Perth, WA in mid 2007 and shipped my UK spec R1200GS with me.

To say the import process was painful is an understatement.

Basically I had to get the bike valued in Au$ by a WA approved qualified vehicle inspector (for a fee) before it could be released from the import compound, then get it inspected by another WA state inspector over the 'pits' (for a fee) (equivalent of their MOT station) after paying the state for a one-day insurance permit to ride it to the testers on UK plates (for a fee), then apply to Niddrie Nameplates in Vic for a compliance sticker (for a fee and two week wait), then get the bike retested again with sticker attached (for another fee of course including another one-day insurance ticket) before being handed the paperwork to get WA license plates (for a fee). The process took about seven weeks from start to finish and a lot of telephone calls and red tape.

Oddly enough when returning to the UK in late 2008, I just called DVLA and they reissued the V5C with the old UK license plate for no fee at all. I got the MOT done and rode it.

If I were returning to Aus, I would sell my UK bike and buy another from an Australian BMW dealership on arrival. Probably cheaper, definitely a lot less hassle.

 

[mirboo72]

You have to apply to import the bike before it leaves the UK, ie prove ownership and use (MOTs Servicing bills...........) otherwise what you are saying is true, it needs to be spotless on arrival and then go through compliancing and fitting an Aus compliance plate. Its a bit of a bother but what isn't?

I got a local dealer here to value the bike and hence challenge the customes valuation saving a considerable amount of duty

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/ImportingaVehicleFactSheet_Nov09_Final.pdf

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4371.asp#whatToDo

I have done it so if you have questions ask good luck

Interesting,I just shipped my GSA 09 to Melbourne will arrive in july..Did your dealer go to customs....what sort of saving are you talking hundreds or more ? This is my worry that some wanker at my expense will give an AU market value..
As selling and buying one in oz was not in my budget I had to go through it or without it.

Have been quoted $200 for ADR compliance then take it by appointment to vic roads for licence plate. and pay another bleeding $500+...

To the question.. I just got my self a black KPH dial face for a tenner.
will have to look at my ebay account for the seller I think he might have them.

Didn't know computer can be changed to KPH, will ask a dealer to do it.

 

[DING-DONG]

There's a chap of ebay that sells clock faces in lots of different designs for £13.

here the link.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-R-1200-GS-Gauge-Glock-Speedo-Kit-Speedo-face-/260786332243

Hope it helps

 

[Roge]

Interesting,I just shipped my GSA 09 to Melbourne will arrive in july..Did your dealer go to customs....what sort of saving are you talking hundreds or more ? This is my worry that some wanker at my expense will give an AU market value..
As selling and buying one in oz was not in my budget I had to go through it or without it.

Have been quoted $200 for ADR compliance then take it by appointment to vic roads for licence plate. and pay another bleeding $500+...

To the question.. I just got my self a black KPH dial face for a tenner.
will have to look at my ebay account for the seller I think he might have them.

Didn't know computer can be changed to KPH, will ask a dealer to do it.

All the states operate differently, but basically they came up with a value which was on the high side of acceptable, I went to the local Yamaha dealer he wrote an appraisal of value faxed it to them and they accepted it and I save $800 in duty, that was 6 years ago.

 

[mirboo72]

Rules have changed last year...when importing you have to pay $250 for a evaluation buy an assessor...
This is why I taken off the panniers,fog lights and bits.

Australia welcomes you with open arms and great big tax invoice.