Australia Members only - DOTARS contact anyone?

All
On the verge of tears here, finalzing my move down under and having some problems here. Been in contact with DOTARS regarding bringing my bike across, and not going smoothly at all. My household contents are due to leave the USA end of March and arrive in Sydney mid May, but DOTARS won't let me apply for a permit until mid May because I bought my bike Mid May '04 and need to have owned for 12 months. Is there any chance anyone has a "friend" at the DOTARS I can speak with who might be able to cut me 6 weeks slack, or help push mine through. Its that or I will have to sell the bike and probably slash my wrists.

Appreciate any insight you might have. You will have a riding buddy for life!

Thanks
Dazza



Modified by Dazza at 9:18 PM 1/11/2005

Also try and get a post onto the site below mate. This is the biggest organised Motorcycle Club in Australia. There may be someone there to help.

http://ulyssesclub.org/

Dazza,
You've probably all ready got it but VSB 10 is the DOTARS standard for vehicle imports.

In reading the doc, I'm assuming that you are trying to import the bike under the "Personal Imports" section. This is where you are running foul of the "One year minimum" ownership clause.
Another avenue that you might consider is to import the bike under the "RAWS" clause. I should imagine that you might be able to get a workshop or vehicle importer to do the leg work for you. The other alternative is to apply for a "RAWS" licence yourself ... just a thought.

The Australin government is usually VERY recalsitrant about "bending" rules & standards these days

Failing that; sell yours & organise for a new bike to be delivered at the door the day you land.

Man...i deal with getting stuff from NA to Russia of all places.
now THAT is a screwed up place.
one wrong move and $us200,000 worth of goods is held hostage until you bribe these clowns.
the point is try different angles.
ie....you need a import permit for a "vehicle"...otherwise you incur storage charges at the dock...

what if you break your bike down into two sections...
ie take off the wheels ,tank, forks...whats that 3 hrs work?

if you ship wheels,tanks fork in a separate lot...from the frame,engine, airbox...
does EACH lot consititute a "vehicle" under this regulation...or are they "parts".

if they are just 'parts' or semi finished vehicle..maybe you can sideskirt the requirement for a vehicle import permit.maybe also get an Auzzie customs brokers opinion...these guys have buddies everywhere.

seems rules sometimes can be "bent"...its called "administrative variance"...
believe me ...ive brought crazy sh*t into Can and USA and they clear with enuff persistence...and help with customs brokers. Ive even had stuff "detained" and ordered to "deep bury the cargo" or "send back to origin" from govt officials.
after wearing them down..they allowed me to truck the cargo across the Us/can border obviously better than the 1st option they gave me...they just tell you stuff up front but you got to fight.you just got to remember..civil servants just want to go home at the end of the day...if you keep pestering them...they usually cave as long as you are not dealing with obviously harmful goods.
my next project is to bring a Nissan SUV from Usa to Canada to final dest. Russia .

Modified by autostrada1 at 6:31 AM 1/12/2005


Modified by autostrada1 at 6:35 AM 1/12/2005

They bought this in to stop people traveling to Europe for a holiday buying a bike and taking it
home to sell at a profit,if you are not staying
for good and taking the bike back to the USA
you might be able to get a cavent[sp] that allows you to do this,you pay a bond and get it back when you leave,they used to do this
in some countrys.
Vince

it has to be approved before it comes in and dotars will assign a new, australian std personal import vin number to the bike before it even gets here. without that it's a paper weight - you'll never ever get it registered. no way no how. bring it in in bits and that's how it stays.

we had a customer - head of merc benz - who bought his 888 sp5 over from germany without applying for compliance, because he didn't intend registering it. he's gone elsewhere, but it's still here, sold on as a never registerable bike.

All

Thanks for your replies. After final discussions with the folks at DOTARS, it has been confirmed that I will have to have owned continuosly for 12 months, with a maximum allowable time out the US of 42 days in those 12 months. As I have to leave before the full 12 months to start my new job and life in Sydney, it means I will have to fly back to the US for two days with a 42 day window to satisfy their requirements, one before and one on the 12 month anniversary, and then ship my paperwork off showing the US customs inbound stamp. I can add another $1600 for flights and accommodation on top of the shipping and Aussie customs fees . I am waiting for written commitment from them to honour their statement and guarantee the permit before I plan to follow this route. Otherwise Murphy will intervene, permit will be denied, and the beast will be waiting in a crate in NY with no-one to care for it, or worse yet, to dispose of it to a good home.

Thanks for your support and suggestions. I had hoped to ride with many of you lads as early as April, but will more than likely now have to sell my baby, and start saving again for a mint 996s/998 in Aus, or switch to an MV. I haven't been able to fall in love with the 999 as I did with the 996 which has given me the shivers since it was first laucnhed. Perhaps a track day on a 999 and some custom bodywork to fill in the gap unde the tank ala 996 will calm me down.

Cheers
Dazza

keep in mind it will need to be complianced to meet aust design rules when it gets here. lh dip headlight (yours is rh dip i expect), std exhaust, stuff like that. you don't just bring it in and register it.