OZ ATV :: The Australian ATV Forum

[ForeverThreeWheels]

Hey guys, i thought id fill you in on a new venture i may be starting soon.

Ive found a company in Australia that will ship trikes over from California to Australia for me and take care of pretty much everything from crating the trike and shipping it over to all the legal/import paper work etc for around $1500. All i have to do is buy the trike and get it delivered to their warehouse in Cali.

Im thinking if i can get something like this...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-250R-ATC-1986-Honda-ATC-250R-Original-Owner-/290698438694?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item43aefa2826#ht_500wt_1182

or this...

http://www.americanlisted.com/california_5/motorcycles_10/1985_honda_250r_atc_or_trade_1500_temecula_14642578.html

or even...

http://northmiss.craigslist.org/mcy/2854137911.html

http://eugene.craigslist.org/mcy/2872408394.html

and can get it to the warehouse in California for around $2000 - $2500 total cost then pay the $1500 shipping/import cost then ive got a trike that i can sell for $5000 - $6000 that has only cost me $3500 - $4000.
Thats a minimum profit of $1000 per trike and a possible $2500.
The only down side is to get the capital to fund this i'll have to sell my 200X, my 82R and my 84R but i think it will be a small sacrifice to make when looking at the big picture.

Heres a link to some pages showing all the redtape i'll bypass by using the company ive been looking into.

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/importing_vehicles/index.aspx

http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/import/vehicles-machinery/motor-vehicles

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4226.asp


Sooooo, what do you guys think? Anything else i have forgotten or should consider?

Feel free to comment and post opinions etc as i'd appreciate as much input as possible.
_________________

[HaggLE]

Find someone that does it already and get some info and advise...
There's bound to be something.
Personally I'd work on a larger profit range so that they are easier to sell and will give you more room to move.

[ForeverThreeWheels]

Cheers Jye, Yeah i might send some PM's to AUSTRACO, surfin', quadmad, prokiwi, hustleratv.com.au, lukeb and mark678 because i know that theyve shipped quads over.
Ive put many hrs into researching as much as i can about this on the net but i spose nothing beats chatting with someone whos actually done it.
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[richie_supercharged]

Whats taxes involved?
Is the market there for all these trike ..i know people buy them but it make take a whille to get rid of say 4 86r's for 5k each
Also scott( atv unlimited )is an importer and has a bunch of trikes coming he may slow the market aswell and bring the prices down
Parts may be an idea but then you dont really wanna tred on ric's toes
just dont get them and fall in love with them all and not want to sell.. Cause we all kno home much you wanna collect em all
But you never kno it might be easy and all work out ,just never kno till you do it
Research is the key mate

Lets us know bout the 82 if you do decide to go ahead
_________________
If in Doubt.. Flat out

84 ATC 250r (290kit)
82 ATC 250r
77 ATC 90

[vroomy]

your biggest issue is without being there in person i find alot of the folks over there cant be bothered dealing with you, even the ones that seem helpful enough will take their time on organising photos and stuff and it ends up being sold before you get a chance especially if its a good one. Other problem is they ALWAYS look better in the pics, so unless you can go there or know someone you trust there it can get risky. I have been through all this, the first TRX i bought off pics and got ripped (photos looked alot better than it really was) now im lucky enough to have a friend who goes there and buys my bikes in person so ive done good. Im in the process now of bringing 3 250R trikes in myself but it has been a mission. So just be careful

[Pantsly]

As someone who has brought in 20+ muscle cars be careful, some Americans are good at making junk look good in photos. I always have someone on the ground there to check any purchaces. Also you should not pay any duties ( other than GST and local taxes) as we have a free trade agreement with the USA. At the moment is not a great time as the laws are changing as to what they will let into the country. (You may get it in but they will not let you get Rego, even Rec rego) Be prepared to have your capital tied up for a while waiting for sales, unless you have buyers lined up. Good luck, but be careful.

[ForeverThreeWheels]

Thanx so much for the info guys, I'm glad someone with experience chimmed in. I thought you may have been shipping some over vroomy, I saw your posts on 3ww.
I'm thinking about buying only 1 trike to start with and buying it through Frank Destra, he is "atcpartsnrestorations" on eBay, fnrmd on 3ww and OLD SCHOOL ATC on airfoolers.
The shipping company I have chosen knows him as well as and has worked with him in the past.
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[ForeverThreeWheels]

ForeverThreeWheels wrote:

Thanx so much for the info guys, I'm glad someone with experience chimmed in. I thought you may have been shipping some over vroomy, I saw your posts on 3ww. I'm thinking about buying only 1 trike to start with and buying it through Frank Destra, he is "atcpartsnrestorations" on eBay, fnrmd on 3ww and OLD SCHOOL ATC on airfoolers. The shipping company I have chosen knows him as well as and has worked with him in the past.

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/viewitem?itemId=110859288561&index=21&nav=WATCHING&nid=47992698380
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[wa5]

One of my mates has been in his current occupation for almost all his working life... a while ago, whilst running his own business, he had an offer from somebody, to come and work for him for a few weeks for free, in return, the "volunteer" would learn the ropes, so he could start his own business....

Mate told him to piss off, why would anybody hand out free advice to potential competition... and give away all that they have learned the hard way over half a lifetime?

No offence FTW and HaggLE, but expexting anybody in the game to hand out anything more than general tips is somewhat optomistic.

[ButcherBoy]

wa5 wrote:

One of my mates has been in his current occupation for almost all his working life... a while ago, whilst running his own business, he had an offer from somebody, to come and work for him for a few weeks for free, in return, the "volunteer" would learn the ropes, so he could start his own business.... Mate told him to piss off, why would anybody hand out free advice to potential competition... and give away all that they have learned the hard way over half a lifetime? No offence FTW and HaggLE, but expexting anybody in the game to hand out anything more than general tips is somewhat optomistic.

That's the dumbest thing I've ever read! I own my own business, that's like me saying "I'm not going to employ anyone and train them because they might buy a business and compete with me after I've done all the hard work"

Mate, there's still the Aussie spirit out there and the good old "help a fella out" if your "mate" told someone to piss off because he was if he could help that person then your mate is nothing more than a tool.
_________________
Yamaha '07 Raptor 700r SE
Honda 1989 TRX 250r
Honda 1985 "70" 125cc
Honda 2012 "70" 200x

[ForeverThreeWheels]

You all raise good points gentlemen and I take everything everyone says into consideration.
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[ForeverThreeWheels]

Here's a 350X that Scott has got on eBay.
It'll be interesting to see what this goes for.

http://bit.ly/HPAjqp
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[ButcherBoy]

greenhuman wrote:

Well, there is nothing worse than having someone hanging around pretending friendship, asking questions and watching then turn around and stab you in the back. It's happened twice to me. I know what a tool is.

in that story old mate told his he wrote this

"he had an offer from somebody, to come and work for him for a few weeks for free, in return, the "volunteer" would learn the ropes, so he could start his own business"

The guy told him of his intentions
_________________
Yamaha '07 Raptor 700r SE
Honda 1989 TRX 250r
Honda 1985 "70" 125cc
Honda 2012 "70" 200x

[richie_supercharged]

ForeverThreeWheels wrote:

Here's a 350X that Scott has got on eBay. It'll be interesting to see what this goes for. http://bit.ly/HPAjqp

If that one reaches the price your after then do it
Like you were saying start with one and if that goes smooth step it up from there
It the same as investing in anything ..all ways a gamble
_________________
If in Doubt.. Flat out

84 ATC 250r (290kit)
82 ATC 250r
77 ATC 90

[Mart 300r]

Sorry ben ill shut up now soz for hijacking your thread.Go for it i reckon.cant be that bad some pretty simple people have made it happen back in the day.i reckon someone strong minded like yourself will kill it.
_________________
1984 ATC 300R, 1986 TRX 500R,1984 ATC 200X, ATC 70 WITH CUSTOM LAYDOWN 250R ENGINE, 125CC CUSTOM THUMPSTER TRIKE

[yogie]

this thread will be cleaned up tonight, so play nice till then. so if anyone wants to reword their posts feel free but I'll do it if you want me to.
_________________
2005 KFX700
With a few bells and whistles
and the twin yoshi's
American Star A-arms, tie rods
elka stickers
Shorty Shifter
I have a Waco
rossco gave me a flexx sticker
honda thumb
Great at climbing trees
durablue stickers

[Mart 300r]

Oh come on yogie. The threads have been dead for ages. Nothin like a good disagreement between an orangutan and a leprechaun.
_________________
1984 ATC 300R, 1986 TRX 500R,1984 ATC 200X, ATC 70 WITH CUSTOM LAYDOWN 250R ENGINE, 125CC CUSTOM THUMPSTER TRIKE

[ForeverThreeWheels]

yogie wrote:

this thread will be cleaned up tonight, so play nice till then. so if anyone wants to reword their posts feel free but I'll do it if you want me to.

Please don't post in my thread Yogie unless it's to offer advice or better yet... Take it off topic whilst Insulting someone!
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[ForeverThreeWheels]

ForeverThreeWheels wrote:

Here's a 350X that Scott has got on eBay. It'll be interesting to see what this goes for. http://bit.ly/HPAjqp

It's at $3500, reserve has been met and still has 9 days left
I reckon it'll go for around $6400.
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[richie_supercharged]

Its doubled in 12hrs
_________________
If in Doubt.. Flat out

84 ATC 250r (290kit)
82 ATC 250r
77 ATC 90

[wa5]

[quote="ButcherBoy"]

wa5 wrote:

One of my mates has been in his current occupation for almost all his working life... a while ago, whilst running his own business, he had an offer from somebody, to come and work for him for a few weeks for free, in return, the "volunteer" would learn the ropes, so he could start his own business.... Mate told him to piss off, why would anybody hand out free advice to potential competition... and give away all that they have learned the hard way over half a lifetime? No offence FTW and HaggLE, but expexting anybody in the game to hand out anything more than general tips is somewhat optomistic.

That's the dumbest thing I've ever read! I own my own business, that's like me saying "I'm not going to employ anyone and train them because they might buy a business and compete with me after I've done all the hard work"

Mate, there's still the Aussie spirit out there and the good old "help a fella out" if your "mate" told someone to piss off because he was if he could help that person then your mate is nothing more than a tool.[/quote][color=red]There is a difference between training / mentoring an employee (who could become a competitor somewhere down the track I guess, and having somebody come to you, with the aim of taking every bit of useful knowledge you have to set up in opposition to you.. As for "Aussie Spirit"... most Aussies I know cant stand bludgers [/color]

[HaggLE]

I'm sure this thread was more interesting last night lol

Or was I up too late last night looking at old photos of dads fasts 90s with hybrid motors from the 1970s...

[ButcherBoy]

HaggLE wrote:

I'm sure this thread was more interesting last night lol Or was I up too late last night looking at old photos of dads fasts 90s with hybrid motors from the 1970s...

ahh the good old days aye
_________________
Yamaha '07 Raptor 700r SE
Honda 1989 TRX 250r
Honda 1985 "70" 125cc
Honda 2012 "70" 200x

[greenhuman]

No hybrids in the 70's unfortunately. Especially reliable 310's like one of mine youv'e got.
The good old days alright. You should have been there.
Maybe a new thread featuring the good old days should be started instead of ruining Ben's.
Should be interesting.