Hi Guys, it looks increasingly certain that I will be able to meet you on a regular bases down under. My company has been making noises (as have I) that an Australian posting might (should) be in the books . Maybe within a year :pirat: .
Whilst looking forward to the opportunity it brings lots of questions, particular regarding bikes. What do you rekon, take the old K100 with me or sell here and start new in Aus? I haven't got a feel for Aussie pricing, first glances seem to indicate an expensive second hand market. Further from your posts that spare parts are expencive/hard to come by. Better stack up the container!! Hmm, maybe circulate a parts list before it happens??? No, no whole bikes, sorry

Anyway, as a start I would welcome your thoughts/advise!

Thanks, Rene.

PS Location still not determined, but expected east, with regular visits required in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

ReneZ, noticed on Aussie Ebay a k100 lt for about $3500 with not too many Ks...just an example. Best to work out how it will be to transport your bike out here first. It may prove not to be economical.

Move to Brisbane...we're a bit short on K100 owners.

There is a BMW spare parts place in Western Australia called Munich Motorcycles (MM) that can be a bit expensive.
I (and I guess a few others in Oz) get a lot of my parts/bits and pieces from England and a lot of the time it works out cheaper, including postage, than buying it from MM.
But also, don't underestimate the local Dealers; there can be parts bought that are reasonably priced.

"take the old K100 with me or sell here and start new in Aus?" How long are you staying?

Either way, welcome and it'll good to see you when we meet up.

ainsjac wrote:ReneZ, noticed on Aussie Ebay a k100 lt for about $3500 with not too many Ks...just an example. Best to work out how it will be to transport your bike out here first. It may prove not to be economical.

Must confess to having looked at some OZ prices for K series bikes on eBay since I joined this forum. It seems to me that the prices are a whole lot cheaper in the UK.

For example:

I paid £800.00 for my 1984 K100RT in very tidy condition (84,000 miles) 3 years ago - that equates to 1,227.43 AUD at todays prices

I paid £1,300.00 for my 1993 K1100LT (57,000 miles) 18 months ago - also in very tidy order (58,000 miles) - that equates to 1,994.58 AUD at todays prices

Make your own minds up - you may also like to take a look at a project (spares/repairs) on eBay UK just now @ £250.00/make offer: bmw k100 spares or repairs

or... BMW K 100 RS

Hi Rene,

That's exciting news.

It seems importing a m/c into Oz is not a straight forward affair. It is often discussed in the Aussie section of Advrider, search for import and have a look around eg http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=630002&highlight=import

For something of the $ value of an early K I would buy here. Used bike and parts prices are higher and many Oz member source parts from OS based on price. Parts availability is quite good considering the age of our bikes. Have a look at a manistream sales site like http://www.bikesales.com.au/ as a starting point.

I think better to spend a few more dollars up front than having to shell out for brake rotors and things on a tired bike. It can soon become an eye watering exercise.

Now regarding location, forget the north. Melbourne is the Glasgow of the southern hemisphere (did I say that), variable weather, dockland developments, plenty of clubs and pubs and more golf courses than we know what to do with. Oh, and a few "Rest and be thankfuls" just up the road in the Victorian alps.

The Sydney members will tell you we are more like Edinburgh (stuck up and a bit full of ourselves) but they just need to move on.

Being from good Falkirk stock I will sit on the fence and say with the opportunity for 4 seasons riding in Oz you can't go wrong.

Cheers,

Dee Why

ReneZ wrote:Hi Guys, it looks increasingly certain that I will be able to meet you on a regular bases down under. My company has been making noises (as have I) that an Australian posting might (should) be in the books . Maybe within a year :pirat: .
Whilst looking forward to the opportunity it brings lots of questions, particular regarding bikes. What do you rekon, take the old K100 with me or sell here and start new in Aus? I haven't got a feel for Aussie pricing, first glances seem to indicate an expensive second hand market. Further from your posts that spare parts are expencive/hard to come by. Better stack up the container!! Hmm, maybe circulate a parts list before it happens??? No, no whole bikes, sorry

Anyway, as a start I would welcome your thoughts/advise!

Thanks, Rene.

PS Location still not determined, but expected east, with regular visits required in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

Putting Australia in American terms, I'd say Sydney is a lot like New York, a bit up their own arses. Melbourne would like to think it's Seattle. Brisbane would be somewhere in Florida (but not as culturally diverse as Miami). Adelaide equates to Boston quite nicely, given the number of churches and general boredom. Perth would be like Dallas or Fort Worth (shudders), and anywhere in the northern half of the country roughly equates to big spiders, massive crocs, and weather that will make a grown man weep on a regular basis so isn't worth mentioning.

Melbourne gets my vote for "most liveable", largely because I chose to emigrate to Melbourne after living in the USA for 20 years.

As far as bikes go, and this is as someone that's purchased four Ks in the last year, and spent far too much time shopping for good deals domestically and abroad, pack up as much stuff as you can in your mighty container. Whatever the hassle with importing a bike, and piles of spares, it's still going to be a shit load cheaper to bring them with you from the USA then trying to buy them here.

Ok, off the soap box now, but wherever you decide to end up over here, you'll find the people to be incredibly generous, and the country too tempting not to explore on two wheels.

Cheers,

Alex.

G'day Renee I'd say import your bike even with taxes added on it will be cheaper .We get a few bikes and cars imported at work and all say its cheaper than buying another in Oz in same condition plus you know your bike faults . Registration is fairly painless as long as its clean std and roadworthy all pass first time . Import duty applies to vehicles over $1000 Oz

cheers Tony

Rene My feeling is to bring your own bike. That way you have a known quantity, the last thing you want to be doing after you arrive is to sort out someone elses mess.
You could flog it off before you go back and help offset the cost of bringing it here and buy another when back in UK or where ever you go next.

just great news rene...ill be looking forward to meeting you ..in the not to distant future ....cheers

Get here by March, and it's your shout at the Queensland trip.
Come to my place, it's called the Southern Highlands. Fog, Rain and a cold winter. You'll be right at home.

Gee, guys, thanks for the great info and the welcoming!

I it happens it will be for years if not forever. The 'real boss' is Aussie and it might not be possible to get her to leave again. Then again we never had the quality of live anywhere as experienced when we were living at Crazy Frogs end of the world. Canadians really have it sorted (except for the weather ;-))! I'd love to end up there again, but we'll see. Aussie first now!

I'll see what the cost of getting the bike over might be and maybe do her up a bit more (spent some money on it) and see how it fits the weather there. The warmth is great for here in Scotland, but might be too much down under. Might need to fit a 'Johnny blanket' or similar.

I'll let you know if anything further develops, but a great thanks so far!!

A friend of mine imported/brought in his own Merc to Australia and when the UK registration expired he went to register it in NSW. Would you believe that it could not be registered because the speedo was not in kilometers. Mercedes in the UK assured him that there would be no issues and he got that in writing. Mercedes changed the speedo and reset the odometer to read the correct distance travelled....for free.

Strange, completely roadworthy, but rules!

Oh boy, nothing easy eh. Does a speedo that indicates both count?

That should be right. My speedo on my k works, but the odo and trip don't. When you have your bike checked for rego the mileage (kilometreige?) is recorded. No one has realised that I have done no kilomtres in the last 12 years!

Ha. [i]'m the same. My insurance company will only let me do 9,000 ks a year, as far as they are aware it's been on blocks for 2 years, hasn't done
1k. I really must get those little cogs sourced and get it fixed.

Thank goodness for non sealed instrument clusters!

Why would you insure a bike when it goes nowhere? Hold on, you are a member of this forum, that explains it. We are all insane on this froum and I speak on behalf of me and my imaginary fiends, sorry friends.

Ah, the voices are back eh??

What noises? Those are just the sounds of my imaginary friends cooking.

The voices are saying things such as "ba, humbug," and you all have a wonderful Christmas. Do not indulge too much in you know what and make sure that Santa can get down the chimney.

We have problems here as he can't get down the air conditioning duct and if he parks the reindeer outside the roos will scare them off.

In celebration of our passion I decree tha Christmas will now be spelt Kristmas.

ainsjac wrote:The voices are saying things such as "ba, humbug," and you all have a wonderful Christmas. Do not indulge too much in you know what and make sure that Santa can get down the chimney.

We have problems here as he can't get down the air conditioning duct and if he parks the reindeer outside the roos will scare them off.

In celebration of our passion I decree tha Christmas will now be spelt Kristmas.

Ah I see we have a friend in common.

K Freak, what do the voices say to you?

I also hear other noises and see things..www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXYluefSLnE

Are we having some LINN friends here?? Keltic Klown.....

Please explain....LINN ? This is unknown in our part of the world.

ainsjac wrote:K Freak, what do the voices say to you?

Bah Humbug and go for a ride you silly old bugger.

K Freak, that is exactly what I get told by my wife! Maybe it has been her all the time!

Has Christmas come early i feel like I am at the table with all the relatives you have been warned about.....Hey guys I am a Newbie here.( tips hat/helmet as a semblance of humbleness and respect) and feel at home already I notice there are a number of New South Welshmen here and Rene you could be one too soon....I suggest you bring everything you can in relation to K100's as it will refresh the Beemer gene pool and besides should you ever leave ( unlikely this is the best country in the world) you would make a few bob on the way out.

Hope to see you on the road .John

Hi Klompy
I get up your way often, I'll let you know if I'm coming up.
Nice fish n chips at Windsor if they are still there, Bells Line of Road, that s a nice spot.
You'll have to see if you can get away up to the Queensland run later in the year (see trips section)
Cheers RT

John, goed plan!