Hello all.

Early this december I will be arriving in Sydney to start my "Round Aus" trip.
I'm planning a Big 600+ thunper, XR and similar ones (though prefer the XR)
i've got a bunch of question regarding various aspects of the trip, whoever can contribute to whatever question will surely help a lot!

I havent found a Thread like this in search so this could make up to be some sort a summerizing thread topiced, "prereraion for Aus"

so here goes.

A) What kind of insurence is Mandatory? how much does it costs? where do I make it?

B) Licence&registrations and Yearly technical TEST by authorities (to the bike) in Aus... whats the fee? where do you do it?

C)Assuminfg I prefer buying a second hand used bike from a private owner, directly from him, and not from some sort of a used bike' lot agency, with some neat and tidy salesman (or dirty and greasy), where are Used motorcycle ads published at? (local news paper, motorcycle journal) is there a publishing more specifeic for off-road bike such XR650L, DR650, TT600 etc' etc... where can I buy any of these

D)Is there a price list accepted by motorcycle market is australia, regaring models, make, and year of manufactoring...

E) When I buy a used bike from some one, where and how do we change the ownership documants to be written over my name, (here in israel at the post office)

F)I've heard and read so many opinuions (spelling?) about maps for such kind of trip, hema maps etc' etc'... Where can one purchase these maps. what scale are they? what are the most common among 4WD and off-road motorcycles.

G)Is there a central area in Sydney where all the motorcycles&accessories shops are located in. if some one can specify address it will be great

H)Does anyone know some sort of a summerizing "know it all" Australia by motorcycle book. and where can one like this be purchased?

Thats all i can think of for now, may some else can contribute something I forgot and can be usefull....

P.S
Any other site seeing,track,mountain, river, valleys or what ever advice
is great and would help a lot.


Thanks Ahead, Ziv Mercado
Israel.

hi ziv.

try writting those Q to the ausie twowheels magazine, i think they might know a thing or two on those topics...
jeremy@twowheels.com.au

anyway have fun at your trip and good luck.

guy and marie

__________________
love to all

www.guyandmarie.com

Hi Ziv

I will try and answer your question a best as possible.

With regards to insurance, the mandotory insurance is 3rd party and this is automatically paid with your registration costs. This insurance covers you for any damage you may cause to a 3rd party. It does not cover you for damage to your bike/car or any other vechilcle you may damage. If you wanted this level of cover you would need what they refer to as comprehensive cover.

With regards to your quiery about test I assume you are referring you yearly inspection test for vehicles. These differ from state to state. For example in Melbourne when you register or transfer a vehicle in your name you need a Roadworthy certificate. In Melbourne you only this need this once irrespective of how long you own the vehicle, if that vehicle need to tranfser ownership you then do it again. In Sydney it is slightly different as you need to do this every 12 months. Upon renewal of your registration you need what they call a pink slip. Any bike shop that is authorised to carry these out will do them for you.

2. try the following www.bikesales.com.au to give you an idea. You can also try www.autotrader.com.au or www.bikepoint.com.au


3. There is a guide to bikes and I believe they are easily picked at decent newsagency stores.

4. When you buy a bike you do need to have all the registration forms. The seller should have all these and you should ensure the bike frame and engine numbers match the paperwork. Once the transaction is completed these forms get sent to the relevant registation office. Again in melbourne this is called Vicroads, sydney is similar. You also need to pay stamp duty on the bike to complete the transaction. This is based on the value of the bike.

5 I can't comment specifically on maps for you and I dont believe their is a know it all book either. Have you tried the various states tourist information websites or www.lonelyplanet.com Try www.google.com.au for individual seaches relating to Australia.

Cheers

Available from Hema Maps
www.hemamaps.com
100 top rides throughout Australia

Australia Motorcycle Atlas - 2nd Edition

1 865002 36 4 ZEAAUS10 Various $29.95

We have a Australia Motorbike Atlas and it has been extremely successful and we have now taken a further step to evolve this product to better cater for motorcyclists' needs and this new product is called the Australia Motorcycle Atlas. We have worked with one of Australia's leading motorcycle writers, Peter (The Bear) Thoeming to detail 100 Top Rides throughout Australia and each of these rides has a full page devoted to it at the start of the book. Each ride is described with respect to what to see and all the features and each ride is referenced back to the totally revised Road Atlas, which takes up the rear 92 pages of the book.


Another place to search for a bikes is www.tradingpost.com.au

Hope this helps
Glen

__________________
Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC

Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!

I bought the Hema Australia Motorcycle Atlas and it's great. My favorite purchase I made. You should order one soon so you can look through it. I did a lot of the 50 rides. I have the 1st edition.

I also bought a Camelbak which was my 2nd favorite because it gets hot down there.

I circled Australia mostly on paved roads, but crossing streams and playing with bulldust was a blast. I'd like to go back sometime and make it up Cape York. That'll be on a different bike than the Ducati 250 I was on. Still an old bike though, and more than likely another thumper.

I circled Australia and got a ticket around Sydney for having a California plate attached to the Australian plate. Other than that, no problems with the police.

--Dave

__________________
Not Ted Simon since 1970!
http://nokilli.com/rtw

This is a 4WD based site but has some relevant info for us.
www.exploroz.com
This one is good for current road conditions, fuel prices and trek notes/suggested routes etc. Remember to look me up when you get to Brisbane, email ahead with plenty of notice and I can show you some local stuff.

Glen

__________________
Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC

Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!

Have a look at Frank Warners site too

www.geocities.com/fwarner_au

Lots of useful stuff and a few answers to some of your questions.

__________________
And he sees the vision splendid, of the sunlit plains extended,
And at night the wondrous glory of the everlasting stars.
(A. B. Paterson)

Ziv,

after touring Oz for nearly 1/2 year, I reckon you shouldn't consider 'Around Oz' as the most aspiring issue. Rather plan your tour individually, checking out special sights & landscapes or places which are worth while visiting, and after having decided upon that, just connect up the places and see where the best line of travel is.

IMHO the best travel guide is the Lonely Planet guide on Australia. They also offer a travel guide specifically regarding the outback.

Secondly: Don't ignore the season you will be travelling in. Summer can get darn hot down here. Bloody hot, to be precise. Even in more temperate times something like the Camelbak is extremely useful to prevent dehydration. Besides that, the summertime means that in the north you might encounter the wet season, which means that some roads might be closed for an indefinite period of time, being impassable.

__________________
Only when we pause to wonder
do we go beyond the limits of our little lives.
(Rod McKuen)

Hi Merkado,

(this is really long winded so theres a summary at the end you can jump straight to...)

I dont mean to step on anybodies toes but i might just try to clarify process of transfer of registration and getting insurance for you...at least whay you'll pay in sydney.

bikepoint.com.au and tradingpost.com.au and are two good sites to find bikes. the guide to bikes bmbiker is refering to i think is called 'motorcycle trader' and is available for a few bucks every month in newsagents all over the place (as is a printed newspaper version of the trading post).

if you want motorcycle stores all close together head to Church street in Parramatta on the west side of sydney. here you'll find (from memory) styos called Action motorcycles, motorcycle accsessory supermarket(?) and Bikebiz...all of which im pretty sure have websites too. (try adding a .com.au). alternatively there is an action motorcycles and a motorcycle accsessory supermarket ra few doors appart down town...i think on wentworth avenue (ill have to double check that for you).

Isurance,
The compulsory insurance is known as a ompulsory Thrid party Personal (CTP or as its known colloquially, a Geenslip) which covers damage to people not property. This is paid prior to (re)registering a bike(or car) and will be transfered from the previous owner when you transfer registration. It is renewed every year (with registration) on what ever date it was started-->. when your looking for second hand bikes they will often advertise the date the registration (and greenslip) expires. This is when you will have to renew it. obviously if the bike has a full 11 or 12 months left you the bike will cost equivallently more than if it only has 1 or 2 months left. You wont have to 'renew' the registration or greenslip until that date.

You will however have to pay to transfer them from the previous owners name to yours. The rego is transfered at the RTA (roads and traffic Authority) which are scattered all over the city. The cost of this is largely determined by how much you payed for the bike. looking back at my reciepts from 2004 for a bike that i payed $3800 i payed $23 for transfer and $75 stampduty = $98. I cant remember if you have to transfer the greenslip through the insurer separately or not...The RTA will let you know.
As bmbiker said the forms for this will come from the person you buy the bike from.

when the rego does run out... you'll need to get a 'pink slip' (in Sydney), which is a basic inspection by a mechanic which costs $17. you then take this to which ever insurer you choose and pay for the CTP-agian it depends on the bike but if your looking at an XR600(nice!) it'll be similar to mine (XTZ660) which is $360.

then if you want you can get either Third party property or Comprehensive insurance. These are optional- the former covers any property damage not including you own (eg your bike) should you cause an accidant (touch wood), and the latter covers damage to any property including your own. Theres BIG variation in comprehensive prices for this so shop arround.

Once you've got your pink slip and greenslip you then go to the RTA to pay your registration which will set you back around $98...stick the tag in the holder next to the licence plate and your done! sounds like a hassle i know and well...it is. but remember when you first buy a bike it'll still have some time before the rego expires so you will only need to transfer the rego and greenslip then if you choose get optional insurance.

Im not exactly sure about transfering your motorcycle licence over to Australia. I dont think it should be too much of a problem...it will be done at the RTA as well...knowing the RTA they'll charge you then add on a stamp duty (after making you wait in a dirty big line of course. they have a website too http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/

Summary

1)Transfer rego and greenslip(CTP) at RTA = depends on price (3%) + a fee = 100 to 300 (roughly for a 2nd hand XR). (transfer your licence too!)

2)get optional insurance at insurer = BIG variation. (Yellow Pages)

3) when rego expires -Pink slip = $17 at mechanic
-greenslip = $330 (roughly) at insurer
-rego = $100 (roughly) at RTA
4) optional incurance if you want it.


There is a 'market' value for all vehicle however in my experience it doesnt really reflect what they sell for. get a feel for what is a good price by browsing lots of adds at bikepoint.com.au etc.

sorry this is so long winded, hope it helps,
James.

Thank You Thank You Thank You, and than again, thank you

I heard this phrase aswell, is it the mechanical inspection for the pink slip?

Road worthy certificate (VIC), pink slip (NSW) and safety certificate (QLD) are all used by different States.

I'd advise AGAINST buying a bike in NSW as its a real pain if your bike registration runs out and you are not in NSW - you have to return to NSW to have the pink slip inspection. In VIC and QLD you just pay up the registration fees from anywhere that has an internet connection by credit card.

Also if buying second hand, check with the Fair Trading (different names in each state) department's Register Of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS) to check that the vehicle isn't registered as stolen or listed with money owing on it.

Do I Really must, and have no other option than to travel back to NSW to get pinkslip inspcetion?

The pink slip is issued only in NSW by authorised inspectors. The annual inspection prior to re-registration can only be avoided by re registering the bike in another State - which is just as painful. Try and buy a bike with 12 months registration left.