Foreign sidecars in oz/nz

[kiwi_cj]

morning/afternoon all,

i'm currently formulating a plan to get my girlfriend trotting the globe with me which would involve doing it on a Ural outfit... first leg would be from spain to nz and i was wondering what the deal is with riding a foreign, LHD (i.e. car on the right) outfit through oz and nz for say 6 months... seems to me that in oz you have to have the car on the left hand side for registering and nz seems to be going through some law changes on this issue, but i can't find any info on foreign registered outfits...

any help would be appreciated...

[Threewheelbonnie]

Can't say for sure but:

The UK banned right hand sidecars in 1981. This ban specifically allows foreign outfits so long as they meet the laws at home because this is required under international law. I'd expect Australia and New Zealand law makers to be at least as smart as their UK counterparts in not breaching UN requirements.

There are no restrictions on left hand drive cars for foreigners.

I'm not saying convincing the local Rego people will be easy mind. If you have any language skills, try some of the German sidecar forums, more outfits, all for the wrong side of the road and I'm sure someone will have done OZ and NZ.

Andy

[RogerM]

Since mid last year you can only bring a vehicle into Aus (as a tourist) using a carnet de passage. This simplifies things (as a tourist) as you are not required to get the vehicle registered as long as your own country's registration requirements are met and they are a reciprocal signature to the Vienna Convention (the UN sponsored international convention on road vehicles). NSW have apparently made a ruling that you dont need to buy compulsory third party insurance for a vehicle entering Australia on a carnet (see other posts about this - you need to get a copy of the email from the NSW govt.).

Previously a lot of tourists would bring vehicles to Aus using a scheme called the "vehicle import approval" and Customs would take a deposit on duty and GST and you got a refund on departure. The downside of this scheme was that overseas registered vehicles were then obliged to be constructed to Aus design rules, roadworthy requirements, registration and compulsory third party insurance - which took time and usually was quite expensive.

[kiwi_cj]

cheers guys, sounds like i should be able to get in... might post this in the europe forum here instead of finding a german forum as mein deutsch is nicht gut!

[vincek100]

Hi,
I'm intending to "try" to get into australia by June this year. With a side-car. Well, with a motorcycle that got a side car on the way, meaning that it is not stated anywhere on the carnet that it is a side car.
As far as I know, the quarantine thing can be quite a pain, and costly as well. A third party insurance is needed too. And here is my question: I've seen somewhere that you need to get a certificate of conformity (like MOT in england, TUV in germany, contrôle technique in France).
My question is: how I'm I ever going to get it with my side car??
Thanks for your answers!

[clintnz]

Originally Posted by vincek100

Hi,
I'm intending to "try" to get into australia by June this year. With a side-car. Well, with a motorcycle that got a side car on the way, meaning that it is not stated anywhere on the carnet that it is a side car.
As far as I know, the quarantine thing can be quite a pain, and costly as well. A third party insurance is needed too. And here is my question: I've seen somewhere that you need to get a certificate of conformity (like MOT in england, TUV in germany, contrôle technique in France).
My question is: how I'm I ever going to get it with my side car??
Thanks for your answers!

Quarantine is no problem as long as you get the bike really really really clean before you pack it up, this is important for NZ too. Then you will only have to pay around $70 for the inspection.

If landing in NSW NO THIRD PARTY INSURANCE IS REQUIRED. No cert of conformity etc is required. All you need is a Carnet & a clean bike. Other states are different.

For an NZ temp import - up to 12 months - I think left hand drive is OK, check out the LTNZ website: Factsheet 35 - Importing a vehicle temporarily

Cheers
Clint