are we being overcharged for new BM`s

The upcoming release of the BMW F800GS in Australia has the base price
estimated to be $16,750 AUS plus on road.
In the US, who currency is very near ours at the moment, the base price is
$10,520.00 US.plus on road.

Does it really cost an extra 6 grand to ship these bikes to OZ? Or is it the
extra complience required in Australia?
Got to be an answer

 

Refuse to pay it.

Nev..
'07 XB12X

 

There's nothing special about BM's in this regard - those sort of
pricing differences are pretty much across the board, and not specific
to any single manufacturer. The base price of my bike (Yamaha) is
AUD$16499, but it goes for a little over USD$10,000 across the pond.

You need to keep in mind also that Australia is a pretty small and
generally unimportant market on the world scene. That makes it a lot
more expensive for motorbike manufacturers to do business here, which
translates to higher prices and the sort of "oddity" that you commented
on. There are no conspiracies at play, it's just good old fashioned
market forces operating normally.

As Nev said, if you don't like the price you can always elect not to pay.

 

Thankyou Johno

I think GST is the only tax on motorcycles.
Import tarrifs to protect local industry do not apply as their is no local
M/C manufacturers as far as I know.
For a difference of 6 grand on a medium priced bike, importing your own may
be an economic alternative.

Beef

 

In aus.motorcycles on Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:01:25 GMT

Not if you want to ride it on public roads.

If you want to import it you have to have paperwork that the exact bike -
not "one like it" but the one with those engine and VIN numbers - meets
Australian Design Rules.

If you don't have that, then you won't get import approval or you will
only get import approval for offroad use.

If you don't get import approval your bike doesn't get unloaded.

Zebee

 

There used to be (maybe still is) a huge tarrif on motorcycle and
bicycle chains because someone in Oz made chains for food machines
(but not for bikes).

Theo

 

what was the price when the the currency was 50 cents ?

 

Exchange rates... back in 2003/2004, when the $A was buying less than 50
cents US, the prices in local currency would've been the same, which
would've made bikes cheaper, in real terms, in Australia than in the
US... now it's the Americans' turn to have the cheaper bikes, and we
both pay way less than continental Europe, so quit yer whingin'.

 

The Button plan was being implemented 20 years ago. I'd be surprised if
there were still any huge tariffs on imports destined for the automotive
industry, but I could be wrong.

Nev..
'07 XB12X

 

The only bits of Europe that really matter much are the UK (where bikes
are generally cheaper than here) and Germany (where the BMW under
discusion is also cheaper than here). [1]


G-S

[1] What about France I hear you say?

Bloody cheese eating surrender monkeys!

 

You need to take into account that in most US states sales tax (up to
7%) is added to that US price you are quoting.

It doesn't eliminate the difference but it does reduce it.

Also sea freight is much cheaper Europe to the US than it is Europe to
Australia *much much* cheaper, that will account for part of the
difference as well.

Some of the rest is economies of scale.

But some of the difference is still not accounted for and I suspect
reflects the alleged higher margins on BMW bikes and parts (compared to
japanese bikes).



G-S

 

Yes, he did ask it as a question (as one usually does when asking
questions). And I responded to it with an answer (as one usually does in
response to a question for which one has an answer).

Just because it wasn't the answer he wanted doesn't make it any less
valid.

 

Bloody oath we're being overcharged! A new BMW motorbike has barely
$3.50 worth of steel in it, at current scrap metal prices!


BTH

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:45:10 -0700 (PDT)

yeah, but the copper in the wiring's worth at least $20.

Zebee

 

Much more , I had to buy quite a lot of specialist video cable
(cctv)this morning and less than 900 kg ( thats about 2600 metres) cost
almost 3k.. ouch

 

Probably only $5 worth in the new models with their fancy newfangled
single wire bus electrics.

Nev..
'07 XB12X