Forum

[StephenR]

Scaly - it's 26% = VAT + Import duty and then the shipping costs from India to the UK. The price in India - according to one of my web site responders is £2,000. You'll have read this? "....Over the past few years, a number of Royal Enfield enthusiasts from other countries come to India and buy our Indian models. Subsequently, they import the motorcycles to their respective countries. A number of them buy the motorcycle here because they feel it is cheaper this way. During registration of those motorcycles in their country, these individuals need to provide various documents and modifications to conform to the specific Ministry of Transport guidelines in their country. The Indian models do not conform to those guidelines and so they are left with a motorcycle that cannot be used, not to mention lots of good money wasted. If only they had bought the motorcycle through our official distributor in their respective country.

The following points outline some of the factors that need to be considered in order to evaluate what is involved when you carry out a private import. The scenario is as per the current terms and conditions prevailing, but you should be aware that legislation is constantly changing in these countries to prevent such imports.

Indian motorcycle models are different from EEC/UK/USA models and will not pass a Ministry of Transport (MOT) test.
Models meant for other countries are not sold in India. The Indian model motorcycles cannot be registered in any other country other than India or SAARC nations as they do not meet the statutory norms prevailing there.
All UK/EEC specification motorcycles comply with Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) and have VIN plates. From June 2003, all models of bike, not previously imported into the UK/EEC, must have a WVTA with the consequent VIN plate and Certificate of Conformity from Royal Enfield. All USA specification motorcycles comply with FMVSS rules and regulations and have a VIN plate. Each individual state in the USA also has registration rules that parallel the Federal rules so even if a bike somehow gets past US Customs the owner will most likely be unable to register the motorcycle.
A motorcycle that does not comply with the UK or EEC or USA rules may not have valid insurance, thus leaving the owner liable to an insurance company refusing to pay out on any claim, including third party liability.
Royal Enfield will not be liable for registration, compliance certificates or any documents whatsoever, which may be required for the private import of our bikes and it will be purely at the risk of the buyer...." Now a proportion of this sounds like bullshit to me.... But £2,000 x 1.26 = £2,520 hmmm maybe £500 shipping costs.

[Scalyback]

ok, and how much to ship from India to the USA?



I knoe home market bikes are less advanced and cheaper to make, but, I still think it a cheek!



I not kept an eye on VAT, when did it get to 26%? it still 19.6% here in France.

[drummerNick]

I've found the same thing with parts, not just RE parts as I restore old vehicles. If I need something to get back on the road, I will buy from the UK. Other stuff, modifications etc. is far cheaper importing yourself. All the parts I have bought have been under the import and VAT threshold and only take a few days to turn up. I don't blame the dealers for marking up by 100% plus, they are in it for the money after all, but it makes it non viable on some of the restorations I do to buy in the UK.

[Scalyback]

Hi Lucho,



Sorry to hear you much worse off that we are.



I wish (probably upon some bloody star somewhere) that we could all just pay a sensible amount for the same motorcycle, wherever we are in the world.



26% VAT, plus duty, plus import tax, plus registration, plus tax disc, plus fuel, plus duty on fuel, plus vat on duty and fuel (tax on tax), plus insurance.



Sometimes, I find it hard to keep up with it all.

[StephenR]

Scaly - no read the post! It's 20% VAT + 6% Import Duty. = 26%. That's in the UK. It's confusing because many people on this Forum don't seem to realise it's International so Aussie Dollars and US Dollars get mixed up. $11,000 Australian is £6071.01 and $5999 US dollars is £3574.02. But you can't really work it out obviously without looking at local sales tax. Actually somewhere around £3500- 4000 seems about right for the bike. But goods are always cheaper in the USA.

[Norm]

So at 6071 GBP in Aus we are being screwed over big time

[StephenR]

Norm - is it Eicher, the Importer or the OZ Government? Or all 3? It's not just Eicher for sure. Enfield have dropped the price in the USA to get sales going as you know. And judging by the RE USA forum it's starting to work and they've just appointed a new guy to head up the operation. So we'll see.....