Currently on the lookout for a second bike and have come across a few cheaper low km bikes than on closer inspection were imported from Japan.

Does anyone have any inside information on these types of bikes, differences in parts, buyer beware stories, can you trust the mileage etc etc

Mainly looking at 96ci Heritages and Deluxes and keen to hear others experiences.

Used HD's imported from Japan still have to go thru' the RAWS system. Even tho' they are officially "HDI" or HD International

Difference from US domestic spec bikes ?

Headlights are "like ours" in Australia as Japan is "right hand drive"

Speedo is already in K's "like ours"

Indicators the same as ours ( no second filament in the fronts)

Final drive gearing can be different (lower) to ours depending on the model.

In Japan it is very difficult to road register any vehicle over 5 years old , hence the availability of the bikes in the first place.

Landed price here in Australia is so dependent on the particular exchange rate for any given country at any given time.

Right now they likely will be cheaper to land than continental US bikes at 75 US cents to the Aussie dollar.

HOWEVER they may have been laid up somewhere in Japan for extended periods of time.

I have seen several really scruffy but late 80's early 90's Corvettes ex-Japan that have been out in the weather to their detriment. 

HH in Adelaide have got a Jap import Fatboy S in the show room which has been sitting for months, I was looking at it when i bought my Slim S and nearly bought that instead. Bike looks great and no difference visually than Aus delivered bike the only different thing I could see was the pink sticker on the frame. As far as i know its still up for sale.

By now the whole "import thing" should have dropped to near zero.

Australia from coast to coast is awash with nice clean locally supplied Harleys. Most often with low verifiable K's and accident damage/repair free.

Both Perth HD dealers are bursting with used bikes and have been for the last couple of years. Plenty of car dealers also have used HD's taken as trades against cars.

That and the Aussie dollar being "normal" again against the USD making "imports" way less attractive than say 5 years ago

Nothing wrong with imported bikes ( indeed my only current Harley is ex-Texas 5 years ago)

The Perth "RAWS" compliance guy still brings in a few , mostly "special" limited editions or CVO's. BUT his turnover is way down even on 2 years ago !

OR they are personal imports from Dubai etc etc coming to WA with the current owner. Still have to be complied/registered/pits passed etc etc

I have seen some tremendous good buys here locally in Perth at prices unbelievable ( LOW!) compared to just a few years ago !

sorry but your take on local pricing is rubbish. i know as i am currently doing the exercise.   you find me a late model evo with approx 30k mileage for $12k in Australia.  you cant.  you find me a low mileage (approx 15-20k) early twin cam for $12-$15k in Australia. you cant.  

 
Agree KC, many garage queens on every sales site in the USA with bargain buys even with AUD @0.80, this old girl with 8600mls on it just found a new home sold $8300 USD,[Craigslist] it coming out to Aust. The astute cash buyer will always be a winner, as we both know, I'm on the hunt for next years ride ship home bike now. Jap imports may be different ? I will stay with my tried and successful method with the US market.

cheers for the heads up virtual t. usually stay clear of gumtree due to bad rep it gets with scammers. had a look just at wa & is a few good low km well priced bikes on there. makes bit harder as im looking for something in particular & not just a harley but still a few there that have caught my eye. 

Thanks for all the replies and insights peeps - much appreciated

"spread rubbish" ??

Mate , I have an import CVO Springer , all done in 2011

I have just seen a 2007 CVO Springer go locally here for $17K ! ( a low mile US import FROM A FEW YEARS BACK !). Motivated seller obviously

YOU COULD NOT BUY THAT BIKE IN THE USA , SHIP IT HERE , PAY ALL THE DUTIES , AUSTRALIAN COMPLY AND STATE REGO THAT BIKE FOR $17K USD

NO WUCKING FAY MATE

THERES NO NEED TO YELL   just chill a bit.  

Last bike I bought, i low balled $3K and that did the deal for a low mileage evo. 

I guess its beauty in the eye of the beholder..LOL 

07 CVO Dyna. 8K miles  9500 USD ( $12,500 Australian !)

$12500 + shipping $1500 + GST of 10% +@3500 compliancing ( speedo/tyres/brake pads + state inspection costs etc etc). You will be at $20K Aussie easy

No comparison to a 2007 CVO Springer value wise with this amount of elapsed time , sorry but Springers are just worth more than Dynas today

I have seen 2007 and 2008 CVO Dynas for sale already in Australia that could be bought for less than that with zero headfuck and waiting time by comparison

The FXDSE CVO Dyna start from $16000 on Bikesales .com.au with 18.000 K's

The FDXFSE CVO Fatbob from 17990 with  18,000 K's

Also if the bike is "local" to you it can be seen and heard. Maybe even test ridden. I did several "pre purchase inspections" of several used just imported HD's here back when they were flooding in to WA from car dealers jumping on the bandwagon. A very very few were nice clean 1 owner bikes that " I gave the tick" and the dudes bought them.

Far more were utter dogs with all sorts wrong with them, admittedly these were not private buys direct from the guy in the US , but dealer sourced at mass "repo" auctions

Night train with a fucked gearbox. Softail Custom with different coloured front forks ( either side !!) and that was just 2 of the bikes I "rejected"

Is that "chilled enough" for ya ? Main point is it is now cheaper and better to buy a bike already here in Australia.

Back when it was $1.05 USD to our dollar then it was a no brainer. FAR better to buy and import ( if the bike was a good 'un !) Like my own 2008 CVO Springer in 2011

Some of the contributors to this thread buy a bike in the US on holidays , ride it around for a given time as part of the holiday etc etc then ship home to Australia.

Good on them I say BUT it's not he same as just buying a bike off the net/ebay/craigslist etc etc

your shipping rates are high & i would very rarely pay what the bike is advertised for.   agree though, would take a springer over dyna any day.   all that aside i do agree the local market is better than ever.  i have actually found comparable buys which blows me away. not many but they are there.    .... apologies for using term “rubbish”. could have found better word as did not intend to rile you up. 

Good mate of mine showed me his most recent Harley purchase today at Frasers. (He's had more Harleys over 30 years than hot dinners so he's cluey !)

Locally supplied 2014 Gloss Black 103" Fatboy. 9,000 K's , one owner. very clean bike indeed

Chrome front end sliders etc etc , quick release rack and sissy bar , chrome grips S&S Tapered mufflers and high flow air kit

$14 K paid , plus whatever the stamp duty will be. Outright buy paid cash.

I will be tuning it for him this week as it's popping like a MOFO as they often do

Yet another sign of the times but very good for him

It does make sense if inUSA, and purchase an HD you"d like to bring back to Aussie, as know many did, in the early 80"s. But, if not wanting to travel OS, but looking at HD ride here, there are many options. Never rode a springer, have ridden rigid, but no springer.So going to sus out next week, for a feely up.

Not sure what other states are like but Perth's awash with second hand Harleys.

Still got a lot of dreamers (sellers) out there thinking we still have a BOOM happening.

Realists will sell there bikes, the others will sit on gummie for ever.

Why not, the worst they can say is fuck off. 

I should add (since starting this thread) that I opted to buy an aussie delivered bike.

very true