netmaker

[Netmaker]

Just visiting your forum, from the Trophy group, as about to purchase a Speed Triple for a family member and have encounted a issue that has me puzzled.
In Australia I can buy the 2008 Matt Black version for Australian $16,595.00 and in the US I can buy a similiar machine in Kansas City dealershipfor $11,200.00. I travel between both countries for work and at present the current exchange rate should make the US model's price in Australia at about Australian $12,000 but the price is $4500 above that.
What am I getting for the extra $4500 ? as I can buy in the US and use here for 12 months and then import into Australia as a personal import and be well ahead financially as cost to ship is only $1200.
Anyone care to offer an opinion of what is the reason for the difference.

[ponty]

Sounds like the Aussie price is based on the UK price 0f £8200. That would give a price of around $17000 Aus.
The real question should be; How can a bike built in England, then shipped 3000-5000miles end up costing 25% less in the US?

[Netmaker]

Ponty that is a good question.

[DADDI]

I think its a joke how we pay more in oz for most things but i think that the USA must get better prices as there import market is massive compaired to Australia. I know that the Japs consider Australia a dumping ground for there old crap that the rest of the world doesnt want. Fly screen in oz $492.80 US price $ 260.00 its crap.

[Netmaker]

I did read that one model, early Daytona, that Triumph sold worldwide, listed the deliveries to the US market at 2000 units and rest of world 1000. Even if sports type bikes are not the most popular rides over here in the US the numbers are still significant for a small manufacturer like Triumph. I assume that to get the bikes off the showroom floor Triumph have to agressively price them against any Japanese or Italian bikes.

[DEcosse]

Price is based on what market will bear - whatever that market is.
Nothing to do with cost or value or even exchange rate (the latter of course affects the manufacturers profit - as rates fluctcuate they can potentially do better or worse)
There is just no way they could apply a straight exchange rate to UK prices and have them sell any units in the US against competitive entities.
Spares are the same thing - and not just Triumph! I just priced out a list of Suzuki parts for a UK friend and they were a smaller number in dollars than the UK in pounds i.e. less than HALF! The actual numbers were $785 vs 850 pounds.
Even accounting for Duty, VAT & shipping, savings would still be about 700 dollars.

[sss1200]

Don't forget to add the cost of getting the bike up to Oz standards (ADR's), depending on how well Triumph did their design/homework there could be quite a few items different between countries.

And even as a personal import you will have to ensure that your bike meets Oz ADR rules :

[Netmaker]

sss1200. I asked a number of questions of both the Aussie dealer and the US dealer and both had the opinion the Triple was designed as a world bike suitable for distribution in all countries as it meets the most stringent emission standards. The personal import issue is not a significant issue as I have experienced the import of another bike in the past and only modifications were the indicator lens colour and the headlight direction.
However I would still like to buy in OZ for all the usual service / warranty / resale value, etc but sure is an expensive security blanket.

[sss1200]

Originally Posted by Netmaker

sss1200. I asked a number of questions of both the Aussie dealer and the US dealer and both had the opinion the Triple was designed as a world bike suitable for distribution in all countries as it meets the most stringent emission standards. The personal import issue is not a significant issue as I have experienced the import of another bike in the past and only modifications were the indicator lens colour and the headlight direction.
However I would still like to buy in OZ for all the usual service / warranty / resale value, etc but sure is an expensive security blanket.

Sounds like you are already on top of it You are right about the bike being built as a "world bike", the emmissions aren't too much of a drama anyway as I still think AUS/NZ/SA don't require catalysts (well they didn't as of last year anyway) and it is usually only things like lights, reflectors etc that need tweaking. Just didn't want you to head into it thinking it would be a "box it up and ship it over ready to ride" deal and get caught out with no wheels for any length of time

With the purchase savings you'd make and general reliability of the bikes I don't think you will need to worry to much about warranty/resale etc here in AUS anyway..