ADR Compliance Guide

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InfoMo 103 – Importing bikes for ADR compliance & Australian registration

Despite the reality that there is no motorcycle manufacturing in Australia, the motorcycle industry falls under the auspices of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and is therefore, a beneficiary of the last bastion of legislated protectionism.  It’s quite ironic that while ex-Prime Ministers, Premiers, and many notable MP’s are members of associations whose sole objective is to find foreign buyers for our agriculture industry, at the expense of local ownership I might add, successive Governments not only enforce, but maintain an ideology of increased protectionism for the automotive industry; go figure.   There’s either plenty of poly’s that hold interests in vehicle dealerships, or, the FCAI play an active role in maintaining trough levels in both sides of the political divide.

As a result of being wrapped up with car protectionism, federal law dictates four permissible methods of legally importing a motorcycle for registration.  These are summarized below; full requirements can be found on the DoTaRS Imports web site.  Raider Motorsport can assist, in part or whole, with the importation, compliance and registration of motorcycles under any of the provisions detailed below.

1) Personal Import Scheme

This provision is only permissible for Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents.   To qualify however, you must have owned and used the bike in its country of registration for at least 12 months prior to making application to import.  The bike still requires approval to be granted, and registration and insurance information must be provided to prove that you have owned & used the bike.  In most cases the bike you’re importing is identical to those sold here, but nonetheless there are still a number of minor modifications required to make the bike ADR (Aust. Design Rules) compliant.

2) Registered Automotive Workshop Scheme (RAWS)

The RAWS Scheme allows for the importation and compliance of used bikes built 1 January 1989 or later.  To be imported under this scheme there are a number of requirements.  Firstly, we must make application to have the bike added to the SEVS Register  (Specialist & Enthusiast Vehicles).  Once accepted and on the register we can import the bike where it must arrive and undergo preliminary testing and inspection to ensure the bike is ADR compliant.  Testing includes emissions, braking, noise, lighting, and every bike must have fitted a new set of tyres purchased and invoiced as being bought in Australia.  Upon completion the bike is fitted with an Import Plate, which takes the place of the Australian Compliance plate you find fitted to all vehicles sold new in Australia.  To see a list of vehicles that are currently eligible for import, and already on a RAW’s schedule, click here.

3) Low-Volume New Scheme

The Low Volume New scheme allows the Low-Volume Compliance Plate Approval holder to comply a maximum of 100* new vehicles for each category per year.  To import and comply a bike under this scheme it must be first listed on the SEVSRegister.  *Motorcycles have no restriction

4) Pre89 – Bikes manufactured before 1/1/1989

This provision, originally called the ‘15 Year Rule’, which as it sounds, entitled vehicles older than 15 years to be imported with minimal fuss and/or compliance requirements.  However, after abuse by people misrepresenting vehicle build dates, and the howling of car importers, most notably Toyota, who threatened to close their assembly plant in Victoria if the federal Government didn’t stem the tide of grey imports, the 15 Year provision was significantly altered as of 11 May 2005.  Under the amended rule, vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1989 require minimal compliance.  The vehicle may be imported and modified under a different set of criteria, with an engineer providing a report which demonstrates that the vehicle complies with ADRs relative to the bike’s build date.

Bikes not suitable under the provisions above, like racing and/or display bikes, can be imported under the Racing & Competition provision, or a ‘Special Uses’ provision.  Bikes imported under the competition provision can never be registered in Australia without first making application to DOTARS to have the import approval reassessed.  If granted the bike must then undergo compliance in accordance with the applicable provision (items 2, 3, or 4 above).

RaiderMoto.com can comply the following motorcycles