Shipping Motorcycles And Race Cars From The U.S. To Australia

Australia’s thriving car and bike culture drives intense demand for U.S. motorcycles and race cars. Whether you’re moving a fleet of bikes, tackling a non-runner motorcycle export, or handling the complexities of race car shipping, understanding the current rules, cost structures, and logistics is crucial. This authoritative 2025 guide covers not just how to move your vehicle, but how to do it at the best price—building in true, up-to-date New York-to-Sydney rates and the most strategic methods available.

How to Save Money When Shipping Multiple Motorcycles to Australia

Many motorcycle importers—dealers, collectors, or riding clubs—want cost savings when shipping more than one bike Down Under. The greatest savings don’t come from cutting corners, but from using consolidation, prep, and scheduling to maximize value.

The Power of Consolidation

Container shipping is by far the best-value approach. Why? The base cost to send one motorcycle from New York to Sydney is $950 for a 39-day consolidated container lane. If you ship just one motorcycle, that’s your straight minimum; fill the same container with six motorcycles, and your per-bike costs don’t just divide down (due to paperwork, padding, and handling) but still land well below even the cheapest air or RoRo options for operational bikes.

• 20ft container: Safely fits 5-7 motorcycles with proper racking/strapping

• 40ft container: Holds 10-12 bikes, dropping per-unit cost dramatically for group or club shipments

West Coast Shipping’s shared container programs make it easy for individuals to join a group with other shippers, meaning you aren’t limited to club or dealer volumes to grab the best rate.

Shared Container Benefits

• Each motorcycle is padded, lashed, and crated as needed—no risk of handling, weather, or theft at sea

• Often includes the option to ship spares, apparel, or even a sidecar in the same lift

• Smoothest customs/group documentation process

Timing and Paperwork

• Lead time: Book at least 6-8 weeks ahead—especially if you want group slots or widest lane choice

• Origin/destination: Always use WCS’s priority ports (NY to Sydney for container reliability and value)

• Clean & prep: Meticulous cleaning saves hundreds in Australian AQIS fees; well-prepped bikes breeze through import quarantine

Pro Tip

Aggregate as much as possible—ship with friends, a dealer, or via a shared program. If you’re shipping two or more motorcycles, your per-bike cost won’t be much higher than a group move.

Looking to cut costs when sending more than one bike? See how group and shared container shipping can slash your per-motorcycle rate in our guide to saving money on multi-bike exports to Australia.

Can You Ship a Non-Running Motorcycle to Australia?

Yes—but only with container shipping. Non-running motorcycles cannot move via RoRo and require specific support from a shipper familiar with immobile loads.

Container Shipping for Non-Runners

• New York to Sydney is $950 for a 39-day consolidated container, even for non-running bikes—all must be loaded and secured using specialized equipment.

• Loading: Forklift or manual winch into the container; bikes then padded/lashed securely

• Prep: Drain fuel, disconnect battery, clean thoroughly for AQIS standards

Documentation & Compliance

• All imports: Go through the ROVER portal for Australia’s Vehicle Import Approval (VIA)

• Non-running: List the status and provide photos/documentation. For classics (25+ years), registration path is smoother; for projects, be clear about restoration/use intent

• Cleaning: Non-operational bikes require extra attention—especially for hidden gunk and organic material—because they sit longer and are more prone to harboring contaminants

Import Duties & Taxes

• GST: Calculated on value + shipping (10% of all-in cost)

• No customs duty regardless of running condition

• AQIS/quarantine: Professional cleaning can prevent $500+ in re-inspection or storage penalties at destination

Registration Notes

• If you’re importing for eventual road use, most states require completion of repairs/restoration before local compliance or registration. If the bike’s for parts, be explicit in paperwork to avoid misleading Australian authorities.

Wondering if you can ship a non-runner? Check out our detailed guide on shipping non-operational motorcycles to Australia for prep tips, compliance steps, and cost breakdowns.

How to Export a Race Car from the U.S. to Australia?

Race and rally car exports are a specialty area in international shipping, demanding perfect paperwork, specialized loading, and expert compliance with both U.S. and Australian customs.

Who Qualifies as a Race Car?

Australia makes a clear distinction: Only purpose-built, competition-only vehicles with documented racing history, logbooks, and appropriate competition licenses use the “race car” import path.

What You’ll Need

• New York to Sydney container rate: $2,150 for a car, 39 days via consolidated ocean container. Single-use containers are available for teams with lots of spares or if maximum privacy/protection is needed.

• U.S. export docs: Automated Export System (AES) filing, bill of sale, original title/MCO, competition logbooks, and export photos

• Australia docs: ROVER account set up for motorsport entry, proof of competition plans, relevant CAMS or FIA logbook, detailed spec listing, high-res photos of race prep and serial identifiers

Import Approval Steps

• Log in to ROVER and select the ‘Race, Rally and Support Vehicles’ category

• Upload race-specific docs, specs, and proof of eligibility

• Provide future event or club documentation if available

• Pay AUD $50 (approx. USD $33) application fee

Container Loading and Biosecurity

Race cars—especially with custom aero/bodies—need careful packing:

• Use specialty ramps, lift platforms, and soft straps

• Drain all fuel, disconnect battery, and clear safety/cargo gear out of the car

• Document every step for Australian quarantine: scrubbed wheel wells, underbody, engine bay, roll cage, and cooling/aero ducts

Fees & Duties

• Customs: 5% on vehicles <30 years old (if not U.S.-built and FTA-exempt)

• GST: 10% on combined value + freight

• Inspection: ~$410 AUD plus potential AQIS fees

On arrival, your car cannot be road registered—it enters as competition-use only. Present your docs to local officials or motorsport clubs for event entry eligibility.

Extra Tips

• Book early, as race seasons and major events drive up both shipping rates and Australian customs queues

• Clearly list all removable spares, tires, tools, and racing accessories on documents to avoid delays at arrival

Want to learn more about exporting competition vehicles? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to export a race car from the U.S. to Australia — it covers compliance, documentation, and container shipping for motorsport builds.

Details on Australia car and motorsport shipping.

Get an Exact Motorcycle or Race Car Shipping Quote

You don’t need to guess—whether you’re shipping bikes or track cars, our Australia car shipping guide and team offer exact, live pricing and expert compliance advice. For the most up-to-date consolidated rates ($950/bike, $2,150/car from New York to Sydney, 39 days), use our instant shipping calculator and get every cost and required document, step by step.