Australia’s Biosecurity and Cleaning Your Motorcycle

Australian Border Force (ABF) and Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)

The Australian Border Force (ABF) manages customs and border clearance, while the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) administers and enforces the Biosecurity Act 2015, which includes biosecurity inspection of used motorcycles.

DAFF may conduct inspections through an operator working under an Approved Arrangement (AA). These arrangements allow approved operators to manage biosecurity risks at their own sites using approved facilities, equipment and personnel in accordance with DAFF requirements.

Cleaning your motorcycle

Do not be phased by others stressing that your bike needs to be in showroom condition. That's not accurate. Australia's Biosecurity Inspection is all about ensuring that there is NO DIRT or ORGANIC MATERIAL, which includes no grease. A motorbike can look showroom condition but still fail biosecurity inspection with seeds in the radiator fins or grass in the skid plate. If you think that you're going to ride the Trans Euro Trail (TET) then give your bike a quick rinse before shipping to Australia you're definitely going to have a problem. Instead, please use the cleaning facilities near our depots where you can get the job done easily with helping hands for little cost.

The following cleaning guide is for worst-case scenario. We recommend a 'bulk and trim' approach. If a bike has only been on sealed roads then you could scale it back, but you still must be able to INSPECT the different areas on your bike to ensure no dirt or organic material. For example, maybe you don't need to remove the front wheel to be able to clean thoroughly, but depending on the bike you likely need to remove the front fender to clean under there properly.

• SETUP bike in cleaning bay at washdown facility.

• FIRST PASS 'BULK' CLEAN. This will remove the majority (and maybe even all) of dirt and organic material from your motorbike. The rest of the process is 'TRIM'.

• REMOVE front wheel and fender. Give to helping hands to clean.

• REMOVE radiator guards, windscreen, headlight guard, side covers, tank bag platform, bash/skid plate, front sprocket cover, rear chain guard and any other mud guards. Give those parts to helping hands to clean.

• 'TRIM' CLEAN bike, including:

  • Nooks and crannies around fuel tank, engine and gearbox

  • Radiator/s (ensure no seeds, bugs, etc are caught in the fins)

  • Areas behind front fairing and side covers, including air intakes if there

  • Underside of bike

  • Internal compartments, including under seat

• REATTACH front wheel (use a waterproof grease on axles when reattaching wheels)

• REMOVE rear wheel. Give to helping hands to clean.

• 'TRIM' CLEAN bike rear wheel area, including:

  • all mud guards

  • swing arm

  • brake carrier

  • rear suspension area

  • exhaust, including gaps to heat shields

  • clean and lube chain

• REATTACH rear wheel

• FINAL INSPECTION

• REATTACH everything

We recommend that you view the clean and decontamination of your bike before shipping to Australia as something you need to do 'once in a while' regardless of biosecurity rules. Dirt and organic material can cake to your bike over time. If we want a good life out of our bikes we need to give them a proper clean and TLC once in a while. PLAN THE CLEAN IN TO YOUR SCHEDULE at the end of your journey immediately before delivery to the depot for shipping to Australia.