Shall i buy locally or import? (expat needs help)

Hi all, I am going to move to Norway relatively soon (Tromso area) but so far have nearly zero knowledge of Norwegian, hope you don't mind some English from a beginner.

I am thinking of getting a Surly Moonlander to get around the trails in Tromso area. The question is, is it worth the trouble getting one from US or shall I buy one from a Norwegian dealer? It seems there is a Norwegian distributor, but available frame sizes range is limited and I have no idea how long ordering an XXL might take.

What is the local wisdom, do you prefer buying from local retailers or order from abroad? I've tried to estimate the duties import, but I am still not sure whether the 25% tax apply to bicycles and bike related equipment.

Any thoughtful advice is much appreciated,
Thanks!

PS. Moderators, I hope i've posted in the right section, please excuse me if not.

You pay the 25% sales-tax pluss a small fee (around 200NOK) to the logistics agent delivering the bike. You do the math

If you are moving to Norway from the states and bring it along when you move i don't think you have to pay taxes on it.

I am not sure if this is correct, but I think that if you have own something for a while, you should be able to bring it with you without paying taxes at arrive.

Personal effects when you are moving to Norway are exempted from VAT and taxes.

And yes, you will definetly save a lot of money if you bring it with you from the states when you move. Bring as much as possible from the states as it is likely 20-40% cheaper there than here, (clothing, bike equipment, electronics that can be used on the Norwegian power grid. If you wait until after you moved and order you have to pay VAT on the product + the freight. Also, since you (I assume) are going to custom clear it to yourself not a company, the custom clearance is free. You just have to go to the customs office in Tromsø and they will help you do it.

Thanks all, precisely the information i was looking for.

It looks like the end price will be pretty much the same, so it's rather a question of delivery time vs convenience.

Cheers,
M.

Check out http://ridetromso.com , it doesn't have alot of activity; but it makes reaching out to local bikers a little bit easier

Thanks a lot! That was going to be my next question.