Wonder what it woudl cost to bring this over the pond?

Just surfing the UK used bikes adverts and I see some really tasty VFR400s over there for relatively little $$$$. Wouldn't it be nice to have a few imported to our side of the pond?

They are just so sweet!!!

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/honda-vfr400-nc30/1050145921

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-...d-swap-for-good-250-or-450-crosser/1050005050

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/honda-vfr400-nc30-track-bike/1047292832

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/honda-vfr-400-nc30/1047114485

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/honda-rvf-400-nc35-vgc/1049947295

 

They are sweet but I dont think I could get a plate for one in California so I just gotta keep drooling. :drool:

 

I don't think I would have too much trouble getting one up here and with a Canadian title you may be golden in CA. Now insurance could be a completely different story because they won't have any data on the bike to base their risk profile. In the absence of data it is quite probable that they will either refuse to insure one or make the rate so high that it wouldn't be workable. Ok now I'm sad again....


and frozen, just to make matters worse..:disturbed:

 

Hold on there big fella, this is gonna be a hap hap happy thread so you just turn that frown upside down mister. :congratulatory:

 

As Toe mention shipping is not an issue but to go thru the emission garbage can be a headaches
I remember one of VFR member pick one up not to long ago some where in the Mid West. It would be nice to have some of those Euro model over here :sad:

 

I don't believe that we have any emission crap to deal with here but it is certainly worth looking into.

 

I go that same bug a few days ago and started researching where I could buy a CB-1.
I finally found one in the SF area on BARF for $2000 with a spare bike... and then realized I didn't have room in the garage for another bike (or two more bikes).

 

A guy in my club brought a 400 in years ago. Same quality fit and finish as the larger displacement VFR.s Rare in the states and akin to the old Honda 400 fours.

Not a clue on shipping across the pond to either the US or Canada.

Could the bikes be imported into CA as vintage to overcome the environmental stuff?



I don't suppose this would be the best time to ask Jethro about his opinion on global warming

 

Coldest winter in 20 years up here so I don't know what they are on about actually.

 

Buy one! I'd be willing to ride it over, in exchange for beer food and shelter. Sick of the rain here (wettest winter since records began apparently)

I might stay a while though...

 

Well if you can ride it over, I will sell the movie rights to Ewan McGregor and we can both retire with all the beer we can drink!
Geez we would have more money than Randy!!! otstir:

 

You'd be stylin there Jethro if you had more money than Randy:congratulatory:nthego:
John

 

Seems the '89-'00 VFR400 and RVF400 are on NHTSA's "LIST OF NONCONFORMING MOTOR VEHICLES
THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IMPORTATION (BY OR THROUGH A REGISTERED IMPORTER)"

Meaning that they can be legally imported through a registered importer. The '98-'99 VFR also makes this list.

The NHTSA document: http://icsw.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/elig11152013.pdf
(from http://icsw.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/ )

Getting the motorcycle to pass EPA regulations (job of the importer) might be tougher, but motorcycles >21 years old are exempt.

 

It's do-able in CA. I recently went to look at an 1988 VFR400R locally here in SoCal. Great guy. Had 2 of them (one running and with a legal CA tag/title/plate and another full parts bike, only missing the seat. Full engine/exhaust/wheels...everything. No title on that one.)

He said he brought them in from Japan in 1988 as new, and it was a PITA, took a while, and cost quite a bit. Had to get letters from Honda HQ for CARB, the EPA, US Customs, the CA DMV, and NHSTA stating what it was, fuel it ran on, etc. Scary thing for him was that at any point any one of them could say "NO" and he was out all the $ for the paperwork, inspections, shipping and everything up until that point. No guarantee of success even if he filled everything out right.

Me? Since I'm licensed/plated/insured in another, more favorable southern state still, I'd bring it in on the east coast, register it in my name there using my other address, get a plate from that state, insurance too, then just ship it here and leave the out of state plate on it and say "just visiting" like I have for 20+ years now.

Or I'd put it in a family members name for a year, then bring it to CA and title it here if I needed to sell it. CA buyers feel better about buying stuff that has a CA plate on it already so there are no surprises at the DMV, I've learned.

I've read about folks shipping the engine separatey as parts, then the frame and everything else, and assembling everything here in order to fool Customs.

 

I didn't realize the VFR400 was that fast. Now I want one too...

 

Would rather have a CB-1 with the gear drive cams. Thats just me though, your results may vary :lol: RWB from that generation was the best paint scheme to ever grace a bike, how farking patriotic can yah be...