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asp_125
Wed Jul 18th, 2012, 11:17 AM
Anyone here have experience registering / licensing a grey market bike for the road here in CO?

I've talked with insurance companies and they seem to have no major problems insuring it for declared value or as a collectible as long as the paperwork is correct.

The bike in question seems to have been a JDM import never sold here, but has a clean title (out of state).

Fumet5uNo
Wed Jul 18th, 2012, 11:51 AM
Yeah all give u a call later and fill u in

Fumet5uNo
Wed Jul 18th, 2012, 11:56 AM
If its been titled out of state it's easy just take it to state patrol for vin verification after that just take it to county to file for Colorado title worst case the will make u file for change of vin, (that should already be done having a state title)

SloBlue
Wed Jul 18th, 2012, 01:18 PM
I'm not sure the exact definition of "Grey Market" but I've always wanted to go up to British Columbia. There I would buy a Varadero, a Honda adventure twin not sold in the US. I'd ride to Alaska and then home. I've been wondering about registering the Varadero when I get back but I haven't checked on it yet.

Fumet5uNo
Wed Jul 18th, 2012, 01:26 PM
It's not hard my Silvia and skyline where "grey market" takes money an patience

Ghost
Wed Jul 18th, 2012, 01:29 PM
Anyone here have experience registering / licensing a grey market bike for the road here in CO?

The bike in question seems to have been a JDM import never sold here, but has a clean title (out of state).


If its been titled out of state it's easy just take it to state patrol for vin verification after that just take it to county to file for Colorado title worst case the will make u file for change of vin, (that should already be done having a state title)


I'm not sure the exact definition of "Grey Market" but I've always wanted to go up to British Columbia. There I would buy a Varadero, a Honda adventure twin not sold in the US. I'd ride to Alaska and then home. I've been wondering about registering the Varadero when I get back but I haven't checked on it yet.

Going to Canada and buying a 2012 Honda XL700V Transalp won't get it into this country unless it's on the list of approved imports.

All the various details are here:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/faq%20site/pages/page3.html



3. Requirements to lawfully import motorcycles or motor-driven cycles for on-road use.

If a motorcycle or motor driven cycle is capable of a top speed above 20 miles per hour and is equipped with components (such as lights, mirrors, and turn signals) that are needed for on-road use, NHTSA will regard it as having been primarily manufactured for such purposes. Motorcycles and motor-driven cycles with these capabilities and equipment cannot be lawfully imported into the U.S. unless they were originally manufactured to comply with all applicable FMVSS and bear a label certifying such compliance that is permanently affixed by the original manufacturer. The label must be affixed to a permanent member of the vehicle, as close as is practicable to the intersection of the steering post and the handle bars, so that its contents can be easily read without moving any part of the vehicle except for the steering mechanism. In addition, the vehicle’s manufacturer is required to submit to NHTSA identifying information on itself and the products it manufactures to the FMVSS (as required by 49 CFR Part 566), provide NHTSA with information the agency would need to decipher the VIN the manufacturer is required (under 49 CFR Part 565) to assign to each motor vehicle manufactured for sale in the U.S., and designate a U.S. resident as its agent for service of process (as required under 49 CFR 551.45).



An older bike is much easier to import, and one that someone has already gone through the hassle of getting titled somewhere in the USA is usually good to go in CO after a VIN verification.

asp_125
Wed Jul 18th, 2012, 01:40 PM
I've asked if the seller has an MSO or EPA form in addition to the title. The non-17 digit VIN prevents me from simply bringing in the title for registration. CO DMV just pointed me to form DR2709. Looks like just a bit of paperwork and fees involved. The only roadblock would be any potential snag with the FMVSS label and bond requirement >= 2x the purchase price. :shock:

.... first I have to win the auction.

Fumet5uNo
Wed Jul 18th, 2012, 02:03 PM
Only time I have put up a bond is when I hit customs

asp_125
Thu Jul 19th, 2012, 08:54 PM
Aw crap! Lost out to a "buy it now" bidder.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300742304830&viewitem=#ht_511wt_1124

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$(KGrHqNHJ!8E+PM0l7gMBQ!fD!8c3Q~~60_12.JPG

VFR
Thu Jul 19th, 2012, 09:31 PM
OMG Sorry to hear you lost THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AWESOME TO SEE ON THE ROAD

Ghost
Fri Jul 20th, 2012, 12:26 AM
Wow, that's a cool bike. I really wanted and tried to export the bike I had while I was in Japan to the US, but it was such a PITA that I gave up and came home empty handed...

Maybe they'll post another one someday ;)

Zviffer
Fri Jul 20th, 2012, 12:32 AM
I'm not sure the exact definition of "Grey Market" but I've always wanted to go up to British Columbia. There I would buy a Varadero, a Honda adventure twin not sold in the US. I'd ride to Alaska and then home. I've been wondering about registering the Varadero when I get back but I haven't checked on it yet.


I'm not sure this will work out for you. Here is what I went through in trying to import my Honda VFR800 when I moved here from Canada a few months ago. Keep in mind that this is for a model that was actually sold in the US as well. Since the bike was originally destined for Canada, it had the Canadian safety decal but none for the USA. In the absence of compliance decals, a manufacturer's letter of compliance is what is required by customs to allow the import. As an aside, that is how I successfully imported our other two vehicles. When I asked for a compliance letter from Honda Canada, it refused to give me a letter stating that the bike meets the US safety standards. And of course, Honda USA had no record of the VIN so they couldn't provide any compliance information either. I expect that you will probably encounter the same difficulty with trying to obtain a compliance letter from Honda Canada for the Varadero.

The end result is that I could not permanently import the bike. Instead, I opted for a temporary import exception which allows the bike into the US for one year, after which it must be removed. For me, the temporary import for my VFR is no big deal since I will be moving back at some point within the next year or two in any event. And if I'm still here next riding season, then I'll buy a local bike and sell it when I leave. For you, a temporary import would not appear to be an option.

See: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/basic_trade/importing_car.xml