Go Back   Sports Car Forum - MotorWorld.net > Automotive Brands Forum > Bike Chat > Bike Pictures and Videos



Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-21-2005, 04:51 PM   #1
TransAm
Regular User
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Solihull, UK
Posts: 2,766
Default Honda Grey bikes (JDMs)

This should cheer you up, RC, also so that those youngins can see what we were riding (or in my case fantasising about riding) back in the day...

Many of these bikes are Jap-market only, and weren't officially sold elsewhere, hence the term 'grey (market) bikes...

In chronological order:

NS250R/NSR250















NS400R



VFR400 NC21, NC23, NC30


















CBR250





CBR400











If this post is too big (too many images) then let me know - I'll probably end up splitting it again once I get more pics uploaded...
__________________
Current: 2008 BMW 118d SE, 2002 Honda S2000, 2007 Honda CBR600RR

Previous: 2003 Z4 3.0i SMG, 1995 Aprilia RS250
TransAm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2005, 10:50 PM   #2
dutchmasterflex
Regular User
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,566
Default

Where can you purchase one of these?
__________________
dutchmasterflex is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2005, 11:38 PM   #3
RC45
Regular User
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 15,413
Default

You can't really. Try some of the knackered used ones in the US - expect people to want $6,000 to $8,000 for the 400's and about $4,000 to $6,000 for the 250's.

Yes - those people are nuts.

The sad part is, youcan get them for $1200 in the far east. We just cann't import them to the US. The rules suck. As soon as they change I am gonna get 1 of each
RC45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2005, 07:41 AM   #4
TransAm
Regular User
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Solihull, UK
Posts: 2,766
Default

Maybe its possible...

If you have a pal 'up north' it might be worth looking into to first of all export the bike from Japan to Canada, then from Canada to the US. It might not be that simple, but a lot of early grey import cars and bikes always used to come to the UK mainland via Ireland... I think something in the import laws must have changed as they seem to come direct to the UK nowadays.

These bikes are easy to find in the UK, and go for anywhere between next to nothing for the earlier stuff (any first pic under a heading above) and up to about $5000 for the best examples of the later stuff, the RVF400 NC35 being an example. I myself had an FZR250R for a while:

DOHC-4 249cc 45hp/ 14500rpm, 141 kg



RC, why can't you just bring these things back from a holiday, for example, pay the import taxes and get a state inspection? In TX there's no emissions checks for bikes so that's not a problem...
__________________
Current: 2008 BMW 118d SE, 2002 Honda S2000, 2007 Honda CBR600RR

Previous: 2003 Z4 3.0i SMG, 1995 Aprilia RS250
TransAm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2005, 09:58 AM   #5
RC45
Regular User
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 15,413
Default

Sadly this category of vehicle is specifically listed and known. I tried to import a container load in 1998 - and ran into the complex import laws around non-US street legal motorcycles.

The legislation is quite complicated. The major limitation is no complete 13 character VIN number. I will dig up my correspondance and paperwork. Who knows, maybe laws have changed now.
RC45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2005, 02:48 AM   #6
corpse_grinder0
Regular User
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Southern California
Posts: 875
Default

I love the styling of those bikes so much better than modern day sportbikes.
__________________
corpse_grinder0 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2005, 05:35 AM   #7
dutchmasterflex
Regular User
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,566
Default

man.. i would seriously consider one of these... i think it would make a great newbie sports bike..

TransAm, that's a sweet yamaha 250.. i was also lookin at '88 fzr 600's.. found a couple on ebay in decent condition with around 15k miles on on the clock for about $1,000..

think it would really be possible importing it from canada?
__________________
dutchmasterflex is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2005, 04:13 PM   #8
TransAm
Regular User
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Solihull, UK
Posts: 2,766
Default

^ who knows if import from Canada is possible, I'd sooner settle for the FZR600 at a quarter of the price.

BTW, there is an FZR400, a Bandit 400 and a NC30 VFR400 on cycletrader/ebay for sale right now...

There are out there, you just have to look very hard for them
__________________
Current: 2008 BMW 118d SE, 2002 Honda S2000, 2007 Honda CBR600RR

Previous: 2003 Z4 3.0i SMG, 1995 Aprilia RS250
TransAm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2011, 09:21 AM   #9
CarlZ
Regular User
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Riga Latvia
Posts: 204
Default

Wow, this is an old post, but it's nice. I'm still shopping for some similar honda bikes from the same era.
__________________
"Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary... That's what gets you." Jeremy Clarkson
CarlZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2011, 01:30 PM   #10
nthfinity
Regular User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Detroit
Posts: 9,929
Default

Originally Posted by CarlZ View Post
Wow, this is an old post, but it's nice. I'm still shopping for some similar honda bikes from the same era.
It's nice to see some action, but I just have to delete his posts as there isn't any real content to them :-\

Good luck, and post some pictures, Carl
__________________
www.nthimage.com
Car photography website
nthfinity is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2011, 04:06 PM   #11
CarlZ
Regular User
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Riga Latvia
Posts: 204
Default

Well I've set my eyes on a little bit weaker bike, nsr125. Seems like a nice bike for an amateur and it meets the EU requirements for power (damn restrictions for beginners). But first I've got to get the money, could be a few months. And if it takes more than that then I'm probably going to buy it during winter since it's a lot cheaper then. Or I could just buy it after a year or so when I'll move to some other country (probably). Yeah, planning ahead is hard at this stage of my life... But hell, i'll get one of those some day, mark my words, and then you'll get your pictures.
__________________
"Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary... That's what gets you." Jeremy Clarkson
CarlZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump