JDM Honda motorcycle part importing ?
 

Hi,

We have been thinking about bringing over accidented and salvage motorcycle items and motors from Japan just like we do for vehicles. Do you think there is a big demand for this ? We’re not motorcycle people (yet) so we are looking for your comments ? Are there motors there that you can’t get here that would be desirable for a swap ?

Thanks,

JMI@japanmotorimport.com

Re: JDM Honda motorcycle part importing ? (JMI)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JMI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
We have been thinking about bringing over accidented and salvage motorcycle items and motors from Japan just like we do for vehicles. Do you think there is a big demand for this ? We’re not motorcycle people (yet) so we are looking for your comments ? Are there motors there that you can’t get here that would be desirable for a swap ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Realistically, no. (IMHO at least)

One of the few things I've seen that work well is importing 2-strokes to either

a.) Go through the hassle of making them street legal

or

b.) Selling them to racers.

But in both cases, they're clean (at least not destroyed) working bikes. Not salvaged titles.

Most people destroy a bike long before the engine goes.

There's some specialty markets for importing wierd parts, like single-sided swing arms, but generally they're not worth anything unless you set up a shop to install them.

Re: JDM Honda motorcycle part importing ? (project_mercy)
 

I agree. If you import a grey market bike that has been wrecked, There will be many unavailable parts needed to get it back on the road. Not a good thing. The parts would just be too damn hard to get. There probably is a market for clean grey imports though.

Re: JDM Honda motorcycle part importing ? (Redtail)
 

can you get clean gray imports on the road ?

JMI

Re: JDM Honda motorcycle part importing ? (JMI)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JMI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">can you get clean gray imports on the road ?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes you can, but I don't know the rules for Canada. Here in the states, it varies on state to state. Generally, once it's titled, it's not a big deal to transfer the title somewhere else.

I know on E-bay I see Grey market Aprilia RS 250's that are tagged and titled in Canada, so there has to be a way.

My point being, that's how you could make some cash. They're pretty common over seas (due to their licensing requirements) and so they're a lot cheaper. If you can figure out how to title it, once you do one, the rest should be a lot easier (maybe you find a certain DMV person is dumb, or bribeable or whatever it takes).

Or you can just sell race bikes like GP Star ( http://www.gpstar.net/ ) or RS Cycles (http://www.rscycles.com/) I can tell you right now, that those mark-ups are HUGE compared to what they cost in USD in japan. Especially since most of those bikes were probably shipped over in 2-3 seperate crates as 'parts' and were hence exempt from the whole customs fiasco.