Importing Bikes?

Reading on this forum, it seems that cars over 25 years old can be imported with impunity. Do similar rules apply to motorcycles?

I really have a hankering for 250cc - 400cc Japanese sportbikes from the mid '80's to the early '90's and wondering if they can be cheaply and easily imported to the US at some point?

I've done it when I moved from the UK to the US. At least in NV it was extremely simple to register the bikes - I needed the paperwork from the customs broker (which included the EPA/NTHSA paperwork, the foreign equivalent of the title and a VIN check (no smog checks where I live).

It gets more complicated if you live somewhere where you have to pass emissions, but you might be able to circumvent that requirement by registering the bike as a classic.

Just make sure that you can get parts for the bike you're importing, a lot of the parts for the JDM-only bikes are unique to them and you'll need contacts in Japan to get even consumables.

I would love to have a 400cc sportbike or a 250cc

Like a Bandit400, or Honda CB-1? Great bikes and they were sold here-just sayin.

I don't know of any states that do emissions and that is the "main reason" cars are not imported into the US. Yep, that's at least what they say, so contact your DMV and find out what bikes you can import. I would assume you can import just about any bike. If not, maybe its time to talk to a representative.

In reply to wheelsmithy: Have a B4, but when I was stationed in Okinawa there were 250 cc and 400 cc sport bikes like GSX-Rs, VFRs, FZRs. I really liked the Hondas with the dual round headlights and seem to think they might have had single sided swing arms as well.

BoxheadTim wrote: Just make sure that you can get parts for the bike you're importing, a lot of the parts for the JDM-only bikes are unique to them and you'll need contacts in Japan to get even consumables.

Very valid point, need to ensure parts availability for any bike that old but especially if it wasn't available here.

Most JDM bikes come with a different amount of characters in the VIN. Most states balk at that and won't do anymore work to get them titled. I once bought a 1993 Honda NSR250SP that had a current GA title. Even then they gave me a hard time about the VIN number. I felt extremely lucky that I left with a title in my name. Without the current title they never would have transferred it. There are a few states that it appears there isn't a problem. I think either NH or VT is one of them. There are a few title companies out there that specialize in it.

Both Bandit 400's and Honda CB-1's are very good bikes but have become extremely scarce. CB-1's even have gear driven camshafts which give out a wonderful whine !!! I miss mine.