NC35 US Import Help?

[USAFRVF400]

I am in need of some major assistance. I am US military and I have been stationed in Japan for 3 years, 2 of those years spent riding my RVF400(NC35) which Ienjoy greatly. In the next 48 days I will be returning to the US for a few years and I am interested in taking my motorcycle with me.

Does anyone know a way to take an RVF400 with the vin starting with "NC35" to the US as an import? I am told I have to have a letter of conformity however Honda Japan says if the vin starts with NC35 it does not conform. I am slightly confused because I have read elsewhere that the NC35 is a US approved import. Am I just getting the run around from Honda Japan or is this correct?

[porndoguk]

your best bet is to pm NEOSOPHIST OR VFRMAN

Steve VFRman is from the US, lives in Italy and has moved bikes and parts about,
Martin Neo' is currently in japan, and has imported bikes into the UK.

your best bet is to get the tools out and break the bike and send it in parts to the USA i think youll get taxed alot less that way etc. i remember reading that steve shipped his bike in PARTs to avoid this

[Cru Jones]

Are you concerned about the importation bit or the registering/titling bit? For you being in the military has many perks when it comes to importing grey market vehicles, so you'll have a much easier time than most. The VIN being a shorter than usual VIN is not something I'd worry about. In the NHTSA's guidelines they mention that for vehicles with short VINs they need to keep the original VIN, but also have a new VIN plate fixed (usually done by the person/company importing the bike). However, that guideline does not explicitly mention motorcycles (mentions all other forms of transpo though), so motorcycles would appear to be exempt from that. That's not to say you won't have problems at the DMV or insurance company getting it registered and insured (I had to ask around because only 1 insurance company would insure it with the proper name and not 'Honda Kit' or 'Honda Import'). Lastly, the RVF400 is on the list of NHTSA's "legally importable motorcycles", so you shouldn't have an issue with customs.

[CMSMJ1]

Get hold of Vfrman or Slo12

Also the BARF forum should have a few guys with NCs on there that can help you.

Title for it was pain in the arse but there are a few USA chaps on here ( and used ot be loads more) so they can get it sorted out!

[Neosophist]

It can be done!

Where abouts are you, Okinawa?

There was a guy in the states who did it I found in my favourites.

Anyhow, regarding the process of getting it on the street, in Oregon its a snap. They don't really ask any questions as long as you have the original title and the importation form signed by a customs agent. The RVF400 is actually on the NHTSA list of vehicles that are approved for import, however they are not technically road legal. To make it road legal would require replacing many components with identical components that have a stamp from the DOT. Very costsly (likely 50k or so from what I'm told). However thats a federal rule, local states can still do whatever they want and Oregon happens to be one that doesn't really care. The nice thing is that if I ever sell it, it has an Oregon title now and should be easy to transfer to any state. I have already received some PM's and offers to buy while out riding. But I'm keeping it for a long time, just a fun bike overall and I probably will not see another one while out riding on the streets ever.

I guess you can bring it back free as part of milatary allowance? If so I wouldn't bother dismantling it, just make sure its secure and drain the fluids out of it.

I heard Wyoming doesn't really care either and will register pretty much anything with at least two wheels - might need to take it to a sympathetic state :-0

Theres a few guys on here from the US... g-force comes to mind, they might have some more info on how to get it done.

Either way, depending on if you can bring it back for free or not i'd bring it back! If anything you can always sell it for a track bike :)

[vfrman]

I think the problem you are having is with TMO and getting them to ship your bike. You need either 1) the letter of conformity, 2) a contract from a registered importer who will convert the bike or 3) you need to break it down and ship it in your HHG as parts. It also helps to have some Jack Daniels to give to the packers so they put "coffee table" on the box that has your engine in it. LOL. I told TMO I had a bike and then told them I didn't because I wasn't about to pay an importer $4,000 to import my bike, because the only thing they would do to it is put some reflectors on the front forks and under the tail and put a MPH speedo overlay on the gauges.

So, you have a few options...

Break the bike down into parts and ship it in your HHG that way or sell the bike and get something else when you get to the USA.

[Newflee]

hod off on the breakdown.....I'm guessing that vehicles not on the good list are for anything less than 15 years old. Anything older is ok......at least in Canada.

Hope that helps.