lallasro Posted July 26, 2015 Posted July 26, 2015 I hear that grey imports cost more to be insured but when I make a quote, the first 4 insurance companies give the same price like for a UK bike. there is some insurance companies that don`t mind if the bike are a grey import? I will appreciate any info you can give me guys about those bikes? and if anyone know if the road tax is diferent for import bikes?
Moderator Cynic Posted July 26, 2015 Moderator Posted July 26, 2015 Imports are no different to uk bikes. So long as there is a uk version. My bike is an import, guy thought I was taking the piss when I said it was from Japan until he got my meaning. Made no difference to the price.Some bikes like the GSXR250 were never officially imported so are not on insurers info, you know the sort. 'Computer says no'. types. They are the greys, because they are in that grey area between the lines, they exist but not officially in the uk. Will make little difference to any decent motorcycle insurer.The likes of direct line or admiral may cough. And no the road tax is no different. Providing it has been registered properly of course. 1
Ttaskmaster Posted July 27, 2015 Posted July 27, 2015 As above.My 125 Drag was imported from Deutschland and had the stickers on the tank to prove it... in Deutsch and Englisch.No difference to anything, although having an existing UK V5 probably helped.
lallasro Posted July 27, 2015 Author Posted July 27, 2015 your drag is not a grey tasky. EU bikes are not grey imports, those bikes are parallel imports.
DutchFJ1200 Posted July 27, 2015 Posted July 27, 2015 Education time :-) please define grey import - thanks.
Moderator Cynic Posted July 27, 2015 Moderator Posted July 27, 2015 Long story short.Parallel import is an existing model imported from another country.French DT125 for example imported to the uk.Grey import is a bike not released in the uk.GSXR250. CBR250, RVF400 etc. These bikes were Japan only. They exist but not official in the uk but perfectly legal if imported correctly.
Katie1 Posted July 27, 2015 Posted July 27, 2015 I had a FZR400 and didn't have any problem getting it insured.It may officially count as a grey import but it was on every insurer's price list
DutchFJ1200 Posted July 27, 2015 Posted July 27, 2015 Long story short.Parallel import is an existing model imported from another country.French DT125 for example imported to the uk.Grey import is a bike not released in the uk.GSXR250. CBR250, RVF400 etc. These bikes were Japan only. They exist but not official in the uk but perfectly legal if imported correctly.Thanks, so I guess that if you want to import a model that was never imported into the UK you have to jump through hoops to get type approvaland all that jazz.
lallasro Posted July 27, 2015 Author Posted July 27, 2015 from what I know, parallel import are the bikes that have the minimum request to be riden in UK . the only bikes are considered parallel imports are the UE bikes, I mean bikes builded for those countries. grey import are everything else, like japan, america, no mather if is harley or yamaha or any make. parallel bikes are just a bit different, things like oddometre (in KM/h not M/h). the grey ones (some) had some specs that don`t apply to UK laws (like different signal light color, or things like the paint that is not good for UK weather... or the stering wheel on the left side :D). the reason for a bigger price (say some but I don`t see any diference on my premium if I set my bike like import) is the pars that are a lot more expensive to get in case of accident, because the parts must be bring from the countries where the bikes are build.. a shit in my opinion because I don`t remember to see a yamaha factory in UK or EU so the parts come from the same place). another reason is because the parts are hard to find.i`m not sure about what cynic say about bikes not released in UK, because there are models released in UK but the bike are different for same model in japan or US. ex: my midnightstar, have the electic different from US models, the v-star. another colors, another ... I think is called muffing.. the wires going in another slot in connectors. but, like always, I can be wrong, this is a thing that I don`t know to much about it, this is why I come to ask here
Merlin70 Posted September 29, 2015 Posted September 29, 2015 I've just bought a MR50 imported by Motorcycle Giant. It is registered 1-1-2015 but is a 1980 model from Japan. The closest model to it that I can work out is the DT50M.Based upon the definition above that would make it a grey import. As such is my son going to be able to get insurance on it when he turns 16?
slice Posted September 29, 2015 Posted September 29, 2015 Simple answer YES, not a problem if you shop around. 1
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