Imports

[Woodside]

Ok just a thought
Who's buying all these American imports?
Over the last few years I've seen hundreds if not thousands absolutely everywhere you can't move on evil bay for em ( not just talking Hondas here)...ok the uk bikes can't supply the demand  for enthusiasts ...but surely at some point the market is gonna get saturated?
And do you find genuine uk bikes reach a far higher premium ..I know I'd always pick a uk over USA all being fair?
Just thinking out loud and wondered what you guys make of it all....

Over to you

[Trigger]

Ok just a thought
Who's buying all these American imports?
Over the last few years I've seen hundreds if not thousands absolutely everywhere you can't move on evil bay for em ( not just talking Hondas here)...ok the uk bikes can't supply the demand  for enthusiasts ...but surely at some point the market is gonna get saturated?
And do you find genuine uk bikes reach a far higher premium ..I know I'd always pick a uk over USA all being fair?
Just thinking out loud and wondered what you guys make of it all....

Over to you

One of the biggest importers is a member
I only deal in UK bikes and yes they demand a higher price but, only in good condition.

[mickwinf]

I think mostly its the condition of the imports and the availability in America seems to be never ending. I have a UK 500 and an import 550, the foreigner has almost mint chrome including original DID rims. They also are often low mileage as the yanks seemed to use them as toys rather than transport.

[Trigger]

I think mostly its the condition of the imports and the availability in America seems to be never ending. I have a UK 500 and an import 550, the foreigner has almost mint chrome including original DID rims. They also are often low mileage as the yanks seemed to use them as toys rather than transport.

The hardware is always good on a USA import but, anything rubber or sponge is perished. 

[AshimotoK0]

UK bikes are usually money pits ..after the ravages of 40 winters

[Trigger]

UK bikes are usually money pits ..after the ravages of 40 winters

True Ash, blast a UK frame and it looks like a tea bag. I must say, that i have been lucky but, i do go with a magnet to buy a  UK bike

[UK Pete]

A bike is a bike to me UK OR US , after all the cb's are  Japanese bikes, just some different features for different countries,
I lusted after a 69 k0, unfortunately UK did not get them so i had to source US bikes, but there is no denying US bikes are much better to restore than UK bikes on the whole, i remember a gpz550 i had ,i rode it through about 4 winters and the whole bike was fecked, bad  rust and corrosion on everything , they only stand a chance in this country if your a summer rider or your prepared to strip clean and polish every time you come back after wet winter riding
The Japs have been buying back some of the early classics for big money, they are not interested in UK bikes any more than US bikes,
Times have changed now go back some years and imports were considerably cheaper, and insurance used to bolt you up with higher premiums grey imports and all that, but now its a level playing field and Uk bikes and imported bikes are very similar in price, and the same to insure,
I do agree with the market being flooded, there are way to many imports coming in now, lucky enough the early models of the cb range still hold their price but the floods of later models have quite a reduced value, often it is financially better to break them for spares , i see so many sell for under a grand on ebay, usually in good complete condition, DK and freddy have containers full of bikes arriving contantly through the year every year, the bubble will definitly burst if it carries on at the rate it is, F--- this i better sell up now, 

[Woodside]

I whole heartedly agree with all the comments I suppose after all they are all Japanese imports wherever in the world they land...that saying for what ever reason I still edge to a UK bike ..but when your looking at later models in suppose they are indeed easier to acquire..
Out of curiosity how many 69 ko came to the United Kingdom of rust

[AshimotoK0]

The first batch of 20 (well I think it was 20), that came into the UK in January 1970 were Oct '69 manufactured  bikes Pete,
of these I know of a few's history/existence

Me.. Ashimoto  ( there was also another one registered on the same day as mine, 1 reg number up (TAJxxH) . It's still on the DVLA register but not taxed since 1980 so probably long gone now 
MickT
MickR
DaveM (made from frame from a bike broken straight out of the crate for parts by QPMotors.
Guy in Gloucestershire called Nigel who is in the classic Yam club had one of them, he told me at Stafford yonks ago.
Evidently one was broken out of the crate for spares  for it's engine for a racing sidecar outfit.
Don't know if any of Steff's are out of this batch..
Chris R probably knows the fate of some of the others, will ask him. or possibly Steff may know more.

Not sure how many more came in before the K1 was introduced but I suspect not that  many.

Not sure about Dick Emery's bike (BYU763H  ... suspect long gone now) but BYU765H was reg'd in April '70 and is still taxed! or the one Bob Heath (of visor fame) bought that was stored at Honda UK with 500 miles on it.

My frame was totally solid when I had it blasted and then  powder coated ... Wish I had had it stoved now like my 400/4 but hey ho  ... you learn by your mistakes. It was little used in 25 years and garaged but there was still bad rusting  on fenders/fork stanchions and loads of K2 parts had been fitted including wheels and seat. Fortunately it still had the recessed ignition  and black killswitch (someone is bound to repro. that switch soon). The rear  guard (rare for UK only rear oval lamp) was not too bad but our local chromers managed to render it useless.

Funny but the '69 350K1 I got from DK did not have a title when I bought it  but they managed to find it for me and as soon as I got that it totally changed my perspective on it and that's when I decided to restore it rather than break it for it's wheels. Just a sentimental old fool really 

[AshimotoK0]

Steff? can you add anything to this?

Ash

[LesterPiglet]

Just a bit of info, I don't know if it's a standard.
I bought a rear guard from a guy on the US site and the chrome on my original guard looks much better.

This picture looks the opposite but if you can zoom in, the definition of the reflection in the old guard is much sharper.

[matthewmosse]

I wouldn't give 2 hoots if it's an inport. Rusted is more work, I only ever sold 3 bikes, i genrally buy the same as what I last had and borrow parts off the worn out bike to keep the new one going. Sad but often a bike is realistically past economic sence to fix if just the full list of consumables need doing at the same time. I do not however scrap the old ones off, rather store them until they are economically viable again, which is either if I come across a good supply ofthe required bits at a good price or the bike becomes worth more for some reason.