Author Topic: CA motorcycle ? (Read 279 times)

Gunslinger · « **on:** March 18, 2004, 04:40:52 PM »

1) are motorcycles in CA required to test for smog emissions?
2) How hard is it to register a motorcycle baught overseas in CA?
3) How hard is it or $ to make a motorcycle baught overseas smog legal

Any help would be appreciated, a friend of mine is buying a bike from a guy in switzerland and its a killer deal.

lord dolf vader · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2004, 05:05:24 PM »

if hes military yo might get it done in your home state.

they used to have to accept them (the registration) till you got out. i forget the rules of the loop hole.

MrLars · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2004, 05:08:30 PM »

This BBS thread might give you some info.

http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2890

montag · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2004, 06:01:14 PM »

California is tougher than other states in regard to smog/safety regulations etc... You can bring a bike into CA. Grey market bikes can always be registered as off road recreational. Do a search on grey market bikes as they were once the rave but have fallen less popular these days. Look up stuff like NSR-250, rvf-400 etc... There are some people who specialize in bringing those types of bikes into the US and California.

montag · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2004, 06:02:51 PM »

Also might want to check out D.O.T. as they maintain what is legal and not legal on the streets.

http://www.dot.gov/

Heater · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2004, 06:04:46 PM »

A few thing to watch for.

1.) Horse Power to weight ratio (I could not import my VF 1000 R in 1990 due to the differences between Europe & the US)
2.) Smog control for CA is a ***** and yes, it must meet the state requirements.
3.) If any changes have been made to the frame or fuel system, it will be a pain in the bellybutton to import. (tried twice while on active duty)

Gunslinger · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2004, 06:09:35 PM »

buddy just told me its a 2001 R1 totally tricked out with only 960 original miles on it. The guys says he'll ship it for free to LAX if he pays the 150$ money transfer fee He only wants $2400 for it.

Scam or a good deal?

Heater · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2004, 06:13:06 PM »

sounds a bit flakey to me....does he have anyway of checking it out?

Gunslinger · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2004, 06:15:40 PM »

yea the guy is taking more pictures of it to send via email. That's about it. I allready warned my buddy once he sends the money overseas he forfiets fraud protections that are provided in the US.

montag · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2004, 06:19:22 PM »

COD. Thats a cheap price, however R1s should sell pretty easily anywhere. Maybe too good to be true. I wouldnt, specially when I know I can get one of those in the states.

Hooligan · « **Reply #10 on:** March 18, 2004, 06:58:06 PM »

There is a good chance that there is some slight meaningless difference between this bike and the model that was manufactured for sale in the US. In which case it is quite likely that he will be unable to license it here under any conditions. Your friend could get the vin # and particulars on the bike and go to the local DMV and ask them. Odds are good that the DMV will lie to him and he won't figure it out until he buys it, gets it shipped and discovers that they won't let it through customs.

Given that your friend hasn't actually checked out the bike in person, that the seller is probably completely safe from any recourse from your friend if he just takes his money and stops returning his email (I mean how does your friend know the guy actually has a bike to sell, and is not just showing him some bike pictures he pulled off the internet?), and that there is a good chance that licensing will be either impossible or a nightmare...

I would suggest he just buy 2400 lottery tickets and hope for the best.

Hooligan

MrCoffee · « **Reply #11 on:** March 18, 2004, 08:09:54 PM »

Oh thats easy. Your bike is listed as a legal model in the US however you have a Euro version. Talk to the dealer and find out what you need to make it legal. Same holds true for bikes. Anyways D.O.T. maintains a list of whats street legal in the US and does crash testing and certifications etc... on all vehicles sold in the US. Since that vehicle is sold in the US, you'll just have to do some mods to get it to pass. Easier to first register it as off road. Then street legal it in another state out of CA. Put some miles on it (dont know if its the case for used vehicles but new vehicles requires like 12,000 miles) then bring it to California and DMV it. I read an article a while back about a guy who imported a Ferrari GTO and made it legal in the US. He had to have safety bars welded in the doors etc... Its possible if you really want. A little bit of luck never hurts.