secondhand values of imported bikes - paging TOG?

Yes they are basically the same. Bike manufacturers build a standard
product for world wide sales with as few regional variations as
possible, thats why UK bikes get little extras like parking lights and
catalytic converters, they build to the toughest regulations so you
sometimes get these unnecessary "extras". All ZX9 E models have cats
regardless of where they are destined to be sold 'cos it's cheaper to
build to a common spec and any bikes that require restriction have it
done afterwards.

Any serious buyer would surely do some research before setting out, if
you're that paranoid why believe the V5 or any paperwork at all? You
have to trust some of it sometimes and the D&K dyno chart has the bikes
details on it and is signed by the guy that did it with the dealer stamp
on it - but of course you won't believe that.

Well you are being over fussy IMHO and you just said you wouldn't trust
my paperwork anyway, there are no differences or "flaws" - that's my
point.

The sales invoice from D&K clearly states that the bike is to full UK
spec because they did it before I bought it - what more do you want FFS.
I insisted they put in writing that the bike was full UK spec before I
handed over my hard earned - I'm not totally stupid I suppose you
wouldn't trust that either.

Your choice of course but if you don't do at least some basic research
before you buy you can get fleeced just as easily by the seller of an
official import, they might have fake paperwork too you know.

I know that - I have said repeatedly that I know that but no-one has yet
made a case for why that should be so in this particular situation. Stop
saying "well it's an import innit" and tell me why two IDENTICAL objects
should have different values just because one was brought in by a
different importer to the other.

 

D&K shift a lot of bikes, maybe they have a sympathiser at the vehicle
registration office or maybe the rules have changed? It's all academic
anyway as the bike isn't for sale - I like it too much to let it go yet

 

My Guzzi (imported used and registered with a dating certificate) has the
following...

1. Non -transferable registration mark.
2. Imported Vehicle - Was registered/used overseas
Declared manufactured 1979 [1]

Perhaps they make the note as it was a used machine (my ex-ministry Land
Rover had "Declared Manufactured 1970") but in the OPs case DVLA didn't
give a toss who imported it as long as it was new.


[1] Although the frame plate says 1982, the original castings and
electrics are marked 1981 or 1982. All very odd.

 

Um, except for bikes they build for specific markets.....

 

Not many of those and they usually just convert the standard model off
the production line - gets too expensive otherwise as it's no longer
"mass" production. Someone on here had a query about why there was a
parking light on his bike ignition switch, both my bikes have this and
although it's not a UK requirement it's cheaper to use just one ignition
switch rather than have several different ones which will only get mixed
up anyway. There's probably loads of areas where a bike sold here
exceeds certain UK specs in order to meet the more exacting spec for
some other country.

 

Loads of them, actually. Think of all those cruisers they get in the US
and nowhere else (except maybe Germany). Think of all those fast 400s
the Japs used to get, which were sold virtually nowhere else.

 

Loads of them, actually. Think of all those cruisers they get in the US
and nowhere else (except maybe Germany). Think of all those fast 400s
the Japs used to get, which were sold virtually nowhere else.[/QUOTE]

Like the *ten* tangerine and cream H1s Kawasaki made for the Afghan
market.

IIRC Rick Brett's got one. The git.

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C
|_\_____/_| ..66073../..15556.../..3157./.19406
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4 PM#5
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11 WG*
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17
'^' RBR-Visited:35 Pts: 705 Miles:2429

 

I just DID tell you why. Because most buyers will NOT do the research, so
they'll play it safe and get an official one. Even someone who DOES do
the research won't give you the full price because they know what a hassle
they'll have when they come to sell it themselves.

Didn't you anticipate this when you bought the bike originally?

 

They don't have to do the research - as I said in the bit you snipped
it's all either there or not necessary. There shouldn't be any hassle
'cos the bike is now three years old, no warranty left and any problems
sorted. Yes I anticipated this and I say again the bike isn't for
ale - it was a hypothetical question. In the original post I asked if
there was a point at which the two values converged and finally met, TOG
says there isn't. I'm wondering why, even another five years down the
line, someone should expect to pay less for the SAME thing. Everyones
still saying "well it's an import innit".

 

On Tue, 8 Jun 2004 12:04:28 +0000 (UTC), "Alan"

What you're missing is a simple grasp of economics - the answer given
is correct - an import is worth less simply because an import is worth
less.

Market forces are what gives something 'value', and in these cases the
market shies away from imports, even when, as you say, the two bikes,
plus any backup, warranty, etc. are exactly the same. Therefore, if
the market doesn't think an import is worth as much, it isn't.

 

I'm not missing the point - I have stated about 4 times that I know the
accepted fact of life is that an import is worth less than an official.
I'm just questioning the why of it - not the fact of it. I was asking if
that is always the case for the whole life of the bike. If you saw two
identical five or six year old bikes in a dealers would you expect to
get a discount on one if it was an import? How much? Is it a sliding
scale and if so at what point in time does that difference disappear? I
reckon most dealers would price them both the same and argue that it
doesn't matter about one being an import - until you try and trade one
in of course.

Most market forces have some reason behind them - there doesn't seem to
be much behind this one and markets can be and have been manipulated. It
seems to me that it's the dealers that devalue imports against officials
in order to preserve or increase their cut and everyone else just
accepts it as a fact. Why classify all parallel imports as "dodgy" or
"hassle"? all I'm saying is why not judge an object for what it IS and
value it accordingly. I would walk away from a bike with stickers on the
speedo, an odo reading klicks and with tape on the headlights but I see
no reason not to buy a properly converted import - as I did.

I say again - I'm not trying to talk up the value of my bike or rip
anyone off 'cos it's not for sale.