Prices unexpected

[satchit]

A non-US model has not been certified by our Department of Transportation or EPA.
DOT regulations apply to mirror and light size and color and placement, license plate holder size, fender coverage, passenger grab straps/rails, etc. Tires must be DOT approved, exhaust/airbox must meet noise restrictions. And braking tests must be passed.

Technically, it can't even be imported into the country unless a bond is issued to guarantee it is exported back in 12 months. But there are loopholes.....

all this is fact, but the meat and potatoes of the issue is also one of protectionism. they use complex red tape like this to prevent "non-us" models from being brought into the US simply because those models were not manufactured with the same handicaps as those that were approved for US roads. Take the CB1300 for example. Honda just didn't see a purpose to making all the modifications and adjustments required to make the CB1300 pass inspection in California, and because they didn't make it pass in california, it's not worth selling in the US market. if it's not worth selling they're not going to go through all the expense of paying to have the testing done (yes, the government makes the manufacturer pay for all of it). If the testing isn't done you can't register the bike here, at least not until it becomes "vintage" in 25 years.

a great example of this is all the tiny japanese kei cars that are being imported to the US in droves right now. they're all just now turning 25, and the US market is collecting them like beanie babies. none of those cars would even come within 100 miles of passing EPA emissions regulations, crash testing safety, or body restrictions imposed by the US government, so until they turned 25 they were completely illegal to have here.

all this is fact, but the meat and potatoes of the issue is also one of protectionism. they use complex red tape like this to prevent "non-us" models from being brought into the US simply because those models were not manufactured with the same handicaps as those that were approved for US roads. Take the CB1300 for example. Honda just didn't see a purpose to making all the modifications and adjustments required to make the CB1300 pass inspection in California, and because they didn't make it pass in california, it's not worth selling in the US market. if it's not worth selling they're not going to go through all the expense of paying to have the testing done (yes, the government makes the manufacturer pay for all of it). If the testing isn't done you can't register the bike here, at least not until it becomes "vintage" in 25 years.

a great example of this is all the tiny japanese kei cars that are being imported to the US in droves right now. they're all just now turning 25, and the US market is collecting them like beanie babies. none of those cars would even come within 100 miles of passing EPA emissions regulations, crash testing safety, or body restrictions imposed by the US government, so until they turned 25 they were completely illegal to have here.
Even the 25 year rule is threatened in some states...
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/0...troubling/

[misterprofessionality]

All of this makes sense to me, for a car or m/c which otherwise doesn't exist in the U.S. market.
But why would this a apply to a bike which is literally a DLX with a few improvements ? The importer should just be able to prove that the bike imported is a CB1100 DLX plus a few mods. A different exhaust pipe cannot stall this process in a country where literally any exhaust can be mounted.

I know it's not gonna fly, or nobody is mad enough to try, but which items on the RS are really the show-stoppers, in your view ?

the confusing inconsistency you're talking about is primarily the result of how sovereign a US State can be vs the federal government. you're correct in that the US will allow you to mount literally any exhaust you want and radically modify a bike and still ride it on the road. however, it all depends on where you are. in South Carolina, I literally only need one mirror, one headlight, and two wheels, and the vehicle can be made road legal, as long as the VIN number registers as a road legal vehicle, or else it qualifies as a hand-built bike with no VIN numbers. However, if i take my showroom fresh CB1100 to California, put an aftermarket slip on exhaust on it, and ride it down the pacific coast highway, i'm almost guaranteed to get pulled over and ticketed for being too loud/illegally modified/illegally polluting with poor emissions, and if i tried to register the bike in the state i would be rejected upon inspection.

Also, I know what you're thinking...couldn't you just modify the RS a bit and register it as "hand built"? not really. If it had any kind of VIN at all you'd be forced to use the original VIN. you can't just scratch it off and say the bike has no VIN.

for me, the show stopper on that bike is the 17" wheels. that makes such a huge difference in so many facets of the bike. Everything else is just icing.

[pekingduck]

All of this makes sense to me, for a car or m/c which otherwise doesn't exist in the U.S. market.
But why would this a apply to a bike which is literally a DLX with a few improvements ? The importer should just be able to prove that the bike imported is a CB1100 DLX plus a few mods. A different exhaust pipe cannot stall this process in a country where literally any exhaust can be mounted.

I know it's not gonna fly, or nobody is mad enough to try, but which items on the RS are really the show-stoppers, in your view ?

As MrP says, one loophole is vintage vehicles over 25 years old can be imported into the US, (but still not registerable in California).

Importing a newer vehicle into the US is an expensive proposition. Certifying a $2m Ferrari may be worth it, not a $10k bike. And as far as the exhaust, there are 50 different state interpretations, but if it comes in and is inspected, it would be hard to pass that gate.

In Germany, i understand even very minor modifications have to be TUV approved.

[Houtman_imp]

It is all VERY simple : not worth the hassle !

[michael1954]

If Honda had just given us a shot at the RS, all the above talk would have been wasted. I would have bought one, especially in the cool new colors Europe got. The USA probably buys more Hondas than any other country, and we get crapped on by Honda all the time. Think they are going to give us a chance to buy the close-out versions of the RS/EX. Hell no, they would lose money. It has never been about brand loyalty to Honda. It is called, made the most bucks you can, period. Thanks Honda, and you are welcome for all the ones I have owned since 1973!

[j3gq_imp]

We certainly strayed off from the OP subject. I thought the overall might be interesting to all of us, in any country.

[Cormanus]

There are few certainties in life. As a wise man said, death and taxes. Another is that there’s a much better than even chance any thread on this forum will stray from its intent.

[GoldOxide_imp]

There are few certainties in life. As a wise man said, death and taxes. Another is that there’s a much better than even chance any thread on this forum will stray from its intent.

Yeah, it could always be worse and be a thread from any other forum or social media outlet.

But in the spirit of the thread subject heading, I've noticed recently that cheeseburger prices are unexpectedly higher these days.

[rboe]

You can always order the RS parts from Honda and install them.

Probably cheaper than any other route.

[peterbaron]

You can always order the RS parts from Honda and install them.

Probably cheaper than any other route.

Nope, move to Canada to get this one and enjoy riding it:

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-street-cruisers-...1591077590