Japan builds some of the best bikes in the world and keeps a few of them for itself. The domestic market has models and specifications that were never sold here, which is why grey import bikes have such a following. The worry is usually the unfamiliar paperwork and a speedometer in km/h. Both are routine, and the age of the bike tells you almost everything about what comes next.
- Shipping from
- £1,250 from anywhere
- From Japan
- About 5 to 8 weeks
- Speedometer
- km/h, so mph needed on newer bikes
- Import tax
- 20% VAT and 10% duty
What a grey import bike is
A grey import is a vehicle brought in privately rather than through the manufacturer's official UK dealer network. With bikes, that usually means a Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki or Suzuki built for the Japanese home market, bought there and shipped here.
Because it was never approved for sale in Great Britain, it has to show it meets British standards before the DVLA will register it. How it does that depends on its age.
Age decides the route
| Feature | Usual route | Typical changes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10 years old | Full MSVA test | Speedometer in mph or dual mph and km/h, plus anything the inspection finds |
| 10 to 40 years old | MOT | Anything needed to pass. An mph speedometer is recommended |
| Over 40 years old | No MOT, if not substantially changed | Kept roadworthy. We still check it over |
A Japanese domestic bike under 10 years old has no European type approval and no Certificate of Conformity, so it takes the full MSVA test rather than the short partial one. The inspection covers lighting, mirrors, the speedometer, tyres, brakes, noise and emissions, and checks the bike matches its paperwork.
Over 10 years old, the bike falls outside MSVA and goes down the MOT route instead. Over 40, and not substantially changed, GOV.UK says it does not need an MOT at all, though it must still be roadworthy. The older end of the market has its own guide: importing a classic motorbike.
The km/h speedometer
Japanese-market bikes read in km/h. For a bike going through MSVA, the speedometer must show mph or mph and km/h together, so this is a job that has to be done before the test.
On bikes over 10 years old it is not a condition of registration, but we recommend it. Riding on UK roads with a dial in the wrong units means doing mental arithmetic at every speed camera. Our guide to speedometer and headlight conversions explains the usual methods.
Headlights
Japan drives on the left, as we do, so a Japanese bike's headlight is already set up for the right side of the road. That is one job fewer than on a bike from Europe or America. The light still has to meet the standard on test, and the rest of the lighting is checked as normal.
Buying in Japan
Many grey bikes are bought through a Japanese auction or an exporter. Ask for the export paperwork and condition information before you commit, and send us what you have early. As with cars, seeing the export documents before shipping lets us check the technical details in good time. Our guide to the Japanese export certificate explains what that document shows, and Japanese auction grades covers how to read a condition report.
Check for a VIN, and for damage. GOV.UK says a vehicle needs a VIN before it can be approved, and the DVLA can issue one if it has none. Seriously damaged vehicles cannot be registered at all. Both are far easier to raise with a seller than with a crate in Castle Donington.
A bike without a VIN plate or stamp may still be registrable, so do not walk away from a good one without asking us first.
Shipping from Japan
Bikes travel in shared containers alongside other customers' vehicles, which is why shipping starts from £1,250 from anywhere. That is a guide price for shipping only, built from a year of real jobs, and it does not include import tax, testing, registration or any changes.
As a guide, our Japan route runs at about 5 to 8 weeks, and we will confirm timings for your bike when we quote. For container shipping we recommend crating, because straps hold a bike at the wheels rather than squashing the suspension, and a crate stops it moving at all. Add marine insurance for the crossing, because your normal policy will not cover the bike at sea.
Import tax
A bike from Japan is a non-EU import, so it pays 10% duty and 20% VAT on the price plus the cost of shipping, with VAT charged on top of the duty. If the invoice is more than 3 months old, a valuation is used instead.
Take a bike bought for the equivalent of £6,000 and shipped for £1,250. The tax base is £7,250, duty is £725, and VAT is 20% of £7,975, which is £1,595. The import tax calculator will do the same for your bike.
Bikes over 30 years old can pay 5% VAT and no duty, as long as they meet HMRC's conditions, which include being in original condition. If you are moving to the UK and qualify for Transfer of Residence, there is nothing to pay.
After it lands
From the port to the road
0 of 6 done
GOV.UK says an unregistered import can only go on the road when it is heading to a pre-booked test, and it must be insured. We were the first privately owned MSVA test centre in the UK, and MSVAs are done on our own lane, so a newer bike never needs that trip. For insurance once it is registered, our guide to Japanese import insurance covers how insurers look at grey imports.
Questions people ask
Does a Japanese import bike need an MSVA?
If it is under 10 years old and has never been registered in the UK, yes, normally the full MSVA because it has no European type approval. Bikes 10 to 40 years old take an MOT, and bikes over 40 that have not been substantially changed do not need one.
Does a Japanese bike need an mph speedometer?
For an MSVA, yes: it must read mph or show mph and km/h together. On older bikes it is not needed to register, but we recommend it.
Do Japanese bikes need headlight changes?
Usually not to the beam pattern, because Japan drives on the left like the UK. The lighting is still checked on test.
How much tax do I pay on a bike from Japan?
10% duty and 20% VAT on the price plus shipping. Qualifying bikes over 30 years old pay 5% VAT and no duty, and Transfer of Residence can bring it to nil.
How long does it take to ship a bike from Japan?
As a guide, about 5 to 8 weeks, and we confirm timings when we quote. Customs, testing and registration follow once it lands.
Found a bike in Japan? Send us the make, model and year on the quote form and we will price it from the auction to your garage.
