20 Best Grey Imports

The import game started with the flighty yet fierce 250 and 400 replicas and when both the demand and structure of importing were established expanded to just about anything that could still turn a wheel in Japan or America. Lately, that includes new bikes from those sources and Europe. Only belatedly have the official importers managed to fight back with cheapish bikes. The future isn’t entirely clear - either the official importers will go the cheap bikes sold in large quantities route or they will carry on pissing off the punters. If the latter, both the grey and parallel importers will survive; if the former they could well go out of business over the next few years. At least it makes for interesting times and bargain prices right now.

Race Replicas

In many ways the UK market 600’s are a better bet than the 250 and 400cc replicas, which are only really so popular and ubiquitous in Japan because of their home market licensing laws. As always, it seems, Honda are leading contenders in both categories. The only reason for buying the 250 rather than the 400 is its relative cheapness. It’s probably worth paying the extra dosh unless you really do exult in the maximum buzziness of the smaller four. Both have very tough engines, not much need to worry until past the 40,000 mile mark.

Although the CBR model designation goes back to 1983, few bikes made before 1986 (when the Aero model appeared) are going to be of much interest to UK punters - too old and too mild in nature. The Aero was a mini CBR600 (but don’t expect any of the 600’s bits to fit) most notable for gear driven cams and alloy frame. Its dynamics limited by soft suspension and brakes that age poorly.

Honda got a handle on the replica scene with the RR series that came out in 1988, the Aero’s engine gaining a whole new chassis (identified by the Tri-Arm label) that made for some brilliant times in the curves. Although the Tri-Arm CBR was hot stuff it was soon eclipsed by the Gull-Arm version, with new alloy chassis and swinging arm. As Jap replica 400’s go, this is the one to beat. It was so good that it hasn’t been radically improved upon over the past eight years.

Look to pay £3500 for something a few years old with less than 10,000 miles on the clock. Make sure it’s been derestricted and that the clutch and electrics are in fine fettle. Otherwise they are tough old beasts that are extremely difficult to beat in the curves; good for around 130mph, though still heavy on fuel, tyres and brake pads - something that goes for all the import 400 replicas. You can pay as much as five grand for a nearly new one but there are much better buys found in the bigger Jap fours for that kind of money.

It’s not entirely clear if it was Honda’s marketing might or their engineering finesse which allowed them to shift so many CBR400’s on to the market when there were such hardcore rivals as the ZXR400 on offer. Like the CBR, this had its roots in a more mundane version, the ZX-4, which could pass for a minor version of the ZX-10 or the inspiration for the UK market ZZR250 twin.

Both the ZXR400 and ZXR400S were available in quantity by 1989, a year or so ahead of the Gull-arm Hondas. Although they later received newer chassis and swinging arms, the actual riding experience was already defined in the earlier model; later improvements no better than what can be achieved with aftermarket suspension gear. Every bit as fun to ride as the Honda, their major limitation comes from a lack of seat comfort and a sometimes buzzy motor. Depending on your point of view, this is either all part of the replica game or hell realised. Pay similar money to the CBR, but be aware that the motor’s top end is more susceptible to neglect than the Honda’s, though 50,000 mile engine life isn’t impossible. For some reason there are quite a lot of bashed and straightened ZXR’s on offer. As these things go, the R version has the maximum street credibility.

The 250 version, with similar upside-down forks and trick replica styling was something of a road urchin, like the CBR250, needing to be screamed at 15000 revs to get anywhere fast. Not a dream ticket for general UK riding but there are reasonable ones around for not much more than two grand on the private market if you take a bit of time and effort.

Like the other Jap manufacturers, Yamaha’s replica efforts have their roots in the mid eighties. In this case the FZ250 Phazer, the inspiration for today’s 600 Fazer, the former having superior styling! The FZ series defined the engine design, which after all was limited in power for the home market and only needed a moderate amount of technology, but it wasn’t until Yamaha went the Deltabox frame route in 1986 that sales took off for the FZR400.

At 345lbs dry, one of the lighter replicas and at the time the fastest through the curves, although it was later to be edged out by the Gull-arm CBR’s. The Yam had slightly less need to rev to shift, benefited further from the EXUP fitted from 1988 onwards. The design went on to the usual replica extremes of styling and lack of comfort, but no worse than other highway hoodlums, peaking out in 1991 with the RR version.

Even when derestricted, all the 400’s chassis are well up to the power and can be a real delight to sling through the curves if tiresome on the motorway. The FZR engines are tough, gearbox and clutch the most likely areas of demise even if they are stronger than the similar stuff fitted to the 600’s. The valves may go down if, as is often the case, they haven’t been touched for 20,000 miles or so!

Of the four 400 replicas the Yamaha is the most likely to have been crashed - some clowns have even welded the frames after they have been fractured in serious shunts. Usually, the frame survives but the wheel and forks end up seriously wrecked - 600 stuff can be force-fitted. Run a careful eye over the chassis before parting with serious dosh.

It’s possible to pick up a perfectly decent FZR for £2500, though another grand or fifteen hundred’s really needed for the prime examples. It’s one of those bikes where the more you search around the better’s the deal - for the same money it’s possible to buy something that’s either passable or really brilliant. Take some effort.

The 250 followed a similar course of development, the 1989 EXUP FZR250R having a useful blend of power and lack of weight (310lbs) and still being available with less than twenty thou on the clock for around two grand. Later bikes are lower mileage, less fiery (unless kitted out with race exhausts) and seriously expensive for the amount of performance on offer. Careful choice of tyre necessary because the really sticky stuff doesn’t get a sufficient workout from the lack of mass and power. They tend to be screamed everywhere at maximum revs, crashed a lot and can die a death at less than 35000 miles. Take some care.

Suzuki started early in the total replica game, the 1984 GSXR400 being essentially similar in concept and design to the UK’s first GSXR750, though having only 60 horses and 340lbs to play with. It also had a more comfortable seat than the bigger bike, in contrast to the all or nothing nature of the mill. By 1986, the odd if unique alloy square section tube frame was swapped for a wraparound chassis with a passing nod to the Deltabox series. Anyone who’s ridden the older bikes will be well relieved by this move, although it was still a touch marginal when the going got tough.

It wasn’t until 1990 that Suzuki reverted to the original, square section frame, although earlier models had gone more and more down the replica route with regards to styling - lack of comfort, arse in the air, etc. Luckily, this came with much improved suspension and had handling that put the heftier and more powerful 750 to shame. It was still an all or nothing trip, only buy one (recent stuff for £3500) if that’s what you like.

Although competitive in handling and power with the other 400’s it didn’t really stand out from the pack in the way that the Gull-Arm Hondas did. More sublime but rarer still was the GSXR250R - and this is the one 250 that we prefer over the 400’s. Superb handling was matched to an engine that howled to 18000 revs with a lovely snarl that made the constant pain of working gearbox and throttle like a mad stroker worth the effort!

1989/90 seems a particularly good year for them, two grand for one with a bit of wear under its wheels but loads of life left - it has the toughest of the 250cc four cylinder engines. The only thing to look out for - surprise, surprise - is the electrics. The battery is marginal and extremely expensive to replace and running on one that won’t hold a proper charge will do for the rest of the circuit! It’s worth pulling the battery out to check its condition and test riding with the lights on. On the good side, it’s the only one of the 250/400’s that’s at all frugal, as much as 70mpg!

Whilst the replica scene was largely dominated by the straight fours, Honda produced what many think to be the ultimate speed tool in the 400cc category - the VFR400 vee-four. It took all of Honda’s engineering expertise to overcome the problems of this complex layout, the temperamental nature of which was evident in the whole VF series (so much so that they are now very cheap on the used market). By 1986 Honda had imposed gear-driven cams on the design in the form of the VFR400R but it wasn’t until 1989 that they really defined the design in the form of the NC30, with its high spec suspension (including the single-sided swinging arm introduced in 1987), brakes and looks inspired entirely by the race track 750.

Briefly they appeared as official UK imports but prices were too silly to attract many punters to a bike that hadn’t entirely shaken off its earlier reputation as complex and unreliable. A few years into its model life, the grey importers got into the game and the model became quite popular on the back of its mixture of brilliant handling and torque backed power output.

The best value’s found in 1993/94 models priced at £2750 to £3250 with less than 15000 miles on the clock. They seem to run well up to 40,000 miles when you can expect some heavy internal wear, although as they need to be revved less hard than the straight fours there is some hope of finding high milers that haven’t been thrashed to death.

However, most people take one look at the complex four cylinder engine and decide no way, just do the oil and filter. Consequently, the valves can get in quite a state of neglect and some motors blow up without any warning. If paying serious money buy from a decent dealer who’s going to come up with a proper warranty. Most people who’ve experienced the vee-four’s motive power go back for more and more!

Bargain Speedsters

If the replicas offer loads of on the road kicks they also cost a fortune to run and are far from practical for everyday riding. It’s somewhat ironical to find in some of the earlier incarnation of the replicas bargain priced speedsters that are also much more practical. They are somewhat rare on the import circuit, but usually priced at around the thousand note mark with 20-30,000 miles under their wheels.

Prime amongst these is the 1986/7 Honda CBR250 Four. Neatly styled with a half fairing; equipped with the obligatory 45 horses and carting around a mere 310lbs, this blended usefulness in a way the later replicas never managed and had most of the technology in its engine that was later to so enhance the CBR’s rep. Perhaps because it wasn’t burdened with later strict emission and power reg’s, its freer breathing engine quite regularly turned in 60mpg, whilst the narrower tyres were better suited to its lack of mass and power; much longer lived than the high tech stickier rubber. If you find a nice one reasonably priced, buy it - they are that neat!

The other middleweight four of note, from the mid-eighties era, is the Yamaha FZ400N, and its later development, the FZ400S - the same trip with a reasonably styled and protective half fairing. Almost, but not quite, a replica, it had similar precise steering to the profoundly uncomfortable UK market FZ600, although when wear hit the sixteen inch front tyre twitchiness did predominate rather than the normal fast turning that could be so enjoyable in the curves.

60 horses and 350lbs is still an interesting trip even in these days of R1 ferocity. It will kill dead the heftier middleweight fours in anything approaching a bend and also manage to put 125mph on the clock whilst turning in 55-60mpg. A tough watercooled engine helps things along for the first 40-50,000 miles, although the lack of used spare parts is worth taking note of - the square section frame looks like it will take any number of engines! They turn up in the importers at around the grand mark, which is bargain time as long as the mileage is reasonable. Faded cycle parts shine up quite nicely with a bit of elbow work. A great unsung hero with much of the usual Yamaha sexiness and toughness.

Skip forward a decade before this kind of four cylinder usefulness turns up again. Prominent amongst these was the Honda CB-1. Basically, a CBR400 clone engine placed in an elegant if minimal tubular frame and all the race replica junk thrown in the nearest parts bin. A cool bike emerged, one that for most of the time was much more usable than the CBR. At 375lbs it was a touch overweight compared to the FZ with which it shared 60 horses, but this was reflected in a better build quality and a much greater resistance to crash damage. So much so that it’s dead easy to overlook damage resulting from the CB-1 sliding down the road when giving one a cursory look over. Handling, comfort and general ease of use are well ahead of the game, the bike something of a bargain at £1500 to £2000 for stuff in excellent cosmetic shape.

Honda dumped the CB-1 in favour of the CB400 Super Four, a nice enough old thing but not really leading edge stuff. Kawasaki went for even plainer (or more classic, depending on your point of view and degree of cynicism) styling in the ZRX400 but, for once, it seemed a better integrated trip than the Honda but again a far less radical effort than the Xanthus, which gets our vote for combining weird looks with practical running. A revvy, rorty little beastie that whips around corners very nicely and doesn’t eat away at the consumables at an incredible rate. Figure 125mph and 50mpg and good reliability for the first 35-40,000 miles even under the usual regime of total neglect.

For those who insist on conventional or classic styling allied with modern design in a 400cc four cylinder package, then the best bet’s the Yamaha XJR400R. Rather overweight - more than the 1000cc R1 if you want to be nasty about it - but it manages to combine secure handling with more than adequate performance for sane needs. There’s very little in this bike that’s any better than the straight UK 600 fours except the fact that it’s grey and therefore turns up cheapish with very low miles on the clock. Some are for sale brand new at £3800, which is a bit over the top compared with 600 Bandit’s or even XJ600N’s. It wins on style, practicality and neatness. Not utterly compulsive, though.

Cruiser Crazies

One of the merrier Yamaha grey’s from the States is the Radian, based on the old XJ600 engine but radically restyled to appeal to the cruiser market or those who can’t afford Vee-Max’s, it manages to hide beneath its flash veneer (which is more than skin deep, plenty of immaculate ones still on offer despite their age) the same nice blend of speed, frugality and toughness that made the old XJ600 such a popular bike in certain circles (those in the know) whilst leaving behind the overwhelming impression of blandness that the XJ’s engendered.

Radians can fetch as much as two grand, especially if you wander into a dealers, but they can be found for half that if the 20-25000 miles on the clock isn’t a problem. It shouldn’t be as the bikes tend to lead a mild, laid back life and the engines are usually good for at least 50,000 miles; often no serious hassles until after 75000 miles. Plenty of XJ stuff around that can be fitted if the worst happens.

Yamaha have a bit of a reputation for keeping old designs going for longer than most, also for producing almost classic bikes that last a long, long time - that heritage enhancing the reputation of things like the new XJR400 even if it has no direct engineering connection with ancient seventies relics like the XS650 twin.

In strict terms this probably shouldn’t be classed as a grey as the UK market had its fair share of XS models but so many container loads of the tough vertical twin have come over from the States that there is no way we can ignore it here. The main attraction’s the engine. No more powerful than the British twins of the same era but incredibly tough, incorporating the usual strong crankshaft, overhead cam, primary gear drive and general build quality that many companies, to this very day, can’t hope to match.

Yes, it’s overweight and handles dangerously if you go above 90mph, especially the custom versions which should be seen for what they are and ridden accordingly. Up to 80mph there’s not much danger involved, plenty of grunt from the engine and steady roadholding. Grin, think about the girl of your dreams and loll along as if you’re on Route 66 - that kind of shit! The stock model, with the suspension upgraded, can be made to track through the bends and only throw a full blown speed wobble when there’s a full moon!

Prices of XS650 are still reasonable. Only rarely do they crack through the two grand mark - usually the faster and crazier handling XS-2, which adds insult by coming with stock, junk, suspension and brakes. £1500 can buy a jolly nice XS650 or one full of hidden nasties - dying electrics, rotted brakes, exhaust pipes about to fall apart, etc...all superficial but quite expensive to fix. Look around for the decent ones. There are some examples around the grand mark but unless you’re very lucky they will be on their last legs, 80,000 miles plus and just about ready to implode.

Slick Singles

The XS wasn’t really appreciated in its day, too close to the British twins which were heroically trying to ward off the Japanese onslaught. At least Yamaha didn’t put the boot in by going for the all out classic persona of something like the 90’s Kawasaki Estrella. This 250 single had its antecedents in the old Z200 (a classic of sorts in the biking underclass) but took its styling theme from a mixture of fifties Harleys and BSA twins. The result somewhat mixed up with ugly separate saddles and discs brakes all round. Later models fitted a proper saddle and a drum brake at each end. For taking the chance with such a retro style Kawasaki should be applauded and it actually emerges as a fairly practical bike.

That is if you don’t mind going slowly. Little modern technology applied to the thumper engine, unlike say Honda or Yamaha’s efforts. At least it’s light, comfortable and easy turning as well as mildly economical - 60-70mpg! They are quite expensive in good old Japan, reflected in grey imports priced at £2000-2500. Worth paying if you want to confuse the hell out of the classic nutters! No reports of engine problems, so far, but that may be because so few are rolling in the UK. Spares could be a nasty problem, though.

In theory, that shouldn’t be a hassle for the Honda GB250, as its engine’s very similar to the CBX250. I say in theory because Honda sold so few of the latter bikes that they are rare in breakers. At least Honda dealers will listen to your tale of woe if you pretend you have a CBX. Not that spares should be that much of difficulty as the GB thumper’s a well designed little device with no real inherent nastiness.

Its 31 horses don’t seem to do serious damage to the mechanicals, tougher than the earlier RS250 with its 20-25000 mile self-destruction routine. Some have even made it past the 50,000 mile mark before general wear and tear takes its toll. Best to buy something with less than 20,000 miles on the clock, priced at £1000-1500. There are cheaper options around but in the long term the amount of work needed won’t work out as cheap as the initial price suggests.

Where the Estrella is more a pure exercise in styling, the GB has a classic mien but also a practical functionality that few modern bikes possess. Part of this is the feel of the bike, although high revving it can go into relaxed mode on the back of a modicum of low rev torque. Stick on a sixties BSA silencer, it sounds much more authentic and can cause similar confusion to the Estrella amongst the classic buffs.

As always with Hondas, wear hits the gearbox and clutch before much of the other engine. Camchains or tensioners are a possible area of concern, as is the generator, but nothing deep seated or chronic. Just hope that they have had the regular oil changes. Top speed, on a good day, is the ton, but adverse conditions can have that down to 90mph, a speed at which the bike is quite capable of cruising without blowing up into a million pieces.

If you mostly do just town work, with the odd outing into the real world, then the GB’s more than enough, and faster than most two-wheeled devices through heavy city traffic. These kind of bikes should be imported in huge numbers and sold new for around the two grand mark. Trouble is, at that kind of price the bigger stuff would be left looking very silly.

The SRX250 Yamaha is more of the same, in a slightly more modern style. Mono-track rear end, faster turning steering and similar power adds up to a more invigorating ride through the bends but somehow lacking the coherent wholeness of the Honda. It’s basically down to what kind of motorcycling you like which bike you chose out of these two. Test ride both. The Yam’s a touch rougher running, though both bikes sport the usual balancers and relatively high tech layout, save that they are both aircooled. Prices are a touch higher than for the Honda.

A year or so down the line these bikes are going to be very dated, and therefore very cheap. Why? Because the same engineering that has done wonders for Japanese fours (R1, CBR9, etc) is trickling down to the singles - expect a 60hp, 400cc, watercooled thumper that weighs less than 300lbs, maybe 250lbs. That’s one hell of a lot of madness, which the Jap’s could push on to the market for next to nothing.

Vibrant Vees

The same slice of high tech, to an extent, can be found in Honda’s VT250 Spada, a marvellous piece of evolution from the old VT250. This weighs no more than the aforementioned thumpers but has 42 horses to hand and even more lovely torque. 110mph easy, economy often better than 55mpg. Way ahead of those popular seventies 250 twins, they can be bought in extremely good nick for two grand, or with around 20,000 miles and a bit of chassis fade for fifteen hundred quid.

They start to go wrong around 40,000 miles - avoid anything with rattly top ends or leaking head gaskets. The Spada has a much better gearbox than most small Hondas, anything on the graunchy side should be avoided unless you have a spare motor to hand.

The other vee-twin of note, from Honda, is the Revere inspired Hawk - also available as the Bros, both in 400 and 650cc models. The high tech single-sided swinging arm was retained but the hefty, power sapping shaft drive thrown away in favour of a chain. The difference in weight between the two models is a mere kilogram whilst the bigger motor puts out an extra 17 horses, at a far from wild 55hp. No choice, really. American models are often tuned to 60-65hp, not bad with only 365lbs to shift!

You can get quite a lot of motorcycle for around the £1500 mark. Condition does vary greatly, though, with some well used and abused high milers on offer for the same money as something reasonable - say 20,000 miles. The engines are just as tough as the Revere’s, with clutch, gearbox and top end problems after 50,000 miles but with the possibility of doing over 100,000 miles if just the tiniest bit of tender loving care’s applied.

It’s impossible to work out why they weren’t imported instead of the Revere, much more dynamic on the road. But that goes for the whole Japanese industry, a catalogue of missed opportunities, rampant overpricing and just plain silliness. After all, that’s why you’re reading about grey imports.

Bizarre Blasters

Another oddity that wasn’t imported in any numbers was the FZX750 four, based on the FZ750 with its twenty valve head and slanted forward mill. This was a dragstrip piece of exuberance that had at its centre a formidably tough engine. This, rather than its style, is why it’s featured here. A comfortable mixture of power and torque resulted, with loads of go from as little as 3000rpm. Handling was better than its styling might suggest - the twin rear shocks a thankful release from the questionable longevity of the mono-track back ends on the replicas. Alas, the disc brake calipers were the same quick decay nonsense as on the FZ.

The good thing about FZX’s was that they tended to be only ridden in the summer, therefore didn’t suffer from the same rate of wear. Therefore, the state of the finish a good indication as to their real condition. It’s even worth buying something with 40,000 miles, or more, on the clock as long as the chassis is in a reasonable state.

Prices go down to as little as a grand for such machines, though the prime meat will fetch over three times that! Figure 2000 to 2250 notes for a piece of motorcycling excess with less than 20,000 miles on the clock, which will still turn heads despite being over ten years old.

One possible nasty to look out for, if the valves have never been touched they can start to burn out at 30,000 miles - worth doing a compression test on bikes with this kind of mileage. Wheelie merchants will eventually break the clutch and gearbox. Given the odd service, though, you can look forward to the bike going around the clock.

In many ways the FZX was a cheap version of the mighty Vee-Max, available as a proper import but hopelessly overpriced compared to the grey’s. It’s important if you’re going to insist on Vee-Max wildness to ensure it’s a full power version rather than the relatively effete, if still equipped with some overwhelming torque, restricted versions. Such is the complexity, weight and handling oddness of the Vee-Max, that there’s absolutely no point putting up with less than the 145 horses available as far back as 1984.

With the 1200cc’s of vee-four excess comes 560lbs of mass that is kept under control by inadequate rear shocks and wimpy front forks, although the triple discs are more or less up to the job. The main requirement of Vee-Max owners is the ability to hang on as the monster winds itself up for the drag strip excess. Owners of Z1’s, and the like, well know the inherent nastiness involved in trying to fling such mammoths through the bends but it’s kind of fun learning to master the madness. £3500 to £4500 will buy an awful lot of motorcycle - very few of them seriously thrashed, even fourteen year old examples in reasonable nick. Just as well because it’s a fearsomely complex mill.

If the complexity of Jap vee-fours put off a lot of punters, the simplicity of their vee-twins ought to appeal, save that the Japanese often turn a basic concept into an excess of engineering. This is never truer than in the custom context, the inspiration of Harley’s classic design often perverted until the connection is only vague in the extreme. The Jap’s get away with this when turning out 750-1500cc mammoths as the American original is far from svelte, but when applied to their home market in 250cc or 400cc format they usually miss the point completely.

The smaller vees lacked the enthusiastic torque of their bigger brothers, made only a modicum of power and were never exactly lightweight. Their only saving grace that they were easy handling, looked pretty much the same as the big vee’s and turn up on the import market, from time to time, at quite reasonable prices.

Of these, we much prefer the 400cc Vulcan, as it has better torque than most such devices, sits nicely on the road and looks almost Harley authentic in 1995-on guise. At 485lbs it’s rather overweight whilst the finish can tarnish through a British winter unless carefully cleaned, but as 400 customs go it’s about as authentic as it gets.

There are loads of other models that could be included here, so much depending on personal preference and experience, not to mention the way a particular machine has been treated. As always, scout around for the best bargains, make silly offers and beware of deals that appear too good to be true - often they are. The UMG gets a regular dose of tales of rip-offs - nearly new bikes sold as new, bent and twisted stuff hastily straightened, engines that only last long enough to get out of the street. That said, there are loads of brilliant bargains out there.

Dick Lewis