Trying to Register My 1978 Honda XL250 in the UK

Question

I am at my wits end! I have been trying to register my 1978 Honda XL250 in the UK for close to nine months and have hit a brick wall. The bike was a farm bike that was restored to green lane trim by the previous owner. The problem I have is that I am being asked to prove that the bike is not an import by the HRMC. The DVLA records only go back five years so they can’t help. Honda UK were of no help whatsoever, they wouldn’t even provide a dating certificate. VJMC were great and provided a certificate very quickly. How can I find out, and then show HRMC wether or not the bike is an import. Until I know either way I am stuck. I don’t have a problem paying duty if required to do so but I have to have some proof one way or another. Any suggestions?


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Pepe 7 years 17 Answers 1719 views 0

Answers ( 17 )

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    find a bike the same model thats been de regoed etc and rego it and but the plates on this bike

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    In new Zealand. .we can register it as a farm bike ..get plates..but can only stray about 10 kms from the farm. ..which is near enuff. ..see if u can do that there

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      Not possible in the UK.

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      Get an old trailer number plate..put it on..and tell the cops it’s a trail bike.and you are the trail..er.operator

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    You wont have to pay duty anyway on that bike. However, they may try HMRC might try and “fine” you for late notification of import if you decide to go down that route. Tricky..

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    Maybe a stupid question, but why do you need to register it? It’s not like you can use it on the road.

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    Write to Honda for proof of manufacturing and where it was sent to. I have to do this for my imported bikes. Can’t see why Honda won’t have the info if it came into the UK as a UK bike. Should have reg no etc if you are lucky

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    Done that David. Honda wouldn’t / couldn’t provide the original V55 and recommended that I write to their vehicle dating dept’. They couldn’t even date it. I was very disappointed with Honda UK!

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    Can you see the frame and engine numbers if so these could help dealers date the bike and be a start to tracing history of it

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    Yes they are visible and matching and I have quoted tem in all my communications with Honda, the DVLA and HRMC.

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    No prob mate sorry can’t be of more help good look in your search

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    How about you have just bought it off a German and brought it over on the ferry last week, then you apply for the nova certificate and register it no problem.. a little white lie never hurt anyone !

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    Having the same problem with my 500/4.I want to restore it but at the moment it sits in limbo,have tried honda uk/europe,and America with no joy.dvla say I will have to Q plate it ,which will de value it as its a 40 + year old bike.pulling my hair out


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    Having some problems registering my Yamaha too , delay sent back all my paperwork saying the dating certificate I got from vjmc was not good enough and that it was not on the nova register, so I went online to do the nova but couldn’t do it online as I bought the bike in England so I had to get paperwork from hmrc sent to me . They sent me this letter on Friday so I rang them and all they want is the date of first registration which I am waiting for from Yamaha uk Hope that helps


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    I reregistered a 78 Suzuki TS185. I got a dating cert from vjmc and on the form i just stated it had been a field bike for 15+ years, i also said same to hrmc they just seem to accept what i said as nobody ever asked me to actually prove it?

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    ALL Honda’s are imports ! They were made in Japan, I had the same trying to register a Kawasaki quad, what they need to know is was it originally a UK supplied bike, can not the VJMC determine that from the VIN ? I ended up insisting on speaking to a supervisor at the DVLA who eventually accepted the evidence provided. IF the bike had ever been UK registered though the VIN should have pinged up its original reg number. I bought a VZ50 years back, tried to get an age related number as it had no plates or V5 I got halfway through the process with the DVLA and suddenly they came up with its original number and history. Your bike could be an import from way back when people didn’t bother to get its original countries title when importing it. Good luck

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    Would it work if you said you built the bike up from a bunch of bits you found from various sources? Then if there was no record of frame or engine number any where they may put it on a query (Q) plate….like they do with kit cars? Just a thought…..

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