Hi Alexandro, the XRL will meet EPA laws so well that it can hardly breath and needs work to make it run properly (see Desert Riders on my website).
We got ours in Australia for about 3000 pounds - with shipping and tax 4000 pounds.

I M P O R T I N G T O. T H E .U K

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Once we settled on XRLs from abroad I did the following:

Got on the web and found Australia was cheaper than Canada (we wanted metric speedos). Did not think of South Africa which may too have the XRL.

Spammed all the Honda dealers in Western Australia asking "how much for 3 XRLs in crates?"

Got the best quote and service by far from The Honda Shop near Perth - 8100 AUD each without the GST (Oz version of VATax) which we didnt pay.

Jim Thomas there also offered to organise the sea freight - 800 AUD for all three bikes in a shared container to UK shippers. Amazing price. He also quoted air freight about three times as much (5 days against six weeks by sea). We weren't in a hurry. Total loss insurance would have been another 1250 AUD. We felt lucky.

Honda Shop are not allowed to sell outside of WA so needed a bogus address in WA to make out the invoice to - no risk to that person.

I got the money together and transfered it to Honda Shop's accounting late Feb.

Mid April the UK shipping agents in Kent told me the bikes were at Southampton. They needed the invoice with frame numbers to clear Customs - got that from the shop and faxed it with the payment of 850-odd quid per bike (VAT + 6% on Aust price WITH shipping - think about it if you go by air...).

Bikes were ready to pick up two days later. I paid an extra 60 quid to get the bikes delivered to my door instead of going to Kent. One metal frame crate a bit bent, but bikes all in order.

To assemble the bikes takes a couple, of hours - dead easy. Needs engine oil, battery acid. tightening down and pumping up. Not pillion footrests supplied (bikes fails Aust braking with a pillion, apparently). Anyone got a spare pair?

Received the Customs receipt form (C&E 368?) via Kent proving I had paid the duty.

With this form I filled out a V55 (white lies required re: kph speedo), Insurance cover note (quote the chassis #), Cert of Newness and invoice I sent to my local DVLA with 12 months tax plus 25 quid fee and got a tax disc with the reg number on it two days later. No problematic inspection required for bikes (as yet...). Ask the DVLC for the Import pack and they will send it. Not all forms are needed.

Note. Even with a reg the bike may not be technically UK road legal type approved, according to some pedant at the DoT. There are certain frame stamps required re EU braking or something? But obviously if it can be sold in California, it's OK for us sad Brits.

Waiting for new logbook from DVLC.
Ê¥

Of course the bike will have no service history or warranty that you can do muchg about, and spares may be a slight pain in the UK - a mix of XR and NX. Try www.partsfish.com.

But all in all, no harder than buying anything off the web or importing from the EU. I suspect US import (no cheaper) would be more hassle - but SA might be easy too, at a guess. Honda Shop service was as good as it gets.


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Author of Sahara Overland and the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, among other things

http://www.sahara-overland.com

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail