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Post by aeroxbud on Apr 25, 2021 13:49:41 GMT -5
That Dio Baja looks cool. It's like someone has stolen some lights off a Honda XR650 desert racer. And mounted them to a dio. 😲
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Post by hippo008 on Apr 25, 2021 17:49:25 GMT -5
A short update. I have a line on a Dio Baja here in the states. Things may get interesting (see, expensive) in the next few days. He wanted $4000 for it. That's a hard pass from me. Back to the ZX for me! |
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Post by Kenho21 on Apr 25, 2021 18:46:23 GMT -5
A short update. I have a line on a Dio Baja here in the states. Things may get interesting (see, expensive) in the next few days. He wanted $4000 for it. That's a hard pass from me. Back to the ZX for me! Even for a stateside Baja, that’s kinda high imo. |
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Post by jbjhillbilly on Apr 26, 2021 11:02:05 GMT -5
A short update. I have a line on a Dio Baja here in the states. Things may get interesting (see, expensive) in the next few days. He wanted $4000 for it. That's a hard pass from me. Back to the ZX for me! Good Lord! Did that include delivery and a pit crew? |
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Post by hippo008 on May 2, 2021 16:45:00 GMT -5
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Post by hippo008 on May 7, 2021 14:30:40 GMT -5
An interesting turn of events.
I am changing car insurance and decided to speak to my insurance agent about getting my Dio registered. Massachusetts considers the Dio a motorcycle and not a scooter because of its speed. The issue here is I can't register and title something that wasn't meant to be in the USA in the first place, it wasn't ever sold in the US and I have zero documentation for the Dio. She advised me that she can help after a Customs and Border Patrol agent looks over the situation.
On a whim I opened up the CBP website, found the closest port to me and made a call. I got lucky and found a customs officer who was very happy to help. He said that because my scooter is older than 25 years old it's not subject to any modern regulations and is therefore very easy to import. He asked that I bring in the frame number as well as lots of pictures to his office next Friday. He spoke with the Port Director and confirmed it could be legally imported into the USA.
I'm on the road to a fully legal Dio! I'm jazzed gentlemen.
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Post by repherence2 on May 7, 2021 15:14:50 GMT -5
Start your own company of importing containers of used DIOs! You ever seen pics of used moped storage lots! Many of the bikes are still cherry! Then you could give some kick backs to the customs guy that was happy to help you  . Bring on the DIOs! Real DIOs  |
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Post by hippo008 on May 7, 2021 17:22:57 GMT -5
Start your own company of importing containers of used DIOs! You ever seen pics of used moped storage lots! Many of the bikes are still cherry! Then you could give some kick backs to the customs guy that was happy to help you . Bring on the DIOs! Real DIOs I've been in talks with a few different exporters in Japan about this. Not just Dios but other scooters too. Mainly jogs. Here are my findings. Exporters only work business to business. They also generally work in container loads, usually 40ft containers but some 20ft containers too. The smallest amount of scooters I could bring in is about 36, each at about $130 US. Shipping would cost about $1600 US from Japan to my closest port of entry. Shipping and goods would be about $6500. Each of the 36 scooters would need to be imported individually into the US, not as a group. I would almost certainly need a customs broker to handle all the imports. Another $1000 or so right there along with the associated dock fees and taxes. Each scooter would need to be manufactured in 1996 or earlier in Japan to qualify for the DOT and EPA exemption for US entry. As each scooter would be imported separately the value of each scooter would be assessed. Under $2499 US the scooters will each qualify for an "Informal Entry" making them less expensive and easy to manage. By my math and figuring all told I'd be looking at about $8000 after all my costs. I'd be left with a hypothetical 36 salable units. So my cost would be roughly $225 per scooter. In my area I could sell stock, non-running Dios for about $2200 and Jogs for about the same, or about a 950% markup. My issues are this. Storage. I don't have a place to put them Losses. I almost certainly will get duds, bad units and unsalable units. Repairs. I will make more money selling the scooters in running stock shape Experience. I have never imported anything, let alone a batch of complicated and regulated items like road-going, registered vehicles. It's an idea though. One I'm open to exploring. I've been going back and forth with a few sellers about it for a little while now. I've approached one person about going in on it partners to help lessen the risk and cost. I'm open to ideas, its a complicated job. |
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Post by jbjhillbilly on May 7, 2021 19:49:23 GMT -5
There’s a guy here in LA who does that. He’s pretty dialed in on it and has been doing it for a few years. Lots of cool looking bikes, but they’re a bit worn (not trashy), and he asks a premium for them.
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Post by hippo008 on May 10, 2021 18:52:32 GMT -5
As I've been working through the Dio I've been keeping a list of odds and ends I need. Its not a lot of stuff, just a few brackets and gaskets, but they all haven't been made in 20 years or so. I really didn't want to mickey-mouse a solution so I decided to try and find some new old stock.
After digging around the internet for the Japanese Dio part numbers I found a small motorcycle shop in Japan. Turns out this is their speciality, Dios and Jogs. After a few rough Google translate emails and a Japanese mail forwarding service I found all the parts I needed, all OEM Honda.
I got a seat cover, gas cap assembly, fuel sending unit seal, gas tank bracket and all the original Japanese labels for the scooter. I was able to find the caution labels, warnings, cargo limits, and a few others all new old stock. All in I paid about ¥11,000 before shipping.
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Post by hippo008 on May 15, 2021 19:21:13 GMT -5
I just finished all the paperwork for the Vermont registration. I was positive that I would have a hard time with Customs and Border Patrol, turns out I was totally wrong, I breezed through CBP and got my form CF 7501 stamped and approved by the Feds. The 7501 form means that the Dio complies with all DOT and EPA regulations, as well as establishes the chassis number as a valid VIN of sorts. The real challenge was getting a Vermont VIN Verification form completed. Only two people are authorized to complete this form, the Provost Marshal of a Military Base or a Police Lieutenant and above ranks. I went to 7 different police stations, including two state police barracks, before I found a Lieutenant who both knew what a VIN verification was and was willing to sign one. Every other officer saw the Japanese chassis number and said no way, can’t do that. Officer Wells found my situation to be hilarious, as he himself has used the Vermont DMV to register old vehicles.
I would have liked to register the scoot in Massachusetts, my home state, but Mass has a crazy list of requirements to register an imported vehicle. I would need a complete sale history, including the original sale from 1992 in Japan and all other owners, as well as the original Japanese Title, registration AND everything would need to be translated by a bi-lingual notary and notarized. No documents could be photocopies or carbon copies, only originals of every document. That would be essentially impossible to do. Fortunately the beautiful maple syrup state has me covered. Their requirements are much less strict.
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Post by jbjhillbilly on May 16, 2021 2:55:53 GMT -5
Original Japanese title? They’re kidding, right? I’ve been there, and while you could probably get the paperwork, you’d have to know EXACTLY where is was first sold and registered. Like which neighborhood.
It’s the most hyper-local and paper-driven society I’ve ever seen. Their record keeping is phenomenal, but info sharing with other offices isn’t really common. Wanna know why people are lifers at their jobs in Japan? Because the good ones hoard info, and you have to go to them to find stuff.
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Post by hippo008 on May 16, 2021 11:00:55 GMT -5
Original Japanese title? They’re kidding, right? I’ve been there, and while you could probably get the paperwork, you’d have to know EXACTLY where is was first sold and registered. Like which neighborhood. It’s the most hyper-local and paper-driven society I’ve ever seen. Their record keeping is phenomenal, but info sharing with other offices isn’t really common. Wanna know why people are lifers at their jobs in Japan? Because the good ones hoard info, and you have to go to them to find stuff. Once I saw those Massachusetts requirements I knew it wasn't going to happen. I really had hoped to register it in mass but there's simply no way I could produce all those documents. |
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Post by hippo008 on May 29, 2021 16:20:35 GMT -5
I am having a problem. I cant install the seal on the large crankcase half. I have purchased multiple seals all from Honda with the same result. They all are just *slightly* too large and wont fit. Any ideas on whats going on here? What should I do?  |
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Sum-azn-kid
Scoot Enthusiast
Posts: 183
Location: Hawaii
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Post by Sum-azn-kid on May 30, 2021 2:13:35 GMT -5
Looks like u have a big spline crank and seal but a small spline crank case. If ur motor is an AF18e motor there are 2 versions. Big spline same as sym dd50 and af16e usdm crankcase and small spline. If you want to use that crankcase u will need a skinny aftermarket seal.
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. Bring on the DIOs! Real DIOs 
