Shades of Grey

Welcome to GMM Shades.  This is a collection of my views on current issues, things in the press and general stuff about Grey bikes.  It you have a comment feel free to email it for inclusion.  This page gets updated as often as I can so please keep checking it!

4th January 1999 - Honda Supporter Shock!    SHOW ME PROOF(121Kb)

I haven't put in an entry for some while but this ones a real laugh...   Following Hondas law suit against Parallel dealers in Europe hundreds of people wrote into the UK newspaper Motorcycle News (30th Dec. 1998) voicing there anger against Honda.  However one misguided fool (we're talking about you Mr Beard) actually had a kind word to say...

I SUPPORT Honda UK's action against parallel importers. I know I'm among a small minority, but here's why:
� Honda spent �1 million at this year's Isle of Man TT to entertain all visitors - parallel and grey importers spent nothing
� Honda spends more than �10 million a year racing in all diciplines - parallel and grey importers spend nothing
� Honda dealers are reliable, customer-conscious and light years ahead of the "pile it high, sell it cheap" parallel and grey dealers.
� Honda trains riders and stupports shows, all of which: are paid for ont of its profits.
I was always assured that my bike would depreciate slowly and give me a decent trade-in, but parallel and grey dealers ruined that.
I wish Honda well in its legal battle.
PETER BEARD, Dublin.
Ed's comment: We've had hundreds of letters slating Honda's legal move, but we thought Peter's deserved an MCN T-shirt because it is the,first to defend it!

OOOooo, who's all upset.  I think his final sentence gives us his real reason for his views. He brought a full price bike only to find that because people could buy a brand new one for the price he thought his (now second hand) bike was worth.  As for his other points (we can all right lists):

� Honda probably only spent 1% of the extra cash people gave them at the TT's.
� Honda has sponsorship to do racing.
� Honda I haven't found many grey import dealers not friendly and very helpful, more than I could say for a few 'Couldn't care less' franchised ones.
� Grey and parallel dealers are often BANNED from shows - the big four often insist that shows inforce this.  It was rumoured that at the 1998 NEC show people were checking the frame no.'s of bikes to make sure they weren't parallels.

I even got the feeling that MCN was taking the piss out of him.

12th October 1998 - Honda Slashes Prices

It was written a few days ago now but its still just as important:- Honda are cutting the price of their new official machines.  I'm not talking about offers of free insurance or a few hundred quid cashback but a couple of thousand quid off the new price.  This would appear to be a step in the right direction but leading importer D&K state that even with these price cuts they can still price their imports cheaper, so even with the cuts are we still being overpriced? - We'll have to wait and see.   You can only think that the other big manufacturers must follow Hondas lead and also cut their prices.  This will still mean that your local grey importer will have bikes not usually available in your country, but it may make those bikes less attractive.

13th September 1998 - Greys written off by Top Gear

Yup, another one strictly about cars but I think its relevant.  Top Gear (the popular BBC television programme) started it's new series yesterday by telling us that grey import cars from Japan are not a good buy and should be avoided at all costs.   Apparently loads of cars are coming into the UK and Ireland and being sold off   at �1000's cheaper than the genuine article but should be avoided due to servicing/history/spares/resale value problems - does this sound familiar? Doesn't this sound a bit like what was said about bikes a few years ago?  Whatever.  It could be described as a change of heart as the very same reporter (Quentin Wilson) told us last series of how the whole market price was fixed and we ought all to goto Europe and source our cars there.  To finish I'd like to say that most of the cars featured on yesterdays show were brought privately at auction and not from dealers - this is probably due to the lack of Grey Car dealers in the UK, so if we keep on buying them then the dealers should appear - then surely the industry must take notice.

13th July 1998 - The Car Cartel

Ok,ok it's not strictly to do with bikes but did you see Panorama a few days ago on BBC1 (UK).  Basically they were exposing how the car companies fix prices throughout the UK (and other countries).  But we knew that already (albeit about the bike companies).  It was good to see them being exposed on public TV!  However there were a few disturbing points made: 

• The Car (and supposedly bike) manufacturers are breaking the European law by price fixing.
• The government is doing nothing about it with huge U turns in it's policy in favour of the big manufacturers.  One minute saying that the grey market will be opened up and the next limiting importing to 50 of each model (on grounds of type approval which is a whole new story), I reckon we ought to all send letters (or email) to them and complain.

24th May 1998 - Rides Excellent Attitude

Nice to see that Ride magazines Kar Lee is currently tearing about on a Honda CBR400 Tri-Arm and by all accounts its a scorcher.  Although they're now over shadowed by the newer CBR400 Gull-Arm they are cheaper and nearly as good.  Apparently his 10,000 miler was only �2000, not much cash for allot of bike.
I've always been pleased with Rides attitude towards Greys and Parallels, they've always given good advice about them, don't moan about the same old crap arguments and occasionally review one.  They obviously have a mind to print what they think and not be influenced by the big importers.    
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