I have to complain, sorry!!!!!

[Nat4Real]

Thats Ducati's problem, they should get more control over their "importers".

[Lee Danu]

You're right.

The importer can make or break a brand depending how they treat the client.

[Anirban711]

DNA is doing what it legally must do or get busted by the fed. Pretty simple...... They're not hatin on you or not giving service. Yes the bike as we know it is a 'World Bike' for emissions etc. , but in some countries something as simple as a different headlight lens pattern will differentiate it.

What is needed is that 17 digit VIN which states that as it says on the stickers, 'this vehicle complies with....' You can bet that some moron bureaucrat inspector idiot will indeed look for those stupid stickers. No stickie no let register. If it was a new vehicle that you got at the factory and of the USA model, you would need the MSO, Manufacturers statement of Origin which states compliance for the USA market.

In ALL countries the VIN has a differing format and perhaps more or less characters in it to distinguish that country as the destination and registration point. Over here all states are required by the fed to adhere to the accepted VIN numbers submitted by the manufacturer and approved by the fed. It's been that way since the late 1970's. Therefore plugging in a differing format or sequence of VIN characters will be spit out by the computer.

Fuckin sucks the big one.

[♥i have an answer♥]

Insn't this where an angle grinder, metal stamps and some paint come into the equation? Oh and some-one with a track only bike?

[ghabowe48gbva349p8b]

Thats a load of crap. There is no reason DNA cannot assist him in getting what is required to make sure his bike is legal in in the US. He didnt ask them to "ok his bike through the back door" or something of that sort. He asked for information and help in gaining what is needed and there is no legal reason they cant point him in the right direction or at minimum give him contacts that will be able to assist. Even giving him the proper US Government contacts would have been helpful.

If it cant be done, it cant be done but blowing the guy off is not the right path to take.

[saammmy,,,,,j]

I hear ya and agree 100%.
But having managed a store for 13 years albeit a number of years ago, that's the way it is with manufacturers versus the gubberment. Today they are running scared with the US Fedocrats having their foot up their ass until they taste shoe polish. The Beurofuks are just sitting back and waiting for a manufacturer or importer in this case to violate any of their umpteen laws so they can be made an example of and fined to the max. Reference Jesse James and the bike that has less emissions than the fed allowance but wasn't EPA, Cali and Fed tested and rubber stamped. Bang,, fined I think $200K.

Yeah, Ducati is small change in the vehicle world and it would be nice for them to pitch in as the 'family'. But for a minute consider a larger company than DNA. What do we think our chances are of getting similar assistance from say, Honda or Yamaha.

From personal experience 20 years ago, if a letter of request for this recert/exemption/approval procedure was sent to them it WOULD be sent back to you. Not from Honda or Yamaha but from their lawyers and on the Dewey Cheatum & Howe letterhead in a certified mail without ANY response whatsoever implicating the manufacturer has even seen the letter.

** In fact, here's a news flash for us, most letters to a home office ARE delivered in an unopened state other than a corporate sponsored reply mailer, to the lawyers who then open them. If the correspondence is benign such as gee I like your bikes can you send me a brochure, the post is then passed to the company. If the subject matter is something of a technical nature such as hey Mr. manufacturer, I recommend you change the fairing because it falls off and jams the front wheel, or I Mr. dealer #123785 have seen X part failing on model Y it's rejected. It's all about liability and keeping things under the hat.

A letter requesting to admit or modify a non compliant vehicle, car, bike, refrigerator, ATV, watercraft, you name it will immediately go up in flames and be kicked back with alacrity. Today it's even more difficult with EPA, NHTSA and other tits on a bull bureaus with their fleet of fed paid justify my existence lawyer shmucks with their fingers in the manufacturing pie.

The only thing I can see for registering this or another grey import is to secure a frame with title that has American VIN numbers on it and play that game at the local level.

Sux to the major max but that's the leftie government we have elected. My attitude is that in the big picture it's just a lousy little motorcycle. What infinitely miniscule effect can a stinking bike have on anything.
Lights work? check. Brakes work? check. Muffler works? check. Give the man a title for his bike.

[Mr.Orange]

Wow... and I mean WOW..

Although I'm not in the states, STY, thank you for that very interesting post.

[fjklabnfm]

I'm sure I missed half of the juicy gov versus the people shit as I've been out of the MC biz for 20 years.

[yellowstonedogs]

This is stupid, cars get imported all the time and go through a certification process to make sure they meet certain guidelines. There is a reason you see registered skylines in the streets that were never sold here. Its not cheap and may not be worth it but its possible. If I recall they have to be imported by a certified body who then makes the necessary changes and the vehicle is then again inspected and tested by some agency.

Its also possible to drive around your foreign vehicles in the US as there are mexican and european vehicles in the US all the time on a temporary basis. In addition cars such as BMW's/Audis etc are imported all the time. This really cant be as hard as its being made out to be.

Honestly, the owner of the bike should probably just call the DMV of whatever state it is hes trying to get into and they should at least be able to point him the right direction.

[krazy4twilight31]

Sorry for not being around for most of this conversation.... I'm in east TN with a beautiful Ducati 848, That happens to be the one I had in Germany. I took it out on the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway yesterday and it was AMAZING. Ducati S.P.A is working with me, but I found a way, and maybe an uninformed customs guy and got it here with legit paper work. Well sort of legit. I go tomorrow to attempt to register it. I'll see how it goes. DNA was no help, and honestly it all came down to paying ALOT of Money (4,000 USD), and using Air freight. Well worth it IMO. The bike is my bike, it is customized the way I want it, and trying to sell it, and doing everything all over was not an option for me. Hell I even washed and waxed it twice since it got here, which was Monday...
Thanks for the advise though!