This morning I got a phone call from the chap that bought my VFR. Seems he was stopped by the police and there was a bit of concern about the number plate as it belonged to a Ford Sierra. Apparently the dealer had changed it but transposed two of the letters. Thankfully he managed to convince the police it was a genuine mistake and they traced the bike through the VIN. However, they also noticed that the trip meter was in Km not miles and that the lights dipped to the right. I thought well maybe they just got the wrong parts from Honda when they repaired it but he says he's done an HPI check and they say the bike is a parallel import from Holland. Now this seems somewhat strange in that I bought the bike new from my local Honda dealer and there was nothing on the V5 that looked anything different to a normal UK bike (should there be?). The trips were definitely in miles and the lights dipped left when I had it but the LCD display was damaged in the accident and so the clocks have probably been replaced. It all sounds a little odd to me!

Any thoughts?

Ian, that's bloody strange

I had a Saab Griffin recently, and that was an import albeit UK spec. car and it clearly stated on the V5 that it was imported in 1998, but made in 1997...

Sounds like the dealer's been up to a little bit of iffiness to me to be honest Perhaps a cheap spares co. is importing this stuff and then not telling the dealers?

Hope there's no comeback on you, of course, old chap

Does sound a bit dodgy.

Wrong clocks and lights is just too big a coincidence for me. I could understand one or the other but not both. Its also a little odd that the main markings on the speedo are still mph but the LCD is registering in kms. They've also admitted they didn't get the parts direct from Honda (they are a Yamaha dealer) they got them from Fowlers so it could be a cock up/shenanigans at Fowlers.

There must be loads of dirt cheap headlamps and clocks knocking about off parallels that have been converted by other places, or even themselves. It would be very tempting if the bits were sat there on the shelf.