hello to everyone, well i've surely got estrella fever! i first saw one 3 months ago and it was love at first sight! i hav'nt ridden bikes that much in the last 20 years, and mostly before that it was enfields, which i dearly love, apart from the fact they dont start, dont stop, and leak a lot in the meantime! anyway, i digress, i want a drum brake version . the grey importers i have contacted hav'nt replied ( does anybody know an interested one? ),and i would like to know if anyone in england has tried to import one themselves? if so, i would be very interested in a bit of advice. thanks & look forward to meeting some of you. wurzle.
first of all - welcome ! and good luck with your quest - I understand you'd like to import a new one from JP - or would you consider a ten years old (in)continental one from Germany - sole supplier of Estrellas ???
Sitting here in NL I'm totally unqualified to give any advice, but I remember that http://www.bikedirectbristol.co.uk has sold a couple of Kawasaki TR250 (sort of "Enduro" Estrella for downtown) in the past. The last one was on offer late last year if I remember well and it was a new one direct from JP. Since the TR250 is to a large extent identical with the Estrella they might be in a position to help you.
Please keep me informed of your progress - I have serious thoughts about bringing a TR250 into Holland. Doing it via the UK should be no problem (budget was a bit tight last year, I had to pass - next year should be better). In NL I get automatic approval for any bike which has already been registered somewhere in the European Union. And grouping an order might be an option in order to cut costs.