2. (I) A second hand or used vehicle shall mean a vehicle that :-

(a) has been sold, leased or loaned prior to importation into India; or
(b) has been registered for use in any country according to the laws of that country, prior to importation into India;

(II). The import of second had or used vehicles shall be subject to the following conditions:-
(a) The second hand or used vehicle shall not be older than three years from the date of manufacture;
(b) The second hand or used vehicle shall:

(i) have right hand steering, and controls (applicable on vehicles other than two and three wheelers);
(ii) have a speedometer indicating the speed km / h; and
(iii) have photometry of the headlamps to suit "keep left" traffic.

(c) In addition, the second hand or used vehicle shall conform to the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 and the rules made thereunder, as applicable, on the date of import.

(d) Import of second hand vehicles shall be allowed only through the customs port at Mumbai.

(e) The second hand or used vehicles imported into India should have a minimum roadworthiness for a period of 5 years from the date of importation into India with assurance for providing service facilities within the country during the five year period. For this purpose, the importer shall, at the time of importation, submit a declaration indicating the period of roadworthiness in respect of every individual vehicle being imported, supported by a certificate issued by any of the testing agencies, which the Central Government may notify in this regard.

(f) The vehicle has to be submitted for testing to Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (VRDE), Ahmednagar, of the Ministry of Defence or the Automotive Research Association of India, Pune or the Central Farm and Machinery Training and Testing Institute, Budni, Madhya Pradesh, and such other agencies as may be specified by the Central Government, for granting a certificate by that agency as to the compliance of the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and any rules made thereunder.

So is the 400RR the bike to buy over the Ninja? Yes! Contrary to my answer, self-proclaimed experts will tell you that finding spares for this 20-year classic is a major hassle. Well, it’s not exactly true. The 400RR was imported in Europe in such high numbers that many dealers still stock spares in plenty – so finding what you need in this internet age isn’t much of a ‘hassle’. Should you drop the bike and need any of the bodywork then even Thailand can be your savior for it was one of the most lucrative markets for the 400RR after Japan.

And should you be one of the more lucky learners who do not drop the bike but like any other biker will need the basic wearable necessities like clutch plates, spark-plugs, brake pads etc. then you will be surprised as most of the 400RRs wearable components match those of other Honda/Hero Honda machines like the CBZ and the Karizma!

What’s more, a DRI cleared legal 400RR will cost you almost the same as a brand new Ninja 250R.

How to calculate Additional Duty and Special additional Duty: Additional Duty (AD) is calculated as a percentage of the aggregate of CIF value plus basic duty and special duty.

Special Additional Duty is calculated as a percentage of the aggregate of CIF value plus basic duty, special duty and CVD.

Value for standard accessories fitted in cars will form part of the assessable value of the car. Extra accessories, air-conditioners, radio etc are chargeable to further duty.

The rate of exchange would be as on the date on which bill of entry for clearance is presented to the Customs and not one at the time of paying the price of car in foreign country.

Depreciation: Depreciation for second hand or used cars is allowed at the prescribed scale. Extent of depreciation is counted from the date of registration thereof to the date of actual shipment of the vehicle or the date of departure of the owner from the foreign country, whichever is earlier.

In order to avoid possible disputes on the allowability of depreciation on motor vehicles which are more than 4 years old, the Board has revised the scale of depreciation w.e.f. 26.5.1993, as under:"

for every quarter during Ist year 4%
for every quarter during 2nd year 3%
for every quarter during 3rd year 2-1/2%
for every quarter during 4th year and thereafter 2%. Subject to an overall ceiling of 70%