Man paid $80k for a 40ft shipping container from Japan filled with motorbikes banned in the USA

This YouTuber paid $80,000 for a 40ft shipping container from Japan filled with motorbikes that were banned in the USA.

Sean Kerr, the host of the YouTube channel, Bikes and Beards, was lucky enough to get his hands on the forbidden fruit of the biking world.

Given that he’d ordered the haul a year in advance, he’d forgotten most of what was inside the container.

But would what he found inside be worth the $80k?

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What was inside the shipping container of motorbikes banned in the USA?

There would obviously be some trepidation about opening up a container of expensive items.

What if they didn’t live up to the hype?

Could a severe case of buyer’s remorse be on the way?

Fortunately for Kerr, the first bike he saw was an instant winner – an XJR400.

It was stunningly preserved in its lime green paint job and was accompanied by an intriguing smell.

Unfortunately, without smell-o-vision, we just have to take Kerr’s word for it.

As he fork-lifted the bike out of the container, the YouTuber remarked: “This may possibly be the first bike of its kind in America!”

How much would this bike be worth?

According to the paperwork that came along with it, this green machine would be worth $7,600 (1.25 million Yens in the motherland).

Next up was the first Motocompacto, which was worth $5,500 – more than the $3,000 that Kerr paid for it.

The container also contained a rare edition Honda Monkey, which looked stunning in gold.

The quality of the bikes took Kerr by surprise, as he commented: “Does stuff not rust in Japan? Or do they just take better care of things?”

He might be onto something – even their abandoned dealerships look cleaner than the ones we have in the west.

A little bit of Hollywood

For the most part, the bikes are virtual strangers to the USA.

But one motorcycle does bear a striking resemblance to one ridden by Tom Cruise in the 1986 movie Top Gun.

Even in recent years, Cruise is no stranger to a bike, as he rode one into the 2024 Olympics.

Kerr explained: “[The bike in Top Gun] was a GPZ900R, this bike is a GPZ1000.

“It’s the faster one.”

Takes Cruise’s famous line ‘I feel the need for speed’ to a whole new level, huh?

The GPZ1000 was produced between 1986 and 1988 and could reach top speeds of 158mph.

It set Kerr back $2,300 but would be worth around $6,000.

All in all, he estimated that he’d made $73,000 in total.

To see the collection of motorbikes in all its glory, head over to Bikes and Beards‘ YouTube channel.