Touring America

muller25

Hi,

A friend and I were thinking about flying to Miami FL and buying two motorbikes to bike across america for a month so wanted to know the deal with tax and insurance over there and what its like money wish.

None of the particulars have been sorted out we have a rough route in our heads which is literally start Miami up to New York and across to California but if this looks like a reasonable idea and not to costly we will get serious plans.

Also just wondering if it would be a possibility to ship the bikes back here when we are done.

Does anyone know any websites used to trade bikes in the Florida area like a Donedeal. Tried craigs list but it doesn't seam to be any use.

Anyway if you could give me any help or guidance with this it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

rotun

Bike 1

Bike 2

Shipping

VRT

muller25

cool thanks for all that

galwaytt

Before you spend any money, find out if you can actually get them registered first. A lot of States won't allow non-residents to register vehicles any more (post 9/11), so no reg = no plates = no insurance= you won't be using it. It's a nightmare.

Two friends of mine bought bikes last November and they still haven't got to use them. They moved the bikes from Texas to Georgia and are now shipping them to Colorado. It has cost them a fortune.

SanfranCal

My gut feeling tells me that your plan to buy a motor bike and drive across America sounds dangerous and unwise to me.

As a previous board member suggested, what state would you even get it registered in.
You will have a foreign license.
You would run into insurance issues.

You are accustomed to driving on the other side of the road. Driving a motorcycle is much more dangerous than riding in a car.

When you are in New York City, they have a great public transportation system that can get you to any place you want to go to; i.e., the New York City subway.

I don't trust anyone who is sending you links to buy a used motorcycle. You would not have any way of checking the history of the motorcycle. I can just picture your buying a used motorcycle and driving 50 or 100 or 200 miles away from the used car dealership, and it is then that you realize you are out $4,000 or $5,000 and that you have bought a piece of junk.
I don't know how it is in Ireland, but used car/motorcycle salesmen here is the States do not have the greatest reputations.

Another issue is driving a motorcycle into the wrong places in New York City could turn out to be a disaster; when you go to use the bike in the morning, finding it is stolen or badly vandalized.

Bottom line, I think your idea is really bad.

Canis Lupus

SanfranCal wrote: »

Driving a motorcycle is much more dangerous than riding in a car.

lol.... this is the motorbike forum you know....


OP I imagine it's expensive but there's also the option to rent?

unattendedbag

Check out www.eaglerider.com who provide guided tours in the US and around the world.

Not cheap by any means but probably the best way to get around all the problems mentioned above. They do rentals and also have a list of guided tours on the website. You can join a group of do self drive either.

BrokenArrows

I remember briefly looking into 3 options a few years ago.

1 - Buying a US bike registering, insuring and reselling when your done. This is a tonne of hassle and you will lose a lot on depreciation/quick sale required when it comes time to leave the US, since you cant hang around in the country for weeks waiting to find a buyer. You might however be able to strike a deal with someone in advance.

2 - Shipping a Irish registered bike to the US and back again. This is expensive for 1 bike (I think I worked out at 2000 at the time) however it will probably become more cost effective if you transport 2 or more bikes at the same time as you can purchase a container rather than an individual shipment.

3 - Renting a bike in the US. Easiest option of all 3 and works out around the same ballpark as options 1 & 2 when you take into account depreciation in option 1 and shipping costs in option 2. WARNING: They have HUGE excess costs so if you end up crashing you will be paying out your ass.

CJhaughey

These guys are supposed to be good to deal with.
http://www.thelostadventure.com/about-the-lost-adventure-eaglerider-agent

Cienciano

I hate to be captain bringdown, but if you had a few months to go touring on bikes, Europe would be a lot better than USA. Obviously USA sounds cool because of movies, but it's a lot of very straight roads and very flat land between the 2 coasts.
Europe is easier, your irish insurance and breakdown could cover you, you can go to such different places as Scotland, Portugal and Norway. If you want you can drive as far east as the North Korean border, to mongolia, the caucasus. Or go to spain, onto Gibraltar and it's a half hour ferry to Morocco which is a whole other world.
All done on your own bike, set up the way you want it driving from your own front door.

muller25

Yeah i was leaning towards that after looking at the costing of everything.

Thanks to everyone for providing all this advice its hard to think of everything on your own.

Anyway wasnt planning on going anywhere until next summer just wanted to see if it was plausible to make sure i would be prepared financially i will keep you updated on what happens.

Please keep all the suggestions coming.

galwaytt

Cienciano wrote: »

I hate to be captain bringdown, but if you had a few months to go touring on bikes, Europe would be a lot better than USA. Obviously USA sounds cool because of movies, but it's a lot of very straight roads and very flat land between the 2 coasts.
Europe is easier, your irish insurance and breakdown could cover you, you can go to such different places as Scotland, Portugal and Norway. If you want you can drive as far east as the North Korean border, to mongolia, the caucasus. Or go to spain, onto Gibraltar and it's a half hour ferry to Morocco which is a whole other world.
All done on your own bike, set up the way you want it driving from your own front door.

I'm afraid you're spending too much time watching the TeeVee !

You do realise the size of the US, right ? They do have hills/mountains/rivers etc....

I have family in Georgia and it has fantastic biking roads. The nearby Carolina's equally, including the famous Deals Gap http://tailofthedragon.com/index.html

So I'll be the 'bringdown' on that one. The US is def on my list -somehow - and I would include the Pacific Nortwest as another 'must do' . My friends who bought the aforementioned bikes did originally plan to rent, and were quoted about 1200 for 10 days on fully equipped Suzuki's iirc. http://www.eaglerider.com/portland/vehicle-accessories.aspx?ComponentID=664

Cienciano

galwaytt wrote: »

I'm afraid you're spending too much time watching the TeeVee !

You do realise the size of the US, right ? They do have hills/mountains/rivers etc....

I have family in Georgia and it has fantastic biking roads. The nearby Carolina's equally, including the famous Deals Gap http://tailofthedragon.com/index.html

So I'll be the 'bringdown' on that one. The US is def on my list -somehow - and I would include the Pacific Nortwest as another 'must do' . My friends who bought the aforementioned bikes did originally plan to rent, and were quoted about 1200 for 10 days on fully equipped Suzuki's iirc. http://www.eaglerider.com/portland/vehicle-accessories.aspx?ComponentID=664

Of course it has good places to go, it's an entire continent. But as different as the east and west go, it's not on par with the diversity of europe in a much smaller and easier to get to area. Towns and cities are more interesting in Europe too imho.
The guy who bought my old bike is planning 3 or 4 months in Europe, lucky bastard!

AgileMyth

Cienciano wrote: »

I hate to be captain bringdown, but if you had a few months to go touring on bikes, Europe would be a lot better than USA. Obviously USA sounds cool because of movies, but it's a lot of very straight roads and very flat land between the 2 coasts.

Never been myself but my dad tours America pretty regularly. Hes probably done about 30 states at this stage and always waiting for the next chance to go.

He met a good group his first time there so just borrows their bikes when hes out there. They've been over to Ireland and borrowed ours too.

Maybe try a forum for an exchange like that OP?


Having just done Vietnam id highly recommended that. India and north Africa are my next two biking holidays. Followed by the pan American highway.

Bikerguy

1200$ its not to bad. You will get serviced bike and all included ready for the trip.. if you buy second hand yoke thats gonna cost you at least another 1000e to make it ready for a lot of miles. Service, insurance etc... renting is much easier and better option while you are abroad..

On other hand i can only agree here with the europe trip version..much cheaper and easier...

rat_race

SanfranCal wrote: »

My gut feeling tells me that your plan to buy a motor bike and drive across America sounds dangerous and unwise to me.

As a previous board member suggested, what state would you even get it registered in.
You will have a foreign license.
You would run into insurance issues.

You are accustomed to driving on the other side of the road. Driving a motorcycle is much more dangerous than riding in a car.

When you are in New York City, they have a great public transportation system that can get you to any place you want to go to; i.e., the New York City subway.

I don't trust anyone who is sending you links to buy a used motorcycle. You would not have any way of checking the history of the motorcycle. I can just picture your buying a used motorcycle and driving 50 or 100 or 200 miles away from the used car dealership, and it is then that you realize you are out $4,000 or $5,000 and that you have bought a piece of junk.
I don't know how it is in Ireland, but used car/motorcycle salesmen here is the States do not have the greatest reputations.

Another issue is driving a motorcycle into the wrong places in New York City could turn out to be a disaster; when you go to use the bike in the morning, finding it is stolen or badly vandalized.

Bottom line, I think your idea is really bad.

What bad advice.

1. People "run into issues" all the time when planning or doing a trip, it's what adventure is about. Nothing worthwhile is ever straightforward.

2. He is not accustomed to driving on the other side of the road? Firstly: probably, but that doesn't matter, we've all done it. Doesn't make it a bad idea. Secondly, you don't actually have a clue what he's accustomed to. Thirdly, you might recall that most people are accustomed to driving on no side of the road, for a third of their life.

3. New York has a great subway, thanks. That'll be handy everywhere else.

4. You don't trust the person sending links to buy a used motorcycle? It was an *example* of what's out there. It wasn't a very efficient salesman. You might "picture" the OP driving 50 (or 100 or 200, as you said) miles away and realising they bought junk. Some people have common sense, and know how to check a bike. Some people KNOW how to ask for a bike history. Some people have gut feelings that work pretty damn well.

Bottom line is, if the OP is as dumb as you're assuming, then he wouldn't be able to tie his shoe laces, never mind drive across a continent.

rat_race

rat_race wrote: »

What bad advice.

1. People "run into issues" all the time when planning or doing a trip, it's what adventure is about. Nothing worthwhile is ever straightforward.

2. He is not accustomed to driving on the other side of the road? Firstly: probably, but that doesn't matter, we've all done it. Doesn't make it a bad idea. Secondly, you don't actually have a clue what he's accustomed to. Thirdly, you might recall that most people are accustomed to driving on no side of the road, for a third of their life.

3. New York has a great subway, thanks. That'll be handy everywhere else.

4. You don't trust the person sending links to buy a used motorcycle? It was an *example* of what's out there. It wasn't a very efficient salesman. You might "picture" the OP driving 50 (or 100 or 200, as you said) miles away and realising they bought junk. Some people have common sense, and know how to check a bike. Some people KNOW how to ask for a bike history. Some people have gut feelings that work pretty damn well.

Bottom line is, if the OP is as dumb as you're assuming, then he wouldn't be able to tie his shoe laces, never mind drive across a continent.

Just read over this. Didn't mean to sound like such a d1<k! Sorry!

Hotblack Desiato

SanfranCal wrote: »

You are accustomed to driving on the other side of the road.

This is really not a problem at all on a bike. Much easier than in your own car (visibility for overtaking is almost impossible) or in a hired car (controls are on the wrong side.)

traco

Just some licence and insurance info in state of Florida.

You will not be able to get insurance unless you have a Florida State licence. Getting the licence doesn't take to long but is a pain and then getting insurance will be fun. You'll need an address and it's expensive as you will be treated as if you have no driving experience cos you've just passed the test. That is all based on car experience.

My suggestion would be to rent and be aware that the standard of driving in Florida is brutal. Having done the driving test all I can say is that it's not surprising the number of accidents. It's utterly useless!

galwaytt

traco wrote: »

Just some licence and insurance info in state of Florida.

You will not be able to get insurance unless you have a Florida State licence. Getting the licence doesn't take to long but is a pain and then getting insurance will be fun. You'll need an address and it's expensive as you will be treated as if you have no driving experience cos you've just passed the test. That is all based on car experience.

My suggestion would be to rent and be aware that the standard of driving in Florida is brutal. Having done the driving test all I can say is that it's not surprising the number of accidents. It's utterly useless!

How do you get a FL licence without a SSN ?
Do you not have to prove residency ?