Extended USA tour mid 2017

orestesdjc

Premier Member
#1
I'm in the very early stages of planning a two month tour in the US. As I have friends in Minneapolis it makes a certain amount of sense to see the start of the IBR ( I did think about waiting and hope for a place in 2019), so that would be the start or end of the trip.

Renting a bike for two months is probably too expensive which leaves me two options.

I can ship my own BMW GSA and find a firm that is willing to insure foreign citizens.

or

Purchase a reasonable, low mileage used machine for around $10,000 and either sell at the end of the tour or find someone willing to store the bike ready for future trips. I would need help registering (licensing?) and insuring the bike as I think I would need a US address.

It seems to me that the IBA NPT makes a good basis for the trip.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Dave Clarke
 
Last edited:

OX-34

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#2
Dave I have rented and bought US bikes. Sometimes it works well and sometimes not so much.

I bought one bike online to ride in the 2012 Butt Lite and 2013 IBR. In 2012 I was unable to register or ride the bike in the state where I had it shipped. I quickly had to hire a bike for about USD$2000 for 6 days (insurance included). For the 2013 rally I had to 'fake sell' the same bike it to a local and 'borrow' it back, riding on his insurance and registration. Unfortunately I was unable to sell the bike at the end of the rally so just gave the fully farkled bike away.

A few Aussies have bikes stored in the US for rallies and other riding. Some are titled (registered? MOT'd?) in their own names, others are titled in the name of the local. Same for UK riders.

Next time I ride in the US I'm planning on shipping (US$3000) or flying (US$10,000) my bike over. Its expensive, but I will know my own bike. Anyway I gave away a US$11,000 bike so money is just money....

Trawl through the past couple of IBR riders lists for UK names or even post up on the UK sub-forum here and you may get a better response.

The thread title "Extended USA Tour Mid 2017" sounds like a general chat thread and some of the UK IBR 'big dogs' may not read the link to see that you are really after logistical experience, so you may miss out on their wisdom.
 

orestesdjc

Premier Member
#3
Hi Peter, thanks for your thoughts, I will start a new thread with a longer title. And post in the UK and European forums as well. You are pretty much confirming my first impressions that shipping is the way to go but I want to explore the other possibilities.