Originally Posted by Dodger

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I don't think it's a good idea to forge any official documents in the USA and encouraging a 19 year old to do so is plainly irresponsible .

Originally Posted by Flying Gringo

the reason you can't buy these bikes in the US is that the distances between places are enormous and empty, the roads around all major cities are good and demand higher speeds than these bikes are capable of comfortably sustaining, fuel prices as a percentage of wages are significantly lower than in other countries, and commutes by auto are typically longer than in europe, In much of the US a Motorcycle is considered a recreational vehicle, not a daily driver and trying to see the US on a 125 would be a miserable experience to the vast majority of motorcyclists, so there was only a very limited market for small enduros in the US. The vast majority of these bikes sold are not street legal, but for off-road use only.

Crossing the Western US on an old Yamaha XS650 twin was a miserable experience. There isn't a large used stock because there were very few sold new in the past 20 years, and now that Americans are paranoid about gas prices they are hanging onto their small bikes. They aren't riding them, but they are hanging onto them.

Bigger places call for bigger bikes. Another SV650 is a great choice. If you want something smaller, cheaper but big enough to do the job, there are a lot of used Suzuki GS500s and Kawasaki EX500 Ninjas out there. You can pretty easily find an example from the early 90s with low miles that's only been dropped by every previous owner a few times in the Northeast for about $1200-1500. Make sure you get the license plate and a dated bill of sale. If you get pulled over by the police on your way west, explain that you're on your way to California to ship the bike back home. The odds are pretty good they will let you go if you are polite and have all your other papers in order.

If you insist on one of the smaller enduro types, get one of the Chinese 200s off of ebay, go pick it up with your own plate from the UK and print up your own registration at the local Kinkos. the cops aren't likely to bother a guy on a Yumbo with foreign plates going 45 mph. Might as well print up an insurance card while you are at it.

Originally Posted by yuma simon

However, as Flying Gringo pointed out, the US is a huge place, and trying to ride a 150 or 200 for distance will get you frustrated to say the least. If you really want to be different, and have the time, you can try it. Perhaps only doing 100 or less miles per day, on back roads, and don't mind the slow pace, you could consider one.