|
Coast to Coast
I Know I'm not the first and probably not the last to start a thread on c2c, but would really like some advise on a trip I have planned for May/June this year.
My flights are booked, starting in San Francisco and leaving from Boston 6 weeks later. The route I have planned is loosley down to Los Angles over to Vagas picking up the north rim of the Grand Canon onto Bryce, Sequoia-kings canon and Zion national parks up to North Decoata - Mnt Rushmore across to Chicargo onto Main and down to Boston. I have priced hiring a bike and like others I don't find it cheap, may buy so need to know implications/legal requirements and used bike dealers in San Francisco, also what gear to take or buy over the states? I would like to take my own lid will it go as hand luggage? Will I find hotels/guest houses along the way or is it best to prebook everything, not that I want the trip to be that planned? Thanks for reading your all stars :D |
Not posting where you are from dose not help but if look n some of the post in North american area of the hubb all you problims are done and then some.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/north-america/ get a used bike dont rent get the kit here, lots of plase to spend a night in all USA citys towns and olong the way in almost every area you are looking to go. |
DL pretty much sums it up!
But to expand slightly - presuming you are from the UK? You get a 90 day visa under the waiver programme, if you're planning on staying any longer, you'll need to go to the US embassy in London and get a full visa which allows you six months entry at a time. Physically buying the bike is easy (and cash is king, especially in the current economic climate). Actually, cash itself is not king - most dealers will want a bank draft, so setting up a bank account is a good idea - Wells Fargo will offer foreigners (ie no US social security number) a current account - called a checking account in the USA. It's almost essential to have a US account, as every petrol pump takes credit cards, and many will not recognise non-US cards... you can use cash of course, you end up having to pre-paying the cashier. Likewise hotels and anything you buy online while you,re there will be easier with a US bank account. For a bank account you will need an address in the US you can use as your own, and likewise for your insurance (use Progressive.com - again they will insure foreigners wiht a foreign licence - you have to buy an annual policy, but can cancel it with no penalty charge when you've finished the trip). You'll also need the address for the Title (over V5 registration documnent equivelent) paperwork to be sent to, and you'll need to carry a copy of your Title and insurance with you at all times on the bike. As for riding gear - there is a massive selection in every bike shop in the US (and they have the excellent Cycle Gear chain, which is a bit like Hein Gereke in the UK), so if you're in the market for a new helmet and boots particularly, I'd just get them when you get there - although with current exchange rates they are not as cheap as they were, and Arai particularly are more expensive in the US. Also, buy a GPS when you get here (with the US maps in) - Garmin Nuvi 205 can be had for around $170USD - it will be invaluable for finding hotels, fuel, food and points of interest etc. and Garmin mapping particulalry includes loads of dirt roads too, especially in the west x As DL says - virtually every town of any size will have at least one if not a handful of motels in, and most are very good value compared to the UK - check out the modern Motel6 chain - typically less than $40 a night, with laundry and wifi. I use them all the time! Alternatively, camping is also widly available, and in the western states particularly, there is plenty of BLM (public) land where you can wild camp anywhere for free... but if this is primarily a road (tarmac) trip, then I'd forget humping the camping kit with you, and stick to motels... Hope that helps! JennyMo xxx |
Not trying to be argumentative, just putting in my 2cents.........cash is king, however, dealers WILL take dollars. A bank draft isn't necessary.
Almost ALL gas pumps in the US will accept your European credit card, however, in many municipalities you must enter your postal cope even if it is european. If the pump will not accept it, you must go inside to pay instead of paying at the pump. We have EXTENSIVE experience with this as my wife uses her German credit card here in the US daily. The bank account thing is a pain in the butt...every week Homeland Security gives the banks a new friggin' regulation. You can get a paid postal box at a Pack and Ship or similar and use that as your home address for the title. You need only carry a copy of the registration and proof of insurance. In Cali..it takes several WEEKS to receive the permanent title for your bike. You would then need to have the mailbox place forward the contents of your box to wherever you sell the bike at the end of your trip. Riding gear IS cheaper here than EU or UK. LOTS of places to shop. Private party ads are going to be the best deal on a bike, check Craigs list here in the US. Motel 6 is an excellent way to go. Good advice. Camping in the US is easy but JMo is right, it is a a pain in the butt. If you need help let me know, i have a brother in L.A. that is a moto mechanic with a portable shop including a dyno. If you need help holler :Beach: |
Thanks for filling in the gaps there Ornery - although another reason for getting a US bank account is that you don't have to pay the UK credit card company for the currency conversion (depending on which UK bank this is, it can be significant), afterall, a cross country trip is going to mean a lot of transactions... if only for gas and hotels?
I was only speaking from experience that my Barclaycard (one of, if not the most popular credit card in the UK) didn't work in a couple of stations in a big city - although as you say, if it happens you can always go inside swipe... or prepay with cash (then typically go back in and get a refund as you've paid too much for your tiny tank!) Of course I meant to say the Registration document not the Title (in the UK these are combined) - sorry... I agree most bike gear tends to be cheaper in the US, my point was no longer significantly so - and certainly I've found some premium brands like Dainese and Arai are more expensive than you can get them in the UK these days... Good idea about the postal box, although often a friendly HUBBer can help out with an address/forwarding too...? xxx |
Hi People, open a Nationwide debit and credit account before you go, they are accepted throuhout the Americas and they do not charge for foreign transactions so instead of the old system of £300.00 a withdrawal to reduce currency conversion charges, just use them like you would at home. Nationwide has saved me a fortune since I started travelling full time when I retired and it will do the same for you. Have a nice trip and ride safe.:thumbup1:
p.s. If you are going to hit the national parks, they are good, look at getting a year pass, $80.00 and worth it. |
Quote:
xxx |
A few thoughts (many already discussed):
1) don't book in advance--almost never had a problem rolling up and finding a place, and this allows you to pick the best or cheapest place (not usually the same!). the earlier you stop, the easier it is to find a place, but usually no problem in any event. sometimes there is some local fair or something that causes places to get booked up, but very rare, and then you just go to the next town. 2) Easy to bring the helmet as carry on, I usually wrap it in something and put it in small bag. 3) instead of opening a bank account, you can by a pre-paid debit card in the US at most shopping centers--just walk up, pay $500 (or whatever) and you get a visa or mastercard that should work fine in the US. haven't used them at gas stations, but have used them for other stuff. |
Thanks Folks for all the advice and yes I am from England.
Trying to digest it all now! If I were to buy a bike the title documents take how long - roughly will do, Orney suggested a couple of weeks. Would I have a temporary title document in the mean time? That way I'll be able to use the bike to get on with my trip. Would insurance doc's be faxed to a motel? Cheers Guys Steve :scooter: |
If you're buying a bike from a dealer (not sure of the protocol with a private sale), then they send off the title paperwork, and the Title document is sent to you in typically a couple of weeks... (maybe a little longer in some states/busy DMV offices).
In the meantime, the dealer will issue you with a temporary registration certificate that you attach to your bike (a piece of paper) as a numberplate. You then have 30 days to go to the local DMV office (local to the address you are using for post, ie. your 'home' in the USA), and sort out a full registration - you can do this before you get the Title certificate back (I did). The Title is only your proof of ownership, the registration document and plate is what they are really worried about, as that is where they get their $$$s - your registration is renewed each year, like a UK tax disc. btw. you can get a personal plate for around $37 more - and as the plate is specific to you, and not the machine, it makes a nice souvenir. As for insurance, if you use progressive.com (and they are really the only company who will insure non-residents) they can email you the cover note to print out (use the motel computer?), but it's still best to get the proper insurance card they will post you. xxx |
Sorry for my short post But was pressed for time.
Private sale you give them the cash go to the DMV or office of licences and give them the old plate, old registration, old title and off you go with new ones. (there may be other buggers on the way but thats most of it) Most of the larger bike shops have insurance in house and will print out a legal "proof of insurance" a P.O. Box is legal to use as a address as is the bike shop. You only need an address for the billing of insurance company nothing in the law demanding you have a place of residence. Insurance is done state by state and billed by where your address is, LA California is going to more that Camano Is Washington. You don't have to be in the USA to get any of the paper work done. Your temp. tag (licence plate in the usa number plate most all other places) is good for 30 days but you may be able to swing a deal and get them not to date it been told you can get nother 30day temp tag as well. The people at the bike shop can tell you where to get a real plate and your good for a year in the USA for registration and tags. Where I live there is a office of licences you go to and you give them the temp tag and registration and you get a plate and a new registration. Title is only used as proof of ownership like if you finance the bike the banks name is on it pay for it your self your name is on it. You will need it to sell it or to import it in to the UK. Registration is a paper that tells the cops you payed you tax on it and is legal for street use, you get stickers to put on the number plate with it as well. If you can get a good bike shop you may be able to have all this done before you leve the UK. (a bit tricky as you will be paying for the bike without seeing it.) What paper work you will need if your stopped by the cops? You drivers permit (licence) with motorbike endorsment. proof of insurance. bike registration. may need a passport to show that your from the UK not gust BSing the cop with a funny looking drivers licence. Most credit cards will work in the US but you do need to tell them your going there in advance. same thing happens to me when I go to Canada dam card wont work till I phone them. For the weather you will see temps in the 90f to 30f from time to time and place to place. Not to bad that time of year. Get a good atlas before you go I like National Geographic. Some links. America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass National Park Service - Experience Your America Dispersed and Free Campgrounds in the USA some old post here. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...e-please-31919 http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...vice-usa-31594 http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...s-2weeks-29629 http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...wo-weeks-35473 http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...n-routes-35352 And there is more but that will get you started. You dont need a title for riding the bike You can get it sent to you if need be. It can be done in a few mins. If there not pressed for time and its not ran by the government and your standing right in frunt of them. I have had a title in my hands by the time I counted out the money paying fot it. IF you use a P.O. Box you can get your paper work done and then change your address to your home address (or any other address) and have the title at your home befor you get back. Things get difrent when you import the bike to the UK or try to sell the bike. Both your going to want that paper title in your hand. |
If you want to buy a bike in San Francisco via private sale, this is the place:
SF bay area motorcycles/scooters classifieds - craigslist Frankly, dealers in SF are expensive and will not have much of a selection of used bikes. You'll do much better with a private sale. Will you be camping? You'll find super campsites all over the U.S., and you'll save $20 USD at least vs. even a cheap Motel 6 (their rates at up to $50+ nowadays, BTW ... the days of less than $40 for a motel 6 are past, except in only the most remote towns). The American Automobile Association (AAA) offers free (and excellent) maps and camp guide books to members. One-year membership is about $50. They will also handle all your bike registration issues without your having to visit a California Motor Vehicles office. And they sell insurance, a convenient one-stop shop. AAA will have an office in any sizable town. Good luck & good ride. Mark |
Quote:
For anyone planning a trip, I'd suggest getting hold of one of their free directories (from any branch) and check out the prices listed for any particular towns you're passing though - you may be surprised - and their facilities really are top notch for the price... Good info about AAA - I have friends who are members and use their travel facilities all the time - as you say, their free maps are excellent! xxx |
X10 on the Motel 6 thing! It is, for a traveler in the US, one of the best places to know about. They aren't much but generally are clean and everything works.
All motels/hotels in the US are subject to rate fluctuations based upon time of year/time of day/whimsy of the locals, etc. ALWAYS shop the price, stop BEFORE DARK (they run out of rooms), and ask for the best price. Also a membership to AAA is a good idea. You do get a room disount. BIG CAVEAT...they always try and find out if you are AAA BEFORE quoting the room price so as to up through the discounted rate. By the way...AAA LOVES to find out if a motel tries to pull this crap. :funmeteryes: By the way...we are in the prettiest part of N.M. If you come this way, stop by. We own a little guest ranch (means we have room) and would always welcome another bike traveler. :welcome: We also have a FABULOUS custom bike shop in our little town that can fabricate almost ANYTHING! |
Coupon books
Hi,alot of info here on cheap rooms and such. Another method I have used is to pick up a coupon book at Welcome Centers that most states have at border crossings, on the Interstate Highways.They will be in the Free! take one boxes near the rest rooms. Usually the chain motels will run ads for rooms from $29.95 up to $50 or so .I got a room in Fla. last year for $39 with the coupon. The British! guy at reception quoted me $69 or something like that .I said no,I want the room for $39 like this coupon says.He was flumoxed, but the coupon rules.I got the room.:welcome:
Anyway,I camp more than motel anyway. I don't really want to close myself up in a box every night.If you travel half way round the world to be somewhere be in the inviroment not indoors.Ignore this in case of crap weather,need of a shower,or just tired of sleeping on the ground.:stormy: There's nothing much to fear when camping in the U.S. as long as you're not in Grizzly country or too near a city.:eek3: |
+1 on Camping. Set yourself up with some quality gear as almost all the great things to see here are out in the boonies, and while there a few cities that actually have some character, most of them are just places to avoid - seen one, seen them all. You can camp almost anywhere in a National Forest, and when I go for rides I often just look for some old dirt road to follow for a ways to get away from the highway and pitch a tent. The motels are OK once in a while to clean up and have a nice long hot shower, but they are almost always on a noisy street or next to a freeway that has traffic at all hours. AAA used to make "camping maps" that had different symbols on then signifying different types of campgrounds and what they had to offer. They were great for finding something quickly if "wild" camping was not an option. I'm not sure if they still make them, but it would be worth asking.
|
I agree with Thermal that some of the most beautiful parts of the US are far better seen through the flap of a tent (depending on the time of year of course!)...
Again like bike gear, there is no point in bringing camping kit on the plane with you (unless you already have some compact/quality gear) - like most things in the US, they are still significantly cheaper to buy once you get here - either online or in stores like REI which have a huge range... you could buy a decent tent, sleeping bag and air mattress (and a dry bag to put it in) for the same sort of RRP a North Face tent would cost you in the UK... xxx |
Hi Guys
Thank you so much for all the useful information, wild camping sounds good hope the weather holds. What are your views on travellers cheques? |
Quote:
Ok then, seriously, most Debit/Credit cards will work in US ATMs (especially once you tell your bank you are going abroad first!), and as Maja posted above, certain UK banks (Nationwide are one certainly) don't charge you for foreign transactions (although be aware there will still be a currency exchange rate on any Dollar transactions, which is unlikely to be as good as the Bank exchange rate). Alternatively you can get a prepaid 'debit' card (Barclays do one called Travel Money) which you load before you leave, and can top up by phone if required, which essentially replaces travellers cheques, and can be used for transactions as well as cash withdrawls from ATMS/cashback etc. However, be aware the Barclays one does charge you for cash withdrawls from ATMs, only debit transactions are fee-free... Of course you could always use the Travel Money card to purchase an American prepaid card once you get there, as Motoreiter suggests? I really don't think it's necessary to carry a bundle of travellers cheques or a huge amount of cash with you these days... and as I suggested initally, if you are planning on staying for a reasonable length of time (even just 3 months on the visa waver programme), it might be worth opening a US account and transfering some money across? xxx |
Not sure about the fixation on Motel 6, sure they're OK, but mom-and-pop places will be cheaper and have more character (although quality can be hit or miss, but hey it's only for a night or two). Off the beaten path, these places can be under $30, and you are almost guaranteed to meet some characters...
As to camping, I generally don't mind sleeping in a tent but after a long day's ride the main thing I want is a cold beer and a decent dinner, which is difficult on a bike unless you bring a cooler and a load of cooking gear, which I don't think is practical on a long trip. Don't even think about travellers checks--have you ever tried to use them? Bring an extra credit/ATM card and you'll be all set. |
Quote:
The reason I mention Motel 6 is not only is it one of the biggest chains in the USA, it is also the cheapest. They maybe a little soulless in comparison, but they are consistant, clean and comfortable - and a good choice if you just want to clean up and crash out... you can get a directory (or look online) for locations, and that can take the pain out of trying to find somewhere last minute... also, if you want to stay in certain cities, they can be a surprisingly cheap way of staying pretty close the the action... A mix of both would be my recommendation? xxx |
Travellers Cheques - I don't get out much!!!
JMo 'Do they still have those?!' You are quite right about the cash passport a search on the net and I have found quite a good deal, the card is a caxtonFX giving a better exchange rate with top ups done over the phone, like you say JMo no need to have bundles of cash. Thanks for bringing me upto the 21st centry! |
Camping is grate in the states and can be free or cheap.
Boondocking (Free Camping) Amazon.com: Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds: Western Edition (Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds Western Edition): Don Wright: Books Dispersed and Free Campgrounds in the USA Then there is BML and National Forest (not national parks or national monuments there something diffrent but some have camping in them) many people dont know its free to camp and the rangers like to keep it that way. Stay off the roads and out of sight and not many will know your there. But free camping has a price you almost never get any thing better than pit to pee in, no water, and wild animals making sounds all night long. If your willing to spend $10 to $20 you get showers, flush toilets, a fire pit you can use and if you plan gust a bit a night in some of grate places of the USA. just some things to look at till you set your plans. America's Byways®: National Scenic Byways Online Top US National Monuments: Travel Guides and Reviews | GORP.com Maps of Parks, Map of Southwest and Western United States, - DesertUSA |
A little late on the camping thing, but a place to purchase camping equipment for a decent price is a place called Big 5. I used to have several near me when I lived in L.A., and still have one in Yuma, Arizona, but I am not sure how far of a reach they have to the rest of the US. They are a sporting goods store that always has good deals, and a few page ad in the Sunday paper listing all their sale goods. They always have camping equipment on sale. In L.A., there are a few other large chain sporting goods stores as well, which would make it worth your while to purchase the equipment here, if you are starting off in a large city, like L.A.
|
Steve
In 2002 I flew my bike to Vancouver then rode down to Nogales on the Mexican border then up to Toronto before returning home. In 2006 I shipped my bike from Southampton to Newark then spent three months riding to California and back - 17,000 miles in all. I stayed with friends from a motorcycle forum and motels, some Mom & Pop motels, but mostly Motel 6. I only briefly considered camping but the thought of humping all my camping gear through airports - the bike has to travel 'empty' - didn't bear thinking about. Motel 6 were always excellent value and cheap. The highest I paid was on the outskirts of Washington DC, $115 a night during the week, dropped like a stone at weekends. Hotels in Las Vegas were extremely cheap as the widespread gambling subsidised the cost of the rooms. Get a Moleskine diary, the best available, and make notes of important names/addresses/phone numbers/etc in the back and a daily diary of your trip. Invaluable. Get an American friend to get a supply of free AAA maps - sod GPSs - as these are excellent. The typical American beer if ghastly - Miller, Coors, Bud, but they have thousands of excellent micro-brews many are as good as you'll find here. If all else fails, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is good and widely available. Don't expect restaurants to have a liquor licence, most don't. I walked out of more restaurants that I care to mention. Food without wine is like fish & chips without salt & vinegar. Don't filter (they call it 'lane splitting') as it's illegal in every state other than California. The cops are hot on it and the car drivers can get very shirty to, even opening their doors to prevent passing. Treat the fifty states like fifty seperate countries. Each has it's own laws on speed limits and crash helmets. Some of the petrol pumps are bit odd. In some states, they have a sort of concertina device over the end to suck back the petrol fumes, and these can be difficult to use for a rider. Petrol was one third of the price of UK petrol. Tyre wear can be a bit extreme also, the minor roads being very abrasive. I needed a new set of Avons by the time I reached Tucson AZ, only 7,500 miles, but heavily loaded. Any other advice - it would courteous to get to learn how to spell the names of their states correctly for instance - please get back to me. |
Hi Paul
Sounds like you have had some good experiences and plenty of miles under your belt! I will definately be looking for the liquor licence as I hate fish n chips without a good helping of salt and vinegar! I have had a couple of quotes to get a bike shipped out and it's around £970 out and £800 to come back still hoping the dollar will weaken before I arrive, as I've been scouring Craigslist and ebay for a suitable ride. I was planing to take a note book but the moleskin diary sounds good. Are the AAA maps only available in the US or would I be able to buy over the net?, was thinking about the gps though |
If you have the budget, I would definitely get a GPS that gives audio directions. They are incredibly convenient and are a real safety feature because they allow you to focus on the road rather than constantly glancing at a map, GPS screen, street signs, etc. Moreover, usually picking "shortest route" will often take you down small roads and keep you off the highways. I would get a US road atlas in the states ($20 in the US) and every night pick the route for the next day by perusing the atlas, and then punching it into the GPS.
|
I believe the AAA maps are free to AAA members and cannot be purchased by non-members.
As for a GPS, I have one but have never got on with one. My Garmin StreetPilot III is not at all user friendly and for the life of me I can never remeber how to work the thing. For a while I carried the instruction manual aroundwith me but eventually gave up. Maps are brilliant and held us in good stead for hundreds of years. I have a Touratech Roadbook device , the one with the roll of cash register tape inside. Each day I'd write down my route and road numbers using the maps and that was that. No danger as the Roadbook was mounted on the screen inches below my line of sight. In addition US roads for the most part are way way quieter than those in the UK. If I needed to look at a map I'd just pull over, have a good look, then get on my way. Ask me one about Merrycan mobile phones (sorry, cellphones):confused1: PS Those shipping prices you mentioned, are they Wallenius Wilhelmsen prices? |
you can get a road map at most gas stations but for planing you may want to get a good atlas such as.Amazon.com: National Geographic the American Road: Atlas & Travel Planner (NG road atlases): National Geographic Society, Melcher Media, Kay Scheller: Books
or here for some America's Byways®: National Scenic Byways Online get a book for free! Request a Brochure grate book to pay for it it runs $14 You will save a bit of time an money if you do a bit planing now and spend a little now. |
DLbiten......
I would like to say that National geographic book is pretty good received it a couple of days ago amazing how much information it contains, thank you for the tip only problem being I might have to stay a little longer than planned!:wave: Regards Steve |
Hi there,
We have been around in California in 2007 on a BMW R1200GS and a R1200R. Long time before that we have done twice c2c with a camper. If you like to see some of our holiday movies: Life Is Joy - Home :Beach: |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:27. |