2 Belgians on TransAmTrail - need advice
 

Hi all,

I am new to this forum but did already quite some homework thanks to helpfull topics.

Our plan, two 32yr old Belgian adventurers, is to ride the TAT from East to West in 2 months, June and July 2019. That gives us plenty of time to enjoy riding and sightseeing. Since shipping our own bikes is so expensive, we would be looking to buy 2 used bikes, genre Africa Twin, to make it through all of the terrains. That means buying them in the East (in or around NY?) and selling them in San Francisco (or higher up north somewhere).

I've read that buying/register motorcycles differs from state to state and read that in some states it is quite easy. However, those states are more or less in the middle of the US or in the West, meaning impossible to do the trail from East to West.

After my research, i could use some advice/confirmation about the following:

- Period June/July seems OK to me for the Rockies? (snow, temperatures, ..)

- Thinking about visiting NY for the first couple of days and then go on and search for bikes (although i realise Dual sportbikes aren't that popular in the city of concrete). I would also do some research in advance.

- For navigation i would choose Kevgps information or Sam Correro's GPX files to navigate with a Garmin. I've been already twice to most of the National Parks in the Southwest but my friend hasn't so our intention is to leave the track near Escalante and make a downloop to Monument Valley, GC, Vegas, Zion,Bryce, Captiol Reef and then get back on the track OR continue through Death Valley to SF and end our TAT experience there.

- Buying/registering 2 bikes somewhere in the East as a EU-citizen and selling in the West: how much is possible to do in advance and does anyone has interesting adresses/dealers for us?

- I have US-citizen friends one living in Utah and one in Texas, don't know if this could be usefull in anykind for some help in this process? (thinking of putting the bikes maybe in his name if possible/easier/necessary)

I know the TAT could be maybe done from West to East and it could maybe be easier to buy bikes at the West coast but trying to save the best (mountains scenery) for last ;)

Thanks in advance for your help. I'd be glad to get some advice in here from people who live in the area or did the TAT already ( and maybe could provide me with ANY possible information via PM also)

Thanks again.
Cheers,
Tim