Buying a bike in USA and making modifications
 

Hi all,

I'm from Australia and I am going to do the TAT next year either on a DR650 or a KTM 690 enduro. I plan on buying it in Arizona due to it being easy to register a bike in the state.

My predicament is this. I want to make modifications to whatever bike I end up getting e.g. long range tank, pannier racks, new front fairings etc. However most of this stuff is purchased online and then delivered but as I won't have an Arizona address this isn't really an option for me. My question therefore is is it common in the USA for motorbike stores to stock things like long range tanks and fairings (think rally raid type stuff) which I can purchase in store and install? if not, would stores be open to me letting them use their address? Lastly, are there any stores which specialise in stoking things like rally raid kits etc?

Cheers, Tam

Any information that people have on this would be greatly appreciated

At least for the DR650, the problem is as you state: most of us find what we want on-line, have it shipped to our houses and install it there.

But.....there is a guy in California who specializes in getting bikes for travelers, setting up the legal stuff, and setting up the bike according to the buyer's wishes. (I've never met him, and have no association with him at all, except for the odd internet conversation on ADVRider)

He has ridden long distance on DR650s and set-up many travelers with DR650's (as well as other bikes). The reports about his work and his attention to his customers are very good. I think he does this as a kind of side line and a service to travelers, and I'm not sure if he is still working, but he's the guy I'd check out first.

James Tucker
on ADVRider: https://advrider.com/f/members/tuckers.20709/

.............shu

There are usually places where you can have things shipped for a fee. A quick search comes up with "https://www.needausaddress.com".

Good luck.

USA post offices do "General Delivery" where you have stuff sent to them in your name and you pick up within a certain time frame.

As you won't know what bike you'll buy and what it will have on it until you get it there is no point in ordering stuff before you buy it. So ordering stuff for it will have to wait until you get the bike and then you'll will have to wait for delivery ... and you'll be staying somewhere .. so have the stuff delivered to where your staying .. or if they object to the post office "General Delivery".

Tam,

Check with Frank at:

Motorcycle Adventures Tucson | Motorcycle Storage | Custom MotorcyclesTucson Motorcycle Storage | Custom Adventure Motorcycles

He might be able to help you out.

Another vote for Frank - he's a great guy and very helpful.

Regarding the OP though - if you're going to be buying a bike in the US, then you'll need an address for the registration (and insurance) anyway, so why not ship anything you buy online to that address?

Jx