Ok, Called Progressive. Got some guy called Jean, who is a biker. He explained there isn't a foreign bike insurance policy in place.

Buutt, that they could insure a foreign bike on the condition it was to be registered with a DMV while in the states.

Could be a loophole worth exploring. As I said to the guy, it's covered on the provisio I'll register it. He said yes. It's similar to what I did when I brought my Jeep here from California.

The quote for said policy was $553, which including liability, collision, and roadside assistance. And was, as Jenny mentioned above, able to be cancelled early minus admin fee's.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++

Had a nice chat with two ladies at Fernet. Who, despite the website stating

DO still provide coverage, via Progressive!

They asked me to use their Online form (https://www.fernet.com/Pages/motorcycle-quote.htm)

However, it's broken as their Captcha system is out of date.

So, I've send all my details (VIN, US address, etc) to them by email. I'll let you know what they come back with.

Also had an online chat session with Progressive, regarding my earlier quote. They were of the opinion that the bike needs to be registered with a DMV office before that particular policy would be effective.

Fernet seem to think that's incorrect. Waiting to hear how they will get around it.

If you are traveling up through Mexico, this place said they would insure non-Mexican vehicles. They are primarily for Mexicans visiting the USA.
https://www.segurogringo.com/

6 months $296 dollars
$30,000 Bodily Injury Liability (BI) per person.
$60,000 Bodily Injury Liability (BI) each accident.
$25,000 Property Damage Liability (PD) each accident.

However, Progressive was much cheaper even for a full year.
With Progressive, you have to be able to mail or fax a form that you sign if you don't want anything other than 3rd party insurance.

__________________
Japan touring information

I have just merged the two ongoing threads on US insurance.
Too much duplicate information.

I just checked.
You can use foreign drivers license IF in
Driving History
Driver's License Status
You select International
Then it will allow "international" to be selected on the page where you put in your license number

Some parts seem to be slightly different depending on the state you select at the beginning. I used Washington state.

UKJeeper; good work finding all of that out and thanks for sharing.
Very interested how this will turn out.

I better also get in touch again with fernet, and try to find an US adress to use.

@Chris must have overlooked that, thanks for the info, also good idea to merge the threads!

Guys, for what it's worth. I had a similar situation last year. Temporary importing a UK bike into Canada and the riding around Canada and the USA.

Eventually I insured it with progressive and got them to issue me a separate certificate showing that I was covered in Canada, this was sufficient to allow Canadian customs to release the bike.

Originally I had gone down the route of filling in the online form for Progressive, at the time it only asked for the VIN and accepted a foreign driving license (reading the above posts, this might have changed). It also required, as others have stated, an address and phone number, any address and number will do as the documents can be faxed to you - they wont email documents.

Just to be on the safe side I phoned them direct to make sure I was covered as a foreign national on a foreign bike and the person at Progressive told me that was ok, and began issuing the quote, unfortunately I lost the phone line at that point. I called back and got another person who then went on to tell me it wasn't possible, but in the mean time person 1 had emailed me my quote, so I went ahead an completed. Moral of that story, just because one person says no doesn't mean it isn't possible.

Was I really covered? I don't know. But I did have all the documents required to show I was, which was good enough for me.

__________________
Heading East - Destination Unknown
http://www.pachamoto.co.uk

That's kinda what I was looking at in my post above. Taking the policy as offered, 'forgetting' to get around to registering at the dmv, and flying home before progressive noticed.

All a bit 'grey area' though. And not something you want to go wrong if the policy is needed. IE: accident or law enforcement.

Will call the two ladies (fernet) later this evening.

I'm sorry to learn that my fractious country has made it even more difficult to insure a foreign bike recently. I have one relevant observation and one question.

First, all insurance issues will differ to some extent from state to state. That's because each of our 50 states has its own insurance commission, with its own process for approving or disapproving the details of any legal insurance policy. Responses from a national insurance company like Progressive or Geico **may** therefore differ according to the local address you're using. Hopefully, someone will discover (and publicize) which states are easiest, which difficult, and which impossible.

Second, I'm entirely unsure what "registering with the DMV" might mean. I've never seen any reference to any such registration process in for any of our (again) 50 Departments of Motor Vehicles/Departments of Licensing. This doesn't mean such a process doesn't exist...but I wouldn't be surprised if someone inquired and was met with blank, uncomprehending stares.

Of course, if what's meant by "registering" is the normal, state-by-state procedure for obtaining local ownership, title and plate/placard, that's going to be difficult--it'll require permanent importation, which is usually so complicated and expensive that no one in their right mind would attempt it.

Hope that's helpful, and hope clarity re-emerges.

Mark

That's true about the state Mark. I listed the address as Alaska and had to be put through to someone who was authorized to issue Alaskan insurance, if that's any use to anyone.

__________________
Heading East - Destination Unknown
http://www.pachamoto.co.uk

Have tried to organise something through Progressive but have been unable to zero in on the appropriate section of their website. I would appreciate some help.
In any case, what I have found leads to the conclusion that what Progressive offers is for property damage only. They appear to specifically exclude third party injury liability.
Do I have that right?
If so, in my case, it makes their offering pretty much useless.

Click on the Motorcycle on the top page of https://www.progressive.com
A Japanese friend recently got the following coverage for $106.00 (actual price depends on various factors)
Bodily Injury & Property Damage Liability:
$25,000 each person
$50,000 each accident
$10,000 each accident

Many many more options, but he (probably) reduced to the minimum required to ride in the USA.

That worked thank you.

Just off the phone with Cheryl@Fernet. Successfully. She's walked me through getting set up and explained it all. So, they look like the way forward. She's also looking into getting a couple of other carriers onboard to replace Dairyland.

Hi UKJeeper,

succcessfully as in you successfully filled in the formular or as in you got insurance? Because:

https://www.fernet.com/Pages/overseas.htm