Have the perfect bike lined up in California but am totally lost over title, registration etc.... . I've heard it varies from State to State. Would a Californian bike come with its plates? Or would I have to go down the thirty day temp plate registration route?

A dealer on the east side, Florida, can sell direct and issue 30 day Florida temp. plates no problem... but he's alot dearer.

What should I do?

....oh, sorry, I'm a British National planning on touring Stateside for 30 odd days from 1st August.


Many thanks in advance.

no bother....

I've just found this site, which is pretty handy: http://www.dmv.org/


and answers everything, for every State.

Is the bike new or used? If it is new, the dealer will sort out getting the plate. After that, the plate will stay with the bike, even if it changes owners.

Your only real challenge is needing a California address for the registration to be mailed to.

A California bike, if used, would most likely have plates on them, unless it was someone's bike who just stored it somewhere for the last several years.

If it is bought new or used from an authorized dealer, then they should be taking care of the registration for you, provided you have a California address to use.

I would hesitate to use the out-of-state plate route. I often drive from Arizona (where I live) to California to visit friends and family. Over Christmas, I was pulled over by the Cal. Highway Patrol for speeding. The officer asked for my license, registration, and insurance. He asked me if I still lived in Arizona, and what I was doing in California, which would be a standard question.

If I was a visitor to California from out of the country, with a Florida-registered bike, and I couldn't answer the questions as smoothly as I did, it might have raised some red-flag alarms in the officer's head. If you lie, and change your story a few moments later, say to another cop who pulls up to back up the first officer, you can technically be arrested or cited for providing false information to an officer, which is a crime in California.

I would go with the visitor routine, who bought a bike to tour around on. Get to know the address you are using for registration well, as well as the person who resides there (get to know their name, etc. very well, not necessarily the person) so your story, if you are pulled over, sounds logical, and won't raise red flags.

Cheers for that....

You're quite right: the only real issue is the point of registration, ie having a resident addie.... and only this morning have I picked up a PM from a forum member offering such a service.

Not wanting to prevarocate, I rushed ahead and bought this:

http://www.visordown.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335823

...from a dealer in Florida, who has kindly offered storage until I arrive and will issue those 30 day temporary tags.... so bikewise I'm now sorted.

I had contact with the DVM in Arkansas where I had my eye on another 11 but again, the story was the same.... infact I believe only delears can offer these 30 day temp tags, I'm not sure you can apply for them personally.... at least that's what the guy in Arkansas said.

As a side note... I was on the zzrbikes forum earlier and put the same question forward... and some guy, just after I'd committed to buy that ^^^ said I could freely pop over to his and use either one of 3 mounts he had stabled [a zz1200, Z1000 & 1000 Concours]!!!!! .... for as long as I wanted!!!!.... for nothing!!!! How generous is that!?

I'm really starting to warm to the Americans!

Nice bike! Have a great trip.


Ride safe....and remember...Montana have very loose speed limits...none really.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!