Where does it say he did?
From what I read of this, he is bringing his UK registered bike to the USA as a temporary import. That means it is still registered in the UK. The issue would be de-registering it in the UK if sold/abandoned overseas to avoid future taxes. Not being of the UK myself, I have no idea how difficult that is.
Registering a late model imported vehicle in the USA would be very difficult and expensive I hear.
Buying a US registered bike as a foreigner is not that difficult in some states. There are many threads on the topic here on the HUBB.

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Japan touring information

The proposal earlier was selling/transferring a UK reg bike between two Brits. The fact that the bike is in USA is quite immaterial to the UK process which is pure paperwork, although there will be a delay getting revised documents into the right hands.

It is a simple straightforward proceess as mentioned in other threads, especially a recent one most Hubbers here know all about!!

I do not see that such a transaction would be of concern to USA as long as the bike exits properly and within time.

If it is abandoned the UK authorities just need to be told it has been permanantly exported or scrapped by way of returning the registration document suitably signed. Thats all.
How USA deal with the consequences I have no idea.

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Vitim Bridge Clubwww.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442
www.sibirskyextreme.com

I got a price of £1000 over the phone of bringing it back, but when it came to a written quote, it amazingly jumped to £3450. Funny thing eh?
looks like it will be shipped to Baltimore, at just under £600 and then left in anchorage.
Just another question, for such a short trip of two weeks, how logical/feasible is it to buy a bike in New York (non US citizen), ride it to alaska and sell it there. Anyone any experience of this?

Cheers Martin

In answer to your logical/feasible question, I would say neither, but it can be, and has been. done in much shorter periods of time......with the caveat being it leaves very little time for any off the beaten track stuff and any real interaction with locals, nor any first hand knowledge gathered of the differing local culture and history (except at the bar at night and little snippets at fuel and food stops).

That being said, It's still a hell of a ride and will always be better than not doing it, be it logical, feasible, or fiscally responsible. Go for it. Sometimes a ride is just that.

If buying in New York, Do your homework ahead of time. Buying the bike should be fairly straight forward. Try and have the deal lined up (or well as can be expected given your abscense) before you arrive in order to waste less of your precious riding time.
Remember to get free title to the bike at time of sale.

All states recognize other states vehicle titles for registration purposes. Some faster than others.
It will be quite easy to transfer the bike (sell) in regards to paperwork and legalities (if bought in New York). Alaska has a long history of out of state motor vehicle title transfers due to a lot of transient military and the nature of "Lower 48" immigrating oil industry and governmental employees transferring up here, as well as a large summer employment segment that services the tourism and fishing industries.
As for selling the bike, we have an active Craigslist community and also the AKlist (a local version of CL).
I would stop in a local internet available place along the way, first taking a picture of your bike, and list it on Craigslist on the Friday or Saturday before your arrival (usually the days with the most CL site traffic), giving an "available date" in the listing. That way you will quite possibly have someone waiting to buy it, or at least interested in it, even before you arrive. You can converse back and forth via email, while on the road, with potential buyers.

Alaska has a relatively limited riding season, more or less, depending on how big a lunatic rider you are.
The later into the summer you arrive, the harder it will be to sell here to the local market. That being said, a good deal will always be a good deal, so if priced aggressively for sale, it will sell no matter what.
So finding "the good deal" on the New York end of things will be the most important part of your whole motorcycle buying/selling experience.

If necessary, due to your being pressed for time, you can leave it with me and I'll wire you the money when it sells. I'll be shipping my own bike over your way next season to ride the Isles and Continent, visiting lots of family all over (my father was born in London) so you can just buy me a pint for my trouble when I show up.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Take the bike to an Indian reservation and sell it....they don't need any papers for anything or licenses...they'll just give you cash and you walk...take the plates off it and say sayonara!

It would make a wicked snowmobile given you can find a few old parts !