Originally Posted by backofbeyond

We have friends living there so it was all done in their name. All I did was send loads of money. I've yet to see what my cash bought but we're going over there in about a month to start the trip so I hope it starts

It'll be interesting to see how it works out - I'll be on a New Jersey plated bike that's registered to, and insured by, someone else, with a UK driving licence and an Irish passport (UK one runs out mid trip). Very pick and mix.

When we finish the trip (late Oct prob) I've got the choice of either selling it to get as much money back as I can, leaving it there and possibly doing another trip next year - Canada / Mexico perhaps, or bringing it back to the UK (hassle but just about financially worth it and my wife is already talking about eastern Europe next year).

When we looked at rental (last winter) the prices were off the scale ($200 / day for 40 days min). Our friends tried a few dealers in the NJ / NY area to see if any of them would consider a sell / buyback deal but none of them would so buying privately was the only viable option - I don't have anything suitable here that I could ship over.

Our route is (roughly) head west in Sept on a southerly route and come back east in Oct on a northerly route. Unless the weather changes our mind - in which case it'll be back east on an even more southerly route.