Hi, everyone!
I've no intention to hijack the thread, but I think my problem is similar to Spacemonkey's.
I am a Russian citizen as well and live in Moscow.
I'm going to buy a motorcycle in US, ride it to the port, and ship it to Finland where I'd pick it up, put in a van and take it home.
I already have some experience. Last year when I was in NY, I bought a used Harley from a dealer in Long Island. The dealer delivered it to a freight forwarder in New Jersey who offered a really good quote for shipping the bike to Klaipeda, Lithuania (only $250). My bike arrived in five weeks, so I went to Klaipeda, picked it up in the port, took it through Lithuanian customs, got a transit licence plate (made of cardboard,

) and insurance and rode it back to Moscow (customs again). So if anyone interested in Lithuanian bike shipping peculiarities, send a PM.
This time I am looking for a particular model, which is kind of vintage already and can rarely be found in a dealer's showroom. So I'll be buying from an individual. Thus, I'm not sure yet in which state I'll be making this purchase.
That said, I'd very much grateful for any input on my questions.
1) If I buy a bike from an individual, what is the leagal and safest way to go? Can we (seller and buyer) go to some dealer or other authorized firm (maybe a lawyer) who will do all the paperwork? Or just a home made Bill of Sale will do?
2) What do I have to do to be able to legally ride this bike in US through several states? I actually need only 3-5 days to get to the port in New Jersey. And I don't have too much time either, only about a week.
3) Insuracnce. I already know that a non-resident can get a purchased bike insured. But what about the price? How much is it approx? 10, 100 or 1000?
A few notes:
I have the Russian motorcycle driving license and an International license as well.
I have a friend in New York, who is an American (unfortuantely, he's terribly bad at legal stuff and knows nothing about motorcycles).
I'm on a tight budget.
I heard that some states do issue temporary plates for short time interstate drive (Illinois, for one).
Sorry again for butting in into the thread.
Cheers,
Anton.