Hi All,
I'm trying to work out the best way for transport on my RTW trip. UK-USA-NZ-Auz-SA-UK
Do I;
1) Buy and Sell a bike in the countries I will be visiting. If this is the best way any tips on getting insurance.
2) Take a UK reg'd bike and fly it round with me. Again any tips on who offers insurance to allow me to ride my bike in the visited countries.
Thanks
Harvey

I foresee two problems:

1. You'll lose money every time you buy & sell in each country, could work out expensive? Compare potential losses against shipping costs?

2. With each bike you're bound to have to resolve a few issues & problems that only come to light after the purchase. You'll also have to outfit the bike to suit your needs i.e. luggage etc, this could work out to be expensive & will probably take a lot of time for each bike. You probably won't have the tools to modify available every bike every time unless you have contacts in those countries who can help.

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My photos: www.possu.smugmug.com

Re insurance, look for the Motorcycle Express ads on the site to get insurance for USA and Canada, you get NZ insurance when you get there, same for Aus, and SA no such thing in many countries, others you get at the border.

Steve makes good points, though it depends on how fussy you are - if you're travelling light with just a duffel bag, not much needs to be done, and any bike will do. How big a hurry you are in can determine whether the buy/sell hassle is worth it.

I notice you're new to the HUBB - there's a TON of info here - do some serious browsing and searching, and you'll find answers to everything you'll need to know.

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

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Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

I agree, as above, there is no clear answer to this one. I'll just throw in a couple of thoughts.

The bike best for the USA is very different to that in Africa. So, on the buying and selling option, you could buy yourself a lovely big cruiser for the states and a light trailie for Africa. That would be nice.

As Grant says, the buy-sell plans suits a chuck a bag on the back and go style of tour. It's a fine method. (Most people like to spend a year or two getting an horrendously expensive luggage system set up at home first. Usually to have it fall to bits on the way, it should be said).

On the route you propose any bike will do, except for Africa. So the options are wide.

If you do go for the buy-sell route it is worth researching the relative costs of bikes in different parts of the country. So, for example, I recall bike prices in the autumn in Perth Australia were dead cheap. Riding 'round to Sydney and selling in the spring means you could make a profit on the sale. Northern Territory prices are a little higher than elsewhere all year round.

Maybe you could contact the relevant horizon unlimited communities and ask them about buying options in the cities. A bit of inside knowledge goes a long way.

As long as you depart from a big city each time (therefore with a big market of buyers)I don't see the problem.

Packing a bike for shipping, and then collecting it, is a lot of hassle, and never cheap. The potential for disasters is high. On top of the costs of shipping, you should add in a bit for delays, where you are stuck in a city hotel spending cash waiting for the ship to arrive/depart.

These net costs are higher I would say, than the money you might lose on each sale.

One downside of the plan, is that you don't have your RTW bike rusting in the shed to gaze at for years after the tour, wishing you were on the road again. But maybe this is not such a drawback after all...

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Simon Kennedy
Around the world 2000-2004, on a 1993 Honda Transalp

Thanks for the answers everyone, had a good/reasonable look round first but couldn't find the answers to my question (or atleast the way I was asking them).
I was going to go down they buy/sell route first (just wanted to get your thoughts on it) but didn't want to get stuck with an impending flight, a bike to sell, then being in a rush to sell and getting ripped off.
So if I fly my bike (yes can be expensive but no buy/sell loss either)with UK plates on it will I be able to insure it through a USA broker (like the one you mentioned). As its not an NZ/Auz reg bike will the 'rego' system be the same for me.
Thanks Harvey

For NZ neither insurance nor carnet required, both are optional. They will probably make you register the bike in NZ (although some people got in without). In either case you are covered automatically for any injuries you may cause to others. You can try to take out third party cover on your bike for material damage. State Insurance, however, refused to insure my cousin and her husband, cause they were not residents. The thing to try, if you want this insurance, is never to let on you are a tourist. State Insurance was the cheapest by far when I left in 98.

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10