California dreaming

[kraftwerk]

Just had a bit of a brainwave (and I'm sure I'm not the first) for this year's summer holiday... Buy a bike on eBay in California, as close to LA as possible (something big and comfy like a GL1500 Gold Wing); fly to LA to pick it up, ride around California and thereabouts for a couple of weeks, ending up at my cousin's in Oakland, leave the bike at his to sell on eBay after we leave.

OK, so there are risks, bike-wise, but these can be minimised and I can purchase breakdown insurance before I leave the UK. But what about registration and insurance? Do I need to be a US resident? Anybody know?

Maybe what I'd be better doing would be to buy the bike from someone in the San Francisco area, have my cousin check and collect (he's very bike-savvy) and fly to SF to pick it up. But I'd prefer to do it the first way.

If anybody knows about the paperwork etc, I'd appreciate if you could let me know.

Cheers.

[veetwin]

Why not try hiring a bike for the period using one of the motorcycle rental companies listed here?:

www.pashnittours.com/motorcycles.html

[kraftwerk]

Naaah, that would be too easy. And have you seen how much they charge? My way is a lot more fun and potentially much, much cheaper. Potentially much more expensive, too, of course...

[anonymous-user]

I like your thinking! Some years ago I bought a cheap car in Perth, Australia, lived in it for 6 weeks while I drove up to Darwin where I sold it for a profit - top fun! Could have been a disater, but turned out to be cheap motoring as well as a lot of fun! Go for it!

[sparkey]

I recently spoke to a chap who travels to West Coast America every year and buys a big Harley which he rides across america and then puts it in a crate at the east coast and ships it to UK where he imports it and sells it at a massive profit which pays for his 3 week holiday. He's been doing the same thing annually for years !