Allan from New Zealand, planning a trip to the USA in June / July, HELP !

Hi, I'm going to be visiting the USA in June / July this year and am hoping to make a few contacts who may be able to either assist me or maybe meet me along the way.
I'm currently riding a Yamaha FJR1300AE but in my early riding days I rode a Honda CBX1000, I loved that bike and ever since then I've loved Hondas. I'm looking to purchase a low mileage Honda VFR1200 DCT to ride on my upcoming trip so if anybody has one they want to sell or knows of someone who has one please let me know.

Looking forward to chatting with many of you over the next few months.

Allan

 

A rough draft of your time constraints and point of entry would be helpful to know. Otherwise you might be plagued by helpful hints to stop and eat at somebody's cousin's restaurant in some Godforsaken out of the way burg in the middle of somewhere where nobody ever goes..

 

A Kiwi coming to the US...Quick hide the beer, woman & children, and sheep (j/k LOL! :tongue: )

How much are you looking to spend and what type of mods/upgrades would you want? Do you need touring hard bags or just the bike? There are plenty of good folks on this forum from all over the US and many would be willing to help check any potential candidate bikes prior to your arrival.

Open Google and type the following into the search field >> site:craigslist.org honda + vfr + 1200

That should provide you with plenty of results. Just look for bikes near your point of entry and start a thread asking for some help checking out the bike. I would imagine the price to be somewhere in the $10,000 - $13000 range (U.S) You may want to even consider buying new since I believe there is a surplus here in the U.S and you might find a decent deal. I am near Atlanta, GA and would be happy to help you in your search so let me know if you need anything. BTW regardless of where you buy your bike you should try to make it down to my neck of the woods. We have some of the best and twistiest motorcycle roads in the U.S including the "Tail of the Dragon" located between Tennessee and North Carolina. What are your plans for the bike after your trip is over? Are you planning on shipping the bike back home with you or will you be leaving it with me ??? (LOL)

Rollin

 

Thanks for the interest and advise Rollin. It's interesting that you're near Atlanta cos I got my Yamaha FJR1300 from a guy in Flowery Branch in 2010. I don't mind where I get the bike from really, I'll plan my trip around where the bike is. I plan on finishing in LA where I'll have it sent home to NZ. Ive been searching EBay and Craigslist for months but most of the bikes I've found are from dealers and they won't sell to me as it contravenes their dealer contract with Honda. Robert in Flowery Branch will give me a reference if needed once I find a Bike or help out in any way he can. You Americans are wonderful people and I just love your country.
Allan.

 

I hate Americans. They keep giving me a pillow to rest my head on, a roof over my head, food in my belly and beer to swallow. Well they claim it is beer.

Welcome to the site and as the Atache from h U.F.R.R. to the USA, I welcome you to the United Mistakes of America. I will probably be on the road somewhere on this continent while you are here, but if you find yourself in the Pacific North West, that is not far from me. If I am around, I will travel half a day to drink a beer with you. Or come here to Canada for a greasey belly bomb and an amber. As the crow flies, I am only about 6 miles north of the border. That is about 10 lilometers give or take in English.

 

Hey there Randy, thanks for the invite. If I happen to find a bike up around the Washington area I'll be sure and pop over the boarder and look you up. My apprentice is from Canada so I'm sure he'd love to hear I've visited there.

 

Are you making it clear in your emails to dealers via Craigslist or eBay that your intended purchase will be in the US and in cash? Sounds odd that someone walking in a place with around ten grand USD would get turned down by any dealer.. This may contravene a warranty but I don't think it would contravene a sale. I am sure that within the membership here there are some closeted Honda dealer/stealers or sales dudes that can provide a viable answer. How bout Canada..? Their money is funny looking but they use it anyway..

 

Hi Badbilly, I thought the same thing but every dealer I've contacted has said the same thing, selling to me would contravene their dealer agreement with Honda particularly as they can reasonably assume I'll be exporting home to NZ. The DCT model is not available in NZ so I was thinking about calling Honda head office and seeing if because of that they may relax their rules in this case, it's not like I could buy one in NZ anyway. My good friend in Atlanta may buy one in his name then " sell " it to me but that would then incurr the 7% sales tax which I would like to avoid if possible.

 

These rules are set up to protect the dealers closer to the borders who will loose business to the dealers in another country. So the dealers complain to Honda who then invoke this rule.

I suggest that if you were to walk into a dealership, cash in hand and tell the salesman that you want to buy a bike, but you don't care if is from him or the salesman from the Honda Shop a few miles away, they will find a way to sell it to you. You can get a Post Office Box number for a couple bucks in a few minutes that gives you a mailing address. I have never heard where it is an offence anywhere to lie to a salesman. However, you may end up with warranty issues should you need that after shipping back to NZ, One of the long ago members of this site from Canada went and bought a brand new 2004 6th gen on the US side and ran into the same barriers. But the barriers were made of paper and he bought the US model and brought it back here after paying applicable taxes and duties. Of course New Zealand taxes and duties will be different than ours. Good luck.

 

No sales tax in Oregon..

I guess you could do like Randy and buy stuff on the "right side of the Mason-Dixon l... oops CanAm border. Wave cash and just tell the stealer/dealer you just talk funny or are from California. Randy I'm sure does this and the Canadians say shit like aboot and oot and he does well except for jacket buys..

Bottom line? There is no rule that says you have to tell anyone where you are from, where the bike will end up or anything of the like. IMO you are handing out information that is far and above what is necessary and in fact is none of the dealers bloody business. We are a capitalistic bunch here and the dealers would prefer that those large purchases

be financed upping the profit margin.. Pay for your purchase and it's yours to throw in the scrap heap if you so choose.

Lower than the bottom line, don't believe much a dealership tells you. Treat them the same a you would the lowest form of used car salesman you can think of, and you'll be just fine..

 

Hey Flying Kiwi, I'm a traditional flightless Kiwi but reading about your plans to goto the good old US of A makes me jealous. Youv'e just added a mission to my bucket list....the dreaming & planning starts now. Best of luck and thanks!

 

Check out the website for World on Wheels which is a used bike dealership about 15 miles NW of Atlanta. It is a huge shop that sells nothing but used bikes and they have over 600 used bikes in stock. Last time I checked they had several used VFR1200's on hand. If they don't have what you want in stock they will definitely find it for you.

LINKY HERE >>>> WOW Motorcycles


Rollin

 

Allan, I'm sure you will find that - no matter where you go in the states - you will find fellow VFR folks with whom you can hang and ride, and who will be ready to help with whatever you might need. Me, I just live in motorcycle heaven here in the Sierra Foothills of California, where I cannot leave my house without being on a brilliant bike road. Stop by if you end up in the area.