Purchasing motorcycle in the USA | GTAMotorcycle.com

Purchasing motorcycle in the USA

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gotridet

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Has anyone had the pleasure of purchasing a motorcycle in the USA? I am moving there temporarily and looking to purchase one there. Specifically California.

I am wondering if I will need a California license to purchase insurance and the bike there.

Anyone familiar with this?
 
You guys didn't read his post, did you? ;)

OP...get a CA drivers license (since you'll be a resident, it's a fairly straightforward exchange system in most states I hear), buy bike, call insurance company. Worst case is your non US-citizen status and no credit history may require you to pay a year up front, but given as how people are always chirping here about how rediculously cheap US insurance is, I doubt that'll be an issue for you.

Followup up here with what your insurance cost, and more importantly, actually includes / covers for the sake of us here interested in comparing.
 
Hmm... I think none of the above answers the question. :)

(EDIT: except for the post above mine)
 
Oops. Yes I did not read it properly.
 
PrivatePilot said:
You guys didn't read his post, did you? ;)

OP...get a CA drivers license (since you'll be a resident, it's a fairly straightforward exchange system in most states I hear), buy bike, call insurance company. Worst case is your non US-citizen status and no credit history may require you to pay a year up front, but given as how people are always chirping here about how rediculously cheap US insurance is, I doubt that'll be an issue for you.

Followup up here with what your insurance cost, and more importantly, actually includes / covers for the sake of us here interested in comparing.
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Apparently it isn't a straight exchange. The license itself is respected, but you need to do the test again to actually get a California license. That's for a car, but I assume it's the same thing for a motorcycle. :(
 
gotridet said:
Apparently it isn't a straight exchange. The license itself is respected, but you need to do the test again to actually get a California license. That's for a car, but I assume it's the same thing for a motorcycle. :(
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It varies from state to state, some are easier than others without doubt and I'm not particularly familiar with California's procedures.

My wife lived and worked in Mississippi at one point many years ago and their license exchange was dead easy – she did not even have a full G license yet, only her G2 At he time....and they exchanged it for a full regular license over the counter in about 60 seconds.
 
I wonder if an American insurance company would insure a Canadian while the Canadian is on Canadian soil?
 
MLadin said:
I wonder if an American insurance company would insure a Canadian while the Canadian is on Canadian soil?
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You can only carry insurance from the province or state from where you reside...so no, you can't get cheap insurance from CA and use it here...because you don't live in CA. If you travel back to Canada while still living in CA it'll cover you, but that's no different than a Canadian (with Canadian insurance) traveling to CA and also being covered.
 
If you're both a Canadian and American citizen with an American address I think it's doable.
 
MLadin said:
If you're both a Canadian and American citizen with an American address I think it's doable.
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Usually they specify you must be residing in the area where the insurance is binded...so although you might pull the wool over an insurance company by suggesting your PO box or your nephews uncles sisters brothers house in the USA is "your" address, good luck on actually making a claim if you ever need the insurance - they'll drop you like a hot potato when they discover the game at foot. And they will.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Usually they specify you must be residing in the area where the insurance is binded...so although you might pull the wool over an insurance company by suggesting your PO box or your nephews uncles sisters brothers house in the USA is "your" address, good luck on actually making a claim if you ever need the insurance - they'll drop you like a hot potato when they discover the game at foot. And they will.
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What's to keep American insurance companies from insuring Canadians? The free trade competition would straighten our insurance companies out fast!
 
If you don't care if the insurance actually works when you need it, go for it then.

Many US insurers will want you to show that the bike is also registered and plated in the US state in which you want to get insurance from, so there's that too...but hey, if you're willing to jump through all sorts of hoops to get cheap insurance that probably will be void if you ever need it, have at it.
 
PrivatePilot said:
If you don't care if the insurance actually works when you need it, go for it then.

Many US insurers will want you to show that the bike is also registered and plated in the US state in which you want to get insurance from, so there's that too...but hey, if you're willing to jump through all sorts of hoops to get cheap insurance that probably will be void if you ever need it, have at it.
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I don't mind getting the US insurance. What's annoying is I have to retake all the tests just to get my license and then to get my insurance.
 
I have actually lived in the states for 7 years so I can probably answer this for you. Keep in mind my information 'might' be out of date as this was 10 years ago.

1. You mentioned 'temporary' residing there. How long is this temporary for ? If you are going there for a few weeks that's more of a trip then claiming residency in the state. If you aren't 'in state' long enough to claim residency in that state then you can use your ON drivers license for everything.

2. If you are long enough in the state you will need claim residency and get the CA drivers license. Every state does it differently you may just need to exchange information at the DMV, or you may be required to take a test. One state required me to do a test while the other did not.

3. If you are a resident of that state you will be required to get a plate / insurance / tax for that state.

4. If you are not a resident and intend to export the vehicle, check with the CA DMV if they have a temp (paper plate) you can zip tie for your few weeks there. This will be sufficient for riding around and transporting it back to Canada.

5. Some states with the title will require you pay sales tax (not sure about CA) on the item even if you are exporting it to Canada. Some other states have no taxes for the export since to them it is classified as 'leaving the states jurisdication' similar to cross-state shopping there are no sales taxes. Check with the CA state laws for this.

6. keep an eye on your liabilities for insurance. the insurance in the states is cheap for a reason. i was paying I think $ 12 / month on my 750 when as a student because I figure if anyone is going to sue the crap out of me I would just decalre bankruptcy and get rid of my student loans. for $12 / month i had I think $20k in medical coverage / $25k in property damage and $25k in liability. It all depends on how much you want to risk on your own dime.

7. CA riding while lane splitting the etiquette is to ride between the left most land and the lane next to it. CA drivers will expect you to be lane splitting here and looking out for you. If you do it from the right most land and the lane left of it then you may get hit as this is not expected (even if legal since the left most lane I have seen is marked SLIGHTLY wider). On 4 lane roads you can go straight down the middle but do not follow the shoulder or you can be ticketed. Having ridden through CA and spoken with locals, you generally DO NOT want to pass a cop lane splitting. You can still be ticketed if they feel like an ***-hat. Lane splitting is a grey area where it is generally accepted, but not legal and yet not illegal.
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