USA Trip 2012.

[FXSTC Dave]

Hi Everybody.

I'm planing a trip to the US next June, if I can get all the holidays I want.
I'm looking to hire a Road King from Eagle rider in New York and eventually end up in San Francisco.
I have used the search facility in the Touring Section, to find some information and a few URL's.
I know about the need for a VISA and have the URL's for the ESTA website.
But I'm trying to think of everything to cover all the bases, so here are a few questions.
They're in no particular order, just how I typed them up.

With regard to money.
Would it be better to have a some cash and the remainder in travellers cheques rather than all cash.

Travel plug adapters.
Have those of you who have been to the US any recommendations as to which adapters would be
good to get, say a double plug.
As I'm looking to get a netbook, so that I can keep in touch with home via E-mail plus get on here
and elsewhere.
Plus the netbook, my digital camera and my mobile phone would need recharging, so a plug adapter
would be needed to do this.

WiFi connectivity.
With the netbook, would I need to buy one of those dongles to connect to the internet via WiFi,
any suggestions as to which would be the best to get.

Travel insurance.
Again for those of you who have been to the US any recommendations as to which insurance
would be good to get.

Helmet.
Now I know that Eagle Rider can provide me with one of those small open face helmets.
But I'd rather take my full face Arai acrosss with me, ER have said that I can use my helmet
"As long as your helmet is DOT approved you may wear your own".
Now I know they sell Arais in the US, but as mine has no DOT sticker, how could I prove it's a
DOT approved helmet, as I really don't want to wear one of those small helmets.

Sat Nav.
I'm in 2 minds as to hire one, I have a road map of the US. I know they can help guide you around
the roads and cities. I know BaZa has put in a message I think in the Hollister thread that he has a
SD with all the roads in North America on it, and a copy would be nice to have, but I don't know
what sat nav ER use and would it be compatible. If they were then that might make me change my
mind.

Places to stay.
I have found the Motel6 website via Billynicks thread, and will explore it over the coming weeks, to
see if they have motels near to where my ride takes me.
If anyone has other ideas for hotels/motels across America, they would be gratefully recieved.

Thats about all I can think of for now.
No doubt any replies I get may trigger more questions.
Thanks in advance for any info anyone puts up.

[NeoCon]

Originally Posted by FXSTC Dave

With regard to money.
Would it be better to have a some cash and the remainder in travellers cheques rather than all cash.

Take a decent wedge in cash and use cash points [ATMs']. Start drawing from ATMs well before your cash runs out incase you've a problem withdrawing cash.
Inform whoever issues your card of your travel dates and destinations before you go or your card won't work. Take a contact phone nunber for your bank in case problem do arise.
B&B are excellent in the US but not a cheap option.

[grbrown]

Mrs B and I visited the USA for over 3 weeks in 2003, which I realise is quite a while ago. You need a tri-band phone, to work on their 'cell-phone' networks, which are different to most of the rest of the world. I got one specially for the trip, but found the coverage is so poor it was next to useless.

What was brilliant was a ten dollar phone card, we bought at one of the hotels. It is a fag to use, tapping in long code numbers, but if you are travelling and staying in hotels they will let you make all your planned phone calls. They work every time! Even on the outskirts of large towns, where many motels etc are built, there is no mobile signal.

We navigated throughout without a satnav, travelling 3,500 miles, including circum-navigating Chicago, so it can be done without.

There are plenty of motel chains over there. It is unlikely you will be able to remain loyal to just one chain, as they are thinly spread. We used several Days Inns. Even hotel chains you would avoid over here, because of costs, are quite cheap over there. US B&Bs are at the high end of places to stay, often in historic houses and lavishly furnished with antique British furniture (they actually boast that, bastards!), so are probably best avoided.

We took our own bike and helmets. I suggest you email ER about yours and ask them directly. Your helmet complies with other standards, so you can tell them those. They must get customers not only from the UK but also Oz, NZ etc, so I doubt if you will be the first to ask.

[spakey]

Carol Nash and the Post Office cover bikes over 1500cc on travel insurance, a lot of other companies do not so check the small print!

I used my Arai open face with Eagleriders (Chicago) back in 2009, no problem, give them a call to be sure

[BaZa®]

Originally Posted by FXSTC Dave

Hi Everybody.

I'm planing a trip to the US next June, if I can get all the holidays I want.
I'm looking to hire a Road King from Eagle rider in New York and eventually end up in San Francisco.

Dave as you are going right across the states at approx 3k miles why not add the extra 500 using Pacific Highway I from San Fran to San Diego, it is a most sought after ride going south and you will be so close it would be a hell of a shame to not do it. You can then leave the bike at Eagle Rider San Diego and fly back to either San Fran or NYC to get your connection back home to the UK.
I have used the search facility in the Touring Section, to find some information and a few URL's.
I know about the need for a VISA and have the URL's for the ESTA website.
But I'm trying to think of everything to cover all the bases, so here are a few questions.
They're in no particular order, just how I typed them up.

With regard to money.
Would it be better to have a some cash and the remainder in travellers cheques rather than all cash.

Cash a couple of hundred dollars, topped up when you need it from travelers cheques [ATM's charge a lot of commission and also a bad tourist rate] Co-Op and the Post Office Visa cards are the best as far as rates and no commission [unless you do a cash withdrawal you will get charged interest from that second onwards, so don't use a credit card for cash, your debit card is ok but you will pay commission and not a favorable exchange rate. But you must have a couple of Visa cards they are the best way to get about the states. I actually put money INTO our Visa credit card accounts so when we are away we don't incur interest if they bill us while we are away so I stay in credit. Use your credit card as much as possible, it can be a hassle at some gas pumps because it is a UK issue and the gas station office will want you in there with your card before being able to fill up. Save you cash for that IMHO [less hassle]

Travel plug adapters.
Have those of you who have been to the US any recommendations as to which adapters would be
good to get, say a double plug.
As I'm looking to get a netbook, so that I can keep in touch with home via E-mail plus get on here
and elsewhere.
Plus the netbook, my digital camera and my mobile phone would need recharging, so a plug adapter
would be needed to do this.

Dave take ALL your chargers with you as they will fit into a USA adapter and charge away as per at home mate as seen on ebay.

WiFi connectivity.
With the netbook, would I need to buy one of those dongles to connect to the internet via WiFi,
any suggestions as to which would be the best to get.

You won't need a dongle Dave every McDonald's as per here has FREE WiFi and as do 99% of the motels on the road plus most of the cafes and bars now.

Travel insurance.
Again for those of you who have been to the US any recommendations as to which insurance
would be good to get.

Already answered below but make sure you are covered to ride a bike of the engine size that you are going to hire.

Helmet.
Now I know that Eagle Rider can provide me with one of those small open face helmets.
But I'd rather take my full face Arai acrosss with me, ER have said that I can use my helmet
"As long as your helmet is DOT approved you may wear your own".
Now I know they sell Arais in the US, but as mine has no DOT sticker, how could I prove it's a
DOT approved helmet, as I really don't want to wear one of those small helmets.

You may be grateful of an open faced helmet Dave on some of the route you are doing at that time of year! Take one of theirs as well as your own, job/problem sorted.

Sat Nav.
I'm in 2 minds as to hire one, I have a road map of the US. I know they can help guide you around
the roads and cities. I know BaZa has put in a message I think in the Hollister thread that he has a
SD with all the roads in North America on it, and a copy would be nice to have, but I don't know
what sat nav ER use and would it be compatible. If they were then that might make me change my
mind.

If you were to hire a ER Sat Nav then all your route and Nth America would be on it already. My SD card is compatible to a Garmin that is a UK and Europe coverage unit.

Dave as I have said before when after a great day's riding and after a few cold ones and you are relaxing in the previously nights booked motel plan your next day on your Netbook on Google maps, decide where you are going to finish for the day and then look up motels in that area, book it on line no money involved until you get there, then look at the Sat Nav load in the route and look up ''Interesting Points''' on the way....you then crash out know the next day is planned all set in the Sat Nav and even your room booked at the end of the day....simples.

Places to stay.
I have found the Motel6 website via Billynicks thread, and will explore it over the coming weeks, to
see if they have motels near to where my ride takes me.
If anyone has other ideas for hotels/motels across America, they would be gratefully recieved.

Motels are as common as Coors lite, Miller beers, Coke and burgers mate, don't worry either do as we do as above or just stop when you feel like it and check the room out first and then ok it it at reception. It's so easy and you will always find a room most motels include a free breakfast in the reception area of cereals, coffee, pancakes, etc so fill yer boots.

Thats about all I can think of for now.
No doubt any replies I get may trigger more questions.
Thanks in advance for any info anyone puts up.

As far as mobile phones go if you have a modern phone it will work over there but check with your provider as to what they charge you for making and receiving calls. I have used the travel cards as per what GR Brown has said but even better now you can go into a RadioShack store and get a pay as you go for less than $20 and just use it for emergency NOT for calling home.

________________

[rocking rooster]

Just to throw a bit more fat on the fire

Money - we took a few hundred $ in cash and the rest on travel money cards which are pre-paid credit cards. Never had a problem with these cards in 3 visits. When you want petrol, you just leave the card with the attendant, fill up then go back in and sign for your expenditure. (They don't use chip + pin)

Insurance - as previously said, make sure you have appropriate cover for the size of bike. Most companies will only cover up to 125cc. Last year I found insurance for unlimited cc's BUT, as I discovered after the event, only for "incidental" bike riding i.e. the odd day trip, not a tour. This year I used these people Bikers Travel Insurance. - Full unlimited cover but not cheap. Shop around and make sure you ask the right questions.

Hotels/Motels - Days Inns, Super 8, American Best Value, Travel Lodge are most places and there's not much to choose between them. The sheets will be clean and the showers will work.

Phone - last year we hired an American phone total cost about £40 including calls. For this year we bought a new phone which was supposed to work in the USA, got international roaming enabled and when we got there it wouldn't connect to any network.

[banquo]

Take a look at this for the best money options. I use traveller's checks a lot, buying in advance, when the rate's good, but in recent years, American outlets often don't know what they are, and have to wander off to ask the manager. I'm thinking of moving to a pre-loaded cash card instead, so I can use an ATM when I need cash.
You need to have some cash, and my usual way is to spend a large check, and get change. You don't exchange US$ checks for cash at a bank, like in other coutries; you just use them in place of cash, like a normal cheque. You need a photo ID or passport to use them.
I would never carry more cash than I could afford to lose, after losing more than I could afford to a pickpocket in Chicago.
Always keep your passport on you, and preferably in one of those hidden pockets. I scan my passport and checks, and take a scan with me. It's useful to upload scans of your most imprtant documents to a (private) online storage so if everything goes badly wrong, you can still go into an internet café and retrieve copies. Unlikely, but a sensible precaution.
USA motels aren't as cheap as they used to be, and some of the cheapest ones can be grim, and in areas where you don't want to stay (or park your bike). Tripadvisor gives you some idea of what you're in for, because there are huge differences between individual motels, even in the same chain. e.g. you'll get one which is set in a nice area, with 5 good restaurants within walking distance, and others that are set by the side of a busy road, and you need to travel 10 miles to get something to eat. That's a pain in a car, but worse if you're on a bike, and it's pissing down. They vary a lot by region as well, and those in the more prosperous areas tend to be better than those in the bad areas.

Seriously jealous tho'.... hope it goes well.

[kevthefire]

I'm going to follow this thread closely, Me and a friend are going stateside in 2012 and buying a couple of shovels from another forum member in Pennsylvania then riding to LA before shipping the bikes back to Blighty. I was wondering if it was better to insure them from England or to insure in the USA? I was going to take my iphone then buy a pay as you go simm over there. If I get any good idea's/information I'll PM you.
Cheers Kevin

[banquo]

I can't give you a definitve answer on this, but there was an article in The Road (MAG) about a guy who bought a bike in the US to do a major tour. It was a complete nightmare trying to get insurance, until somebody somewhere suggested he did something simple, and then it was a breeze.
I can't remember what it was, but it may have been something like opening a bank account. The problem was, as far as the system was concerned, he didn't exist. If you're a MAG member, and keep your Road (I just recycled all mine...) then it's in there, from a year or so ago.

By the way, I suppose this is obvious, but it's a lot more expensive to ship here from the West Coast than the East. Your shipment will be trucked all the way from LA to an East Coast port, before being transferred to sea freight. It adds quite a lot to the cost.

[grbrown]

Originally Posted by kevthefire

I'm going to follow this thread closely, Me and a friend are going stateside in 2012 and buying a couple of shovels from another forum member in Pennsylvania then riding to LA before shipping the bikes back to Blighty. I was wondering if it was better to insure them from England or to insure in the USA? I was going to take my iphone then buy a pay as you go simm over there. If I get any good idea's/information I'll PM you.
Cheers Kevin

You will need US insurance for riding. In 2003 when we shipped our bike over there we arranged it with a friendly US broker. It cost as much for a month as our UK annual premium! So be alert. It may be possible to arrange it from the UK now, but the US is remarkably insular still.