Next year my wife and I plan to go to the U.S. and explore, we want to do this without a tour group setup as we can stop and go when we please and branch off to see other things. We will buy a touring setup (second hand) use it for the 6 weeks of our holiday and end up in L.A. where I would like too ship it home. Route 66 is one of the areas we want to explore, and down south is another area. We will start from Florida and work our way up through Orlando, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Nashville, Memphis . Getting on to Route 66 from St Louis before winding our way over to California. Its a big trip and I'm sure many people on this forum have done this, or parts off anyway.
I've been looking at the 08, or 09 model Ultra Classic Electra Glide with all her luggage options and comfy seats and solid build and weather protection, and there is no shortage of seemingly great buys available. This is a great model that after using it over there, I hope to be able to bring back here and do some good interstate touring also. I plan to speak to Chopaweeza about the import stuff as I have seen his advice and feedback from other members.
We have got about 8-9 months so we should be able to get a good plan together.
Sounds like the trip of a life time.Would love to do it one day.About your import process Chopaweeza is the man to goto.I'm importing a bike through Chopa & nothing is a hassle for him,he knows what he's talking about thats for sure.Carn't recomend him enough!!!
Yes I plan to speak with him, after reading all the problems that can come up. I would like to just be able to drop the bike off at his warehouse in L.A. after our holiday, give them the keys and pick the bike up in Sydney after all the RAWS stuff is done. I will end up having a nice big tourer here that can sit in the shed next to the sporty.
He has got the all the knowledge and contacts to get it done. And i will be glad to pay someone else to deal with it. I will be happy to have our tour and explore the South ( New Orleans is another place we would love to visit too) the list of places is sure to get bigger.
I typed up an email to him before, then accidently deleted it just as i was about to send it, so I will try again after dinner.
Sounds like a trip of a lifetime mate, of course you will be sending pics back here for all of us " one day im gunna's"
We have only watched a couple of his shows, and it was in my head that he was taking the piss, and making fun off the tacky things that he found. There was another show a few years back about route 66 that first planted the idea, it may have been that Monty pyton bloke. But anyway ive got longservice leave gathering dust and waiting to be used, and my lovely wife thinks we can do it.
I've gone off the ultra classic touring set up after getting on one in Harley Heaven in Melb, a beautiful machine with all the accesories, but just to much for me to manage. I have been looking at Road Kings and if we get the backrest luggage box, as well as the saddlebags we will manage quite fine.
I have been meaning to call chopaweeza and thow some of our ideas around, but i'm over in the west training and getting ready for a new project here. So much to do and not enough time. I will be home next week for 5 or 6 days then away again for three weeks.
I have been spending way to much time on the U.S ebay site browsing and the Csa store in Arizona looking at various bikes. I have decided that i can narrow my search down to newer bikes, (103 motors, and abs brakes) and still resounably standard with exhaust etc. and at the end off our trip i will stock up on that sort of thing. Exhaust, Racetuner, maybe Beach bars and any spares and stuff can get shipped back too.
If anyone nows off other dealers or websites down Florida way then i would love to hear. We will buy when we get there after mechanics report and ride, but its nice to check out the sites to get a feel for prices and options. Some off the Police bike special editions look ok, but are getting a few miles on them, also the Firechief specials look good with the different red paint .
Ok, yes this is old but I come across this mob and thought I would share http://www.riverspilot.com/Route-66-Tour-1 I thought it was good. the wife said we can do it cheaper on our own
(tight bitch)
Would love to do this some time.
Watch " Henry Cole" doing Route 66 He used to be on the travel channel on sky in New Zealand.
He does all sorts of bike trips around the world including Aussie & NZ.
H e does great commentary, visited interesting places along route 66 and also tells it like it is.
Enjoy your trip, I'm so jealous.
Hi there
I completely agree with what Choppa says regarding the Road King. I rode over 4500 K's through most of the West US (covering part of Route 66) on a Roadie and it was the best of both worlds.
Lighter, easier to navigate through heavy traffic and still room to store stuff in the hard bags. Swapped a couple of times with an Electra Glide Ultra Classic (which is what I owned here in Oz at the time of my trip in 2010) and although it was familiar and easy to ride I reckon the Road King was better. I currently ride a Street Glide and that's kind of halfway in between, if that makes sense.
The bike and the tour was booked through Eagle Rider in LA and I had the best time of my life!!!
Cheers
We did it lst year 2012, 3 couples on Electra Glides. Started in Vegas and onto Chicago. The bikes where fantastic for the distance. We booked hotels here on the web before we went and had no troubles.
You need some time to see it properly and it sounds like you;ve got the time. Luggage is a bit of a hassle especially for the misses, but it did slow her down when shopping.
Route 66 is interesting where you get to see it and the highlights. Some places are devistated by the freeway going past and the roads are a bit rough in spots. Big spaces in between major towns but at least you don't have to worry about wombats, roos or drop bears.
You should thoughly enjoy it and it will be plastered in the memory baks for ever. ide save and fast, because you can in most parts.
