Is a Tiger Meet USA 201x7 worth doing?

[motoOzarks]

[blacktiger]

Thanks for your input guys. I think we all appreciate that the USA and Canada are huge and that it'll be impossible to see it all in one trip. That's why I've been over five times so far and am doing the Appalachians this September. Bit by bit.................

So, what us UKers need to do is set out what we want from this trip.
One of the original suggestions is to ride from coast to coast. That can be done in a week if you don't want to see anything on the way AND ride the Interstate Highways. Bugger that!
One of the first things to get fixed is how long can people take away from normal life. Second is when this is going to happen. THEN we can plan some more.

On another note...........surely Air Canada can fly us into Vancouver for not much more than Montreal? Then we can attempt Alaska. Or head south through the Rockies. Just thnking out loud.

[Sin_Tiger]

One of the first things to get fixed is how long can people take away from normal life. Second is when this is going to happen. THEN we can plan some more.

Spud's doing great work with the shipping options so we know roughly  it's not going to be cheap. Some great input from the local's on options but as Confucius say (actually it was Lao Tzu)  千里之行，始於足下

[nickjtc]

Then we can attempt Alaska. Or head south through the Rockies. Just thnking out loud.

I would not go north. It's a long way to get there and the roads from northern BC on are BORING! also weather may be less predictable. My 22 cents worth. (2 cents + inflation.)

[mat-tiger1]

Hi gents  Sin & I got to talking at the Bike show on Sunday & wondered if it would be worth a meet-up one of the weekends for those definitely interested to discuss possible routes, costs, timings etc? 

Otherwise, with all good intentions time will be our enemy and we'll soon be in 2016 with nothing planned or we may simply agree that it's a no-goer and just have a beer or two & a catch up? :icon_wink:

Just putting it out there. Suggestions on a postcard please... 

[blacktiger]

Hi gents  Sin & I got to talking at the Bike show on Sunday & wondered if it would be worth a meet-up one of the weekends for those definitely interested to discuss possible routes, costs, timings etc? 

Otherwise, with all good intentions time will be our enemy and we'll soon be in 2016 with nothing planned or we may simply agree that it's a no-goer and just have a beer or two & a catch up? :icon_wink:

Just putting it out there. Suggestions on a postcard please... 

I don't mind meeting somewhere BUT I don't have any weekends available this side of the end of October. The only thing I can suggest is meeting at the NEC show which this year runs from Nov 28th to Dec 6th. http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2015/january/motorcycle-live-2015-dates-change/
I can get there on either Saturday 28th or Sunday 29th. Obviously that's a long way from SinTiger.

[Sin_Tiger]

Obviously that's a long way from SinTiger.

It's not the distance that bothers me mate, done the NEC several times and have been known to go half way accross the country just for a Barbie, it's more waiting until Nov, that'd lose too much time I think.

[Nick Calne]

Knowing us lot, to get it done we probably need a firm plan by the NEC show otherwise it won't happen. So maybe meet and agree a plan before and then meet at the NEC to commit?

[ssevy]

As I mentioned over in a ride report, I live just south of the Adirondacks near Lake George NY, the location for the huge Americade Rally every June.
Our roads and scenery are great, and this is a region which relies on tourism, so accomodations are plentiful, as is camping.
Being recently retired, I have the time and knowledge to put together a great trip. No slab riding, and lots of mountains lakes and twisties. Depending on your time constraints, this could also include some ocean in Maine, or some of the great roads in PA and WVa.
I live 3 hours from either NYC or Boston, and can easily provide transport for the entire group from either airport.
My garage has plenty of tools (myself included :icon_wink:) and I even have a perfect 99 Legend as a spare if someone needed it.
I would suggest early June or September as the best riding times for the Northeast.
I am happy to organize everything on my end for you guys, and I would suggest that 6 or so is a great and manageable number.

[nickjtc]

What ssevy said +1, if you decided to come to the Pacific Northwest instead. Unfortunately I do not have another Triumph to lend.  :icon_wink:

[mat-tiger1]

Well Gentlemen, extremely generous offers there from both Ssevy & Nickjtc (thanks guys! ) and food for thought as far as where & when to travel from all the guys on that side of the pond. 

So, I guess it's down to us now. A meet up (even if it's not until the NEC show in Nov) is needed for a jaunt of this scale (& cost  )  Arguments for and against Westcoast, Eastcoast or a trip across the width of the USA can be (& should be) discussed here while we wait for all interested parties to be available for a sit down discussion. Shipping companies etc. again can be sourced & approximate costs for various start / finish locations collated. (& Spud has done a great job thus far  )

This will give us a good idea of when, where & how we might do this and will give us more than a few options to choose from when we eventually get together.

Until then.... let the games begin!  :icon_wink: Quite fancy the Westcoast myself! 

[ssevy]

Were I in your shoes, I would feel that the most precious resource on a trip like this is time itself. For that reason, I would encourage you to pick one coast or the other, and forget trying to ride coast to coast. There is simply too vast a section in between coasts where the terrain is flatter than piss on a platter, and even resorting to interstates (purgatory on wheels) you would simply eat up too much of your allotted time.
The second big consideration is local and regional knowledge. You want to hit all of the best roads and scenery, and you really need a host who can not only plan an awesome trip, but who can also ride with you to offer whatever help is needed. I'm happy to provide this for you on the East Coast, and it sounds like Nick can cover the West Coast, so I would do some research and decide which coast is more appealing, and then pick some dates.
Lesser considerations you might want to include are weather and costs for a given region. I can't speak to the West Coast, but rain is always a possibility here.

[nickjtc]

A Tiger Triple group trip is a BIG DEAL. I hope that you blokes can work something out so that you can experience the trip (and therefore the ride) [hopefully] of a lifetime. But if the reality of such a big deal is really not feasible, please understand that there are fellows over here who would be happy to look after, and facilitate, you on a one-to-one basis.

[nickjtc]

Lesser considerations you might want to include are weather and costs for a given region. I can't speak to the West Coast, but rain is always a possibility here.

July, August and September here (especially the first two) are HOT and dry. Did I mention HOT!!

[blacktiger]

Well Gentlemen, extremely generous offers there from both Ssevy & Nickjtc (thanks guys! ) and food for thought as far as where & when to travel from all the guys on that side of the pond. 

So, I guess it's down to us now. A meet up (even if it's not until the NEC show in Nov) is needed for a jaunt of this scale (& cost  )  Arguments for and against Westcoast, Eastcoast or a trip across the width of the USA can be (& should be) discussed here while we wait for all interested parties to be available for a sit down discussion. Shipping companies etc. again can be sourced & approximate costs for various start / finish locations collated. (& Spud has done a great job thus far  )

This will give us a good idea of when, where & how we might do this and will give us more than a few options to choose from when we eventually get together.

Until then.... let the games begin!  :icon_wink: Quite fancy the Westcoast myself! 

Firstly, thanks again to ssevy and Nickjtc for keeping abreast of this thread. Any help you can give will be appreciated.
I will say that I do have experience of the west coast having ridden from LA to the top of Washinton State and back in 2007. http://s396.photobucket.com/user/black955tiger/library/USA%202007%20SANTA%20BARBARA?sort=3&page=1

I've also driven around that side of the country a couple of times.
http://s396.photobucket.com/user/black955tiger/library/USA%202001?sort=3&page=1

And around the Rockies west of Denver in 2008...
http://s396.photobucket.com/user/black955tiger/library/USA%202008%20TRAIL%20RIDE?sort=2&page=1

Then west Canada in 2012....
http://s396.photobucket.com/user/black955tiger/library/CANADA%202012?sort=2&page=1

So I'm not a newby to the USA and Canada. And all these trips I've planned myself. So personally I don't really want a guided tour. To me that's not an adventure. Having said that some local guidance and knowledge always helps.

Now, going by the number of Brits contributing to this thread, it looks like it's only going to be 3, maybe 4 of us. And, as I've said before, I'll be retired by then so am easy on when and how long. So I'll leave that to the rest of you.
Discuss......................................