While passion might be the spark that ignites the desire to tackle a motorcycle adventure, that alone is not enough to make it a success: organization is equally essential.
Unless you decide to place yourself completely in the hands of a specialist travel agency that can take care of all the details, you’ll need to consider every aspect of planning your trip, from the most exciting to the very dullest: route planning, overnight stays, luggage, the necessary documents, insurance, regulations and legislation, in some cases vaccinations, etc…
We sat down for a quick chat with someone who knows quite a bit about motorcycle journeys, and who is planning his next adventure during these very weeks. His destination: the legendary USA, in the saddle of the new Honda Africa Twin 2024.
We’re talking about Fabrizio Buscaglia, better known as Fabry Rock, a seasoned motorcycle traveller who has been on some truly remarkable adventures by bike all around the world over the years.
The next route he plans to tackle, which will last around 40 days, will take him to almost all the States of America, as well as through natural landscapes and environments that couldn’t be more different from each other.
Fabry, how is the planning coming along for your trip to the USA? What’s the first step in the process of getting ready?
I’m busy with a couple of different things, but the next step will definitely be to get my visa. It’s usually easy for us Europeans to enter the USA for tourism: you just need to fill out the ESTA on the US government website and pay a small fee. A few days later, your permit will be issued. The situation is a bit more complicated in my case, because I’ve crossed through two countries included on the American “black list” during previous journeys, Sudan and Iraq. As I can’t apply for an ESTA any more, I’ve enlisted the help of an agency to fill out a couple of questionnaires and to request an appointment with the American embassy in Milan, where I have an interview scheduled for 17 April. It all depends on how that goes!
So for the moment, you probably haven’t settled on a departure date…
Actually I have, if all goes well I intend to set off on 24 May. I’ll ship my motorcycle around 10 days before my own departure, so that it will be ready and waiting for me when I arrive in New York City.
How does that work, shipping your motorcycle to the USA?
It’s a fairly demanding process, both in terms of the bureaucracy and the financial side of things. To start the process, it’s necessary — again — to get a visa. Then, you need to select a company to ship it by air and get hold of the other necessary documents.
It’s essential for the motorcycle to be listed under the name of the person who will be taking care of customs clearance at the other end. In terms of the cost, at the moment they've given me a quote of over €5,000 to get it there and back, plus the airport charges and parking costs.
Whenever I get around to taking care of this side of things, I’ll definitely give you all the details!
Why would you choose to ship your motorcycle rather than renting one when you get there?
Well, such a long-term rental would be extremely expensive too, and prices have gone up a lot over the years. That’s why I prefer to bring my own motorcycle from home, with it specially equipped for the type of journey I’ll be embarking on.
And when it comes to the equipment, naturally, GIVI will be your go-to.
Yes, I’ve already been to the headquarters in Flero to consult with the experts about the most suitable set of accessories and have them mounted on my motorcycle. I’ve opted for the Canyon soft side bags, which are dynamic, high-tech, lightweight and versatile. There’s also a tank bag from the X-Line and a 52-LTR Trekker top case with a rack and some other useful little accessories like a tool box, kickstand extension, and tyre-repair kit.
What made you choose the USA as your destination on this trip?
It’s a real return to my origins for me. I started shooting videos for YouTube specifically to document my first Coast-to-Coast journeys. What’s more, after various Overland adventures in fairly challenging and “problematic” countries, I wanted a more relaxing experience, which I think a lot of people might be interested in, not necessarily just motorcyclists.
Have you already mapped out your route?
I want to take a loop route around the 48 “Lower States”, which is to say all the states apart from Alaska and Hawaii, with a few detours towards the interior for the most beautiful parks. I’ll work out the specifics of the itinerary as I go. As well as having a few friends over there, I like to interact with the people I meet on the road, making the most of the opportunities that present themselves, so I already know that any plans are likely to change during the journey…
Given that I’ll be on a maxi enduro, I’d also really like to try out a few off-road experiences — always within the limits set by American laws, which are continually updated — maybe even through the classic canyons of Utah, just like Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. I also hope to fit in a few nights camping in my tent, but I’ll have to be careful about that: in certain areas, there’s a real risk of being robbed or attacked by wild animals.
So, would you recommend those hoping to go on a motorcycle trip through the United States take out any specific insurance policies?
In the USA, particularly in the major metropolitan centres like New York or Los Angeles, the crime rate is extremely high. There’s a real risk of leaving your motel in the morning to find your motorcycle has vanished overnight.
I’d absolutely recommend liability insurance, and health insurance above all, because healthcare is private in the United States. There are various travel agencies, including some online, which offer decent insurance packages.
And might the duration that you’ve indicated also vary “as you go”?
The duration is already confirmed (unfortunately): I’ll be staying in the States for 40 days, from 24 May to 8 July. It will take about a day and a half to get the motorcycle through customs, with fingers crossed that there will be no hold-ups. I’ve already visited the USA several times before, so I have a fairly clear idea of how much time I’ll need for travel. Travel time on the road is extremely fast: 20,000/30,000 km will be feasible in those 40 days.
Will you be travelling alone or with your partner?
I would have loved to travel with my partner but, because she is Russian, it's very unlikely that she’ll be able to get a visa, given the current political situation.
As we wait for more updates on the planning for Fabry Rock’s trip to the USA, we invite you to take a look at the video of his motorcycle preparations!
.webp)
