FJR vacation swaps?

zip · Sep 25, 2008

My uncle has a couple of BMW bikes and has ridden for quite a while. One is a K1200GT and the other, an R1200GS. Last year, via a message board not unlike this one, he arranged a swap with a fellow in New Zealand. My uncle flew to NZ for a couple of weeks and used this fellow's identical BMW R, and later that year, the Kiwi flew to California and used my uncle's. Pretty cool. No cost to either, and an obviously fair trade.

Anyone do that kind of thing with an FJR? Anyone interested?

I live in New England. There's lots of great summer riding here through Vermont, Maine and elsewhere. My bike has no touring top case yet, but may by next summer, along with GPS, etc., etc.

Just sort of kicking the idea around in early thought phase, but wouldn't mind a swap with a European or Western US owner.

Btw, I've read many of your posts about "I loaned this guy my bike one time, and 15 yards after rolling away, he totaled the thing." I get it - there is some risk in the whole proposition. But I'm a mature, conservative rider, and trust that the person riding my bike is the same if we make an agreement. I'd treat your bike even better than my own and believe you'd do the same.

wfooshee · Sep 25, 2008

Such an arrangement would surely need the assurance of current comprehensive coverage. In Florida, the bike is not covered by collision if the registered owner is not the operator unless the policy includes comprehensive. Comprehensive also covers any bike the operator has owner's permission to ride.

Udjeni · Sep 27, 2008

I might be interested, should you be interested to visit South Africa. I live in Cape Town.

El Toro · Sep 27, 2008

zip said:
But I'm a mature, conservative rider, and trust that the person riding my bike is the same if we make an agreement. I'd treat your bike even better than my own and believe you'd do the same.[/i][/color]

A pessimist is an optimist ... with experience. It could work out OK - or not. I'm pretty risk averse. My insurance company says that I can loan my bike out maybe 10 or 12 times and still be covered for "test rides" during the year. No one is keeping track, and I loan my bike from time to time when riding in company .... you know the adage, "a change is as good as a rest." Letting the bike go for a week or two would only happen with a well known colleague.

It is appealing though... the idea that you could fly to a distant destination and ride without having to pay for a rental.

Folks have done this with houses for years. There have been scams reported, but it used to work often enough that it became popular. I haven't seen much about it lately.