Posts
122
Joined
3/23/2017
Location
Colts Neck, NJ
US
Freddyfred
3/26/2017 6:27pm
3/26/2017 6:27pm
Hi All
I've been lurking here for many years and finally signed up!
I moved to the beautiful country of USA 1 month ago and I'm getting keen to ride again. I've been riding in both Sweden and Australia for the past 6 years but never in the US.
At the moment I'm in Seattle but will be moving to Chicago in June to live for a year.
So far I'm thinking of getting a van and leaning towards a KTM/Husqvarna 250 2-stroke around -14/15 since all I've been riding this whole time is 250 2-strokes and I like them.
Since everything here is new for me I was hoping to get some advice on the following topics:
Do I need to think about anything special in regards to medical insurance?
Do I need to be a member of a club?
Where to best find a bike? Dealer? Craigslist? Other sites?
Title on a bike?
Are prices on vans and bikes different between Seattle and Chicago?
Where to ride?
Feeling a tad lost and any advice is welcome!
Cheers/ Fred
I've been lurking here for many years and finally signed up!
I moved to the beautiful country of USA 1 month ago and I'm getting keen to ride again. I've been riding in both Sweden and Australia for the past 6 years but never in the US.
At the moment I'm in Seattle but will be moving to Chicago in June to live for a year.
So far I'm thinking of getting a van and leaning towards a KTM/Husqvarna 250 2-stroke around -14/15 since all I've been riding this whole time is 250 2-strokes and I like them.
Since everything here is new for me I was hoping to get some advice on the following topics:
Do I need to think about anything special in regards to medical insurance?
Do I need to be a member of a club?
Where to best find a bike? Dealer? Craigslist? Other sites?
Title on a bike?
Are prices on vans and bikes different between Seattle and Chicago?
Where to ride?
Feeling a tad lost and any advice is welcome!
Cheers/ Fred
Oh yeah! Welcome!
STFU Newbe!
The Shop
Insure your stuff.
Put locks on the locks covering the locks.
In a 3 to 4 hr radius there are probably 35 tracks.
Trail riding in the region is almost non-existant.
AMA membership is going to be a must for racing.
Big MX-SX events within 6hr drive will keep you happy.
Lol
-Austria.
-Well then, g'day mate! Lets put another shrimp on the barbie!
Welcome!
I'm hoping I can get a bike while I'm still in Seattle and come down to ride at Washougal!
I'm now thinking storage unit and rental trailer while in Seattle might be my best option until I'm moving to Chicago.
Will most likely be looking for a place to stay north of Chicago since my wife is doing an internship in Buffalo Grove.
What sort of Policy Maximum should I go for when it comes to medical insurance? Would $500 000 be sufficient?
I do have a nasty habit of breaking bones from riding on a yearly basis.
Cheers/Fred
by the van there too, it will be way less rusty.
if your going to do a storage unit, the prices are expensive. I was paying $210 for a 12x20 in vancouver. but if you go out of the metro areas, you can get them for cheaper
Too bad you aren't going to get to stay the summer there. Seattle in the summer time is fantastic! The rest of the year, it's pretty freakin' dreary from the constant drizzles. Beautiful, but too wet for me most of the year.
Riding, the country is broken up into I think 37 AMA Districts.
Get on their website, see which one you're gonna be spending the most time in.
To run their events, first you need to join them, the AMA, and then the district you want to run in.
These are usually better run events, better tracks, they keep records, most districts have classes that have year ending
banquets along with class trophies and standings.
You get a top 5 in let's say, the 25 plus class at the end of the year, that's saying something.
Thing is, Motocross, even if you ride 2 classes a day, let's say 250 c and 25 plus if you can, there's a lot of wasted sitting around time.
Most AMA districts run enduros, hare scrambles also. Lot of riding time in a short span, and yes, you can run your Mx bike.
Join up for both, Moto and hare scrambles, each has its advantages.
There are other tracks that run, some tracks run events without the requirement of being an AMA member,
just show up with the money and a bike and it's cool. Some call these outlaw events.
Just riding, in a field or forest, be careful, lots do it, but without owner permission you can get jacked up.
Health insurance, it's in a real state of flux here.
Most policies, won't cover a speed or race type competition injury.
You need to read the fine print.
You find one that covers competition injuries, I for one would like to hear the name of the provider,
Reality, don't own any real estate, or anything of real value.
Be aware, you break your neck, it's a real possibility you and your wife will not be covered.
The hospital and doctors will fix and then sue you, for whatever they deem, are just prices to fix you.
If you can't pay, you're screwed.
Reality is, you don't own anything, they sue, you can't pay, you file bankruptcy, it's wiped,
you have crap credit for the next 7 years.
If your wife has medical insurance where she works, many times you, the husband can get on kinda cheap.
I'd check that for sure.
The guys telling you to watch it in Chicago, it's like the murder Capitol of the USA.
They aren't joking.
Your wife has a job there, an internship or whatever, be effin careful.
I know back in Baltimore, Johnz Hopkins Hospital, leading medical establishment, is located in the middle of
some of the baddest neighborhoods in that town.
Doctors, nurses, interns come and go every day, you just need to stay smart.
Go to work, go home and lock the effing door, or commute to a nice suburb.
Again, good to have you guys here, it's a great country, lots to see and do, hope you enjoy it.
Pit Row
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150707/downtown/where-shootings-have-…
My wife's is a new grad veterinarian and the internship is locked in, nothing I can do about it.
Buffalo Grove is 30 miles north west of Chicago so hopefully we can find a nice neighborhood around there.
It makes no financial sense for me to buy a bike in Seattle but I'm keen to ride and would like to try the tracks around here before we head east.
Cheers/ Fred
Motoland is the best track by far
My office is in Buffalo Grove. Beautiful area with million dollar homes. It is located in the Northshore of chicagoland. It is in the top 10% of the wealthiest communities in the usa with the schools in the top 5% in the country.
Just like any major city there are areas to avoid...just stay out of the southside of the city. But that is 50 miles from buffalo grove.
Dist 17 (and 16 in wisconsin) are the local chapters. Lots of tracks all within a few hour drive. Some great race shops. Some that support National riders. Great KTM dealer nearby called Woodstock KTM. Just ask for Danny Jackson.
Anyways...i travel all over the world for my busines and aside from a corrupt government, illinois is gods country. Long hot summers and if you like snowmobiles, winters can be good too.
Avoid Nielsens in Lake villa...or take some KY lube if you do go there
Fred all these tracks mentioned are baddass. Welcome and enjoy the riding up there!!!
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