• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

  • Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.

    The Election forum is here: Election Forum

Is it safe to tour in the States?

36654 said:
In relative terms, a Canadian visiting the US is elevating their level of risk (homicide) by a factor of 3x. That's the same relative increase in risk that a US citizen takes when visiting Mexico.
Click to expand...

I seriously doubt that. It's too much of a generalization. Most gun homicides are, to be blunt, in inner cities like the south side of Chicago, and involve primarily minorities as perpetrators and victims.

Face reality - the overwhelming risk you face while touring on a motorcycle is collisions with other vehicles which will most likely be the fault of the other driver, or running wide in a curve. Add in some risk from critters crossing the road.

Risk from being assaulted by a criminal or crazed mass-murderer is way far down the list.

Some good advice about avoiding riding through cities has already been offered.
 
IMHO, there is no difference between these two countries! Language is mostly same,
driving on same side of the road, and no major cultural or social-economical differences!
The further you go from your province, more people will approach you with friendly comments
and questions. Especially if you will travel with your scooter!!
As Paul has mentioned, at the gas stations when prompted to use your zip code,use your postal
code numbers only, followed by two zeros.
Enjoy your trips, and keep us posted with your pictures and video's.:thumb
 
As a Canadian who has travelled extensively in the U.S. by motorcycle, and who has lived in the Washington, D.C. area since 2013, I'd say without hesitation that it's safe to ride here -- so long as you're smart about it. Do some research before you go. It's not hard to avoid seedy areas, if you avoid big cities (that doesn't mean you can't safely ride through them, but you don't have to spend the night in them if you don't want to). Also, trust your instincts. If you pull in somewhere, be it a gas stop, restaurant, or motel, and you don't feel comfortable, then just keep on going. The other thing I would add is also be smart about how you interact with the police here, if you're ever pulled over. I just assume that every police officer is worried that I might be armed, so I don't do anything that might reinforce that suspicion. When safely stopped, take off your helmet, but don't start rooting around in your tank bag, or case for your driver's licence etc. Just wait until he/she asks you, then tell him/her where you're going to reach to get it. I've never had any worries about security on my bike, and I've ridden across-country in the U.S. about a dozen times now.
 
Last edited:
PGlaves said:
In reality the countryside, small towns, and medium sized cities can be delightful.
Click to expand...

Having done about a hundred touring trips into the US, I concur wholeheartedly. Northeastern California, central/eastern Oregon is motorcycle heaven with polite drivers and friendly townsfolk. Rural Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and Colorado are equally entertaining in their own way. New England has so much history you'll find yourself frequently stopping to read historic plaques. I really enjoyed riding Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia. As many have mentioned, try to stay away from the big cities as the traffic can quickly ruin a good day of riding. Except Boston. I love Boston.

And it always helps to remember that one is a guest in someone else's country and to behave accordingly.
 
safe to tour the States

Don't worry, you'll be fine. Just don't forget to bring your gun ! :)

It's pretty much the same here as traveling anywhere unfamiliar. Robert Zimmerman offered sage travel advice, "Careful where you step, watch what you eat, sleep with a light and you got it beat". Has worked well for me for many years and miles. YMMV

Friedle
 
AKsuited said:
I seriously doubt that. It's too much of a generalization. Most gun homicides are, to be blunt, in inner cities like the south side of Chicago, and involve primarily minorities as perpetrators and victims.

Face reality - the overwhelming risk you face while touring on a motorcycle is collisions with other vehicles which will most likely be the fault of the other driver, or running wide in a curve. Add in some risk from critters crossing the road.

Risk from being assaulted by a criminal or crazed mass-murderer is way far down the list.

Some good advice about avoiding riding through cities has already been offered.
Click to expand...

The respective national homicide rates are 1.7 per 100,000 population for Canada, 5.3 for the US and 16.4 for Mexico. 5.3 / 1.7 ~ 16.4 / 5.3

Yep, US crime is concentrated in poor areas. That's always been the case. However, while the current 5.3 is higher than the minimum 4.4 rate which occurred in 2014, the current rate is lower than for any year prior to 2009.
 
AKsuited said:
I thought politics was prohibited here, or is it just one side of the political spectrum?
Click to expand...

I forwarded his manifesto to my son (at Fort Carson, CO), given that it's Veteran's Day (though active Army, he is also a 4-yr. Marine Corps veteran).

He laughed and his commentary not permitted on this venue.

Curious that he left out the two World Wars. Apparently, those met some sort of standard. :usa

PS: One does realize that this thread may very well have been 'baited?!'
 
Stop watching CNN, stay away from major cities and you'll be fine. The US is safer then most people believe and a joy to travel in on a motorcycle.
I too have been in all 49 states in CONUS and most provinces in Canada and never ever had any issues. I just stay out of the big cities and if for some reason have to travel through, I avoid rush hour at all cost.
Enjoy your ride!:wave
 
Safe

I see your on a scooter watch out there are still some old English rockers about I would stay away from beach areas
 
marcopolo said:
As a Canadian who has travelled extensively in the U.S. by motorcycle, and who has lived in the Washington, D.C. area since 2013, I'd say without hesitation that it's safe to ride here -- so long as you're smart about it. Do some research before you go. It's not hard to avoid seedy areas, if you avoid big cities (that doesn't mean you can't safely ride through them, but you don't have to spend the night in them if you don't want to). Also, trust your instincts. If you pull in somewhere, be it a gas stop, restaurant, or motel, and you don't feel comfortable, then just keep on going. The other thing I would add is also be smart about how you interact with the police here, if you're ever pulled over. I just assume that every police officer is worried that I might be armed, so I don't do anything that might reinforce that suspicion. When safely stopped, take off your helmet, but don't start rooting around in your tank bag, or case for your driver's licence etc. Just wait until he/she asks you, then tell him/her where you're going to reach to get it. I've never had any worries about security on my bike, and I've ridden across-country in the U.S. about a dozen times now.
Click to expand...

I would take off the helmet when the officer is standing in front of you and can watch you do it.
 
ncpbmw1953 said:
Gee, looks like you're jumping in to help defend your country, just amazing.

Yes indeed curious because I forgot all American war actions are the same--we have that American Exceptionalism going for us that all but insures we always do the right thing. Iraq 1, shock and awe where 100's of thousands of Iraqi civilians and untold amount of infrastructure were bombed into oblivion that cost the United States of Stupid over two trillion dollars and unleashed incredible instability in the Middle East only to spawn massive recruitment into anti-US terrorist organizations.

Next time you decide to remodel your kitchen Kevin, think about how much physical effort and planning a tiny project like that takes, and then re-look at what happens when the US does what it did in Vietnam w/ its unbelievably massive destructive and ultimately useless bombing, napalm, agent orange campaigns which resulted in over 50K dead American soldiers and thousands more wounded, and killed over 2 million Vietnamese civilians--and in the end we pulled out and they went unified commie anyway. Years later they morphed into something that worked better for Vietnamese.

Yuck yuck 'manifesto' because of course anyone who challenges US foreign policy, American Exceptionalism, and your image of your country clearly must be aligned w/ communism.

Hey, you responded, so I did as well.
Click to expand...

No problem.

Enjoy your evening. :wave
 
RIDERR1150GSADV said:
Stop watching CNN, stay away from major cities and you'll be fine. The US is safer then most people believe and a joy to travel in on a motorcycle.
I too have been in all 49 states in CONUS and most provinces in Canada and never ever had any issues. I just stay out of the big cities and if for some reason have to travel through, I avoid rush hour at all cost.
Enjoy your ride!:wave
Click to expand...

A bit more than a year ago, FOX was going pretty strong with the American Crime wave story. I guess that all ended.
 
I have ridden in the US a fair amount (~100K Km) not as much as many here, albeit primarily in all the mid & western states so far, and having lived in a city for much of my life I do not avoid cities but enjoy two lane roads and the open expanse more on a motorcycle. I have only had great interactions with people I have met on the road in the country or city with help to find a particular place or whatever. I fondly recall an escort through an interesting part of Chicago by a Harley rider (female) after I made a wrong turn ignoring my GPS or the time I was surrounded by 20 or 30 rat bike Ducati's in San Francisco as they zipped around me and gone like a swarm of bees and many a wave. I recall a wonderful quiet conversation with a native artist north of Flagstaff after buying an ornament that hangs on our family Christmas tree every year. Good people and experiences everywhere if one pays attention. I have never felt unsafe while riding in the US mostly a mix of camping in small town parks, National/State Parks or Mom & Pop motels with normal judicious prior ride around in daylight hours.
 
temesvar said:
As Paul has mentioned, at the gas stations when prompted to use your zip code,use your postal
code numbers only, followed by two zeros.
Click to expand...

You can also just enter five 2s.

I have enjoyed all my travels through the US and it really is no different than riding through Canada. Use common sense and enjoy the ride and the people you meet.

Brian
 
As mentioned, there are 30,00- to 40,000 deaths each year on US roadways. And a hell of a lot more injuries. And you probably know that a motorcyclist is far more likely to be killed or severely injured than a person in a car. But you want to ride. Fine, but realize that the threat to you is far greater on the road than from any gangbanger, mass shooter, fire or flood.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

rwadamsidaho
Edelweiss bike tours - New Zealand - Nov 2023 (21 Days)
Replies
1
Views
895
skibum69
skibum69
L
1994 R1100RS with 20k miles, - the transmission is worrying me
Replies
19
Views
736
lukaspriest
L
al_ferguson01
Are folks touring on their /5 and /6 bikes?
Replies
2
Views
2K
pauls1150
pauls1150
M
Far nothern Vietnam
Replies
6
Views
2K
Omega Man
Omega Man
J
2015 drive shaft phasing
2
Replies
34
Views
3K
Omega Man
Omega Man
Back
Top