Travel information USA for motorcycle tours

What actually needs sorting before riding the USA: visa, own bike or a rental Harley, licence, season in the Rockies and Southwest, fuel and emergency numbers.

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The essentials on USA at a glance

Updated: August 2026

Visa: ESTA (Visa Waiver Program), 90 days visa-free for German, Austrian and Swiss citizens; USD 40.27 fee, apply online before departure at esta.cbp.dhs.gov
Passport: Biometric passport (e-passport) required, valid for the entire length of stay; at least 6 months of remaining validity recommended
Best season: May to September, varies by region (see Best time to travel)
Currency: US Dollar (USD)
Time zone: 6 time zones across the country; Continental US Eastern to Pacific (UTC-5 to UTC-8), Alaska UTC-9 - expect several zone changes on Route 66 or the Alaska Highway
Traffic: Right-hand traffic
Helmet & gear: A state matter, no single nationwide rule; Helmet required for all riders in California, New York, Washington among others; no helmet law in Illinois, Iowa, New Hampshire; elsewhere usually only for younger riders
Main route: Interstate highway system, state highways and historic US routes (including Route 66); Speed limits are a state matter, up to 80 mph (129 km/h) in parts of Texas, Utah, Wyoming
Fuel: Closely spaced along the main routes; In desert stretches and on the Alaska Highway, gaps of over 150 km without a fuel station are possible
Intl. driving permit: Not legally required, but expected by rental stations and in practice by police

Entry

Visa & Entry into the USA

ESTA instead of an embassy appointment - for almost all OVERCROSS guests, the electronic Visa Waiver Program is enough, applied for in time and without travel to certain countries.

ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)

Stay: up to 90 days per entry
Cost: USD 40.27
Where to apply: online before departure, esta.cbp.dhs.gov
Validity: 2 years or until passport expiry

B-2 tourist visa

Stay: set by the border officer, usually up to 6 months
Cost: USD 185 application fee (MRV)
Where to apply: US embassy/consulate, with a personal interview
Validity: usually 10 years for multiple entry

Visa types for USA with length of stay, cost and where to apply
Visa type	Stay	Cost	Where to apply	Validity
ESTA (Visa Waiver Program)	up to 90 days per entry	USD 40.27	online before departure, esta.cbp.dhs.gov	2 years or until passport expiry
B-2 tourist visa	set by the border officer, usually up to 6 months	USD 185 application fee (MRV)	US embassy/consulate, with a personal interview	usually 10 years for multiple entry

Your own bike

Entering with your own motorcycle

No carnet, but EPA forms, weeks of lead time and your own US insurance - and an honest comparison with renting a Harley locally.

Checklist for the border

Apply for the EPA exemption for non-residents (Non-Resident Temporary Importation) before shipping, allow 3-6 weeks of lead time
Fill in EPA form 3520-1 and DOT form HS-7 completely
Carry the original vehicle registration document and passport for customs clearance
Arrange US liability insurance for non-residents before arrival (the green card is not valid in the USA)
Give the freight forwarder/customs agent a power of attorney if clearance runs without you present in person
Plan firmly for re-export within 12 months - no extension possible

Insurance is where most people get stuck: the green card is not valid in North America, there is no nationwide minimum cover, and without valid proof, your own motorcycle cannot legally be ridden in any state.

Documents

Driving licence & IDP in the USA

An international driving permit is not a legal requirement, but without one most rental companies will refuse to hand over the motorcycle.

Valid motorcycle licence from your home country (category A/A2 shown)
International driving permit (IDP) under the 1949 Geneva Convention
Passport to match personal details
For a rented motorcycle: a credit card in the rider's name for the deposit

Season

Best time to travel in the USA

Three regions, three calendars: pass closures in the Rockies, a short season on the Alaska Highway, heat and monsoon in the Southwest.

Best season: May to September, staggered by region

Rideability by month and region
Region	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Southwest / Route 66 & Desert	Jan: Rideable, with limits	Feb: Rideable, with limits	Mar: Best riding window	Apr: Best riding window	May: Best riding window	Jun: Rideable, with limits	Jul: Rideable, with limits	Aug: Rideable, with limits	Sep: Best riding window	Oct: Best riding window	Nov: Best riding window	Dec: Rideable, with limits
Rocky Mountains / North	Jan: Not rideable	Feb: Not rideable	Mar: Not rideable	Apr: Not rideable	May: Rideable, with limits	Jun: Best riding window	Jul: Best riding window	Aug: Best riding window	Sep: Best riding window	Oct: Rideable, with limits	Nov: Not rideable	Dec: Not rideable
Alaska Highway / Alaska	Jan: Not rideable	Feb: Not rideable	Mar: Not rideable	Apr: Not rideable	May: Rideable, with limits	Jun: Best riding window	Jul: Best riding window	Aug: Best riding window	Sep: Rideable, with limits	Oct: Not rideable	Nov: Not rideable	Dec: Not rideable

Best riding window
Rideable, with limits
Not rideable

Rockies and Alaska Highway: June to August with passes fully open. Southwest/Route 66: spring and autumn are most pleasant because of heat and monsoon, rideable year-round.

Matching departures in USA The best window is May to September, staggered by region. See the tours that start within it. Tours in USA

Roads & tracks

Roads & mountain passes in the USA

Very good tarmac on almost all main routes, but very large distances between two points - and a few genuine mountain roads with their own season.

Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park (Montana)

80 km

100 % Paved

Condition: Winding mountain road with views of Logan Pass, no guardrails along long stretches
After rain: Fog and patches of snow possible at Logan Pass even in early summer, short-term closures possible with sudden weather changes
Daily distance: As its own stage with photo stops, half a day; 80 km of actual riding
Fuel: No fuel station on the pass road itself, fill up in St. Mary and West Glacier
Passes & altitude: Logan Pass, 2,026 m
Permits: No vehicle reservation required since 2026, but national park entry plus a USD 100 fee per non-US citizen aged 16 and over (since 1 January 2026)

Historic Route 66, Seligman to Kingman (Arizona)

134 km

100 % Paved

Condition: Well-preserved, lightly travelled two-lane Route 66 through the desert, good tarmac
After rain: Uncritical, no fords, occasional short puddles
Daily distance: Rideable in 2 to 3 hours, combines well as a relaxed stage with stops in Hackberry and Peach Springs
Fuel: Fuel stations in Seligman, Peach Springs, Hackberry and Kingman - no long gaps on this stretch
Passes & altitude: None
Permits: None

Sections with length, surface, condition and daily distance
Section	km	Surface	Condition	After rain	Daily distance	Fuel	Passes & altitude	Permits
Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park (Montana)	80	100 % Paved	Winding mountain road with views of Logan Pass, no guardrails along long stretches	Fog and patches of snow possible at Logan Pass even in early summer, short-term closures possible with sudden weather changes	As its own stage with photo stops, half a day; 80 km of actual riding	No fuel station on the pass road itself, fill up in St. Mary and West Glacier	Logan Pass, 2,026 m	No vehicle reservation required since 2026, but national park entry plus a USD 100 fee per non-US citizen aged 16 and over (since 1 January 2026)
Historic Route 66, Seligman to Kingman (Arizona)	134	100 % Paved	Well-preserved, lightly travelled two-lane Route 66 through the desert, good tarmac	Uncritical, no fords, occasional short puddles	Rideable in 2 to 3 hours, combines well as a relaxed stage with stops in Hackberry and Peach Springs	Fuel stations in Seligman, Peach Springs, Hackberry and Kingman - no long gaps on this stretch	None	None

Fuel

Fuel and fuel stops in the USA

Octane numbers instead of Super/Super Plus, card payment with a typically American hurdle - and a few genuinely lonely stretches.

Regular

Octane (AKI): 87 (in places like Colorado/Utah/Wyoming sometimes 85)
Note: enough for most rental machines

Midgrade

Octane (AKI): 89
Note: available as the middle button at many pumps

Premium

Octane (AKI): 91 to 94 depending on the state
Note: for high-compression engines, check the rental agreement/manual if unsure

Fuel grades, prices and the longest legs between stations
Grade	Octane (AKI)	Note
Regular	87 (in places like Colorado/Utah/Wyoming sometimes 85)	enough for most rental machines
Midgrade	89	available as the middle button at many pumps
Premium	91 to 94 depending on the state	for high-compression engines, check the rental agreement/manual if unsure

Safety

Safety & emergency numbers in the USA

911 applies nationwide for any emergency - for a breakdown on the road, roadside assistance is usually the faster option.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire brigade, ambulance (nationwide) 911
AAA roadside assistance (membership or day fee required) 1-800-222-4357

Health

Health matters in the USA

Medical care is excellent - and extraordinarily expensive without the right insurance.

Take out travel health insurance with explicit cover for motorcycling
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is not valid in the USA - you need your own policy
Sun protection and enough drinking water for desert stages in the Southwest
Watch for altitude symptoms on routes above 3,000 m (Trail Ridge Road, Logan Pass)
No mandatory vaccinations from Germany, Austria or Switzerland, standard vaccination cover is enough

Emergency rooms are expensive: a single ER visit without insurance often costs USD 2,500 to 7,000. Many standard travel insurance policies exclude motorcycling as a "dangerous activity" - check your own policy's small print before departure, not only when you need to claim.

Money

Money matters in the USA

Card beats cash - with one important exception at the pump and a new fee at the major national parks.

Credit/debit card

Acceptance: almost everywhere, including at the fuel pump
Note: note the US ZIP code needed when paying at the pump (see Fuel)

Cash (USD)

Acceptance: tips, small diners off the highways
Note: keep a few small bills handy

National park entry for non-US citizens

Acceptance: at 11 of the most visited parks, including Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion, Rocky Mountain
Note: since 1 January 2026, an extra USD 100 per person aged 16 and over, on top of the regular entry fee

Typical prices and means of payment
Payment method	Acceptance	Note
Credit/debit card	almost everywhere, including at the fuel pump	note the US ZIP code needed when paying at the pump (see Fuel)
Cash (USD)	tips, small diners off the highways	keep a few small bills handy
National park entry for non-US citizens	at 11 of the most visited parks, including Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion, Rocky Mountain	since 1 January 2026, an extra USD 100 per person aged 16 and over, on top of the regular entry fee

Packing list

What to pack for the USA

Only what the USA adds to the touring kit you would pack anyway.

US plug adapter (flat pins Type A/B, 120 V)
Credit card with Apple/Google Pay as a backup for pumps that won't accept a foreign ZIP code
Plenty of sun protection and a hydration system for desert stages in the Southwest
Proof of US liability insurance if riding your own motorcycle (the green card is not valid)
Offline maps for national parks and the Alaska Highway (no reliable signal)
America the Beautiful Pass or budget for the new USD 100 non-resident fee at the major national parks
A warm mid-layer even in midsummer for passes like Going-to-the-Sun Road or Trail Ridge Road (up to 3,700 m)

USA tours with OVERCROSS

Whether Route 66, the Rocky Mountains, the Pacific Coast Highway or the Alaska Highway - every US tour starts with an insured, locally rented Harley-Davidson, with no shipping involved.

All tours in USA

Written by

Grisha Sukhikh

Founder & managing director

German, English, Russian
Last checked: 29.08.2026

Grisha founded Motourismo and sets the direction, from the first idea to the trip somebody actually rides.

The whole team