New to Texas from the (gasp!!!)..........West Coast

[RedPill]

Who do y’all use for vehicle insurance? We just came back from getting TX plates for our truck and we had to up our coverage with USAA. It’s almost double of what we were paying in CA.

As much as I hate the company (a whole other story), I used Progressive when I had a bike. It was a whole lot less than anyone else I found.

 

[kubotamiketx]

That seems odd, I use State Farm for vehicles and Geico for motorcycles. I find the rates are much lower in Austin than any of my friends/family in CA. I mean a lot lower.

 

[VixObs]

That seems odd, I use State Farm for vehicles and Geico for motorcycles. I find the rates are much lower in Austin than any of my friends/family in CA. I mean a lot lower.

I know, I was really surprised. I'm gonna check around today and hopefully find a good deal

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

About 3 months ago I moved my motorcycle insurance from Progressive to Gecko and dropped my rate about $18/mo. I had them quote my car and they were $80/cheaper. Different insurers treat certain features like turbo chargers differently. Progressive considered my 125hp car a as high risk sports car because of the turbo, wereas Giecko understood that a many cars (like mine) use turbos on tiny engines to save gas.

 

[wbrisett]

Who do y’all use for vehicle insurance? We just came back from getting TX plates for our truck and we had to up our coverage with USAA. It’s almost double of what we were paying in CA.

USAA in Texas uses progressive for motorcycles. I wasn't happy with the rates or service from Progressive. I use Dairyland for motorcycle insurance (USAA for auto). You may want to get a quote and see what Dairyland gives you.

 

[wbrisett]

Progressive considered my 125hp car a as high risk sports car because of the turbo, wereas Giecko understood that a many cars (like mine) use turbos on tiny engines to save gas.

My Volvo is a hybrid which has electric motors, a turbo and supercharger. When I put the Volvo into sport mode it produces 400 HP when all are going... I call it my sport car in sheep's clothing.

 

[VixObs]

About 3 months ago I moved my motorcycle insurance from Progressive to Gecko and dropped my rate about $18/mo. I had them quote my car and they were $80/cheaper. Different insurers treat certain features like turbo chargers differently. Progressive considered my 125hp car a as high risk sports car because of the turbo, wereas Giecko understood that a many cars (like mine) use turbos on tiny engines to save gas.

Looks like it's going to be Geico for the autos and Dairyland for the motos based on the online quotes I've received. Thanks everybody

 

[tejasbusa]

Who do y’all use for vehicle insurance? We just came back from getting TX plates for our truck and we had to up our coverage with USAA. It’s almost double of what we were paying in CA.

Part of the reason it costs a little more for insurance here than in California is the higher minimum coverage.

The wreck caused by a little twit on his cell only paid me $25,000.00 out of a hospital bill of over $250,000.00.

I for one don’t mind the slight I increase in premium over California. I did register my one Busa out there a few years back. The premium for the same coverage as I carry in Texas was more in California and the tags were almost triple

 

[RT_Slim]

Howdy and welcome. Hopefully the Meet & Greet & Eat, second Sunday of the month CenTex gatherings will kick off again before too long. Sorry you've lost the lane splitting option in the move.

 

[VixObs]

Howdy and welcome. Hopefully the Meet & Greet & Eat, second Sunday of the month CenTex gatherings will kick off again before too long. Sorry you've lost the lane splitting option in the move.

I do miss the lane sharing, but it was always more of the exception than the rule for me in CA. I had very specific parameters on when I would split traffic and the speed I'd travel while doing it. I always moved over for the bikers and motor officers that were going faster than me.

I'm looking forward to the meet & greets

 

[Zonie]

I just looked that up.
4.2% of land in TX is public
52.1% of land in CA is public
56.8% of land in AZ is public

Public and Private Land Percentages by US States : Facts & Information : SummitPost

Public and Private Land Percentages by US States : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering

www.summitpost.org

If you add in all the "government land" in AZ it is closer to 86%. Reservations, the gunnery range between Yuma and Gila Bend, National Parks, National monuments, National Forests, military bases there is very little "private land" in AZ. The state does own a great deal of land that it sells to support schools.

 

[Manfred]

I just looked that up.
4.2% of land in TX is public
52.1% of land in CA is public
56.8% of land in AZ is public

Public and Private Land Percentages by US States : Facts & Information : SummitPost

Public and Private Land Percentages by US States : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering

www.summitpost.org

That's because all the western states were required to give to the national government nearly all the land held by the territories. Not so in Texas.

 

[Manfred]

Welcome to the Republic! I'm a native Texican, live east of San Antonio.

 

[Brojon]

Y’all just have to stop bragging about how great TX and the Californians will go elsewhere

Haha, thanks 🏍🏍🏍🏍
You only have to worry if all us Californians join together to ban styrofoam cups and plastic straws

I’ve been pretty surprised at how fast and aggressive folks drive in TX. Maybe it’s just because of my CA plates, but I thought the driver attitudes would be more laid back and chill.

Welcome to Texas and TWT forums!
I'm a veteran and I've lived all over - including northern California. So don't take this wrong as an "import".
We have several factors at play in the suburban areas:
1- Illegals who may or may not have any driver education and probably don't have insurance. There's a big business for some folks that register as "dealers" then they sell the temporary plates so they don't have to show proof of anything to drive. They're so brazen as to sell on Facebook Marketplace!
2 - Folks that move here from other places. Note that a lot of the manic drivers are fairly young. I write it off to watching too much "Fast and Furious". No end of wannabe street racers. The cops have been called more times than I can count on the racers here in North Austin. Problem is they think they're better drivers than they really are and weave in and out of traffic at high speed. Then the other factor is the sheer volume of added traffic and people.
I remember when I could leave my house and be out in the "country" 15 minutes. ****, I can't even go to get wings in that time now. Traffic is horrible.
3- Another thing with the imports is they are young with disposable income and are fairly active (good things in a way). That means they are more prone to travel to "hip" places. I used to have free reign to go hike at Enchanted Rock or Hamilton Pool. Now you have to make reservations or wait in line. Unreal!
4 - the general culture of affluent tech savvy young people results in about 60% of them are driving distracted playing with their damned phones. I commute every day and I've developed spidey senses on which ones are driving "under the influence".

 

[Roadrunnerxps]

Hey all,
My wife and I just moved to Central Texas. She's original from here, I'm from Southern California and a recently retired LE after almost 28 years.
I've been riding for 15 years and have owned around a dozen or so bikes (Moto Guzzi, BMW, Kawasaki, etc). I currently have a 2009 Triumph Street Triple (with 108k miles), 2000 Kawasaki Super Sherpa, 1995 Yamaha Virago 1100 and a 2007 Suzuki SV650 (the wife's). I just sold my 2017 Kawasaki Versys X-300 and I'm on the lookout for a used Royal Enfield Himalayan.
I've got quite a few miles under my belt; I used to have a 115 mile round-trip commute into Los Angeles, have done multi-state/week touring, as well as all the California twisties. I've taken a few advanced rider courses and a track day or two (Streetmasters, Reg Pridmore, Lee Parks, etc) I'm not a fast rider but I do get around My biggest trip was the perimeter of the US, which included 31 states and 4 Canadian provinces. Also did a road trip into Baja Mexico.

It's been a crazy past couple years with not much riding involved and I'm feeling a little rusty but ready to explore Texas.
Cheers!

Welcome to Texas. I have a Himalayan but it is not for sale yet! Hope you enjoy here. Himalayan is good bike for the hot Texas weather.

 

[piglet]

Yeah, lots of folks from Cali coming here. They are like locusts.

Nice one Sharkey. It took me two hours and twenty minutes to come from my place in Marietta, Ok down I35 yesterday. Only 72 miles. I want everyone to go back where they came from and stay there. You know welcome to Texas, now go home.

 

[jmdaniel]

It’s the property tax that we’re bracing ourselves for. In TX the yearly increase is pretty significant compared CA.

Yep, no Prop 13 here, and the massive influx in recent years, (Kalifornian or not), has caused valuations to skyrocket. Fortunately, they can only stick it in 10% deeper each year, and by "it", I mean the increase in valuations. You can only hope and pray that your local tax authority reduces the rates a bit, because they realize they don't need 10% more revenue a year. But that would only help with 1/2 of your tax bill; the other half is school taxes, and they are never going down. My wife and I pay $750/month to educate other people's kids. Yay!

The newest issue of Kiplinger's has Texas listed as the 10th worst state to retire in, in terms of taxes. But how can that be, some might ask, in a state with no income tax? **** property taxes.

Clicky

 

[jmdaniel]

Hopefully the Meet & Greet & Eat, second Sunday of the month CenTex gatherings will kick off again before too long.

Is there a link for these?

 

[mrchips0401]

Hey all,
My wife and I just moved to Central Texas. She's original from here, I'm from Southern California and a recently retired LE after almost 28 years.
I've been riding for 15 years and have owned around a dozen or so bikes (Moto Guzzi, BMW, Kawasaki, etc). I currently have a 2009 Triumph Street Triple (with 108k miles), 2000 Kawasaki Super Sherpa, 1995 Yamaha Virago 1100 and a 2007 Suzuki SV650 (the wife's). I just sold my 2017 Kawasaki Versys X-300 and I'm on the lookout for a used Royal Enfield Himalayan.
I've got quite a few miles under my belt; I used to have a 115 mile round-trip commute into Los Angeles, have done multi-state/week touring, as well as all the California twisties. I've taken a few advanced rider courses and a track day or two (Streetmasters, Reg Pridmore, Lee Parks, etc) I'm not a fast rider but I do get around My biggest trip was the perimeter of the US, which included 31 states and 4 Canadian provinces. Also did a road trip into Baja Mexico.

It's been a crazy past couple years with not much riding involved and I'm feeling a little rusty but ready to explore Texas.
Cheers!

Howdy, welcome to Texas….I’m also in central TX /Austin, lived mostly in Austin, San Antonio and a year down in ‘the valley’ RGV/Rio Grande Valley near South Padre. And also one of those d@#% million transplants (from PA) West Texas is a ‘whole other planet’ but Hill Country is great riding also. Check out the ‘Three Sisters’ routes ( 90 miles west of San Antonio). Pretty good twistys for central TX.

 

[Gravel Guy]

Hey!

 

[VixObs]

Welcome to Texas and TWT forums!
I'm a veteran and I've lived all over - including northern California. So don't take this wrong as an "import".
We have several factors at play in the suburban areas:
1- Illegals who may or may not have any driver education and probably don't have insurance. There's a big business for some folks that register as "dealers" then they sell the temporary plates so they don't have to show proof of anything to drive. They're so brazen as to sell on Facebook Marketplace!
2 - Folks that move here from other places. Note that a lot of the manic drivers are fairly young. I write it off to watching too much "Fast and Furious". No end of wannabe street racers. The cops have been called more times than I can count on the racers here in North Austin. Problem is they think they're better drivers than they really are and weave in and out of traffic at high speed. Then the other factor is the sheer volume of added traffic and people.
I remember when I could leave my house and be out in the "country" 15 minutes. ****, I can't even go to get wings in that time now. Traffic is horrible.
3- Another thing with the imports is they are young with disposable income and are fairly active (good things in a way). That means they are more prone to travel to "hip" places. I used to have free reign to go hike at Enchanted Rock or Hamilton Pool. Now you have to make reservations or wait in line. Unreal!
4 - the general culture of affluent tech savvy young people results in about 60% of them are driving distracted playing with their damned phones. I commute every day and I've developed spidey senses on which ones are driving "under the influence".

View attachment 313661

Thanks!
All great points. All things that have been taken for granted in CA as the status quo for decades. It does add to the challenge of defensive riding in a new area. I’m learning the traffic flow and driver attitudes of the different areas here in TX. Even more reason to stick to the backroads

 

[VixObs]

Howdy, welcome to Texas….I’m also in central TX /Austin, lived mostly in Austin, San Antonio and a year down in ‘the valley’ RGV/Rio Grande Valley near South Padre. And also one of those d@#% million transplants (from PA) West Texas is a ‘whole other planet’ but Hill Country is great riding also. Check out the ‘Three Sisters’ routes ( 90 miles west of San Antonio). Pretty good twistys for central TX.

Thanks! I’m taking notes of all the great recommendations

 

[jmdaniel]

Thanks!
All great points. All things that have been taken for granted in CA as the status quo for decades. It does add to the challenge of defensive riding in a new area. I’m learning the traffic flow and driver attitudes of the different areas here in TX. Even more reason to stick to the backroads

Three motorcyclists dead in Austin in 24 hours, between Thursday and Friday.

 

[MCRyder]

Welcome to the Lone Star and TWT. I'm also a S. California (San Diego) transplant, been here since 1974 and also married to a native Texan.

 

[Dirtmike]

Thanks
I am really starting to miss the variety of food in So Cal (Cuban, Peruvian, Sushi, Brazilian, Korean, Armenian/Mediterranean, Indian, Vietnamese, Filipino, Ethiopian, Jamaican, Thai, all forms of organic and fresh, etc)
Any recommendations? Just head to Austin?

Welcome to Texas. When I went to California I missed Texas cuisine.
I just didn’t believe that bean sprouts needed to be on tacos. Fake ethnic foods can be found here too. And yes, Austin is a good start. Just keep searching, it’s all good.
Hollar if you’re in the neighborhood, riding the hill country,