woodsy said:
So Wolfy,, do us all a huge favor and impart some of your hard earned knowledge to us yankees will ya..
What are the legal requirements down yonder.. Do they have an ORV sticker system like ours?? Are there as many Green Coats running around looking to make a buck down there or is it more relaxed? How do you handle the heat of summer down there? Do you find yourself getting used to the heat tothe point you can ride without feeling like your gonna pass out?? What are jobs and taxes like down there?? I have heard that you can own property down there and pay NO taxes on it,, any truth to it??
Price of gas? Food? Lots of riders?
YOu know,, giveus the ol full tour..
Good luck in your new endeavour..
Woodsy
well, it's like this:
FL has no STATE income taxes but some (very few) do have municipal taxes.
there is no official orv stickers, although many ORV parks have adopted annual passes that must be purchaced for each park you ride. The problem is, some of these places are governed by the USFS and the rules are a little grey, so even the rangers arent really sure whats going on. the RAngers you meet in FL usually have much better things to do than harrase people just out to have fun. they look for the REAL law breakers more often than not. they are cool for the most part.
since converting bike to DS is completely out of the question there, you either have to have a bike from another state, or by something that doesnt say "not for highway use" on the title or you are pretty much screwed for getting a plate there.
License plates go by weight class instead of value so tages for pretty much everything but comercial vehilcles and dump trucks are cheap.
No insurance is required for motorcycles of any kind (unless mandated by your finance co)
No helmet law (as long as you are over 18 and have $10,000 personal medical insurance)
property taxes are like everywhere else. it depends on where you live, but as a general rule they are pretty inexpensive. example: I have a $250k 1700sq ft home in a nice quite subdivision in the north side of Orlando( best school district in the area ). annual taxes are about $3200. but going toward Ocalla in more rual areas they can be less than half that on acreage. general cost of goods is mostly similar, but be cause the state IS fueld by tourism, you can see some real price fluctuations. for example, dont got to I-Drive in orlando expecting to order off the dollar menu at McDonalds, it's not there and the prices on everything else are higher, but leave the touristy places and is same ol' same ol'. The further you get from the tourist hot spots, the lower prices get. and thats on pretty much everything.
you get used to the heat. the trick is to stay hydrated and keep moving. if you ride places like Ocala Nat. Forest, you can always just swing into ALexander springs st pk ( or any of the other natural springs in the area and go for a quick dip in the yr round 65 degree water that is crystal clear and gator free.
while it is possible to live on the cheap down there nothing is free. and it all depends on WHERE you chose to plant yourself. If you dont mind living off the beaten path surounds by some real hicks, you could live quite comfortably for very little cash. wich brings us to employment, sadly, the job market there is much like everywhere else right now. there ARE jobs to be had, but it depends on your chosen profession.