Shipping a bike to California. +ROAD TRIP INFO for JULY. | GTAMotorcycle.com

Shipping a bike to California. +ROAD TRIP INFO for JULY.

E

Esquire

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Hi,
I'm planning a serious trip.
What are my best options?

PS: I'll be landing in California and making my way back (major destinations are SF, LA, PHX, San Antonio, New Orleans, Miami, and back up along the east coast). I was contemplating buying a bike through a dealership in CA but wouldnt be able to get financing--or so I was told. Now the idea is to ship my bike there. If anyone wants to come along for this trip then PM me. So far it's a friend of mine and I. Leaving Right after Canada day.
 
Esquire said:
Hi,
I'm planning a serious trip.
What are my best options?

PS: I'll be landing in California and making my way back (major destinations are SF, LA, PHX, San Antonio, New Orleans, Miami, and back up along the east coast). I was contemplating buying a bike through a dealership in CA but wouldnt be able to get financing--or so I was told. Now the idea is to ship my bike there. If anyone wants to come along for this trip then PM me. So far it's a friend of mine and I. Leaving Right after Canada day.
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Sounds great - but hope your bikes are air conditioned :)

Seriously though do give yourselves lots of time coming back to hydrate and get out of the heat if necessary. Phoenix you can pretty well count on being a blast furnace. On my way back from New Mexico in June last year there were a few days I left at 3:00 - 4:00 a.m. rode to noon stopping only for gas if necessary - found a shady roadside park to take a siesta, then another few hours and an early check in time. It could be done the other way around, I'm just a morning person as opposed to an evening person.

Of course with the crazy weather patterns now, you could be freezing instead of sweltering.
 
These guys shipped our bike to Vancouver. They were super-professional: they picked up the bike at my house, and delivered it (on time) to a local dealership about a week later. No crating required. Cost was about $900 if memory serves. http://www.tfxinternational.com/motorcycles

There are probably cheaper options (especially if you have a group of people), but the convenience and peace of mind were worth the extra $$ for me.
 
That's way too much. I'm looking to spend about half that. I'm sure the convenience is worth the price but I just need my old bat of a bike to arrive.
Is there any economical route?
 
Esquire said:
Hi,
I'm planning a serious trip.
What are my best options?

PS: I'll be landing in California and making my way back (major destinations are SF, LA, PHX, San Antonio, New Orleans, Miami, and back up along the east coast). I was contemplating buying a bike through a dealership in CA but wouldnt be able to get financing--or so I was told. Now the idea is to ship my bike there. If anyone wants to come along for this trip then PM me. So far it's a friend of mine and I. Leaving Right after Canada day.
Click to expand...

My suggestion to you is skip miami and san antonio and instead ride from toronto to san francisco, la, vegas, phoenix, denver and come back home.
Your trip would be around 7500km, my way would be 9200 is you skip vegas 9500 if you dont.
Much more to see this way and you don't have to ship your bike anywhere. Everything east of new mexico is flat and boring beyond belief. Miami is a nice place but to get there its thousands of kilometers of literally nothing. And im not just talking out of my *** here, ive been coast to coast, every state province many many times.

ps i could make you a sick route through all those places. ive been so many places before where i wished i had my bike :(
 
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How would they handle the cross border logistics aspect of things?
 
What kind of bike is it and when do you need it there? Tempted to just ride it out there for you.
With the gps trackers on phones these days, this could be a viable option for checking in and peace of mind. :)
 
You can use alternate finance, line of credit, secured 3%, unsecured 8-9%. Buy it on your visa (stupid but doable).

Shipping to Cali and border manifest is going to be a grand +,your west of the mississippi and over the rockies. The skid/crate if you use an LTL carrier as opposed to a dedicated motorsport trans company will take up 96cuft? and you dont want top load if you can avoid it. you may be able to ride it to Windsor or Buffalo and save a bill and a half but who would be bothered .

The advice about LAX/PHX/San antonio in july is genuine, its not uncommon for 32-36c mid day and 28-30 at night, but its a dry heat......
 
IMO it makes more sense to just ride and change your route up. Save the hassle and cost of shipping your bike to a foreign country. Would also save you the cost of a flight.
 
I will probably be heading to CA in July myself, depending on bike etc., I could ride it for you.
 
Paul1000RR said:
ps i could make you a sick route through all those places. ive been so many places before where i wished i had my bike :(
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I'd love that. I think I might do this route even if I have to go acapella or join my friend in Cali.

So far this is what I've come up with: Toronto; Chicago; Kansas City (non-negotiable, I really want to see this ******** for personal reasons); Denver; Salt Lake City; San Fran; LA; Vegas; then, as per your advice, go up the 15 NE to 9E to 89S to Phoenix; To San Antonio (that'll be a long *** haul, gees); New Orleans; Nashville; Home Sweet Home.

I might extend this to 14-18 days.

Thanks for yours or anyone's input,


-Adam
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