shipping a bike crpss-country - shippers/price etc.

[barriec]

Due to time constraints, I'm looking at shipping a bike from Ga to Tucson and then riding it around the southwest and then back home.

Any recommended shippers from any of you that have shipped a motorcycle in the past? I have to meet this bike and then it has to carry me home, so obviously I'm looking for reliability and timely arrival.

I've gotten a few quick quotes for a speed triple from GA to AZ and it's running around $800 one way...seems steep.

Comments? Insight, help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Barrie

[bikesdp]

I was looking to ship an SV-650 from FL to CO in 2002. I got estimates around $650 for roughly comparable distances ( near 2000 miles) to what you're doing. Of course, it was 5 years ago and fuel has gone up since then, so there's no surprise there on the increased costs. Are you driving to AZ? I ended up buying a single bike, open trailer for less than $500 and just towed it out here. I was going to sell it once I got to my destination, but I ended up keeping it. It's come in handy several times when I couldn't find a ride to/from a distant dealer or when a bike was non functional.

[abruzzi]

I've never had to do it, but in my ebay adventure I've come close, and did some research. The names that came up with good references were haulbikes.com and forwardair.com.

FL top CO via haulbikes.com is $640 (though more if you want door to door)

Forward Air is ~$572 Miami to Denver. They do require "prepping" the bike by draining fluids. Haulbike does not.

Never used them either, but motorcycleshippers.com has good prices ($690), and do not charge extra for residential door to door. And require no bike prep.

Geof

[bikesdp]

The OP is going GA to AZ, but I bet the mileage is about the same as what you've shown us.

[dr_gallup]

The AMA has an official endorsed shipper that offers discounts.

To ship or not to ship

[barriec]

Thank you for all of your comments...I think at this point I'm strongly considering the trailer idea...I have family in Austin Texas and I could drive there and ride the southwest and then come back to Austin.

I drove cross-country back/forth one time before and really from Georgia to the Midwest is not my primary interest for this trip.

Barrie