Potential opportunity to travel One-Way cross country.

I do IT for a living (build and design call-centers).

I have client looking to do an upgrade Aug 13th-Aug -18th. I live in Mass and the customer is in Portland, Oregon.

Can ya see where this is going?

I already have vacation scheduled for Aug 23rd-Aug 31st and have no plans for it. Until now.

If I can get my bike to me in Portland, I can take a nice long time to get back to Mass. I've always wanted to do PCH and go to Vegas.

I would bill the customer for a return flight which would offset some of the cost of getting the bike out to me.

Then I would just do a Credit Card vacation using up accrued free hotel vouchers and the like.

Option 2 is to stay in the area and rent a bike to tool around the pac north west with for a week or so, then fly home for free.

I'll do more bike shipping research in a bit, Im guessing it'll cost 800 or so to get it out to me, the question is how long does it take?

Any thoughts on a reputable carrier?

Some of us prefer one-way vacations when it comes to those we are associated with.

I think fjrchik is the resident expert on arriving someplace without a bike. Check with her.

fhaze said:

I do IT for a living

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Oh, man... I thought you were going to tell us your some kinda gigolo.

It does take a while for the bike to arrive, so you should be able to ship the bike yourself, to yourself. The carriers should be able to answer all your exact timing questions. I'd have it sent via Forward Air or something similar, where they hold it at their facility for your pickup at the other end. That way you don't need a specific ship-to location.

Sounds like a great adventure in the making. Enjoy yourself!!

I bought my bike on eBay (new) from a place in Minnesota. I can find the details if you want. They shipped the bike with a piano moving company. I remember the cost as $500. It took a few days, but it was predictable. I live in the DC area and this was in January this year when gas was maybe $1.35 per gallon.

I drove across the US in a truck years ago. There is alot of nothing out there. I was driving across Nevada and hit the search on the radio and and hour later it found a radio station and scared the shit out of me.

There are some sights to see while driving. The Rockies were impressive as were parts of Utah. The Grand Canyon, Vegas, the Sierra Nevada's. There is some nice sights to see and some that would be great on a bike.

However, from the Rockies back to the east coast is just roads. I stopped in New Orleans after crossing Texas, and the rest of the ride home was boring (in a truck).

But that is just me.

In California, I did the Pacific Coast highway and it was really nice. I went from San Francisco towards LA.

It would be a cool ride from Portland and head south. Then when you get to the bottom, head back north a different way. California is way the hell bigger then Mass.

I guess I am suggesting renting a bike out there. A buddy is headed to the Lake Tahoe? area soon and is looking to rent and I think the numbers that he is hearing is 100/day for a Harley and 125 for the Honda ST or FJR. I have seen recent discussions about renting in the Reno area on this forum.

Riding across the country would be a cool thing (I did it), but spending more time riding the roads on the west coast could be even cooler. And if you could hook up with some FJR riders in that area on this forum to show you around, it could be the ride and memory of a lifetime.

If you go to Vegas, you might as well do the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon.

Art

I am in the bay area... I could ride south with you and do some kind of loop back here... I

will watch this post... I just did the coast run to LA in May...... but I'll do it again.... FJRM

fhaze said:

I do IT for a living (build and design call-centers).
I have client looking to do an upgrade Aug 13th-Aug -18th. I live in Mass and the customer is in Portland, Oregon.

Can ya see where this is going?

I already have vacation scheduled for Aug 23rd-Aug 31st and have no plans for it. Until now.

If I can get my bike to me in Portland, I can take a nice long time to get back to Mass. I've always wanted to do PCH and go to Vegas.

I would bill the customer for a return flight which would offset some of the cost of getting the bike out to me.

Then I would just do a Credit Card vacation using up accrued free hotel vouchers and the like.

Option 2 is to stay in the area and rent a bike to tool around the pac north west with for a week or so, then fly home for free.

I'll do more bike shipping research in a bit, Im guessing it'll cost 800 or so to get it out to me, the question is how long does it take?

Any thoughts on a reputable carrier?

Click to expand...

Can't help you with getting your bike here, but I can help you put some miles on it when it is here. I live in Southwest Portland and would enjoy showing you some of the better rides in the area (in addition to introducing you to some of the best beer in America. ) PM me as you get closer to your trip!

I haven't heard anything in a while, but during my Vespa fascination days, many people shipped scooters with Forward Air and had nothing but good things to say about the service.

https://www.forwardair.com/prepaid/MCmainpage.jsp

Shipping Summary

Origin: HARTFORD, CT (BDL)

Destination: PORTLAND, OR (PDX)

Shipping on: 08/11/2008

Estimated Available Date: 08/15/2008

Estimated Shipping Costs: $ 743.92

Estimated Insurance: $ 100.00

Estimated Total Costs: $ 843.92

Declared Value: $ 10000.00

Service Type: Express Service/Forward Air Container

Approximate Weight: 600.0 Lbs

Shipping Motorcycle: Yes

Motorcycle (Make, Model & Year): Yamaha FJR1300 2005

Not exactly booked , but that looks real promising.

I *just* changed the fluids, and got brand new rubber. This is looking so goooood.

fhaze,

Cool vacation plans, I am envious :glare: . Yeah, that $800 to ship the FJR out to OR is cheaper than the plan ticket out there for your butt, I guess? The charge back for the plane ticket back to CT will most likely cover the Forward Air fees, scheewt! I did a fly & ride deal three years ago with my best buddy who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has a cherry Yamaha Virgo 1100 (87-89 vintage). I rented a Harley - Davidson Sportster 883 and we rode all the way around lake Superior and we even stooped at the Areostich factory; I have the "I rode there" T-Shirt to prove it. Well it was an awesome adventure but the two things I learned were that a Sportster 883 is not a touring bike and that the next time I do that type of trip I will spend the extra $25/day and get a real touring bike like Road King!

Enjoy the trip!

Art FJR said:

However, from the Rockies back to the east coast is just roads. I stopped in New Orleans after crossing Texas, and the rest of the ride home was boring (in a truck).
But that is just me.

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I'd have to agree that pretty much any driving is boring in a truck.

OTOH, on a moto'sickle it all depends on the chosen route. If I were coming back to New England from the Great North Wet, it would make a lot of sense to stick to a more northern route, especially in mid summer. Riding across the US - Canuckian border to the Great Lakes and then along the southern shore of Superior, and over the rest of the lakes via the UP Michigan and into Canada to avoid having to go through (or around) Chicago, Indiana and Ohio. Come back down through Niagra and across the north of NY state. Stay off the super slabs as much as possible and it would be a nice ride if you take your time. But that's just me.

Recommendation

Thread where shipping is discussed with recommendations.

Sounds like a grand adventure in the making. I'm jealous.

With the WHOLE country to choose from for a route, you're going to be very busy over the next few weeks.

If you haven't already, you may want to join the FJR Assistance Directory (click on the link in my signature below.) It's a good thing to have on a long ride.

Violione said:

the two things I learned were that a Sportster 883 is not a touring bike and that the next time I do that type of trip I will spend the extra $25/day and get a real touring bike like Road King!

Click to expand...

Uhhh....yeah. About that. It's only Thursday, but since tomorrow is a holiday for many of us I declare today a sort of "In Lieu-of Friday" and you're starting to sound like one of them "Hey Bro" idiots (nothing personal, of course)

I'm jus' sayin'.

<_<