Funny this pops up now. I live in MD and found a bike in TX that I'm very interested in. The seller seems to be a straight shooter however I'm still not willing to drive 18hrs just to look. Found a round trip flight for $180, figure I can fly down and check it out. If it's to my liking I can have it shipped....up until I read brooms post about shipping taking forever.... I'm not in a major rush to get the bike because it won't see a race track for 6months, but my engine builder would sure like to see it before January 1st.
When I was younger, I flew one way and rode it back a few hundred miles. In the past 10 years I've driven over 800 miles round trip at least three times to buy a bike. The last time, the bike wasn't as represented, and I contemplated for awhile before just taking it. I wanted to get a race bike for Tyler and time was running out, for the upcoming race season.
My SV was in Hartford, CT. Found it in the for sale adds in the back of RRW. I was living in South Bend, IN at the time. 12hr drive one way. Luckily the seller was cool and met me half way in Buffalo, NY.
That was at the seller's home. I rode that thing 1100 miles home. The last 500 miles standing up. That was, without a doubt, the WORST factory seat I have set on in 40-odd years of riding!
The SV trip was 480 mi one way. The traffic around DC and getting the trailer from the sellers storage made a 15 h drive become a 20h drive in total. Fur the future I'd probably try to decimate that into half.
I checked the 500 + box but only if it't not over a day's travel time. I would wouldn't feel safe if I had to stop for a night at some motel since it would be my luck that the bike would not be in my truck the next morning. I ain't driving 4700 frigging hours non stop any more.
16 hours round trip, to east side of Phoenix. Turned up to be Crikeys 2001 Aprilia Formula USA race bike. I'm done buying bikes with motors. Next one will be a stationary, so I can pedal while waiting for phone calls in the office.
Longest I've gone is only about an hour and a half so far, but I would go cross country if I can make it into a vacation that just happens to end up with a motorbike on the trailer.
You shipped LTL, and didn't research much for carriers. You can find direct and or LTL that take way less. Think you got hosed...
I don't know what LTL is. They (AF1) used motorcycleshippers.com and said that is who they always use. They went on about their great service etc. And the handling of the bike was impressive. They had purpose built skids and it was very secure. It was a professionally run outfit...just slow as fuck. If I wanted my bike in a month, I would have waited 29 days and then bought it. I wanted the botch then.
I love taking long distance trips on bikes. The next ST bike I buy, I am going to purposely buy it somewhere far away. Then I'll fly over and ride it back.
LTL, = less than truckload. Lots of cariers out there that could have got it to you in a few days for around $500 - $600