Shipping Cross Country - Any experience or knowledge?

[ThreeToedNewt]

Anyone with experience or recommendations on shipping a an XS sight unseen?

Just went looking at shipping an XS650 from LA to Boston. Quotes online came up between 1,100 to 1,500.

OUCH!, but pricing of everything stopped making sense to me right after the world got sick.

 

[Mikey]

A few years ago It cost me $800 ? to go from AZ to MN which beat driving to get it
Here's a recent post about shipping bikes

https://www.xs650.com/threads/shipping-a-bike.64428/

 

[Mailman]

Cross country is going to be expensive any way you slice it. The high end services like Haulbikes, are certainly the most secure and protective of your purchase, but you will pay dearly for that. Uship is usually the most affordable, but the haulers are all independent contractors, using every kind of vehicle you can imagine. I had a bike shipped to me from out of state and it arrived in a horse trailer with furniture stacked all around it! Others here have had very good experiences with them, my only advice is to pay attention to their bios, when they put in a bid, you can read about what kind of a rig they are using.

 

[Mikey]

I wish I could remember who I used
I know he vacationed in AZ in the winter and lived in MN in the summer
And his name was Ty or Tyler but I don't think he bounced around hauling full time

 

[WideAWAKE]

Uship.com

Last time I shipped cross country (NY to CA) it was about 550. That was a little while ago and I’m sure it’s more now, but if you have a little time you can often score a good deal on there.

I’ve shipped about a dozen bikes using them.

Mailman thought my Uship driver was pretty sketchy when he showed up to pick up his bike.

$375 and next day delivery AZ to CA. It was dusty when it showed up haha. No damage though and they do have full insurance.

Never had a problem with any shipment though them but you can get a good sense of the shipped by the profile and how they communicate via the messenger.

 

[WideAWAKE]

Cross country is going to be expensive any way you slice it. The high end services like Haulbikes, are certainly the most secure and protective of your purchase, but you will pay dearly for that. Uship is usually the most affordable, but the haulers are all independent contractors, using every kind of vehicle you can imagine. I had a bike shipped to me from out of state and it arrived in a horse trailer with furniture stacked all around it! Others here have had very good experiences with them, my only advice is to pay attention to their bios, when they put in a bid, you can read about what kind of a rig they are using.

Like mailman says, your often “hitch hiking” a ride.

If it was a super nice bike I’d use haul bikes.

 

[ThreeToedNewt]

Thanks for the info!

Uship is indicating $575 from Atlanta GA to a town south west of Boston MA. Haulbikes wanted way too much info to get a ballpark quote.

This is sitting in GA? Any thoughts?
https://motorcycles.autotrader.com/motorcycles/1977/yamaha/xs650/201559653

Price seems high, but all prices seem high to me these days.

EDIT: (Just googled WOW Motorcycles... NEXT!)

 

[Wingedwheel]

Low miles and a really nice bike but I’m pretty sure you can do better than that. I guess they are worth what someone is willing to pay.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Thanks for the info!

Uship is indicating $575 from Atlanta GA to a town south west of Boston MA. Haulbikes wanted way too much info to get a ballpark quote.

This is sitting in GA? Any thoughts?
https://motorcycles.autotrader.com/motorcycles/1977/yamaha/xs650/201559653

Price seems high, but all prices seem high to me these days.

World of Wheels, I know the place. They know their market. You may not get a bargain, but you'll get a good bike.

 

[Mailman]

View attachment 333121

World of Wheels, I know the place. They know their market. You may not get a bargain, but you'll get a good bike.

It sure looks like a very nice clean ready to ride bike!

 

[Kevin Werner]

I used HaulBikes 3 or 4 years ago. I didn't know what to look for and they were in the ballpark$ of others I searched. My bike presented very well on line and HaulBike delivered it in a dedicated "Bike Transport" 5th wheel trailer with some other cool bikes that I could not get the driver to leave with me. My impression of HaulBike is good. Know that they have a regional warehouse/assembly point and that a shipment does not depart to a distribution point until the have a full load. (My impression). So a 3-4 week quote could be 6-8 weeks. My one time experience. While I anxiously awaited 6 or 8 weeks, I was overjoyed to get my bike and happy they took such care. Some things are worth waiting for.

 

[ssjody]

I recently within the last month had a bike shipped from AZ to KY. I used a company called https://funtransport.com/ and I could not have been happier with the service. It was very professional from start to finish and my bike was strapped to a special crate they use just for hauling bikes. Took about 2 weeks to get it and it was $1,242.00. It's not cheap but the service was great!

 

[Kevin Werner]

I recently within the last month had a bike shipped from AZ to KY. I used a company called https://funtransport.com/ and I could not have been happier with the service. It was very professional from start to finish and my bike was strapped to a special crate they use just for hauling bikes. Took about 2 weeks to get it and it was $1,242.00. It's not cheap but the service was great!

We are paying for the effort people are expending taking care of our bikes. A special bike is different from a barn find. Cheers
Pics?

 

[Niels B]

it's with no doubt a beautiful bike, without being able to inspect it i think $5 K is a lot, especially adding $6-1500 for shipping.
If this is a 100% original bike i wouldn't hesitate, however i think it may have a few newer parts and for sure fresh paint. If you are looking for a beautiful classic ride - you got it there, but if you look at an investment i would hesitate. just my 10 cents.
good luck hunting.
P.S. you could fly down and ride it home - loks solid to me

 

[Kevin Werner]

it's with no doubt a beautiful bike, without being able to inspect it i think $5 K is a lot, especially adding $6-1500 for shipping.
If this is a 100% original bike i wouldn't hesitate, however i think it may have a few newer parts and for sure fresh paint. If you are looking for a beautiful classic ride - you got it there, but if you look at an investment i would hesitate. just my 10 cents.
good luck hunting.
P.S. you could fly down and ride it home - loks solid to me

My nephew wanted to ride my new to me bike from mid Ohio to WI. He would have had endless problems.

 

[ThreeToedNewt]

it's with no doubt a beautiful bike, without being able to inspect it i think $5 K is a lot, especially adding $6-1500 for shipping.
If this is a 100% original bike i wouldn't hesitate, however i think it may have a few newer parts and for sure fresh paint. If you are looking for a beautiful classic ride - you got it there, but if you look at an investment i would hesitate. just my 10 cents.
good luck hunting.
P.S. you could fly down and ride it home - loks solid to me

I agree that sure is pretty. Trust my life for about 1k miles of highway driving on 47 year old bike I have no idea who has been doing the maintenance on - no thank you. I agree about the appearance. One thing I learned the hard way more than once playing with 4 wheeled things - super shiny is generally at least a yellow flag, if not orange.

WoW does not have much said about it in the past couple of years form the google search I did. What I did find was mostly bad. I am wiling to pay some idiot tax, but not a cent in stupid tax. Biggest thing that I found were the complaints that they won't let you start it BEFORE you buy it.

I know I am going to pay some idiot tax because I refuse to get a facebook acct, want a 77D, want it now and want it mostly stock/complete and running or close to running. I expect to do the carbs, points, condenser, brushes, brakes, master and full run of the electrical. It doesn't really matter to me how shiny it is, I won't be driving it until I have checked every fastener and wire.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I agree that sure is pretty. Trust my life for about 1k miles of highway driving on 47 year old bike I have no idea who has been doing the maintenance on - no thank you. I agree about the appearance. One thing I learned the hard way more than once playing with 4 wheeled things - super shiny is generally at least a yellow flag, if not orange.

WoW does not have much said about it in the past couple of years form the google search I did. What I did find was mostly bad. I am wiling to pay some idiot tax, but not a cent in stupid tax. Biggest thing that I found were the complaints that they won't let you start it BEFORE you buy it.

I know I am going to pay some idiot tax because I refuse to get a facebook acct, want a 77D, want it now and want it mostly stock/complete and running or close to running. I expect to do the carbs, points, condenser, brushes, brakes, master and full run of the electrical. It doesn't really matter to me how shiny it is, I won't be driving it until I have checked every fastener and wire.

They're a dealer. I lived in and around Atlanta for over 30 years. WoW has been around for a very long time. I know people who have bought old bikes from them. You don't stay in business as many years as they have with unhappy customers. They would certainly know how to ship you the bike. All I'm saying is, if you decided that bike is what you want, the place is legit.

As far as bad reviews, I ride an old motorcycle almost every day. They require constant attention. Some people should not buy an old bike, they should probably stick with a Toyota. WoW sells old bikes. Is someone who buys one going to have regrets and blame the dealer? I expect so.

 

[ThreeToedNewt]

They're a dealer. I lived in and around Atlanta for over 30 years. WoW has been around for a very long time. I know people who have bought old bikes from them. You don't stay in business as many years as they have with unhappy customers. They would certainly know how to ship you the bike. All I'm saying is, if you decided that bike is what you want, the place is legit.

As far as bad reviews, I ride an old motorcycle almost every day. They require constant attention. Some people should not buy an old bike, they should probably stick with a Toyota. WoW sells old bikes. Is someone who buys one going to have regrets and blame the dealer? I expect so.

Fair enough. No reason to doubt your word, and I will trust a human over the interweb any day. Will call on Monday and find out about a title.

5k + maybe 750 shipping + 10% in fees. fines and FUs .... Bit more than I was looking to pay, but that 77D appears to be a lot more than I was looking to find. Honestly I just might come out ahead starting with a better machine.

 

[Wingedwheel]

It is a beautiful bike and probably will be a great machine. You do you. I don’t think I’ve ever bought one that ran lol.