Transport 85 LeMans NY to Oregon?

[wirespokes]

I bought a project 85 LeMans in New York City - actually it's on Long Island a short distance away - and needs to arrive in Portland. The cost of shipping is crazy - as much or more than I paid for the bike. So I'm checking to see if anyone is heading west from NY with room to haul a bike. Perhaps we can work out a deal that will benefit us both.

Or if you know of a reasonably priced transport service, let me know.

Here are a few pix of the bike

[Groover]

Maybe try getting bids on uship.com? Being the conditions it's in, seems like any transportation method would do (covered, uncovered, etc)

[wirespokes]

I checked with UShip several weeks ago on something else and the prices were way high so I'm not real excited about using them.

[Matteo]

Bad timing Terry, I was there with my van in October.

[dxhall]

What prices were you given?  I usually see coast to coast shipping in the 500 to 700 range.

[steven c]

 Try Forward Air? A little more work, but their rates used to be good.

[MedicAndy]

Take a look at www.motorcycleshipp ers.com

I had uShip quote to get a bike that I bought shipped from San Francisco CA to Raleigh NC, and their quotes were way to high.

I finally booked my bikes with MC Shippers, and I really like this company. My bike was picked up at the sellers address and was delivered five days later at my house. The bike came in absolutely perfect condition. I paid $750.00 for this shipment, which is not cheap, but this cost was for a enclosed and secure trailer shipment, and it included a $10k replacement coverage insurance for this bike. The MC Shipper cost was almost $500.00 less then the quotes I got with uShip while looking for a shipper. I also got a quote from an "Open Shipping Container" shipper at around $500.00, but an open shipment was not an option for this bike, maybe it is OK for your bike? But I also got lucky before with using uShip when I bought a bike out of Vancouver WA. That cost was only $600.00, but it took almost a month for this bike to get delivered between the ordering to delivery time, whereas the MC Shippers ordering to delivery time was only one week. I think that you have to be somewhat lucky when quoting with uShip, since all it takes is to find a shipper at the right place who has an empty space in order to get a better price.

[Groover]

My experience with uShip so far has been positive, but it is a rolling the dice situation as you get bids from people traveling that path on those days, which will vary from day to day. I think there is a way to set your own price then see if anyone will take it at that price. I've shipped 3 things with them over the past 8 years 1 full size van, 1 Vespa, and 1 motorcycle frame and they've all been good experience, though I understand that there is no consistency and depends really on who you get to do the job. I'd definitely check their feedback and photos of their rig(s) if any before accepting any potential quotes.

[brider]

4k miles on an '85 LeMans? How can that be??!!

I'm only an hour away, did you find it on CL?

[wirespokes]

Matteo - Yeah, you were there 9 months ago! Doesn't do me much good now. How about going again and dropping it off here? You know you need to come visit! Right???

brider - I know - only 4k on the clock. Wouldn't it be nice if these bikes could talk? What a story they'd tell. You're an hour away? Which direction? An hour would make that what... about twenty or thirty miles?

And yes, I found it on Craigslist a day after it was posted. I got this wild idea to copy what MGMark did with his 85LM, so did a nationwide CL search. This is what came up. It's perfect for my purposes. The seller isn't a motorcyclist, he sells antique car parts - old stuff from the 50s or 60s and before. His brother (cousin?) has connections with the company that had been storing it for ages and ages. They told him to take it away, but he wasn't into that sort of thing. So he got the seller involved (who hauled it home) and they split the proceeds. And there you have it.

I took a chance buying this thing off of CL like this but I had a good feeling about the guy and he's got a good feedback rating on ebay. He's willing to find a pallet to strap it onto, which I think will make transporting it cheaper and easier.

Have any of you used BOLT Express Transport? Their on-line quick quote gave me an estimate around $300. But when I called to talk to a real person, I didn't such a good feeling about them. And when I asked about shipping motorcycles he said it wasn't something they do. And on top of that, according to him, they only ship business to business. He said the cost would be something like $5-7,000.

Andy - guess I'll try UShip again. And this time do as you suggest.

I was feeling a little low wondering how I'd get this bike home without spending a ton of money on it. I'd love to get the job done for two or three hundred, but even four or five wouldn't be bad. So thanks everyone for the suggestions!

[PJPR01]

Haulbikes has been used by many in the past and with great feedback.

I’ve never seen a rate for much less than $500 for cross country with a reputable carrier so if you find it for less with a reliable shipper, that will be a miracle...