Ship bike for Vacation?

[CA]

So i was surfing Craigslist for cheap fixer upper bikes and stumbled across an ad from the BMW club in Nashville saying they needed people to get in a group ship to California. The price would be $450 to ship the bikes to Ontario California roundtrip. The dates encompass a 3 week period so i could basically go up and down the west coast, which I have always dreamt of.

I also have some free flights I need to use with Southwest. I mean its kinda impractical with my work and school schedule to ride out there enjoy th ewest coast and ride back. That would be ridiculous.

So I wanted to see opinions if this would be a good way to do it. I ahve some friends on the coast I could stay around with along with camping. But would there be a smarter way to do this? Should I just fly out and rent a motorcycle?
I don't know anyone with one to borrow. But not to mention the bonding with MY motorcycle and the stories to accompany it.

But I only paid 350 for my bike, so 450 to ship it for fun...opinions?

[CatatonicBug]

I'd say if you have the $$ to do it, go ahead! It would probably cost about the same to ride it there, but you'd take a lot longer. You'll have a lot more fun on your own bike, IMO. Even if you run into problems, it'll be part of the adventure.

[Crazcnuk]

It will cost you almost that much, per day, to rent a bike!

Derwat looked into renting a bike in Vegas, and it was vey expensive.

It really depends on what all you want to see on the coast. If you can fill up the 3 weeks, it is definately worth it.

One thing that is a must see, for us poor folk, is Hearst Castle.

[jwhughes3]

When are you planning your trip?

What dates and where are you planning to start/end if not from home?


John in San Antonio

[soccer4m]

Hi CA

If you are out this way there is an XS1100 rally that is a blast June 11th weekend near Central California. The guys know California like the back of their hand and could give you a lot of pointers, advice...etc. Hope you can make it and if you run into any mechanical trouble the members are wizards at repairs, between Motoman, 3phase, Garth, Planedick, DiverRay, Special Ed, Jerry, and others,,,they could rebuild the bike on the side of the road. Do the trip, I have been to every state and the variety of terrain is unmatched in California. Plus the bikinis come out in the summer so your eyes wont be bored along the coast. Cheers, Mike in Sun Diego

[RockinD]

Go!

Man, you will not have a better time and can for sure fill up 3 weeks, the only question is can your arse handle it?

Personally, I would not spend more than 5 hours in L.A. unless you can manage to sail over to Catalina Island for a night or 2. Otherwise, I'd immediately start North on Hwy 1/101.

Plan on riding about 6-8 hours (depending on traffic) with Big Sur as your goal or if you find some stretches of beach around Santa Barbara you might like to explore. Stay in Big Sur for a couple of nights (I think you can still camp out-better check all these spots online) and head up to Carmel/Monterey/San Simeon for a day ride or two.

Next stop is San Fran and it'll be fun for about a day, day and a half, otherwise head across the Golden Gate to Sausalito and up Mount Tamalpais for the best view of the coast here you're likely to see. Sunset Beach is just below it (bring a Frisbee).

From there it's WINE Country all the way- Sonoma, Mendicino. I once drove through the Valley of the Moon near there on a full moon night and guess what came on the radio? Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon", I s**t you not.

You're for certain gonna want to see the Redwoods and the Sequoias at the area parks around and North of there. Then I'd head East over to Mt. Shasta off IS Hwy 5 and start to make my way South toward Napa and Lake Berryessa.
[Or you could head further East and go to Mt. Lassen and through Gold! country; see places like Marysville, Yuba City, Indian Valley and Shenanigan Flats.]

Get on IS Hwy 80 head to Sacramento with your next goal of Truckee through the Donner Pass and going to beautiful Lake Tahoe, Squaw Valley and eventually Yosemite. Don't forget to stop at South Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side and hit a few casinos. That's the real Gold! country!! I'd tell you about Moonlight Ranch, but that's another story for another time.

From there the next several days will be spent seeing the Yosemite Valley and experience another "I don't want to ever leave" moment.

Now your looking to either head back toward LA into the San Joaquin Valley, King's Canyon Park or on to one of the lowest (and hottest) places on earth toward Death Valley. You're only about 150 miles away
from Vegas now, too. And right around the block from Ontario. Whew!

What a trip. Not exactly the Michelin
Guide, but what a trip! Wish I was going.

With some attention to planning this is truly doable. It's all on how long you can stay and what you can spend. But ain't that always the case?
Hope this gives you some inspiration,
Doc