Motörhead
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2022
- Messages
- 125
- Reaction score
- 59
- Location
- Texas
- My Bike Models
- 1985 Kawasaki Concours
1975 Honda GL1000
Thought a short summary of my recent experience in searching for a shipper to move a GL1200 from Illinois to Texas might be of value to someone.
The last time I shipped a bike was in the summer of 2020 during the peak of the COVID slowdown, a Kawasaki ZG1000 from Wisconsin to Texas. I listed it on UShip and a independent transporter with a dually and gooseneck enclosed trailer put out a very reasonable quote of $500 or so. BAM in two days it was in my driveway.
Now, two years later, I put a 1200 GW to go from Illinois to Texas on UShip and nothing. Crickets. Zilch. For three days! Thus I put a listing on Shiply and a few broker search engjne sites. Yeah Shiply got results, at first over $1200! HUH?? Gradually more sane one of $900 and such came in. At the same time my phone and email EXPLODED with thick foreign accented brokers, mostly in Florida and New York, pitching low ball estimates if I would please pay a booking fee. One of these got a quote for $700. Before agreeing to pay I asked for his driver's info. Good thing I asked because see attached pending suspension of insurance plus no answer on the listed office phone number, wrong business address from what I was given, area code from a Texas based carrier went to the same as the broker in Miami! SCAM alarm.
I gave up on that and was on the verge of booking for $827 through Shiply but I called the dealer to ask if they mailed the title yet. Yes they did (was in my mailbox today) and furthermore they shipped the bike for me yesterday! I was like WHAT? LOL The dealer wanted this behemoth out of there I guess. The cost through a carrier they have a long relationship with: $550. Man I was happy to pay them.
I guess the moral is don't be an idiot like me and buy out of state anymore unless the purchase is really worth the hassle.
The last time I shipped a bike was in the summer of 2020 during the peak of the COVID slowdown, a Kawasaki ZG1000 from Wisconsin to Texas. I listed it on UShip and a independent transporter with a dually and gooseneck enclosed trailer put out a very reasonable quote of $500 or so. BAM in two days it was in my driveway.
Now, two years later, I put a 1200 GW to go from Illinois to Texas on UShip and nothing. Crickets. Zilch. For three days! Thus I put a listing on Shiply and a few broker search engjne sites. Yeah Shiply got results, at first over $1200! HUH?? Gradually more sane one of $900 and such came in. At the same time my phone and email EXPLODED with thick foreign accented brokers, mostly in Florida and New York, pitching low ball estimates if I would please pay a booking fee. One of these got a quote for $700. Before agreeing to pay I asked for his driver's info. Good thing I asked because see attached pending suspension of insurance plus no answer on the listed office phone number, wrong business address from what I was given, area code from a Texas based carrier went to the same as the broker in Miami! SCAM alarm.
I gave up on that and was on the verge of booking for $827 through Shiply but I called the dealer to ask if they mailed the title yet. Yes they did (was in my mailbox today) and furthermore they shipped the bike for me yesterday! I was like WHAT? LOL The dealer wanted this behemoth out of there I guess. The cost through a carrier they have a long relationship with: $550. Man I was happy to pay them.
I guess the moral is don't be an idiot like me and buy out of state anymore unless the purchase is really worth the hassle.
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