Topic: Shipping motorcycles to the Big Island of Hawaii

[Elniniomuchachos]

I have the opportunity to live on the Big Island of Hawaii (I'm from Phoenix, AZ) and would like to bring my 550 with me. Does anyone have experience shipping their bikes from the mainland? If so could you tell me a little information on what company you used and what you had to do as far as processing goes?

Also, are there any SOHC4 owners on the Big Island?

Thanks,
Taylor

[Dimitri13]

I'm not sure about shipping companies, but there's at least one guy on here from the big island. I'm on Oahu.

[Bob Wessner]

Just Google it as a question,  several hits. Here 's one;

 http://motorcycleshippers.com/s_ha_crated.htm

[DaveI]

Taylor,

I have some experience related to this as I am moving my 750k4 out to Hawaii next month.

There is more than one route to shipping a motorcycle. You could do an automotive shipment and pay the $700-1000 to ship the bike out there or you could see if it could be included with your household items.

I am military so whenever I move my bikes, the moving company will pick it up (with the tank drained, bike clean and battery disconnected) and wrap it and tie it down in a container with my couches and coffee maker.
If a company ships bikes this way with the military I imagine it would be worth it to call a moving company and see if they'd do it for you.  You could also crate it yourself before the move.

[lucky]

It is going to rust like crazy in hawaii with that salt air and humidity. Sure you want to do that?

Spray everything down with WD40.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

It is going to rust like crazy in hawaii with that salt air and humidity. Sure you want to do that?

Spray everything down with WD40.

Sure you want to do that?  YGTBFNKM! Why would anyone want to ride in paradise?!

[DaveI]

on the contrary, Hawaii has a nice breeze and less humidity.  If you want 85 and beautiful everyday, go and take the bike.

If you want rusting from humidity,go to northern Florida.

[Dimitri13]

Lucky, you're acting like every house is a beachfront property. I have to drive at least an hour to get to the beach. I've never had problems with rust.

[Elniniomuchachos]

Uhhhh. Why would anyone want to ride in paradise? Is that a serious question? I understand that the climate is different than Arizona and there there will be rust, but that's what rust removers and paint are for.
If you don't think riding a nearly 40 year old bike up and around an island for a while would be cool then you don't know what adventures are.

I created this post to see if anyone has experience with this and would like to donate some info and to see if any SOHC4 owners were on the island. I've been here for about four months and so far all I have seen are sport bikes and Harley's. Oh, I did talk to an older guy that was cruising an all black 78 KZ1000 ltd.

[boogiedude]

I'm new here, but actually just bought my bike out of new mexico(I live on Oahu) and I'm having it shipped with Pasha. They're one the more highly recommended shippers and my neighbor uses them 2-3 every year to ship his harley up to the mainland to attend sturgis and other camping trips.

That being said, I'm not happy with their service at all. I contracted them out to pick the bike up from the sellers house in NM and handle the shipping all the way here. They showed up a day later than the 5 day window that they gave the seller for pick up, and ended up taking 9 days to move the bike from NM to san diego, which then caused my bike to miss it's ship. They then rescheduled it for the next ship heading out this way and that ship his since been delayed by a week and a half. The rep assigned to me has been far from informative as to the reasons behind the messed up schedule and isn't the least bit apologetic about it. The bike should have arrived here on the 19th of july, but its now looking at a potential arrival of the 9th of august. I paid for everything upfront($1600!) and it was set up on june 14th. That makes it nearly two months from payment to delivery. Not happy at all.


I'm not sure if I've just caught some severely bad luck, or what. But based on my experience so far, I wouldn't use them again.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Total envy! Don't even think of rust! Ride! Paradise.

When I moved to Colorado the moving company just loaded my bike with all the household stuff.

[Magilla]

It is going to rust like crazy in hawaii with that salt air and humidity. Sure you want to do that?

Spray everything down with WD40.

Sure you want to do that?  YGTBFNKM! Why would anyone want to ride in paradise?!

Not much rusts in Hawaii.  You see cars that get rust from the top town if you see any rust at all.  Keep it clean and keep it waxed and your good to go.

I am lucky enough to have ridden in Hawaii and I can tell you that if you can, you should do it!!  The only thing that can compare to a bike in Hawaii is a Jeep.  Everyting else is sub par for the climate and terrain.

[Brantley]

It is going to rust like crazy in hawaii with that salt air and humidity. Sure you want to do that?

Spray everything down with WD40.

Sure you want to do that?  YGTBFNKM! Why would anyone want to ride in paradise?!

Jerry, I, for one, caught the sarcasm. Thanks for the hearty guffaw...

Taylor, maybe you could pull a Burt Monro?

[Elniniomuchachos]

Lucky, you're acting like every house is a beachfront property. I have to drive at least an hour to get to the beach. I've never had problems with rust.

Dimitri13, how does your 550 run at low elevation? What main jet sizes are you running?

Honestly I'm not concerned about rust once the bike gets here because the location is generally sunny and relatively dry.

[Dimitri13]

Lucky, you're acting like every house is a beachfront property. I have to drive at least an hour to get to the beach. I've never had problems with rust.

Dimitri13, how does your 550 run at low elevation? What main jet sizes are you running?

Honestly I'm not concerned about rust once the bike gets here because the location is generally sunny and relatively dry.

The 550 (022A carbs) ran perfectly with stock airbox and a MAC 4-1 with baffle at stock jetting (100 mains 38 slows).

I live in the center of the island so the elevation is about 600ft above sea level.

[Elniniomuchachos]

Lucky, you're acting like every house is a beachfront property. I have to drive at least an hour to get to the beach. I've never had problems with rust.

Dimitri13, how does your 550 run at low elevation? What main jet sizes are you running?

Honestly I'm not concerned about rust once the bike gets here because the location is generally sunny and relatively dry.

The 550 (022A carbs) ran perfectly with stock airbox and a MAC 4-1 with baffle at stock jetting (100 mains 38 slows).

I live in the center of the island so the elevation is about 600ft above sea level.

Interesting. I'm sure I'll have to re-jet as I have pods and a 77 4-4 exhaust.