A question of shipping...(For you logistical experts)

Hi guys,

I'm trying to get a frame shipped from NorCal to the U.K, but it would seem that the prices quoted so far are waaaaay over the top (In the region of $1,000) :shock: I was wondering if any of you in the business of shipping parts/ bikes could point me to a logistics company that wouldn't try to tear me a new one? USPS apparently have a size limitation(46"), as well weight limit. It just sounds to me like they're trying to pull a bit of a fast one...

The only other way of getting round this, though I'm not sure of the legal ramifications is to take the VIN plate off the frame and get that sent through the post instead. I agree it's not a good solution, no doubt there would be a right nest of hornets to deal with, regarding the import duty, etc.

I could sure use some help here.

Thoughts?

All the best,

Steve

Sorry can't help but good post I think a few people will be interested in feedback on this subject including me thanks

This may or may not be helpful. I recently shipped a BSA gearbox to Calif from UK for around £80 including £1000 insurance. It left me on Monday & was in CA on Thursday. It went by Fedex but I didn't buy direct from Fedex, it would have been at least double that if I had. I used a company called Interparcel who buy job lots from courier companies & sell them on. There's also another called Parcesl2go. I think you can put USA in as a from destination, worth a try.

http://www.interparcel.com/
http://www.parcel2go.com/

Ian

Nortoniggy,

Thanks, I'll have a looksee.

In recent months I've had all manner of things arrive from the U.S, including cranks, tanks, C-Cases, gearbox, etc...The heaviest IIRC was the crank, was also about £80....So I'm just a bit baffled to be honest

Ta for that.

Is it that you just really want the title? You know blank ID plates are available here in the US and can be stamped with anything. Having a real matching title is another issue, depends on the state, but I've heard in some states you can just about register a ground hog for a fee.

Dave
69S

The biggest issue with shipping frames is the physical size and the fact that they are not easily packed in a neat rectangular box (unless you work hard at it).

For that much money you might as well fly over return with the frame as checked oversize luggage.I know some surfers that do the world circuit checking their boards. Sporting equipment flys for free too with some carriers and I fly every winter with oversize fishing gear, no extra charge.You can carry it through the airport too , it only weighs about 25 lbs. Then you can explore the U.K.. Peter.

Is it that you just really want the title?

Click to expand...

Hi Dave,

Essentially yes. It's so I could get an age related plate. Anything 1972(I think) or earlier qualifies for the old fashioned black and white number plate, which I think looks really rather cool. 8)

On the other hand I could go for what's called the 'reconstructed registration', covers pretty much everything you'd build at home from used, or new parts. Said vehicle is then issued a 'Q' number. So I could make up my own frame number and use a brand new frame if I wanted. The only down side of a Q plate is should there come a time, in which I wanted to sell the bike it's value would be less because of the registration number. Silly I know, but that's the way it seems to work over here.

Paul,

Says rather a lot about the minds of the couriers, eh? :roll: :mrgreen:

Peter,

Funny you should mention that...We were talking the same subject here at work. Makes rather a farce of the logistical process, when I could fly on a return ticket and take the thing back as hand luggage! Maybe I should mention that to the next company I speak to? :wink:

I've got another couple of avenues to explore, but if you guys know/hear of anything, please shout it out!

ATB,

Steve

I'm sure here in the US one could buy a just a clean title with the ID plate and that would be easy to ship, even if it were a reproduction? As long as no one else had registered that number anywhere, that's where the clean title comes in. I bet there are some around, you might advertise for it. There are probably even some in the UK, there must be plenty of people that have parted out bikes and have just the title left. It would be plenty easier than shipping a frame. Who would know especially if the number and frame style matched. No one even looked at my bike or ID plate when I registered it, but then I had a good title with my name on it and I kept the old plate but put a new plate on it with the same number.



You can order blank plates from just about anyone over here, they're about $10. I guess the other thing is coming up with a frame in the UK without a title? This is getting too complicated.

Dave
69S

DogT said:

I guess the other thing is coming up with a frame in the UK without a title?

Click to expand...

Of course we don't actually use "title" documents in the UK, so it would be a case of finding a pre-73 UK frame with a V5 document which would already have a pre-73 registration number allocated to it, or, give a frame another "identity" by stamping it with a pre-'73 number (or fit an ID plate with a pre-73 number).

The DVLA require a dating letter from a recognised authority (such as the NOC) before they will issue an age-related registration number.
http://www.nortonownersclub.org/records-dating/dating