Getting the Batta la Strada to Atlanta - NOW WITH PICTURES!

[Pinocchio]

I want to have the frame straightened on the '05 MTS before the Spring comes.

I talked to Kent Soignier at GMD Computrack ATL about doing it. He wants the bike stripped to the rolling stock with the engine in, and the seat tank and rear fairing halves on. Much easier than taking everything off the frame.

I need to locate a crate that will fit a Multistrada. Then I need a flat trailer to pick up the crate, drop off/ pick up the crated bike at the shipper's, since I can't take a half day off work to wait for them to come pick it up.

Anyone have any recent experience with this?
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[Samsonite]

Ask a dealer for an old crate...never know, they might hook you up.  Then all you need is a shipper with a pallet jack.  Maybe try uship.com

[Pinocchio]

Ask a dealer for an old crate...never know, they might hook you up.  Then all you need is a shipper with a pallet jack.  Maybe try uship.com

I asked at Eurosport and AMS, but nothing yet. Any Ducati crate should work, according to Tony. Probably other makes would work, too, but Ducati crates are faster.

$200 each way was the quote from the broker website freightquote.com
That's acceptable, but I'd rather not waste half a weekday at home waiting for pickup and delivery. I will need a flatbed trailer to pick up the crate and then get the crated bike to and from the shipping dock.

Of course, if I bought a bike trailer, I could put the bike on it and head for Atlanta....or put both bikes on it and move to Atlanta....yeeeeaaaahhhh.....

Too bad I have to work for a living.

[muskrat]

check the Yammi shops as well as Honda. 

[Pinocchio]

check the Yammi shops as well as Honda. 

True; Hondoo-Suzooski North and RPM Cycle are right down the road. They might even deliver a crate to my door for a mere pittance. As tight as things are in the motorcycle service industry these days, they might even crate it and hold it for pickup, cheap!

[muskrat]

Or you can harass Marty and Corey at AMS, I've made a hobby out of it

[Pinocchio]

I'd have to catch them when Jeff isn't there; he wants $100 for a crate, if and when one turns up.

[muskrat]

Snatch it from them when they are busy modeling clothes

[fastwin]

Maybe I'm missing out on the obvious here but before you go to this monumental effort of sending your bike to Atlanta is there some reason you think your frame needs straightenting in the first place? Did I miss the "Pinocchio crashed" thread? Just asking...

[Pinocchio]

Did I miss the "Pinocchio crashed" thread?

No, because I crashed in 2006. I only came to the realization that the frame was bent fairly recently.
It's a very, very long story I would rather not tell here, but if you buy me pint sometime, I'll roll it out.
Actually, it might be a two-pinter

[fastwin]

OK, I love a good pint story. Didn't know any of that. Sorry about the drop, never heard you complain of any related injuries so I hope you were not hurt. Is it handling weird since the drop? I suppose it is or you wouldn't be considering this. Could you relate what it's doing now versus before? Just for educational purposes. Or it could be saved and discussed over said pint! [moto]

[muskrat]

check with Brad Miller, he builds crates or may have a few.  PM me for his number.

[Pinocchio]

A local transporter wanted $300 each way, and couldn't say when he could work it in to his schedule.

I got a quote for $215.24 each way via common carrier (Global Express) through freightquote.com. Rather than mess with the logistics of finding and hauling an empty crate to the house, crating the bike myself, taking the crated bike to a terminal, picking up crated bike from terminal, etc., I opted to let Cliff and Boris at RPM Cycle handle everything for me. I get the bike to them Monday, they crate it and hold it for pickup, receive it and uncrate it on return. $150 total, still a cheaper plan than using a transporter, and with about a three week turnaround, adding repair time at GMDATL.

Now, all I have to do is wait for the repair bill.

[muskrat]

your insurance covers you on this?  if not check into the transport company insurance rates for additional piece of mind.

[webspoke]

Good to hear you found a solution