Is a Tiger Meet USA 201x7 worth doing?

[nickjtc]

So personally I don't really want a guided tour.

Still being a working stiff I'm not sure I would be able to do all of the riding, apart from pointing you in the right direction! You're all grown ups, though and I'm sure that you can read a map.  :icon_wink: Although I do have the odd few favourite roads...........

[blacktiger]

Although I do have the odd few favourite roads

That's the sort of info we'd want to know.

[Spud]

Spoke to a guy called Chris from "Unchained tours" he is happy to fill his containers with "Tigers" he would be looking at around the 2k mark for a return trip that is shipping and all paper work basically you just fly in and pick your bike up you do not need to be doing a tour of his.

He suggested Santa Rosa

cheers Spud 

[blacktiger]

Spoke to a guy called Chris from "Unchained tours" he is happy to fill his containers with "Tigers" he would be looking at around the 2k mark for a return trip that is shipping and all paper work basically you just fly in and pick your bike up you do not need to be doing a tour of his.

He suggested Santa Rosa

cheers Spud 

I like the Canadian Airways price better.

What's so special in Santa Rosa? Just a city north of San Fran. I've been through that area and apart from lots of tall trees it's nothing special.

[Spud]

easy run for the west coast waiting for an email with more info on it

cheers Spud 

[blacktiger]

easy run for the west coast waiting for an email with more info on it

cheers Spud 

If you want the west coast just stay on the west coast. It's not short of accomodation. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/california/coastal-highway-1/hotels Although having said that it'd be wise to stay away from the hot spots at weekends because the Yanks will be filling them up.

However, IMO the best riding over that way is inland running through the lumpy bits. Like hwy96:- https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/40.9607315,-123.6427529/Randolf+Collier+Safety+Roadside+Rest+Area,+CA-96,+Hornbrook,+CA+96044/@41.3752788,-123.2499916,9z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x54ce515f693749e7:0x6c99fa19f6858e89!2m2!1d-122.5713183!2d41.8513025?hl=en

Which I rode in 2007. Absolutely great fun and so little traffic.


Also Hwy25 south of San Fran and dirt to be ridden https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/36.4065147,-120.9924753/36.5912857,-120.8301948/@36.563853,-120.8600639,12z/data=!4m2!4m1!5i2?hl=en

I rode that in 2007 as well.

[Spud]

Hi John


Further to our telephone conversation of yesterday, please find some details of shipping to the USA as requested:


Next year, we will be shipping bikes into our normal destination of Santa Rosa California which is a perfect place to start and finish every trip. We will be running a 3 week trip from here and I have attached an itinerary in case you are interested in joining us on this trip.


However, if you just want me to ship your bikes and sort your own route, that's fine and I can help you with routing etc.



I have programmed the bikes to be unloaded in Santa Rosa on Thursday 12th August and will be reloaded on Tuesday 7th September 2016.


We load the bikes in Pershore, Worcester and they are loaded on a secure 40ft container. Each bike is fixed in individual wheel chocks which are bolted to the floor. You can carry all your kit in the container with the bike but we limit this to your panniers and one large bag. Anything you don't need to carry on your trip i.e your big bag can be left at Santa Rosa.


The bikes are unloaded at Santa Rosa BMW/Triumph and you simply fly in and your bike will be waiting for you. For the return, you leave the bike there and we load it and send it home. There are excellent bus connections from San Francisco International Airport. We have an excellent relationship with this dealer and he is on hand if we have any issues.


I personally load and unload the bikes so am in full control from start to finish.


The cost per bike is £1950.00 which includes loading/unloading and all the customs paperwork. There will be a voluntary extra charge for full marine insurance which I strongly recommend you take out. The cost varies depending on the value of bike but it's normally around £80.00 per bike.


There will be an extra charge of £250.00 per person if you wanted to join us on our trip. On these trips, I organise the route, motels, lead the trip etc and you pay for everything as you go so you can just sit back and enjoy the route knowing you have a brilliant route ahead of you and your accommodation is booked at the end of the day. I don't expect everyone to follow me on these trips and encourage people to ride their own day if they want to. It always makes for good stories at the end of the day.


I trust this information is of interest and please let me know if you need any more details at this time.


Best Regards






Chris Biltcliffe
www.unchainedtours.com

Cheers Spud 

[Spud]

Moab
and
Canyons
2016
Day
Date
Route
Finish
Mileage
Saturday
14th
August
Collect
Bikes
and
local
ride.
Santa
Rosa
Sunday
15th
August
PCH
Hwy
1
Giant
Redwoods
Eureka
250
Monday
16th
August
Via
Mad
River
Crater
Lake
320
Tuesday
17th
August
Crater
Lake
Reno
300
Wednesday
18th
August
Lost
Highway
50
Ely
320
Thursday
19th
August
Bonneville
Salt
Flats
Salt
Lake
City
250
Friday
20th
August
Hwy
6
Moab
220
Saturday
21st
August
Exploring
Moab
Moab
Sunday
22nd
August
Exploring
Moab
Moab
Monday
23rd
August
l41
through
Telluride
Silverton
173
Tuesday
24th
August
Million
Dollar
Hwy
Monument
Valley
Mexican
Hat
254
Wednesday
25th
August
Moki
Dugway
To
Bryce
Bryce
300
Thursday
26th
August
Northern
Rim
Grand
Canyon
Kanab
220
Friday
27th
August
Zion
National
Park
Hurricane
70
Saturday
28th
August
Hoover
dam
Lake
Mead
Boulder
City
180
Sunday
29th
August
Death
Valley
Lone
Pine
240
Monday
30th
August
Bodie
Lee
Vining
200
Tuesday
31st
August
Yosemite
Oakhurst
100
Wednesday
1st
September
Sequoia
and
Kings
Canyon
3
Rivers
150
Thursday
2nd
September
Hwy
128
and
Carmel
Byway
Monterey
240
Friday
3rd
September
Skyline
and
Golden
gate
Santa
Rosa
180
Saturday
4th
September
Drop
bike
and
fly
home
3967
www.unchainedtours.com

[nickjtc]

Good work, Spud. Apart from the long scroll down!

I have ridden most of those roads and concur that the trip would be one to remember. You've hit all the high spots (and low, in Death Valley  ). Personally I would not spend any more time in Yosemite than is necessary because of the four wheel tourists, but otherwise A+++ 

I would certainly make the effort to ride down and join in at least for part of the loop.

[blacktiger]

Moab
and
Canyons
2016
www.unchainedtours.com

Well if I read that right  I've already done all that. It's a good tour though and covers a lot of what you need to be seeing. I will add that when they say "Byway" they don't mean a green lane like over here.

[mat-tiger1]

I don't mind meeting somewhere BUT I don't have any weekends available this side of the end of October. The only thing I can suggest is meeting at the NEC show which this year runs from Nov 28th to Dec 6th. http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2015/january/motorcycle-live-2015-dates-change/
I can get there on either Saturday 28th or Sunday 29th. Obviously that's a long way from SinTiger.

Hi Guys 

Any Takers for a meet here to discuss a USA trip? 

If so, what day? 

[blacktiger]

Hi Guys 

Any Takers for a meet here to discuss a USA trip? 

If so, what day? 

As I wrote before Sat 28th or Sun 29th for me.

[mat-tiger1]

No problems with either of those dates here BT. 

Have you got your PC on Spud?  Did your contacts give you any ideas about what sort of notice they would need to organize shipping?   
I mean do they send & receive containers weekly / monthly?

I'm just thinking possible 'cut off' dates for when we meet up. Talking of dates, had we narrowed any prospective trip down to a possible month as yet or is it still TBA?  Is it cheaper to ship at certain times?

I bumped into Roddy from Motofrieght ( www.motofrieght.com ) when i was down Jack Lilley's the other week & he said that he'd spoken to one our Tigertriple guys about a USA trip (guessing it was you Spud?) & he suggested a group meeting where either he or one of his shipping organizers could attend & answer any questions we might have.

Would you guys be up for that if we get an idea of when we might want to go? Perhaps we could arrange it to co-inside whith the bike show? (I'm guessing they'll be exhibiting?) 

[Sin_Tiger]

If I'm in the UK and free I will make so.

[Bixxer Bob]

Since starting this the management has started making plans to visit our friends in Australia next year.  I can't fund both so this will have to be held over fro another time.