Guest vratbastard Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I'm thinking about going over to England for the summer, and possibly having my v11 Sport shipped over there. I may just end up storing the guzzi and buying a "banger" honda/suzuki bike when I get over there but, with the way the exchange rates are at the moment (nearly 2 to 1!). Shipping the guzzi may work out better, I would prefer that anyway! At my shop we’ve got accounts with UPS and DHL, and last I checked it would run me $350-400 to London if I crate it myself. Has anyone had any success with having bikes shipped internationally through a broker/container? I've heard that you can get an international license from AAA but I'm not sure you can get one for bikes? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! I have two friends, which will be over there at the same time. One will be in Germany and the other one in Denmark so I'd like to make a pretty good tour of Europe on the bike. It's something that I've wanted to do for a while and I think now is the time to do it when I'm still young (25!). Looking forward to maybe riding with some fellow Guzzists across the pond! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guzzirider Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 HC Travel have a good reputation- give them a call- ask for David. They ship bikes to the USA and back for holidays so I guess he can do it the other way round. He is organising our biking holiday in the USA this July. http://www.hctravel.com/ Let us know what dates you will be coming and I will let you know what's on- plenty of Guzzi events in the UK and Europe this summer. Regards Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antonio carroccio Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 .........don't forget the quarantine. When I went there, I had to disinfected my bike before I have got in UK ......and after, when I was getting on the continent again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guzzirider Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 .........don't forget the quarantine. When I went there, I had to disinfected my bike before I have got in UK ......and after, when I was getting on the continent again 77639[/snapback] Did your bike smelll???? It has never happened to me apart from when foot and mouth was at its peak and I had to ride over a slippery wet mat onto the ferry. Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdude Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 every time I visit England they make me disinfect my feet and mouth. cheeky bastards... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guzzirider Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 every time I visit England they make me disinfect my feet and mouth. cheeky bastards... 77740[/snapback] Just in case you have been kissing diseased reindeers!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vratbastard Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Just in case you have been kissing diseased reindeers!! 77741[/snapback] I don't think I've every heard of an american having to go through such things while traveling to England. Come on now we're not that dirty, lol! Maybe it's just those in the EU that are infected, sorry affected. But, just to be sure I'll check into it. I'm going back and forth on the whole bike shipping thing, looks like I might be able to buy a fairly decent bike off Ebay (UK) and run that then sell it before I leave. Whereas I'll just have to eat the shipping charges on the Guzzi, then again it'd be nice to have the guzzi shipped. Not too many people here in the states can say that they've ridden the same bike around in England and the USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike wilson Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I don't think I've every heard of an american having to go through such things while traveling to England. Come on now we're not that dirty, lol! Maybe it's just those in the EU that are infected, sorry affected. But, just to be sure I'll check into it. I'm going back and forth on the whole bike shipping thing, looks like I might be able to buy a fairly decent bike off Ebay (UK) and run that then sell it before I leave. Whereas I'll just have to eat the shipping charges on the Guzzi, then again it'd be nice to have the guzzi shipped. Not too many people here in the states can say that they've ridden the same bike around in England and the USA. 77851[/snapback] Would be fun to take it "home". Getting to the Continent is easy with the channel tunnel. Useful to ride with someone at first here, to counter "wrong side" syndrome. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vratbastard Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Would be fun to take it "home". Getting to the Continent is easy with the channel tunnel. Useful to ride with someone at first here, to counter "wrong side" syndrome. m 78043[/snapback] I've checked with express one (dhl) and it'll run me about $350 but, there is like a 22 day lead time to go through customs for cars/bikes. I don't think I can wait that long going over there. I guess as cool as it would be to ship it over, it's just not practical. Are all these scams regarding flat deposits TRUE? I've heard that they show you the place and take you deposit money never to be heard from again! I proably just get a 1br flat somewhere in and around london. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antonio carroccio Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 It's bloody raining in there. I don't know why you should take all this stuff with you to get wet in the UK. You can get wet also with some rented bike....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest goosesport Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 If you are coming to the UK, you might want to join the UK Guzzi email group at http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/motoguzzigroupgb/ There's also the Moto Guzzi Club GB with a website at http://www.motoguzziclub.co.uk/bike/default.asp The biggest UK web forum is at http://www.visordown.com/ A shout on these sites might help find you a bike and quarters. If I was coming to the UK for a summer of biking, I wouldn't settle down in London. Great city (Valentino Rossi lives there) But it is huge and takes an hour or more to get out of the city. Your insurance will be much more expensive in London probably double. South England does have nice places to ride but it is a bit crowded. If I wanted to in the South, I might pick Brighton or Oxford -- close to London and lively. Best riding in the UK is Wales, Peak district, Lake District, Scotland and the Southwest. Although I bought my V11 on eBay, I don't know if I would go to another country and expect to get a sorted bike that way. UK trading standards require dealers to guarentee that their products are 'fit for purpose' in effect a 30 day guarantee. Many dealers give a 3-6 month guarantee with any used bike they sell. I've heard of people making a deal with a dealer to buy back a bike after a time. Don't know who though. Best places to look for bikes in the UK is on the Motorcycle News site at http://www.motorcyclenews.com/ or http://www.biketrader.co.uk/ f you are 25 years old without a no claims bonus, insurance will be really expensive. So expensive that renting a bike with insurance included might be cheaper. Look on the two sites above for rentals (they call it hire here) Larry Hampshire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vratbastard Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 If you are coming to the UK, you might want to join the UK Guzzi email group at http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/motoguzzigroupgb/ There's also the Moto Guzzi Club GB with a website at http://www.motoguzziclub.co.uk/bike/default.asp The biggest UK web forum is at http://www.visordown.com/ A shout on these sites might help find you a bike and quarters. If I was coming to the UK for a summer of biking, I wouldn't settle down in London. Great city (Valentino Rossi lives there) But it is huge and takes an hour or more to get out of the city. Your insurance will be much more expensive in London probably double. South England does have nice places to ride but it is a bit crowded. If I wanted to in the South, I might pick Brighton or Oxford -- close to London and lively. Best riding in the UK is Wales, Peak district, Lake District, Scotland and the Southwest. Although I bought my V11 on eBay, I don't know if I would go to another country and expect to get a sorted bike that way. UK trading standards require dealers to guarentee that their products are 'fit for purpose' in effect a 30 day guarantee. Many dealers give a 3-6 month guarantee with any used bike they sell. I've heard of people making a deal with a dealer to buy back a bike after a time. Don't know who though. Best places to look for bikes in the UK is on the Motorcycle News site at http://www.motorcyclenews.com/ or http://www.biketrader.co.uk/ f you are 25 years old without a no claims bonus, insurance will be really expensive. So expensive that renting a bike with insurance included might be cheaper. Look on the two sites above for rentals (they call it hire here) Larry Hampshire 78329[/snapback] Now this was the info I was hoping for, Kudos Larry for the good work. I'm thinking about bringing over my own insurance (int'l) but, I don't know if they'll take it in the UK. I've been made very well aware of the high insurance rates. But, I don't plan on buying a 1liter fireblade or R1 when I arrive. It's ironic really they're trying to keep the fast stuff away from the age group that the machines were intended for in the first place! Thanks again, ALEX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belfastguzzi Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 every time I visit England they make me disinfect my feet and mouth. cheeky bastards... 77740[/snapback] They don't make me do it, but every time I get back from England I have a real good bath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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