Bike transport recommendations - Belfast to Kent
Discussion
Can anyone recommend a decent bike transport company that'll pick up a bike from Belfast and deliver to Kent? I've heard some horror stories about some companies...
I'm considering a bike for sale privately near Belfast, and weighing up all the options if I was to buy it:
Flying over then riding back, £100 cost if you book the flight with a weeks notice with a 7 hour ride back from Cairnryan down to Kent
Hiring/borrowing a bike trailer and riving there and back - 900 mile round trip and £300 ferry, so that's out!
Bike transport company to pick up and deliver the bike to me, with me either flying over to see the bike (£30 cheap return flight) or having someone go look at the bike for me.
Option one is going to be the cheapest, but I'll get a quote or 2 to have it picked up and delivered.
Ta!
I'm considering a bike for sale privately near Belfast, and weighing up all the options if I was to buy it:
Flying over then riding back, £100 cost if you book the flight with a weeks notice with a 7 hour ride back from Cairnryan down to Kent
Hiring/borrowing a bike trailer and riving there and back - 900 mile round trip and £300 ferry, so that's out!
Bike transport company to pick up and deliver the bike to me, with me either flying over to see the bike (£30 cheap return flight) or having someone go look at the bike for me.
Option one is going to be the cheapest, but I'll get a quote or 2 to have it picked up and delivered.
Ta!
The flight is only a tenner one way (so long as it's booked a week in advance), I did look at the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead but it's 5 hours from holyhead to kent and another 1hr 45 mins from belfast to Dublin, so the same riding time - and the crossing is 3hrs 30 mins vs the Cairnryan crossing at 2hrs 20 mins so it's actually be longer going this way.
I can only see the £40 one way or day return ferry option though, no £29 day return?
I can only see the £40 one way or day return ferry option though, no £29 day return?
Thanks, not sure that's an option as the timings are bit crap and the T&C's say they validate your outbound journey when coming back, it'd also be an overnight ride back which I don't fancy on a new bike, running low on sleep. The Belfast to Liverpool ferry is also an option, the timings are bit close to do it in a day for the other ferries but there's an overnight one to Liverpool, get some kip on the ferry and a nice leisurely 4 hour cruise home the next morning. £80 vs £40 but 200 less miles so £25 less in fuel.
Just a pain in the arse getting to Gatwick, booking a day or 2 off, booking the flight/ferry in advance, only for the bike to sell beforehand or not be as described... I'm not one to buy a bike unseen - from a dealer maybe but not privately.
Whereas £30 return flight (I don't mind losing £30 if it sells before I go), a day off work, ride to and from Gatwick, do the deal there and then if the bike is good and have someone else go and pick up the bike for me a few days later is a much more appealing option!
Just a pain in the arse getting to Gatwick, booking a day or 2 off, booking the flight/ferry in advance, only for the bike to sell beforehand or not be as described... I'm not one to buy a bike unseen - from a dealer maybe but not privately.
Whereas £30 return flight (I don't mind losing £30 if it sells before I go), a day off work, ride to and from Gatwick, do the deal there and then if the bike is good and have someone else go and pick up the bike for me a few days later is a much more appealing option!
I've got quotes from both DMT and Chas, thanks
I would ride it home, but there's a further complication with that: I'll be ordering a metal garage (no garage at the house and wouldn't dream of owning one of these without being able to keep it garaged over winter) but delivery takes 3-4 weeks, insurance ungaraged is nearly double what it would be garaged (£300 vs £600), but obviously it's a bit dodgy insuring it as garaged when it wouldn't be for a couple of weeks. They guy has said he's happy for me to put down a deposit and hold onto it for a little while, but the transport option just means once it's been delivered I can SORN it for a couple of weeks until the garage is done.
short term insurance is also an option for a couple of days, haven't looked into that yet.
I would ride it home, but there's a further complication with that: I'll be ordering a metal garage (no garage at the house and wouldn't dream of owning one of these without being able to keep it garaged over winter) but delivery takes 3-4 weeks, insurance ungaraged is nearly double what it would be garaged (£300 vs £600), but obviously it's a bit dodgy insuring it as garaged when it wouldn't be for a couple of weeks. They guy has said he's happy for me to put down a deposit and hold onto it for a little while, but the transport option just means once it's been delivered I can SORN it for a couple of weeks until the garage is done.
short term insurance is also an option for a couple of days, haven't looked into that yet.
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