February 8, 2014
Updates will appear at the bottom of the article.
I sold my ’99 Road King last summer because I had so much leg and back pain I could barely walk. Around that same time I stopped taking Lipitor and literally within days my pain all but disappeared, and within a month it was gone. Like it never happened. As time marched on I began missing having a bike and considered the possibility of a lighter bike. In January I’d made the decision I could ride and shopped for an appropriate bike. I’ve always liked the FXR frame and the FXR2 and FXR3 versions of that bike model, and started looking.
I don’t normally shop Ebay for vehicles, but did want to see what was out there and stumbled onto a clean looking right-priced FXR2 located in Texas. Here’s what I found.
Manny from the dealership sent some electronic papers to esign, Mike Langley in sales began shepherding the process, Linda at the bank and former Dyna Low-Rider owner wired the funds, a call to HaulBikes.com got John the driver hooked up with the Dream Machines of Austin crew, and there’s now a spot in the garage for the arrival, about 3 weeks from now.
Hot damn!
Visit the Forums where the story will continue: http://thevirtualbarandgrill.com/community/index.php?topic=17.0
February 21, 2014 – First update
The bike was picked up by the shippers and it is headed to… Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania? Why? 🙂 They’re taking it there instead of Seattle so they can determine the best truck to put it on to take it to Seattle. Naturally I’m thinking the truck it is on now is the best truck for that, but I’m an IT guy, not a shipper (just having some fun here – no complaints). The shipper, btw, is HaulBikes.com (http://www.haulbikes.com), they have a good reputation, and my customer rep Chris does a good job of keeping me in the loop.
Here’s a photo of it being loaded on the “Long Way Home Hauler” 🙂
Here’s Mike’s business card in case you’re ever jonesing for some Texas iron.
February 26, 2014 – Second update
The driver, truck, and bike have arrived safely in York, Pennsylvania at the HaulBikes terminal and is awaiting driver assignment for the next leg. A quick visit to Bing maps gives us this route info. I doubt it was/will be so direct as there is lots of room in the truck for plenty of bikes to deliver.
Route from Texas to Pennsylvania to Seattle
That’s more miles than I’ve ridden in the last 5 years! It’ll be good to be back on the road again.
March 3, 2014 – Third update
No news from York, PA yet so surely there it sits. I’m looking at the calendar and the weather and thinking there’s no chance in hell that thing is going to meet the 3-week delivery date. There’s some problems with niche delivery services like this. To make money they need a full truck with destinations and pickups along the route. That introduces an element of chance to the process. During bike week or Sturgis this is less of a problem, but this is the dead of winter and the polar vortex has frozen the entire midsection of the US solid. The weather in the Pacific North Wet has been complete crap too, so it’s not like I’m missing out on any riding. I do have my fingers crossed though that if there is a bike parked above mine sitting in a Pennsylvania parking lot at -8º, it’s battery doesn’t burst and run all over my new ride!
March 12, 2014 – Fourth update
Some good gnus – the errant bike has found a truck for the ride west and now we’re waiting to find a driver. The 3-week estimate is out the window, but to be honest I think they know and I know that they really haven’t any idea what the delivery date will be. It is all best-effort and a certain amount of chance with weather and the need to make some money by not hauling an empty 18-wheeler across country.
Meanwhile, I have a U-Haul truck in the driveway outside to haul my furniture to our new home 300 miles from here. The timing is becoming a problem as I have to be here to receive the bike. Hell, if this was easy anybody could do it 🙂
March 17, 2014 – Fifth update
More good gnus – A driver, Bryan, has been assigned and the 3-day windows for delivery is March 25 – 27. Bryan will call to verify the actual day when it is known.
March 24, 2014 – Sixth update
Just got a call from the truck that they’ll be here tomorrow around 3:00 PM. Now to find a place to park a 90′ truck!
March 25, 2014 – Last update
It’s here!
