Shipping a motorcycle to CA - Anyone done it?

When I travel to California on business I try to take a couple of vacation days in addition to the weekend and rent a motorcycle to ride the coast see the sites etc. I would prefer to ship my VFR out in advance and ride that instead of a rental. Has anyone shipped a motorcycle cross country? What did it cost? Who would you recommend for a shipper? I was wondering if for 5-7 days it might be the same or less than renting a BMW. I could pick up in San Jose or LA depending on the trip. BTW I am on the East Coast (Boston area)

Thoughts?

 

I used Uship from OKlahoma to South Cal for $550
Other company a little more around $800. Where will you be in Ca?

 

I don't have a good recommendation but I think last time I looked most shippers were pretty close for cross country shipping - around 5-600 bucks.

I've only used a shipper once. And now I'm biased against shipping my bike with anyone but my self. I didn't get to california for a week after my bike arrived. And i found i unpacked, main fuse blown and I could swear the odo had several more hundred miles on it than I remembered. Kinda had flash backs of the Ferrari scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

 

What is not clear is will the bike be shipped back to the Boston area and maybe a looksee if there is another make that rents out for fewer pesos than a BMW.

 

I shipped with these guys several years ago:

http://www.motorcycleshippers.com/

I had a good experience, no problems at all, and wouldn't hesitate to use them again. I don't remember what it cost.

-Mark

 

If you ship, I would be inclined to photograph the bike in the presence of the shipper and write the mileage from the odo on the shipping bill. If things don't add up, the shipper has answering to to.