Toronto to Vancouver one way... Fly with bike or Ride? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Toronto to Vancouver one way... Fly with bike or Ride?

Bikerider

Well-known member
I am moving to Vancouver at the end of this month and need to figure how to bring my bike if it doesn't sell by the end of the month. Air Canada told me it will cost $840 plus a visit to the dangerous goods office which will be extra $$$. The flight it self is $400 as well.

The other option is to ride the bike there.

How long is a realistic time frame to ride my bike from Here to Vancouver? US vs Canada Route?
Is this ride doable in 4 days / 5 days?

Anyone want to buy a 2004 Tuono? :rolleyes:
 
7 days would a reasonable ride. However, it's probably cheaper if not close to fly the bike out there compared to spending 6-7 nights in a hotel and gas and the rest of the costs.

I did a ride last year from Toronto to Victoria and we spent some times in the Rockies and took it slow. It took us about 9 days. Anything closer to 5 days, you're really pushing it and I mean it, it does take a toll on you. Thunder Bay to Edmonton is a very long stretch...still not as horrible and soul sucking as Micihigan to North Dakota/Montana route.
 
This is also early in the year for weather.
Dangerous goods is at worst $100.
I was told by the A/C rep that

All included, but DG paperwork is done outside our scope, so that’s separate. We are including the DG fee now though.

when I asked

To: Patricia Mele
Subject: Re: Air Canada Cargo Spring/Summer 2016 Fly Your Bike Promotion

including HST ??
Dangerous goods ??

Truly - it's not a big deal to fly the bike the same time you leave for Van permanently.

There are however less expensive trucking options.

•••

HOWEVER ......this may be a unique chance to get in a cross continent ride you may never do again.
In which case you blitz to Chicago and try and get past it on the first day - you can ride after rush hour after dark to just outside N Chicago if you are up for that.

Then across S Dakota at speed ( very pretty in the spring ) to Chief Joseph, Beartooth Pass ( if it's open ) and Yellowstone.
US fuel and accommodation is cheap.

Pick up the parks in Utah, Zion, Bryce Arches - Grand Canyon if you want even Death Valley and Yosemite, then across to the PCH at SAN Luis Obispo and go north until there is too much daily fog.
Catch Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainer then blitz to Vancouver.

Bottom line....either make it a proper tour and take 2 weeks and 3 weekends or fly it. This all depends on your being used to long touring days ( tho you can do short days once you cross the plains ).
If you are not used to mulit-day touring....gonna be a bit of a grind but many have done it on your type of bike.

some photos
https://500px.com/macdoc/galleries

My big worry is you are too early in the year to be in the mountains.
 
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As Macdoc says its a "unique chance to get in a cross continent ride" I really want to do it but would prefer just to ride it one way. To bad our insurance crap out here prevents us from being able to just transfer the bike to another riders coverage. I would do this with my bike if it were possible with another mature rider. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would prefer to do the ride one way :)
 
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Are there many camping options on the Canadian side of the boarder? I know in US its easy to find camping.
 
If you are serious about trucking, ask a dealer who delivers their bikes.
Most come from Japan via Vancouver.
The truck delivers the bikes to the dealer in Toronto, then goes back empty for another load.
You may be able to do a deal with a driver.
 
Trucking option

(519) 740-6500
McNamara Transfreight

1126
Waydom Industrial Park
RR1 Ayr‎ Ont‎ NOB1E0
Canada

Tell them Doug Laidlaw sent you by

•••

Are there many camping options on the Canadian side of the boarder? I know in US its easy to find camping.
why ever would you do the Canadian route??

I'd not suggest riding if you only have a week....complete waste of time IMNSHO :D
 
Trucking option

(519) 740-6500
McNamara Transfreight

1126
Waydom Industrial Park
RR1 Ayr‎ Ont‎ NOB1E0
Canada

Tell them Doug Laidlaw sent you by

•••


why ever would you do the Canadian route??

I'd not suggest riding if you only have a week....complete waste of time IMNSHO :D

Upto the Rockies, I actually prefer the Canadian route (from Ontario). The Dakotas forward was a killer, only saving grace was the higher speed limits.
 
Trucking option

(519) 740-6500
McNamara Transfreight

1126
Waydom Industrial Park
RR1 Ayr‎ Ont‎ NOB1E0
Canada

Tell them Doug Laidlaw sent you by

•••


why ever would you do the Canadian route??

I'd not suggest riding if you only have a week....complete waste of time IMNSHO :D

Thanks for the tip, they offered a reasonable rate. Still undecided on what to do. I have a North Carolina tour coming up this Saturday. Will see how this bike does on longer slab rides before I decide if I am shipping or riding.
 
I decided that I will be riding it. Are there any long stretches on the Trans Canada HWY without gas
?
 
I am moving to Vancouver at the end of this month and need to figure how to bring my bike if it doesn't sell by the end of the month. Air Canada told me it will cost $840 plus a visit to the dangerous goods office which will be extra $$$. The flight it self is $400 as well.

The other option is to ride the bike there.

How long is a realistic time frame to ride my bike from Here to Vancouver? US vs Canada Route?
Is this ride doable in 4 days / 5 days?

Anyone want to buy a 2004 Tuono? :rolleyes:

I just drove to Vancouver and back over the last couple of summers - took me 5 days/4 nights to finish the drive but that was with the occasional stop to see stuff and stretch my legs. I'd wake up and start driving until it got dark, so I'd say including the stops and what not I was on the road for ~10-12 hrs everyday.

So I think if you just really needed to get to Vancouver without enjoying the route, a 4 day 3 night drive is theoretically possible. I don't think it's doable on a bike though. And obviously depends a lot on the bike but even 5 days probably wouldn't be an enjoyable ride.
 
So I will be leaving on Tuesday May 24th after work. Will ride to Sudbury that evening. After that I'm aiming for 900-1000km a day. My new job starts the following Wednesday June 1st so I have 2 days leeway if i cant ride as long as i want.

The wifee is flying there on the Sunday the 29th so she will get us all settled in etc.

Only thing that worries me is the my Tuono reserve come on at 200km. Theoretically the reserve should give an extra 50km but I have not tried. I will be riding with an extra gallon of gas just in case.

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk
 
So I will be leaving on Tuesday May 24th after work. Will ride to Sudbury that evening. After that I'm aiming for 900-1000km a day. My new job starts the following Wednesday June 1st so I have 2 days leeway if i cant ride as long as i want.

The wifee is flying there on the Sunday the 29th so she will get us all settled in etc.

Only thing that worries me is the my Tuono reserve come on at 200km. Theoretically the reserve should give an extra 50km but I have not tried. I will be riding with an extra gallon of gas just in case.

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk

I never give fuel much thought as my tank is massive, but I did google search and came up with the shell sight. Looks like you can map out your trip and it will show you where shell stations are alone the route
http://www.shell.ca/en/products-ser...lPWVuX0NBJnNpdGU9cnRsJm1vZGVzZWxlY3RlZD10cnVl

Should help if you know the route your taking, match it up against that.
 
Used to do TO to VAN every summer for a few years. First time was Trans Canada. Every time after was thru the US. No worries about gas and my bike at the time did about 200km give or take to a tank.

The US route is more interesting, but if you just want to slab it, the Prairies is a straight line.....zzzzzzz.
 
Looks like I have more time than I thought. I can leave on Sunday or Monday of the long weekend and can have 7-9 days. Any must do things along the way through Canada? I am set on Canadian route because I will be able to write off the trip as a relocation for tax reasons.
 
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Used to do TO to VAN every summer for a few years. First time was Trans Canada. Every time after was thru the US. No worries about gas and my bike at the time did about 200km give or take to a tank.

The US route is more interesting, but if you just want to slab it, the Prairies is a straight line.....zzzzzzz.

No joke. Fly to Calgary; ride from there :cool:
 

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