Liverpool to Alaska

[jonnywave]

Well, this April SWMBO and i ( two bikes) are taking the bikes over the states. We have about 5 months to travel and we are planning to head through America and then up to Alaska. I have been searching the threads but would like some imput of bikers who has done simila. I have founs a company who can ship the bikes roro in Liverpool to Baltimore but from then on its an open plan. Some questions i am stuggling to answers are:

Do we need a special visa? USA? Multiple entry?

Do we need to have a visa into Canada?

What are the best things to see on route?

If we make good time i believe you can do a direct route in about a month and half. is it possible to get into Russia from Anchorage?

Can you sort visas for Russia in Alaska?

In Russia could we ride it back to Europe in 3 Months?

I know im asking alot, i have posted simila questions on the HU Hubb. But i know us North Westerners are a wild bunch, someone must have an idea.
Thanks for any advice

 

[Loiq]

there's a guy on here called Sgt. Bilco I think he runs trips into US etc. seek his advice lat time I looked the US and UK where still friends but that is not much of an answer.

I would have my russian visa's (you'll probably need a business visa which just costs more) sorted before you leave if you can from memory they won't issue more than 100 days ahead of departure, if that fits great so you have a date at which point you need to be at the port to get the bikes loaded and shipped.

Or you might to store the bikes fly into another place do the paperwork then fly out to meet the bikes which all sounds like hassle, to me but if you have time then it's not a problem.

Any questions about shipping can always be answered by Roddy at James Cargo.com, top bloke and a biker.

as for getting through russia in 3 months it's plenty but did you want to see anything else while down that way? Mongolia? Khazakstan? and had you thought about which port you going into?

Alaska to Valdivostok (London to Valdivostok is possible in a mini metro now according to charity rallies.com so the same should be true on a bike the other way)

Alaska to Magadan (which is closer to alaska) then Magadan to London and home.... is a different kettle of fish Search for Cole's thread here and on the HUBB or ADV rider Siberski Extreme Project it could be useful.

Or Alaska to Japan then ferry to Valdivostok which is simple as plus Japan is cool as... which you can find on my thread "That's it I'm off"

Other wise it sounds smart....

have alook at TimOlgra thread about his trip into russia for places to look at...

 

[Vern]

Get in touch with Sgt Bilko on here,he's done it a few times and knows whats what(he knows feck all else though)

Where abouts in Cheshire are you then?My workshop is just south of Chester on the A41 if you need anything

 

[Rushy]

Visa for the US you know about already. I did 90 days in the US and in the last ten days I popped into Canada for a week, no Visa required. They did ask me a load of questions regarding my entry, mainly about my intent to return to the US because they could see my US visa was about to expire.

If you are sticking to the North of the US en route to Canada then I can highly recommend Glacier National Park in Montana from there you could enter Canada. On the way to Glacier you could drop into see Badlands NP South Dakota and Devils Tower , Wyoming.

The only bits of Canada I saw were Vancouver (whilst there get a Harbour Air seaplane trip from near to Canada Place where the cruise ships dock) and some of Vancouver Island including Victoria . What I saw I loved and wished I could go back. Would lso love to do Alaska .

I started in Seattle and bought a bike from a guy in Oregon, did a circular loop of all the western states and the National Parks returning to Seattle before tripping up to Canada. I had just 3 weeks to plan my trip ( it was a hasty decision to go) and because it was mid march when I landed I decided to head south because north would be too cold. In fact when I arrived in Glacier at the beginning of June the going to the Sun Road had only just opened 3 days beforehand.

In fact you need to give some consideration to weather and altitude whiich I hadn't . I couldn't visit Crater Lake NP in Oregon due to heavy snowfall the night before I planned to visit, some roads in Northern California were closed to me, when I arrived at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon the road was still closed due to snow (its at quite an altitude) , I froze my ass off at 12000 ft with snow over the rockies getting into Denver, I found the passes above 10,000ft in Rocky Mountain NP were closed and I had to turn back (mid May) . It snowed overnight in Yellowstone (end of may) so I had to stay another night before I went to Glacier.

Have a great trip ..........very jealous

Ian

 

[jonnywave]

cool

Thanks for all tips, the last one i sure will P*ss you off, i have a 1200 gsa 49k on the clock the wife has inherated my Dakar 650 which i took to Mali and back, the big question is; should i get another Dakar? i can get one for the trip or should i stick with the GSA?

Also do i need an exit stratergy to explain to US borders so they let us in?

 

[Loiq]

two bikes the same will be easier to maintain, than different machines. Especially if your going off the map. Most of your stuff seems pretty straightforward.

Fedex supplies Russia and the BMW dealer network is pretty good it's supplied by some bloke call Mr. Ralph again they can ship spares without much hassle.

the higher comression rate of the 650 should cope with bad fuel better than the 1200.... but that's me just stirring it...

exit strategy from US? blimey one of it's largest border is with canada, whole on the whole are a friendly bunch. All you have to say "I'm going to canada and shipping from there!" after that they won't care.

and don't shout I hate america or wear a badge saying "I love Osama"

 

[Sgt Bilco]

John

I've pm'd you my e-mail address so get in touch and I'll give you as much info as I can

Chris

 

[jonnywave]

Thanks guys
SGT i have emailed you...

Plans are starting to formulate...

 

[Stevie73]

Good on you and your missus Jonny Maximum respect for your journey

Don't blame ya to be honest....If I lived in Liverpool I'd do the same...
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Sorry I can't be of much help...
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I'll get my coat...

 

[jonnywave]

Dude i dont live in Liverpool....... Plum in my mouth " Oh no not me i have a cottage by the river in the heart of Cheshire" lol i live closer to Manchester and Chester than i do to liverpool......

But hay! its more about getting out of this shi* country and not working for 6 months.....

 

[ahebron]

Give it a week and you should be able to ride over the frozen mass commonly called the North Atlantic

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Dude i dont live in Liverpool....... Plum in my mouth " Oh no not me i have a cottage by the river in the heart of Cheshire" lol i live closer to Manchester and Chester than i do to liverpool......

But hay! its more about getting out of this shi* country and not working for 6 months.....

Have you got a link for the Liverpool shippers for RoRo

Sounds a good idea

 

[Aidan1150]

Have you got a link for the Liverpool shippers for RoRo

Sounds a good idea

Johnny, as far as I know at the moment we will be shipping our bikes home with ACL (Atlantic Container Lines) who operate between Liverpool and Baltimore.

Transit time is eight or nine days I think.

HTH

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Johnny, as far as I know at the moment we will be shipping our bikes home with ACL (Atlantic Container Lines) who operate between Liverpool and Baltimore.

Transit time is eight or nine days I think.

HTH

It does, are you putting the bikes onto an open pallet and strapping them down.
No need to crate then and drain fuel/disconnect battery - makes it just like normal ferries I believe, is this the case

How much for shipping this way??

 

[Aidan1150]

It does, are you putting the bikes onto an open pallet and strapping them down.
No need to crate then and drain fuel/disconnect battery - makes it just like normal ferries I believe, is this the case

How much for shipping this way??

The bikes will simply be ridden onto the boat in Baltimore then ridden off again in Liverpool Johnny, so in that regard will just be like any other ferry. It would be prudent to just have the minimum amount of fuel in the bike I suppose.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

The bikes will simply be ridden onto the boat in Baltimore then ridden off again in Liverpool Johnny, so in that regard will just be like any other ferry. It would be prudent to just have the minimum amount of fuel in the bike I suppose.

Even better.................how much?

Do you fly or can you take the boat?

Set me thinking..........................always wanted to ride over there - Alaska/Canada, but the bollox of crating up etc put me off.....................

I have a vision of riding the bike onto a boat in UK and riding it off in the USA, just like Europe. Staying on that boat with the bike and seeing what is like to ride the Atlantic

But didn't know it could be done

 

[jonnywave]

There are few companies that operate through the liverpool RORO : Kingston ShippingLTD 01482 574116 i spoke to Allan Prices arpound £600 plus $100 for customs the other end the other who i have not spoken to yet is WWL 02380 237711 not got a price but i believe it is the same price as Kingston. A boat leaves weekly and goes to Halifax, Baltimore and then to another i cant remember which New York i think.. you cant travel with the bike... It looks good but i have had mixed responces re Shipping. at least this way you dont have to create the bike you shouldnt have to deal with unions for moving /fork lifting the bike at the other end. But hay iv not tried it yet.. SGT Bilko will have more knowledge than I.

Even better.................how much?

Do you fly or can you take the boat?

Set me thinking..........................always wanted to ride over there - Alaska/Canada, but the bollox of crating up etc put me off.....................

I have a vision of riding the bike onto a boat in UK and riding it off in the USA, just like Europe. Staying on that boat with the bike and seeing what is like to ride the Atlantic

But didn't know it could be done

 

[Sgt Bilco]

HC travel will do the shipping for around £575 to the East Coast. The costs the other side are around $80 so a budget of £650 per bike should cover your shipping.

You cannot travel with the bike as the ships are purely freighters carrying everything from Bulldozers to US miltary equipment.

DO NOT ship into New York as it is very unionised and very difficult. Also, a lot of greasing the palm takes place

Baltimore is nice and easy and with easy access to airports and transport

 

[gzpainter]

only one thing...I am really JEALOUS of you for this ride!!! LUCKY ONE!!!

have a good time and bring us a lot of photos!!!

 

[hovis]

liverpool to alaska

A quick question have you any idea of the return prices ?
Cheers