FLY n RIDE questions!

[bmdubyou]

Well, I bit the gun and found a new scoot. MY plans are to fly to NC get picked up at the airport and head to the BMW dealer there where the seller will have the bike then I ride off into the wild yonder on a new-to-me '02 GS adventure!
I'll have to have all my gear with me. How much room will I have!? Do the airlines count a helmet as another carry-on piece? I hate having to check in luggage...how much do they allow you to actually carry on with you? Anyone have experience with this kind of thing?

[john1691]

Each airline has variations of what they allow. I most recently flew South West, where we were allowed 2 carry-on bags. The larger has to fit in the overhead bin, roughly 12X16X24, the smaller has to fit under the seat in front of you, thus reducing your leg/foot room, like a back pack. You could store the helmet in the larger bag and put softer items (jacket, riding pants) in a smaller bag under the seat. Good luck!

Let us know how it turns out, and post pictures of the new "Scoot"!

[AKBeemer]

Remember that if you do not check anything it will limit what you can bring on the plane in the way of tools or other items you may want with you on the ride back home. May not be an issue for you, but on such a long ride I'd probably want a more extensive tool kit with me then you are probably going to get with the bike. Or, could be an excuse to buy a new tool kit!!!

Congrats on the purchase and have a great time learning the bike on your ride home. Trip report would seem in order.:lurk

[free2ride]

Congrats on your new bike. Take the short cut through Texas on the way home and I'll buy ya a beer. Enjoy the bike.:laugh :laugh

[bmdubyou]

HAHA...the LONG way home eh! But, you're right- Thats the idea of the newer bike!!
Good points too...but I dont think my jacket by its self would even fit into a bag! I'll probably just wear that and hopefully I can pack some smaller things into the helmet perhaps & save some room so that there wont be as much lost space. Yeah, good idea...a new tool kit!! got me thinking now! Heck...maybe I should just take nothing and buy new helmet and riding jacket while Im at it!!:dance

[yankeeone]

How much lead time do you have? If you have a few days you could U.P.S some stuff ahead.

Brian

[bmdubyou]

Hey, yeah, thats an excellent idea!

[AKBeemer]

Nooooooooooooo!!! That is a terrible idea. You just thought yourself out of a new tool kit, helmet and riding kit.

[beckgr]

I've done a few fly and rides. The posts so far are on target. Wear your jacket, carry your helmet. Sometimes the helmet will fit in the bin above, but not always. I've stored it under the seat before and that's okay, just a pain for leg room. I would not risk the bagage handlers with my helmet. I don't like to risk losing an expensive jacket either. I travel a lot and have not lost much, but when I do it is a major pain to not have those essentials.

My routine is that I always 1. check one bag (key tools that wont go through screening, jacket maybe if you don't wear it, etc), 2. carry on a smaller one with essentials i really don't want to lose, (maps, phone numbers, computer, etc) and 3. carry my helmet in a light bag.

keep in mind, you don't have to remember everything, just the big things. Most items can be picked up easily once there.

Good luck with the new ride!

[bmdubyou]

Well, we made it home from NC! It was a great trip to say the least. I packed most items including the helmet in a large bag and tank bag in a backpack. I wore my riding pants over a pair of jeans and boy I was warm! SecurityCheck was interesting...I had some hardware things (for mounting lites to crashbars) and car charger for the cell ph which must've been pretty interesting to the gal running the scanner! She looked for what seemed to be aa good long minute or more! I thought for sure they were going to pull my bag and search it!
Made it on the plane and was surprised- it was the first full flight I had been on in a long time. The seller was waiting for me at the airport in N Carolina & took me to the BMW shop in Charlotte where I ended up looking at some new gear and ended up with some awesome riding pants (shouldve left my old ones at home afterall)!!

[glieske]

One additional thought about what you carry on the plane. You might not be able to carry on items like tools becasue you might not be able to get them through security. If you tool kit contains anything that could be used as a weapon you probalby could not get it through security. I had them seize a needle nose pliers I had forgotten in my computer bag.

[bmdubyou]

rats...too bad. Thats why I didnt bring any tools....I sure didnt want to leave them there.