Thanks Joe, but please attend to your studies - this can definately wait a week or two!!

Going to China? Would that make sense for me? How would going from USA to China to Korea be advantageous? Would I get less customs/duty taxes or something?

[USA --> China --> Korea] better than [USA --> Korea]??

I've heard multiple foreigners are able to get into Korea with thier bikes, but I'm just unsure how to avoid duty/customs tax. Also insurance seems to be a problem for many individuals.

My goal is to tour korea on my bike this spring. I've been to Korea multiple times, but have yet to REALLY see the countryside. Spent most of my time in Seoul, with one trip to Pusan and Chejudo. Would like to see what the country is like.

I heard that the backroads (non expressways) are really nice to drive on, since most people drive on the expressways. I'm really looking forward to this and plan to see as much as possible!

By the way, do you know if the Garmin GPS maps are good? I just bought a Garmin Zumo, and saw that they have maps for Korea available. Would probably help me out tremendously on my trip, so I'm exporing this option.

sorry. i thought that somewhere you mentioned seeing asia. The easiest way to do that would be to go to China then wander south into the rest of the countries. A lot of people use GPS here although I don't understand the need. The highways are well marked in English, Korean, and sometimes Japanese. Remember that Korea is very small. Half the size of Britain, one-third the size of Oregon. A good map is really all you need. since you already have the Garmin, you could benefit from using it. The secondary roads are often nearly empty. We have taken highway #23 to Mokpo which is 250 km, and seen fewer than 100 cars. ON Highway #1, same destination, maybe 10,000. On Expressway 1, at any time you can count on a million cars being on it. all the old temples are off the secondary roads, the agriculture, old villages. it's great.

Nah, no Asia this time around. Korea will give me a nice intro to touring - maybe Asia next year :biggrin:

I heard the secondary roads in Korea are a bikers dream - sounds like a great time!

When does the weather start to warm up there? I remember Jan and Feb being pretty freakin cold!

begins to warm up in late march. right now it is minus 6. it will get down to minus 40--50 in january anf february. yes, the secondary roads are wonderful. even more so for bikes because we don't have front plates so the cameras can's take pictures and mail tickets. call when you get here and we will throw down the you and ilbo for you to sleep on.

joe

Thank you so much for your generosity, but my friends would be miffed if I didn't stay with them!

I am definately up for a ride around the country if you're up to it. Minus 6? Good lord. That is not riding weather in my eyes, but I guess I could manage it if I had to!

Guess I'll wait around til March to really get things moving. In the meantime, planning planning planning.

okay, can't have your friends miffed at you. sure, we can go for a ride although it has to be short for me. when the temps are down that low I don't go for long rides.

Argg - having problems finding a forwarder or shipping company that knows what they are doing. Can anyone point me in a general direction? I've called about 20 companies without any luck.

Sorry I have been so long in getting back to you. I ripped my shoulder (inside) to shreds and have been undergoing daily therapy that is not only vey painful, leaves me unable to ride. Doing anything over the phone here is next to impossible, but I will go my best to get answers for you about shipping, taxes, and so forth as soon as I can find a ride to the nearest DMV over in Ansan. I still think the best thing would be to ride or ship the bike to San Francisco and ship with Hanjin.

Joe

Owwww! I hope you didn't do that riding!

I appreciate your efforts, but please don't feel like you gotta get this info ASAP, especially given your situation. Anyways, I called Hanjin and they said they don't do individual bikes. I think they specialize in relocating people (IE: tons of stuff, not just a 500 lb bike).

I did call someone else and they seemed to know what they were doing, but told me it woud cost $4,000 round trip (getting it there, and getting it back - and this was from the West coast!). I was kinda shocked by this - is this right? I thought it would cost ~ 600 to get it over there, and another 600 to get it back?