HELP! moving to North Carolina

[bighole]

Hey guys! I know I have been absent from the scene for a while but wanted to reach out for some info and help. It is still not finalized, but a job change may be taking me from Michigan to Durham, North Carolina.
First of all, is anyone from/near/familiar with the area? I have never been there and trying to figure out what areas to look for residence. I’ve been doing research on the internet but would much rather hear from someone who can give me the real scoop. I have to find a house for rent with a fenced in yard for the dogs, can’t do an apartment and dont want to end up in a bad neighborhood. I currently live in a pretty rural area and would like to find that down there.
The other piece of this is I have a feeling it is going to be a fast transition. I have 2 running GT750s, 1 running GT550, and an almost complete GT750 that will need new homes, as well as LOTS of parts. Nothing is show room or trailer queens, but not junk either. Consider me a highly motivated seller… it all needs to go, soon, and I would rather this stuff went to people on this forum who have helped me as well as share the love for the smokers. I will be posting pictures soon but whoever shows up first with a trailer will be about able to name their price.
I will know more soon but as I said, if it happens it will be fast and thought I would get a head start here. Thanks in advance for the help. I’m scared to death at the prospect of uprooting the life I have built here for the last 20 years and moving to a place where I know no one and have never been but hopeful it would be a positive change.
-John

[jabcb]

Hope the job move works out for you. On the bright side, you'll have a longer riding season in Durham.

Already have too many bikes but am looking forward to the pics.
You should post them under the category, "For Sale or Trade/Wanted".

[bighole]

Heres some pics.

73 GT550


73 GT750


77 GT750 Cafe

[jabcb]

Can't see your pics. Looks like you are pointing to images on Facebook that we don't have rights to view.

Easiest solution probably is to upload pics to this forum.
Forum has a 750 kb image size limit. I use jpeg images and usually resize them to around 800 x 600 & a file size of less than 300 kb.

[RING_DING]

John, I live in Cary, NC about 20 miles east of Durham. I've been here going on 16 years now and I'm pretty familiar with the surrounding area so PM me and I'll send you my phone number and I'll give you as much info as I can. Some great advantages to living here:
1. You can pretty much ride, play golf & tennis etc year-round.
2. There's a great bike community here and it's not just H-D. There's plenty of 2-stroke enthusiasts and we have a couple of great bike "shows" each year.
You should really consider bringing those bikes with you....

[jabcb]

+1 on ring_ding's suggestion

If getting them to Durham is a problem, you could put the bikes is storage & then use uShip to ship them when you are ready. If cost is an issue, selling one should more than cover the costs for the others. Or maybe selling parts would be enough.

I store several bikes at local bike shops for the winter. They charge by the month. There should be a shop near you that can help you out.

[RING_DING]

Oh and I forgot to mention......Durham is 3 hours away from the mountains and some of the finest riding roads in the East, including Deals Gap (The Tail of the Dragon)

[bighole]

RING_DING- check your inbox, email sent.
Definitly one major positive being closer to the gap...
The scary part here is currently being in Michigan. People are fleeing this state as the jobs are dissappearing and economy going in the tank. Its going to be hell trying to sell my house...
Getting all of my s#!t down there is going to be a problem, not just with the bikes. From what I am seeing available, most places dont have garages so its finding a parking place that may be a concern.
John

[Madbuffalo]

John "bighole" asked me to post these for him.

[RING_DING]

Those bikes belong in NC! John....do whatever it takes to get them here, you won't regret it. My 2 cents

[pearljam724]

More and better pics of the candy gold, please.

[jabcb]

IDK. Maybe the yellow GT550 belongs in PA.

Seriously, they all look nice.
Only the cafe GT750 has a plate on it. If you did the cafe work then I would think it would be a keeper.

You have a lot to deal with. Maybe you could put them in storage & figure this out after you are settled in NC.

[pearljam724]

They belong in Pa ! He he

[bighole]

Josh- thank you for posting!

The 750s have both been plated and are regular riders. The cafe bike would be one I would have a hard time parting with because, yes, tons of work into it. The blue 73 was my first bike and although not cosmetically or historically perfect, it does run great and is a blast to ride. The 550 was a restoration project and has not been plated. It runs, although I have not ridden it and would be the first one that I would let go. If it needs to belong in another home, make me an offer.
Either way, Im in a cleaning house mode anyway. I have not ridden any of these in 3 years and think its time they need to be ridden more often!
My biggest concern, however, is the barn full of parts that I would hate to see go to the scrapyard...

So this thread was originally about the move, still waiting on word if this is going to be a reality or not. Thank you all for the support, I will keep you posted.

John

[johnakay]

keep them Josh ,dont make the same mistake as I did.
you'll regret it. do what ever you have to get them there with you.