Chasing the Endless Summer on Your Motorcycle

The Endless Summer was a 1966 surf documentary focusing on two surfers determined to follow the sun around the globe and essentially live a life of an endless summer. What if you could do the same on your motorcycle? We’ve compiled five must-ride destinations around the globe and things to do in the area you’re riding. Of course, the summer months vary across the globe, so take your time riding in one place before heading to the next destination. We’ve also included optional destinations that are on the way, but didn’t necessarily make our top 5.

Stop 1: Pacific Coast Highway, California

Head back home to the United States and discover the beautiful West Coast via the Pacific Coast Highway. Along the way you’ll see redwood forests, surf towns with seals on the beaches, and a certain famous bridge. Be aware of sharp turns, steep cliffs, and narrow shoulders. The PCH stretches the 123 miles from Monterey Bay to Morro Bay (you’ll recognize the Marine Life Institute, featured in Finding Dory).
Area tour company: EagleRider Motorcycle Rental & Tours
Summer months for California: June, July, August

Optional via destination:

Blue Ridge Parkway- Ride across the United States towards the Blue Ridge Parkway and see an incredible amount of the country. Choose between Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, or North Carolina, or do all four! Discover the charm and history of the East Coast before jetting off to Europe.

Stop 2: European Alps

The Alps, Europe’s #1 mountain range, spans across eight countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Picturesque mountains, lakes, and valleys surround quaint villages with one-of-a-kind Alpine culture. Switchbacks are commonly found in the roadways.
Area tour company: Edelweiss Bike Travel
Summer months for the Alps: June, July, August

Stop 3: Pyrenees Loop, France and Spain

After your Alpine ride, head southwest for a short ways and hit the Pyrenees Loop, located in France and Spain. In fact, the Pyrenees offers a lot of the same feeling as the Alps, just with less traffic. European bikers know and love this route with its awe-inspiring scenery and hairpin turns.
Area tour company: Pyrenees Motorcycle Tours
Summer months for the Pyrenees: June, July, August

Optional via destination:

Cueta to Marrakesh, Morocco- This 1,600 mile ride offers sights such as kasbahs, the Sahara desert, mountains, bazaars, the Atlantic coast, and the famous Casablanca. The best times to visit Morocco is April to early June, and September to November. Opting for the latter months to visit is a perfect fit between the Pyrenees and our next location.

Stop 4: Cape Town Circuit, South Africa

This loop, 1,050 miles (1,690 miles), departs from and arrives in Cape Town, South Africa. It can be completed in a two-week journey through the Olifantskip Pass and Addo National Park (think elephants and other big game animals). Route 62 takes you across the Great Karoo and the Little Karoo Mountains and back to Cape Town. Be sure to stop in Oudtshoorn, the “ostrich capital of the world,” and Robertson for some wine tasting.
Area tour company: Motorcycle Tours South Africa
Summer months for South Africa: mid-October to mid-February

Stop 5: The Great Ocean Road, Australia

Only 180 miles (290 km) long, this ride is a one-day adventure on the southern tip of Australia. Traveling from Melbourne to Petersbrough, you can take your time to stop along the coastal towns for a break to shop, eat, and sightsee. Stop by the Grampians National Park, and keep an eye out for those adorable koalas! Be independent on a self-guided tour or travel with a tour company.
Area tour company: BikeRound OZ
Summer months for Australia: December, January, February (note: summer in Australia is no joke. If you’re worried about the heat, look into visiting during the transition seasons: September-November, and March-May.)

Optional via destination:

Hana Highway, Hawaii- This 60-mile highway is located on the north end of Maui, keeping the small town of Hana reachable to the rest of the Hawaiian civilization. Mountains on the east side, the Pacific Ocean on the west, and waterfalls in between. This stop in Hawaii is the perfect break between Australia and your return back to the United States.

Schumacher Can Get You There!

So you’re hooked and wanting to do this ride, but how do you ship a motorcycle across the globe? Schumacher Cargo Logistics ships to and from all of these locations, so we are prepared to handle your bike properly and securely while you travel between destinations.

The #1 must-do for any North American motorcyclist is the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, held annually every first week of August in Sturgis, South Dakota. The 2016 rally will be the 76th rally, held August 8-14. Located on the edge of the Black Hills National Forest and just northwest of Rapid City, the rally offers a chance to connect with other riders, get a taste of the American West, and fulfill the dream of being part of a motorcycle gang. Vendors will set up shop along Sturgis’ Main Street and show off their inventory of gear, bikes, and other motorcycling necessities. The rally also hosts races, bike shows, and concerts from A-List musicians.

Things To Do

There are plenty of group rides available on the Sturgis Rally website, or the lone traveler can ride highways like Iron Mountain Road, Vanocker Canyon Road, the Wildlife Loop, and Spearfish Canyon. Nearby sightseeing includes Mount Rushmore, Deadwood, and Devils Tower in nearby Wyoming.

Some top things to do are:

• 14th Annual Sturgis Mayor’s Ride: Limited space available, so book fast! The Sturgis mayor hosts this annual ride on the first day of the rally, and all proceeds benefit the Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department. The actual ride takes you to the best of the Black Hills, stopping for lunch at Custer State Park.
• Badlands National Park: get a glimpse of Mars without actually visiting another planet. The Badlands offer other-worldly landscapes of buttes and valleys, deeming it a “bad” place for the pioneers to travel through with their wagons.
• Sturgis Bar Scene: Sure, riding is what you want to do during the day, but what can you do once the sun goes down? Downtown Sturgis is home to plenty of saloons, bars, and pubs to give you a good time. Join the annual Sturgis Mayor’s Pub Crawl, or plan your own through Iron Horse Saloon, Knuckles Saloon, and Broken Spoke Saloon.
• Needles Highway: If you love the excitement and adrenaline of twisting roads and narrow passes, the Needles Highway is a must. The towering granite spires lining the highway give it its name, and the highway lies in Custer State Park, offering a chance to visit another incredible South Dakota must-see.

Where To Stay

Hotels, campgrounds, and other 300+ vacation rentals are available for lodging. Find your home away from home here. Learn More

Don’t Wait Too Long!

The 76th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is only weeks away, so start planning your trip now! Schumacher Cargo Logistics is prepared to get your bike there safely.

Written by Damien Shields

Shipping semi trucks internationally is generally limited to using the Ro-Ro method in which they are driven into the hull of a roll on roll off vessel.

However there is another option which we are currently using to ship two semi trucks to New Zealand. From the images, you can see two trucks being loaded onto 40ft flat racks from our loading yard in Los Angeles.

These trucks are brand new, and will be on the water for 15 days before they arrive at the port of Tauranga in NZ.

How They’ll Be Loaded:

The trucks are flush loaded on one side and blocked and braced into position using high capacity strapping.

Considering each one of them weighs anywhere between 16,000 and 20,000 lbs, making sure they are strapped and blocked correctly with proper equipment can save the heartache of having the vehicles show up damaged.

The racks will be lifted by crane from the terminal at the port of Los Angeles onto the top level of containers stacked on board.

Flat racks are essentially 40ft containers without walls. This allows for out of gauge cargo, which will not fit inside the container, to be loaded and stacked on the top row.

We then have the capacity to load units that are wider and taller than the dimensions of the 40ft units.

This is an alternative to Roll on Roll off which is generally used for over sized vehicles..