Dick, for a while I was swapping a lot of OLE IRON Woodworking machines. In my auction pursuits at the time they were going nutz with cabinet shops, and such shutting down after the owners retired. I was buying it for just over scrap metal pricing, and most of it ran fine, just could use a little love.
There was an entire network of Old Iron guys across the country, and they did exactly what your biker friends were doing. I never had to hold something for more than a week before arrangements were made to get it to many a distant place. Met many a fine individual doing that. Made a small sum of coin, and had fun helping others out.