Ways to Ship Your Motorcycle When Moving

Moving from one place to the next is one of the most stressful things you have to do in life. If you have a motorcycle involved in all of this, you need to know different ways to ship your motorcycle when moving so you can pick the method that makes the most sense for you at the time.

Your Options for Shipping a Motorcycle

When the time comes to ship your motorcycle to your new home, you have several choices:

• Ride It Yourself: Whether or not this is technically shipping is debatable, but there is a simplicity to it. Just ride it when you move. The obvious downside is that your family won't have you available to help drive the moving truck or any passenger vehicles that are also coming along. The weather might also decide to not cooperate, and you might not be used to such a long ride depending on how far you are going.

• Ship It Yourself: You might be able to pack your motorcycle into a moving truck and take it along with you. That would eat up precious cargo room, however. Also, it might make it harder to pack and stack other things that might fall on top of it. You could also possibly mount it in the bed of a pickup truck or on a tow trailer, provided you have them.

• Independent Haulers: While the shipping industry is full of big companies with lots of trucks and locations, you can also find places that let independent haulers place bids for anything you need to move, as you may already know. Some of them might take motorcycles along with the rest of your household items, but they also might not have a lot of experience in handling bikes.

• Freight Options: Freight companies are the ones many businesses and consumers turn to when they need to move a big shipment across a part of the country by a particular deadline. Most of the time, they can get your bike to your new location in 72 hours to a week. However, they are typically going to need your motorcycle to be totally enclosed already in either a steel or wood crate.

• Motorcycle Professionals: Using a professional motorcycle shipping company is definitely something to consider. They might cost a bit more than other options, but there are also numerous advantages to using them. They know motorcycles in and out, so they'll take good care of your bike while it's in their care. They also show up with everything they need for shipping your motorcycle, including ties, ratchets, ramps, and more. From start to finish, they take care of every detail so you have less to worry about.

Estimating Transit Costs

Several factors will go into determining your actual shipping costs, as discussed by Edmunds:

• Distance: The more miles that have to be covered increase the fuel costs involved with carrying a motorcycle.

• Transit Time: Distance sometimes dictates the transit time, but if you have a hard deadline that has to be met, that can increase your costs because it narrows down the shipper's flexibility and options.

• Season: People are more likely to move in the spring and summer, so late fall and winter might be cheaper times to ship. Just keep in mind that road conditions and weather patterns might slow things down.

• Motorcycle Size: A dirt bike is going to take up less space than a full motorcycle with a sidecar.

• Open or Closed: Open carriers are usually cheaper to ship with, but they will leave your motorcycle exposed to the elements during transit.

Preparing Your Motorcycle for Shipping

Getting your bike ready for shipping involves many steps. They may vary based on what kind of shipping you do or specific carrier requirements, but your checklist is likely to include the following:

• Verify Insurance Coverage: Make sure that any professional shipper you use carries liability coverage. Then, make sure it's enough to cover the value of your particular bike. Check with your personal insurance to see what they do and don't cover.

• Inspect Your Motorcycle for Condition: Know exactly what shape it's in before you turn it over to anyone. Take lots and lots of pictures to document its physical state in case you need to compare later and make a damage claim.

• Drain Fluids: A motorcycle with a full gas tank can be dangerous. Your carrier might want it free of fuel, coolant, and engine oil. If you're unsure about how you can do this, get your mechanic to do it. Just remember that you can't ride the motorcycle home.

• Remove Anything Extraneous: Detach anything that's not essential or just loose. These can damage things in transit. Wrap them up, and pack them on their own.

• Wrap All Cables: You don't want any incidental contact creating a spark. Think about even disconnecting the battery. Charging the battery is also a good idea so it has some juice on arrival.

• Reduce the Tire Pressure: Tires that are a little deflated can absorb impacts better.

• Unlock the Steering Column: The shipper needs to be able to move your bike around at times. Also, be sure the tires can roll.

• Fold the Mirrors: This won't apply to all motorcycles, but it certainly helps.

• No Personal Items: Video cameras, GPS units, helmets, and probably even the keys and title need to stay with you.

Be Ready to Ride

Shipping your motorcycle when you're moving gives you a chance to ride new roads when you get to your new home. Whether it's just getting to know your new hometown or taking long rides into the countryside, have your bike with you and ready to go. By following the suggestions listed here, your bike should arrive safely and in a timely manner, leaving you to just worry about enjoying the ride.