How to Ship a Motorcycle Across the Country

When you own a motorbike and you’re moving house soon, then you’re going to have to find a good answer to the question of how to move your motorcycle across the country.

Unless you’re moving only a short distance away, riding your motorcycle to the new faraway home won’t be a good option at all simply because you’ll also have your household items to take with you. Also, what about your car – who’s going to take care of it if you simply hop on your bike and drive away?

Moving a motorcycle cross country is a delicate matter, so you’ll need to find the best motorcycle transport options. Here, we’ll take a look at the best way to ship a motorcycle across the country – using professional motorcycle transport services.

How to choose a motorcycle shipping company

The only way to guarantee the success of the entire vehicle shipping project is to choose a motorcycle shipping company that specializes in the transportation of motorcycles. That way, the company will have the required experience, insurance and reputation to help you complete the job quickly and safely.

Here are the steps to finding one of the best motorcycle shipping companies in the country:

• Step 1. FILL in the Vehicle Shipping Cost Estimator. Once you do it, you will be contacted by top-rated motorcycle shippers in your area and given motorcycle shipping quotes.
• Step 2. COMPARE the motorcycle hauling quotes you’ve received. Compare their prices and conditions, and make sure you’re getting the motorcycle delivery service that you need – either using an enclosed trailer or an open trailer.
• Step 3. CHECK and compare the motorcycle transport service providers you consider – all motorcycle transporters must be registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and have active DOT and MC numbers.
• Step 4. CHECK the insurance coverage and liability of the motorcycle shippers in questions. All motorcycle transporters are required by law to have both liability and cargo insurance to be able to transport legally motorbikes across the country. Request written proof of the carriers’ coverage before deciding which one to hire.
• Step 5. READ motorcycle shippers’ reviews left by previous customers to evaluate how the transport companies you’re reviewing handled shipments that were similar to yours. Online reputation is crucial and reflects directly, at least in most cases, the experience and professionalism you’re looking for in a motorcycle shipping company.
• Step 6. ASK the motorcycle transporters for any extra costs or surcharges you should know in advance. Also, inquire about any current discounts or promotional deals which you can take advantage of.
• Step 7. TAKE your final pick. Once you’ve researched the shipping companies, then pick the offer which you find most attractive and agreeable in terms of price and conditions.

How to choose a moving company

How to choose a motorcycle trailer

How to ship a motorcycle across country? The motorcycle shipper you’ve selected will offer you a couple of options to choose from:

1. to have your bike transported inside an enclosed trailer, or
2. to have your bike shipped on an open trailer.

Now, while the majority of cars are shipped on open-air trailers because of the cheaper price, enclosed trailers have become the standard in motorcycle shipping, meaning that most people choose to have their motorcycles transported inside specialized enclosed trailers for maximum protection.

Here’s more information about each motorcycle transport method so that you can better understand your options:

Enclosed motorcycle transport trailer

The best way to ship a motorcycle across the country is to transport it inside an enclosed trailer. The reason? Motorcycles are much smaller than cars and therefore are much more susceptible to damage from bad weather during transport.

Inside an enclosed trailer, your bike will share the space with other motorcycles as well – the so-called shared shipment, so that the motorcycle shipment price can be shared among several customers.

To help you choose the right motorcycle transport method for you, here’s when you should seriously consider using an enclosed trailer for your motorcycle:

• You’re moving a long distance away (more than a few hundred miles) and usually across several states, and your motorcycle will be on the road for at least several days;
• Your motorcycle is really expensive and highly susceptible to damage from the elements;
• You’re flexible time-wise and can wait until the required number of motorcycles is reached for the shipment inside the enclosed trailer.

Open-air motorcycle transport trailer

If you’re only moving your motorcycle a short distance – say, only a few hundred miles that will be driven in one day and in one single trip, then you may be willing to ship your bike on an open trailer.

Another instance when you should consider using open-air motorcycle transport trailer is when you’re in a real hurry to move your motorcycle from Point A to Point B. The reason? You’re likely to find a vehicle shipping company that offers an open transport trailer more quickly and more easily.

In summary, here’s when you should consider having your motorcycle shipped on an open trailer:

• You’re moving your bike only a short distance away – a relocation trip that can be completed within one day;
• Your bike is not very expensive and so you wouldn’t mind exposing it to the elements;
• You’re pressed for time and you want to ship your motorcycle as fast as possible.

Driving a car vs. shipping a car

How much does it cost to ship a motorcycle?

Before you agree to trust a motorcycle mover to ship your bike to another part of the country, you’d love to know how much the shipping service will cost you in the end.

How much will it cost to ship a motorcycle?

The first thing you should know is that the precise motorcycle shipping cost is calculated on a case-by-case basis. The reason is logical – there are several critical factors that will affect the price to move a motorcycle across country, so a motorbike transport carrier will need to examine those factors for your specific case in order to quote you a final price. Nevertheless, you should still do your homework in advance so that you can be mentally prepared for what’s coming your way.

The average cost to ship a motorcycle across the country is between $400 and $600 for a distance of around 1,000 miles. Of course, for shorter hauls, the price will be lower – somewhere around $200 and $300, while for much longer trips, including from coast to coast, the cost will be somewhere from $700 to $1,200.

For rough price calculations, the average cost per mile to ship a motorcycle is approximately $0.50 per mile for hauls of roughly 1,000 miles. In most cases, longer transportation trips will be charged by the mile, but your motorcycle shipping service provider may also offer you a flat fee to transport your motorbike.

 To better understand how the motorcycle transport cost is calculated, take a look at the major price factors that will affect that cost:

• Motorcycle size and weight. The size and weight of your motorbike will affect the shipping cost one way or another. Lightweight models usually weigh somewhere between 200 and 300 pounds, while much larger and heavier models – most Harley Davidsons, for example – weigh approximately 500 pounds.
  Most motorcycle shipping companies charge more for transporting larger and heavier bikes.
• Transport distance. As a rule of thumb, the greater the transport distance is, the higher the price will be. It’s simple: greater distances require more fuel, they cause more tear and wear of the transportation vehicle (the truck), and they result in more time being spent on the road.
• Pick up and drop off locations. The cheapest motorcycle shipping occurs when a motorbike is picked up and later dropped off in an urban area. Remote locations are usually more expensive to service, especially if the door to door service is selected by the customer.

Bear in mind that there are a number of extra costs when moving a motorcycle across the country. Examples of such extra expenses are:

• Insurance. The exact insurance coverage will depend on the specific motorcycle shipping company, but the typical insurance rate is roughly $0.50 per pound.
• Fuel surcharges. They are calculated on the basis of the current fuel prices.
• Failed delivery attempt. You will be charged extra if the motorcycle transport carrier cannot deliver the motorbike and it turns out that you, as the customer, are to blame for that resulted failed delivery.
• Added space. An extra charge for bigger motorcycles, especially ones that have extra attachments such as a sidecar.
• Express shipment. An additional fee for expedited pickup and delivery of a motorcycle.

How much does it cost to hire movers?

How to prepare your motorcycle for transport

Before your motorcycle shipping company arrives to pick up your bike on the pre-arranged date and time, there’s something important that you need to do beforehand – to prepare your motorcycle for transport. There’s no way around it – you shouldn’t skip that pre-move because it’s your responsibility to get your bike ready for pick-up.

Here are the steps on how to prepare your motorcycle for shipping:

• CLEAN your bike well;
• CHECK your motorcycle for any signs of pre-existing damage. Look for scratches, dings, or anything else that stands out;
• TAKE photos of your motorcycle from various angles, including close-up shots of any existing damage you may have found. If possible, turn on the date stamp function of your camera too;
• CHECK the tires and make sure they are adequately inflated;
• CHECK for possible fluid leaks and if you do find any, have them fixed ASAP;
• LEAVE the gas tank roughly 1/4 full;
• CHECK whether the motorcycle battery is fully charged;
• WRITE down any types of mechanical problems your bike may have, if any;
• REMOVE all detachable items from your bike because your motorcycle shipping company will not be responsible for any loose items (often accessories) if the latter get damaged or lost during the haul. The insurance you purchase will not cover those removable accessories either, so take them down to keep them safe.

How long does it take to ship a motorcycle?

When you’re shipping a motorcycle across the country, one question that may worry you is when you can expect to receive your bike at the destination address. Of course, this is a question that you must discuss with your motorcycle transport company, but here are some average timelines so that should give you a rough idea.

The average motorcycle delivery time is from a couple of weeks to a month depending on the pick-up and drop-off locations, type of shipment, transport distance, season, weather, and traffic. As a rule of thumb, shipping a motorcycle to another state will take less than 14 days, shipping a motorcycle to another country can take as many as 4 weeks.

The pick-up timeline ranges from 2 to 7 days after you’ve booked your motorbike shipper but it can be much faster (24-72 hours) if you’ve opted for express motorcycle shipping.

Motorcycle shipping companies usually use the door to door motorcycle transport. Thus said, if the destination address happens to fall in a residential area with narrow streets, dead-end streets, or restrictions against big moving trucks, then your motorcycle shipping company will arrange to meet you at a close-by parking lot where you can get your motorbike.  

At delivery, inspect carefully your motorcycle for any signs of damage before signing the required documents. If you do notice that something is not right and it is confirmed by the photos that you took before the haul, then follow the instructions of your motorcycle mover to file a claim. Insurance claims are usually handled within a few weeks.

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