Shipping a motorcycle 5 miles to the nearest shop is not the same as shipping a motorcycle over 2000 miles coast to coast. Long distance trips require much more planning than simply mounting your bike on the bed of your pickup truck. Special considerations to safeguard the bike from weather conditions, making sure it is safely strapped on to the carrier, planning delivery times in a timely fashion and other factors need to be planned carefully to ensure a proper transit from point to point.
As you probably know, shipping a motorcycle can’t be done through the regular post office box, or a regular cargo company. Post Office and cargo companies are specialized to ship letters and packages, vehicles ask for more requirements that may not be met by these shipping services, therefore, you must look for the proper motorcycle shipping company to do the job for you.
Shipping a motorcycle coast to coast may seem like an overwhelming thing to do if you’re not familiar with the service; there are a lot of questions that need to be asked, a lot of things that need to be taken care of, insurance, payments, security measures, and so forth. It does sound like a lot of things to take care of; however, if you follow these simple tips, you’ll be able to resolve it in no time.
Research the Web for the Best Company. The first and most important part of shipping a motorcycle coast to coast is making sure you use the best shippers in the business. Having the proper care from a specialist will resolve all your major concerns and absolve most of the things you need to do such as insurance, delivery times, safety measures and shipping requirements. With today’s technology this step has become even easier. The easiest way to research a company is to check the website, call and speak with the agents and see how easy they are to work with, read the company’s reviews and how they rate them. Once you have a list with the ones you see show the best ratings and feel comfortable with, start calling them for quotes, make sure you include as much detail as possible in order to get accurate quotes.
Quote Analysis. Once you get several quotes, list them from lowest to highest. You will get a range of prices from impossibly low to significantly high, scratch off the lowest ones immediately. Low prices usually are tied to bad service, hidden fees and a lot of hassle. Don’t even consider these prices. Not necessarily will you choose the highest price, however it’s recommended you stay away from low placed quotes to avoid any possible inconveniences. When you are left with the mid and high range quotes, choose the one company that made you feel safe and comfortable to ship with.
Get What You Need. It is very important that you get what you expect from the service. Providing the agent that assists you with as much details as possible will help the agent provide you various options for you to choose from according to your needs. If this is the first time you are requesting this service it is important you ask as many questions as you need to make sure all your requirements are covered. Be sure to ask about insurance coverage in case of any damages or accidents, type of carrier that will be used, transit times, and most importantly, how payments need to be done.
Deposits and Payments. How you make a payment is one of the most important things that will help you decide whether you’re dealing with a reliable motorcycle shipping company or not. Reliable companies will not ask you for upfront deposits or payments in full. Before you pay, check who you are submitting the payment to. It is always recommended you pay the driver only upon delivery, this way you make sure the driver is working for his money, this way you may have less chance of accidents and damages done to your bike.
Transit Details. Different companies have different rules for bikes during transit, it is important you ask for these rules before having the bike picked up to avoid delays and extra fees. Things like how full your gas tank is or if removable custom modifications have been safely strapped or removed need to be taken care of. Check also for weather conditions that may cause delays, especially for coast to coast trips. Ask for delivery and transit times, coast to coast motorcycle shipping usually takes between 7 to 10 days, prepare in advance for this timing.
When you find a reliable company, the agent that assists you more than likely will help you get all these things ready and will also make sure other thing you might think about be ready for your shipment. Coast to coast motorcycle shipping may be a difficult subject to tackle when you are new to the business, however, with the help of professionals, shipping your motorcycle this distance will be as a easy as waiting for it to be delivered.