Shipping costs are directly related to the level of service you are looking for. When considering a carrier please consider the following: years of experience, transit times, claims incidents, driver experience, quality of over the road equipment used, warehousing capabilities, specialized motorcycle pallets, air ride suspension trailers, lift gate service, door to door service, enclosed van service, 24/7 tracing and tracking capabilities and the level of customer service provided before, during and after the move. You really do get what you pay for and that’s a personal decision only you can make.
Selecting a motorcycle carrier requires some research and knowledge of the different kinds of services offered. There are a lot of carriers in the industry today providing vastly different levels of service and expertise in shipping motorcycles. To select the correct service provider that fits your particular needs, take the time to carefully review the services offered, investigate their history, their ratings, and customer feedback. Consult the BBB and other consumer rating services. Based on your findings you will have peace of mind knowing the decision you make is well researched and data driven.
Who are our customers. With all the bike events and rallies that happen throughout the year, you want to be ready to ship your bike on time and enjoy the events with no inconvenience. Some choose to have their motorcycle shipped and delivered in time to the rally or event and returned when the rally is over. Other types of motorcycle shipments may include dealer inventory transfers, personal transfers, online sales and manufactures inventory distribution.
Shipping dates and flexibility. The time your bike is in transit will be influenced by the shipping company you select, the type of services they offer and pickup and delivery sites. Remote areas and access restrictions may extend transit time dates. If your pickup and destination locations involve a residence, be sure the carrier you choose offers these services and does so without additional surcharges. Book as far as you can in advance. This helps the planners and coordinators make their long-term scheduling more efficient. When contacting the carrier please have specific dates you need for pickup and delivery, special services you may require, and a flexible backup plan should it become necessary. If you require specific dates for delivery, for instance you are going to a rally or meeting a tour group, please advise the coordinator up front. Very important.
Location. Pricing for most transportation service providers is determined by distance and origin and destination locations. As mentioned, remote or hard to access locations may incur additional charges. The distance of the length of haul will, in most cases, influence pricing. Specialized services requested may also influence pricing. Carriers are flexible in making special arrangements in the event of access restrictions. For instance, the shipper can meet the trucker in accessible places like parking lots, at a dealership or on an accessible road. Communication with the customer service coordinator is very important. Cover these scenarios with them in detail.
Weight Limits. Most motorcycle carriers rate structures are predicated on the space used on the van floor by the pallet, rather than the weight of the motorcycle. Most carriers have specialized motorcycle pallets that take up a specific amount of space, and you are charged accordingly. Beware of carriers that don’t offer specialized motorcycle pallets—damage incidents increase exponentially. There are generally specific tolerances for overhang beyond the pallet footprint. These will vary by carrier. If you exceed their limits, there may be extra charges involved. Do the homework and research the transportation company you choose thoroughly. Motorcycle shipping companies’ services are unique and may have hidden additional charges that you want to be aware of ahead of time. Know these before signing a contract.
Insurance Fees. Another important factor to consider when shipping your motorcycle is insurance coverage. Is it included in your shipping cost, what are the coverage limits, is it full replacement value coverage or depreciation weighted, what is the cost of additional insurance and what is the deductible, if any? Know these answers ahead of time. You may want to also inquire about who the coverage is through—a third party company or whether they are self-insured. Also, what is their average time delay from the filing of a claim until a final settlement check is cut? Incidents of damage increase markedly as carrier experience levels in the proper handling methods of shipping a motorcycle decrease. That’s why selecting an experienced, time-proven, professional shipping company is so important. We hear the horror stories every day. We’re assuming this bike is your pride and joy and to take shortcuts and not do your due diligence in making such an important decision, is very risky. Take the time to make the smart decisions and you’ll thank yourself later.
Open vs. Enclosed Carriers. For obvious reasons, it just makes more sense in the long run to choose an enclosed van service over a flatbed service. Moving your motorcycle with a flatbed service exposes your bike to weather damage, road damage, and theft. It is not an ideal environment for any of the components on your bike either. Most flatbed services don’t offer air-ride suspension, making your bike vulnerable to hours and hours of vibration—not a good thing when considering tie down straps and the rub marks they can produce. Enclosed vans are equipped with smooth running air-ride suspensions that drastically reduce vibration. If transfers are required during transit, this happens at enclosed secure warehouse facilities and not in the middle of a parking lot. So, if you have a choice, enclosed service would be the smart decision.