Condor Moving Systems Moving Tips: Motorcycle Shipping

Working in the moving industry means adapting to the needs of our customers. Now, not everybody owns a motorcycle or an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle), but for those of us who do, we love these things like they were our children! Just as we have a responsibility to keep our children safe from harm, the same goes for our beloved bikes and ATV’s when it comes to shipping. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have heard from motorcycle and ATV owners the horrible results of having their “babies” shipped improperly. If a moving company is acting responsibly, then these complaints should be null and void.

Let’s create a hypothetical scenario; John Doe wants his Harley Davidson “Fatboy” moved with his household goods shipment. Unfortunately for him, We Couldn’t Care Less Movers arrive and simply throw a few moving blankets (if he is lucky) on his very expensive motorcycle, roll it into the trailer of an interstate truck (meaning an 18 wheeler), strap it down (again, if he is lucky) and then expect this item to arrive with little or no damage. This is absolutely wishful thinking! Interstate trucks are always packed for maximum load and what this means is that this is already turning into a nightmare scenario for poor John’s motorcycle! Let’s not forget; all of the household furniture, appliances and boxes must also be packed onto this truck. A full truck keeps the shipping costs down for the carrier, so they will certainly exploit this option. So, just where will all of these additional household items end up when there is no more space to exploit? Right smack on John Doe’s motorcycle! While it might not arrive completely destroyed (though we have definitely seen this happen due to such negligence), dings, scratches, dents, broken mirrors and lights are the norm. Typically these companies will also make the owner of this vehicle sign a waiver saying they take no responsibility for damages to the vehicle. At best, they will only recoup your losses at 0.60 per lb.

So what is the proper way to ship a motorcycle or an ATV? Crating is the only reliable answer. Not only will this ensure the safe transport of your prized possession, but this also allows the carrier to stack items properly in their trailer to maximize efficiency. This keeps theirs and your costs down and this will also prevent a lot of tears in the end!

I have included pictures of proper transport of motorcycles, ATV’s and let’s not forget Scooters for those of us who are “mods”!

Happy Trails!

motorcycle shipping