We all know the difficulties involved in relocating from one place to another. Apart from shipping your house belongings, we are faced with the task of motorcycle shipping. In case of short distances, we can comfortably drive to the new home without any stresses. However, there are situations that make finding motorcycle shipping companies to be the best choice for us.

First, if you are relocating to a far away place e.g. overseas, you cannot be able to drive the bike all that way. This means that you will have to hire a reputable motorcycle transport company to do it for you. On the other hand, even when you are moving to a new home at a distant state, you won’t be able to ride all that way in the hopes of saving a few bucks. The wear and tear and the fatigue associated with such a journey can certainly make you feel like dropping dead at the end of it all. When looking for a reliable motorcycle shipping company, keep the following tips in mind.

First, you should know that it costs differently to transport a motorcycle depending on the distance that you want it shipped. Even the mode of shipping that you choose will determine how much you will pay. Enclosed carriers cost more than the open ones. However, remember that going for open carriers will expose your bike to harsh climatic conditions and other hazards.

Secondly, don’t necessarily go for the cheapest motorcycle shipping quotes on offer. Know that those kinds always come with extra charges and surcharges on top of the quote. A good tip is to always look at the quality of service you are getting and then determine if the cost is worth your trouble.

Finally, ensure that the motorcycle shipping company is fully insured to transport bikes so that in case of damages you stand to be compensated in full.

There are many different regulations for the minimum levels of financial responsibility for motor carriers. Check the link for more information.

While any modern pick up truck is often all you need to transport a couple of Harley Davidsons secured on its rear bed, it pays to know the right motorcycle transport company that will do the job. There are choices in nearly all cities and municipalities, from specialized transport companies to full auto transport companies that also include transporting these two-wheel or three-wheel road vehicles.

Where are you going?

If you are going overseas, then you have the choice to go by air, by sea, or by land.  Over land, it can be a freight coach in a train or a vehicle carrier.  Air freight is always the most expensive option on a per-mile basis. If you are just sending your vehicle within the country, then a vehicle carrier is the most logical choice.

Is the company licensed?

This is a basic consideration. The last thing you want is to load your motorbike onto a carrier vehicle that will just speed down the road–never to be seen again. It is simply not enough to have the driver’s name, plate number, and contact details.

Can the motorcycle transport company track your vehicle?

If the move will take days such as an interstate or coast-to-coast relocation, then it is important to have a company who can tell you where your motorcycle is at any given moment. A simple tracking number with a 24-hour hotline helps. Some of the big boys also have an automated system, which you can use to track online or on a cellphone.

How do they plan to transport it?

Check out how the motorcycle transport company plans to ship your bike or what specific services they can provide in transporting it. Crating your motorbike with shock absorbent materials and wheel chocks are not difficult, and is considered one of the more secure means of transporting it. Using fully enclosed motorcycle trailers with slide-out tilting beds securely latching the bike is another option. Movers often use pick-up trucks specially equipped with ramps that easily slide out to accommodate moving a motorbike onto the bed. Some will also tie down the bike with soft straps or place a tarpaulin cover over it.  The level of protection and security you need will often dictate your choice.

What is their experience?

Experience and years in the business of moving can provide some peace of mind that your motorcycle is in good hands. Ask your friends and family if they have had experience in using a motorcycle transport company.

In connection with experience, check if the company has the means to handle specific motorbike types or even brands.  Some specialize only in scooters or mountain/offroad bikes, while others specialize on all types, including large V-twins and racers. You may want to verify those instead of just taking their word for it.

Do they offer basic insurance?

Most companies generally have basic insurance that will generally cover any serious road accident that may damage the motorbike. However, make sure that you look into the provisions of the insurance before proceeding. Inadvertent damage caused by projectiles or parts from your motorbike falling apart due to uneven roads is rarely covered. And if they are, claiming the company damaged your bike once you receive it is difficult to prove. You may want to consider getting a separate no-questions-asked insurance either from the shipping company or from a broker to cover these things.

Additional Resources:

http://www.bigcyclepro.com/motorcycle-transport

http://www.ehow.com/how_4619513_haul-motorcycle.html

You are relocating to a new location and you do not want to leave your favorite motorcycle behind. Then shipping motorcycle is the best mode of transportation that you can seriously consider for relocating your motorcycle. There are different factors related to it and you will be getting to know these aspects hereby:

In case you do not know the positive aspects of shipping and only considering it from the cost point of view then this is the first question that will come to your mind. So I need to say that, you can obviously transport your motorcycle all by yourself.

But then you need to consider the amount of fuel that you will need to buy. If the distance between the two places is a few hundred miles then your cost will increase even more. Adding to that you will require spending on food and lodging.

And on top of that you will add a few thousand miles to your motorcycle unnecessarily. Thus you will find that relocating your motorcycle all by yourself will cost you even more!

Finding a Suitable Shipping Company

This is probably the most important factor involving shipping motorcycle. The amount that you need to pay, the time required to complete the delivery and the condition in which your motorcycle is going to arrive, are all depending on the shipping company. So you must first check whether the company has the following aspects before moving on with the deal.

Visit the company’s website. A reputable and professional company will have everything posted in their website. That would include their services, rates, destinations covered, timeline for shipping among other aspects.

The transport companies are required to have proper license under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which is also known as the Federal Highway Administration. You must check that they have proper operating authority.

Move ahead with the agreement only if you see that the company specializes in shipping motorcycle. You will find many companies that promote themselves as a specialist in shipping, but make sure that they are also specialized in the motorcycles department too. Best way to figure that out is by knowing about their history of transportation and by reading customer testimonials.

Shipping a car is a lot different than shipping a motorcycle. Motorcycles are much more fragile are require much more attention and dedication while moving. Thus for moving motorcycles, specially trained personnel and advanced equipments are required. So if the transporter is specialized in shipping motorcycles, they would surely put up the pictures of the equipments and how they move motorcycles available on their website.

If you have any queries regarding how your motorcycle is going to be transported, whether in a closed or air ride truck, or will be transported safely and securely or not, or any other questions you should always ask the shipping company. And if you see that they can answer very easily and can meet all your demands and requirements then you can be certain that the company is fit for the shipping process.

A Few tips

Here are a few tips that would help you in figuring the perfect shipping procedure

• Always opt for enclosed trucks. This is because open head trucks can cause damage due to wind and other factors. It can cause a few scratches and cracks the color, tires, suspension can also be damaged.
• To properly load a motorcycle into a truck, the truck needs to have big lift gate at the back of the truck. Generally small companies do not have these equipments and thus your motorcycle may get damaged. So it’s better to choose a well known professional company.
• A company well known for shipping motorcycles generally delivers within 14-28 days depending on distance. And you can find out the location of your motorcycle anytime in that period.

If you are looking for motorcycle transport services, then make sure that you opt for the right one. There are many websites which claim to be experts in transporting motorcycles. But the truth is that there are only few such sites that are really trained in handling and transporting motorcycles.

Safety

Proper equipment is required to handle motorcycles. Ask the company personnel how they plan to transport the bike. If they are an experienced company, he will have ready photographs of equipments used to transport the bike.

The most important of these is the large lift gate which is used to lift the motorcycle onto the truck. If it is a small or inexperienced company, it is not likely to have such big equipments. The larger the size of your bike, the higher the need of lift gates.

The other equipment that you must check while opting for motorcycle transport services is whether there are enough ties to hold your bike during the journey of the truck. Normally may be a kickstand is enough to secure a bike but while traveling, it needs to have at least 4 strong tie downs as well as protective ties to ensure that your bike is not damaged.

Customer Service

It has been established that companies with good customer service are usually the ones with the best transport record. If a company respects you, listens to you and shows genuine concern to redress your grievance, then that company is usually serious about its customer dealings. There are some ways to test this.

You will find that most of the times companies have live executives to take down order but when it comes to tracking or complaint, the customer gets directed to voice mail. Avoid these companies. Call a number of times before you place your order just to see how serious they are about client service.

Good customer service means that the company lets you know any information you want and is available 24/7. You can also track your motorcycle at any time.

A company having excellent customer service skills will let you know the exact location of your bike with a few clicks of the mouse on the company website. A good motorcycle transport services company will let you know the location of your bike only after you call them. But it is the poorest companies (and these are the ones you should avoid), that will not even receive your call if you want to track the whereabouts of your bike. You will be directed to voicemail and may or may not get a call back the next day.

A company that invests in the client’s welfare is a company you should trust. Companies that make it easier for you to order by enabling the provision in their website are those that care for their consumers.

Insurance

Always trust your precious bike with a company that has ample insurance coverage. It is rarely that customers need to file for damage charges but that does not contest the fact that you should always check for insurance cover provided by the company. In fact it is better to ask them what action they will take in case such a claim arises from your side.

When you are going for bike transport services always make sure they have a proper license and registration.

Keep these things in mind while availing motorcycle transport services.

If you are interested in Federal motorcycle transport, then there are some things you need to know. Motorcycle transport services are a bit different from car transport services. When you are going for motorcycle transport, search for uncrated secure pickup as well as delivery of the motorcycles.

But this is not all. There are some other aspects that you should keep in mind while looking for federal motorcycle transport.

Website

A company’s website is its identity. In the case of federal motorcycle transport, the website itself is a mark of the identity of the company. Therefore if the company has any good services to offer, it will do so through its websites. Often there is also the provision of various testimonials by users on the company websites. This helps to choose an appropriate company. Try to get as many free quotes as possible.

License

If you want a company for federal motor transport, make sure that it is certified by the Federal Highway Administration. This governing body is also known as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Never allow your motorcycle to be taken by any company unless they are able to provide a valid proof of their license.

The easiest way to judge whether a company has license is to check their website. Generally companies that have license display it on their website. If your motorcycle transport company does not have license on its website, then most probably you are dealing with a disreputable business.

Specialization

This is probably the most important factor in judging federal motorcycle transport services. As I said in the beginning of the article, motorcycle transport is different from auto transport. Motorcycles are very fragile. So check with the transport agency even if it claims to provide expert motorcycle transport facilities.

Most of the times, auto transport agencies think they can also handle motorcycles. But this is wrong as based on the unique design of every motorcycle; trained professionals are required to specially transport them from place to place. This is where customer testimonials from motorcycle review sites can really help.

Proper Equipment

In federal motorcycle transport, it is important to judge the company personnel to see if he really knows how to transport motorcycles. Do not hesitate to ask him about how he plans to transport your motorcycle. A genuine motorcycle transport official will make pictures of equipment used for the purpose readily available to you.

This is when you should also ask whether the motorcycle is to be transported in open or enclosed transport system. An open transport system means exposing your bike to the natural elements like dirt, dust, pollution, hail, wind, rain, snow, sun as well as other bikes. While an enclosed transport system means protection from all elements as well as other bikes. Enclosed transport system costs more but it is always a safer bet.

Loading

It is crucial to have a careful loading of the motorcycle on the trucks or else it can be damaged. An extra big lift gate is used to load the motorcycle on the truck. Check if your company has these facilities as many small companies don’t. If your motorcycle is large, then it should never be loaded on a truck without proper equipment.

Keep these things in mind while going for federal motorcycle transport services.