Exploring Different Methods of Motorcycle Shipping Services
Exploring Different Methods of Motorcycle Shipping Services
Ship your motorcycle from point A to point B
Motorcycle shipping industry is one of the lucrative fields today and it doesn’t stop expanding, having $1.5 billion valuation and 5% growth rate each year.
In the US alone there are 8.8 million registered motorcycles and an increasing number of motorcycle riders need motorcycle shipping services every year.
The problem
All the motorcycle shipping services, which are currently on the market, are different.
Some of them can seriously damage your motorcycle. Some services don’t care about the safety of your bike. Another one is just a fraud.
The reality is that it’s necessary to be more careful when choosing a shipping service. Otherwise, you may spend too much money or, which is even worse, lose your bike.
What you’ll discover:
Open Transport: Your Bike Will Be Free
Open transport is an obvious choice.
You give your motorcycle to the transport company and it will deliver it to a destination. Your bike gets on the back of an open truck with other motorcycles, cars, trucks and more.
Reasons why open transport is chosen:
Here is the issue with open transport:
Your bike is fully exposed to any weather conditions, dust, and debris, during the whole trip. Dust, water, snow, and flying stones can affect the paint, chrome, and leather of your motorcycle.
The verdict:Open transport is suitable for normal bikes. It isn’t good for vintage, custom and very expensive motorcycles.
Enclosed Transport: Bike in the Bubble
Enclosed transport is a premium service.
Your motorcycle will be delivered to your home within a totally closed environment with a roof, doors and everything.
The majority of professionalmotorcycle shipping companyservices suggest enclosed transport for your valuable and custom motorcycles. It is more expensive but, in this case, price means safety.
Enclosed transport service will provide you:
It usually costs $200-400 more than open transport.
Door-to-Door vs Terminal Shipping
Door-to-door shipping is more convenient than terminal-to-terminal. That’s why this shipping is a popular option.
It means that the carrier takes your motorcycle from your door and takes it to the door of the receiver’s place. It costs about $100-200 more than the other option.
Door-to-terminal shipping:
The shipper will take your motorcycle to a certain terminal. You will take your motorcycle from that terminal to your door.
Door-to-door shipping has a preference over terminal-to-terminal for the next reasons:
Plus:a lot of shipping companies provide door-to-door service. It has become a popular choice, so companies prefer to make this option standard.
Carrier vs Broker: What’s the Difference
This part can be tricky for most motorcycle riders.
Carrier is a person or a company who owns their own means of transportation. If you hire a carrier, your motorcycle will be transported from A to B with their equipment.
Broker is a reseller or the middleman between a shipper and a carrier. Brokers collect all the information about your request and auction them between different carriers and then work with the lowest bidder.
Brokers…
Need a deposit in advance (broker commission). You don’t have a guarantee on the quality of the service. You don’t know which carrier will ship your motorcycle.
The carrier takes responsibility from the pick up to the delivery. All parts of the process are in hands of the carrier. It leads to better control and better quality of the service.
Most experienced people, who ship their motorcycles regularly, prefer working with carriers.
Seasonal Shipping
Transporting your bike by shipper depends a lot on the time of the year.
Peak season is from May to September. In this season, it is most expensive and you will have to wait a long time. Most riders order motorcycle shipping service in these months. It is a high demand and there are not many shipper companies.
Off-season is from October to April. You will pay less money and it will be much more available. But off-season has disadvantages for example in winter it can be an additional risk for open transport.
Smart people plan to ship motorcycles during the spring and autumn season to get the best price and better weather conditions.
Expedited vs Standard Shipping
Standard delivery usually takes from 7 to 14 days.
Expedited shipping is twice as fast. The only thing you need is to pay more money. You can choose this option if you need your motorcycle quickly, for example, if you have a show, or an event.
Most shipper companies guarantee the pick up date for an expedited shipping, that’s why you will have more control on this process.
The question is:Do you have a deadline for receiving your motorcycle or you can wait and pay less?
Get Ready To Ship
Prepare your bike no matter which method you have chosen.
Clean the motorcycle to let a shipper check all the details. If your motorcycle has damages, then take a picture of them. Take off all your personal belongings and any accessories.
Fuel tank should be 1/4 full or less than 1/4 full. Turn off all alarms and make sure that there is no unattached parts.
Motorcycle shipping companies give detailed instructions on how to prepare your motorcycle to ensure its safety.
Choose The Insurance
Carrier’s insurance may be not enough to cover the full value of your motorcycle.
Carriers provide standard insurance, but it has its restrictions and high deductibles. You should buy additional insurance with the help of a so-called gap insurance for your custom and expensive motorcycles.
Factors that need to be taken into account while considering insurance:
Never think that the standard insurance carrier offers you is enough. Read the information and rules and choose if you need additional insurance.
Conclusion
To sum up, it’s veryimportant to choose a method for shippingyour motorcycle. If you are budget-conscious, then you may choose the open transport with terminal service. It will be the least expensive, but the lowest level of protection.
Choose the enclosed door-to-door transport if you have a premium or custom motorcycle.
Carrier shipping is more flexiblethan broker shipping.
The motorcycle shipping industry is developing every year, because more and more people understand the value of this service. Whether it is moving to another city, buying a motorcycle in another state, or going to an event it is more convenient to ship motorcycles than ride thousands of miles.
Don’t hurry and find the best option for your motorcycle and budget. Good research and at least three quotes can help you avoid being fooled.
