There are quite a few differences between car and motorcycle shipping.

While a car has a reliable handbrake and four wheels for extra stability a motorcycle is quite different by design having only two wheels amd nothing to keep the bike stationery except the stand.

You might think that motorcycle shipping would be cheaper than car shipping because of the difference in size of vehicles but this is rarely the case. The closed carriers that are often used should be specially designed to carry motorcycles and this will mean that there will either be palettes specially designed for the purpose or there will be specially fitted tracks that serve the same purpose.

What this means is that a motorcycle basically takes up the same room as a car when it needs to be shipped anywhere.

How expensive is motorcycle shipping? This is dependant on two main factors. How far you are travelling and what services the company you intend to use has to offer.

There are a variety of different services that a shipping company can offer you. You would be better using a specialist motorcycle shipper than a car shipper that offers motorcycle shipping as an extra service.

The further you are travelling and the more services you require the higher the price is likely to be, but you will receive a discount from the right company if you are transporting more than one motorbike so shop around for quotes. I just got a quote to ship 8 motorcycles to London from Florida, for $1800. This is what will fit in a 20 foot container. The last shipment I made was from Ireland to the Philippines and it was 1800 Euros for a 20 foot container. Shop around.

Is motorcycle shipping safe? A reputable specialist motorcycle shipping company will know exactly what they are doing with your bike. Many companies employ motorbike enthusiasts and owners to drive the carriers so you can be sure that the driver knows how much your motorbike means to you.

This isn't to say there isn't the occasional accident. A good shipping company will include some insurance with your quote and will try their utmost to ensure that nothing does go wrong.

While the Insurance will cover you for scratches and careless damage by the shipping company it is unlikely to cover for "acts of God", like a sinking ship or damage due to floods.

If you're especially worried about this, either because of the time of year, the expected weather or simply because you are transporting your dream bike you can buy extra Insurance that covers for virtually any eventuality and your shipping company should be able to offer you a little advice on the relevant policies.

Charles Baldwin
20 October 2009

Charles Baldwin has been a biking enthusiast for over 50 years. He has been a motorcycle mechanic, racer and builder of custom motorcycles. He has traveled extensively by motorcycle, and if he recommends it, then you can believe that he has been there, done that, and got the T shirt!

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