SmashVol
Site Supporter
Hello and I may have to make a big decision and move. What experience has anyone had with moving/shipping a motorcycle? Thanks in advance for any replies.
Shipping Motorcycle
- Thread starter SmashVol
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2005
- Messages
- 9,511
- Location
- Cedar City, Utah
- Bike
- 12/04 ST 1300s
- 2024 Miles
- 000148
- STOC #
- 5901
Back in late 2003 I had a V65 Sabre shipped from the east coast to San Diego. I had to go pick it up at the trucking terminal. Didn't have any issues.
I can't remember who I had do the shipping. But that many years ago, they might not be around!
I can't remember who I had do the shipping. But that many years ago, they might not be around!
I bought an ST from a SoCal dealer and they had it shipped up to my buddy's door. You might check with a dealer for a recommendation.
I have had great success with that UShip program. Also, I had a bike shipped from LA to Edmonton, a Harley, and the bike was put on a crate, covered and tied down very well. I recall the semi dropping it at the depot and I believe it was Day & Ross. I had a brokerage look after the paperwork and it was here in minimal time. I hear that I did get lucky in this shipment as other have had not pleasant experiences, but for me I was very happy. I like Nashcat's idea. That would be my choice. Great thinking John!
Or maybe even a one-way rental car.
I had my second ST1100 shipped from WI to Sc by these guys: http://haulbikes.com/ Can't say enough about them. The trailers are made for hauling bikes, and the majority of the drivers are riders as well.
I'll second that recommendation. They have worked great for me in the past.
Several guys on another site have used this guy. No personal experience. Part of uship group. Mostly east coast.
http://www.uship.com/profile/tacks/#Feedback
http://www.uship.com/profile/tacks/#Feedback
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2011
- Messages
- 1,117
- Age
- 70
- Location
- Ada ( Grand Rapids ) Michigan
- Bike
- '07 ST 1300 & '91 GW
- STOC #
- 8421
I paid $138 to go more than a 1000 miles on a bus when I picked up my ST, ( bus people were a little annoying ) but ride home on my new , to me , ST was great.
This is an excerpt from one of the articles on my website about my shipping experience with two different companies.
It was easier to cut and paste it here than retype the info:
Shipping
To have my 2013 F6B shipped from Kansas to California was about $650. I have done this type of thing once before for a bike I purchased from a Dealer in Texas. This time I chose a shipping company called Daily Direct. The transaction went well, but there was a lot of back and forth with contracts and paperwork that made things feel like they've had issues in the past and were making sure they were covering themselves first. Not very comforting, but their operation appeared very professional and they did specialize in shipping motorcycles specifically. It did however cause me to choose to pay the extra $50 for a $0 deductible damage insurance, but other than that, their price was about the same as other professional shippers had quoted me. I also had it delivered to my shop at work because we run 24/7 and I knew someone would be there to receive my bike even if I wasn't. Pricing can sometimes be better if shipped from a business (such as a dealership) to a business (or a shipping hub), instead of from a private residence to another residence.
In the past I had used another company called Federal Motorcycle Shipping, and in hind-sight I actually preferred them. Their communication was easier, certainly more friendly, and felt less "contractual" than the folks at Daily Direct.
Both companies used trucks specifically designed to ship motorcycles, both had large lift-gates so your bike never had to be man-handled up or down a ramp (the most dangerous part of any motorcycle transfer - just search YouTube if you want to see some painful examples). Daily Direct hauled bikes in a large Dry-Van (Big Rig, Tractor and Trailer) but hauled them "double-decker" style, so if you had a large bike, such as a full sized Gold Wing, you would need to remove the windscreen because it was too tall. And because they would not ship loose containers or boxes, getting the windscreen now from point A to point B would become your problem. Fortunately this did not apply to the Honda F6B due to the tiny factory windscreen. It did become a problem though, in that the seller in Kansas had three windscreens and the original factory exhaust that had to be boxed and shipped separately. Federal Motorcycle Shipping's truck was a Bobtail (a smaller Box Truck), and from the time your motorcycle was picked up, it was mounted onto a specially designed pallet that kept the bike upright and away from other motorcycles in the shipment. Overall, in my opinion, a nicer way to go.
Just my $.02.
Jim
It was easier to cut and paste it here than retype the info:
Shipping
To have my 2013 F6B shipped from Kansas to California was about $650. I have done this type of thing once before for a bike I purchased from a Dealer in Texas. This time I chose a shipping company called Daily Direct. The transaction went well, but there was a lot of back and forth with contracts and paperwork that made things feel like they've had issues in the past and were making sure they were covering themselves first. Not very comforting, but their operation appeared very professional and they did specialize in shipping motorcycles specifically. It did however cause me to choose to pay the extra $50 for a $0 deductible damage insurance, but other than that, their price was about the same as other professional shippers had quoted me. I also had it delivered to my shop at work because we run 24/7 and I knew someone would be there to receive my bike even if I wasn't. Pricing can sometimes be better if shipped from a business (such as a dealership) to a business (or a shipping hub), instead of from a private residence to another residence.
In the past I had used another company called Federal Motorcycle Shipping, and in hind-sight I actually preferred them. Their communication was easier, certainly more friendly, and felt less "contractual" than the folks at Daily Direct.
Both companies used trucks specifically designed to ship motorcycles, both had large lift-gates so your bike never had to be man-handled up or down a ramp (the most dangerous part of any motorcycle transfer - just search YouTube if you want to see some painful examples). Daily Direct hauled bikes in a large Dry-Van (Big Rig, Tractor and Trailer) but hauled them "double-decker" style, so if you had a large bike, such as a full sized Gold Wing, you would need to remove the windscreen because it was too tall. And because they would not ship loose containers or boxes, getting the windscreen now from point A to point B would become your problem. Fortunately this did not apply to the Honda F6B due to the tiny factory windscreen. It did become a problem though, in that the seller in Kansas had three windscreens and the original factory exhaust that had to be boxed and shipped separately. Federal Motorcycle Shipping's truck was a Bobtail (a smaller Box Truck), and from the time your motorcycle was picked up, it was mounted onto a specially designed pallet that kept the bike upright and away from other motorcycles in the shipment. Overall, in my opinion, a nicer way to go.
Just my $.02.
Jim