There are a number of different transportation options available in the motorcycle transport marketplace. The most common way to ship a motorcycle is uncrated motorcycle shipping. If you plan to ship motorcycles you should consider all of your options prior to making a final decision on the service you select.
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Most uncrated motorcycle transportation companies provide a method known as roll on roll off service. This service usually includes the company driver loading and unloading the motorcycle on and off of their truck by physically rolling the motorcycle. Obviously, the motorcycle will need to be in rolling, maneuverable condition. That means the fork lock will need to be set in the unlocked position and the tires need to have air in them. The motorcycle moving company will either have a ramp or a lift gate to utilize for the loading and unloading of the motorcycle.
In general, uncrated bike shipping companies position motorcycle sideways in their trailer. The motorcycle movers usually transport motorcycles in their trailer by securing the first motorcycle in one direction and then they secure the next motorcycle in their trailer in the opposite direction and so on. This method allows the motorcycle shipper to maximize the available space in their trailer.
When shipping a motorcycle using the uncrated method, the motorcycle is secured in the trailer using soft tiedown straps and a system called E-Track. E-Track is a metal channel that has a series of cutouts in the channel. The channels are secured to the bed of the trailer and often the walls of the trailer. The driver positions the motorcycle in the trailer and attaches soft tiedown straps on all four corners of the motorcycle. He then hooks the other end of the tiedown hooks into the E-Track system and tightens the tiedowns to secure the motorcycle in position. The movers will provide the tiedown straps. Sometimes when you ship a motorcycle using the uncrated method you might need to assist the driver with loading and unloading.
Shipping a motorcycle using the uncrated method has been a safe method to use over a long period of time. Uncrated motorcycle shipping usually costs less than some of the other alternative methods to ship a motorcycle such as pallet or crated motorcycle shipping. One reason uncrated shipping is less expensive than other options is the shippers can fit more bikes on a truck using the uncrated method than they can using the pallet or crated shipping options. The pallet or crated shipping options require lift gates and pallet jacks along with some other specialized equipment to move the pallets and crates on and off of their truck. The uncrated option allows the driver to roll the bike onto the truck at pick up and off of the truck at delivery. They don’t require any specialized equipment to get the bikes on and off of their truck.
The uncrated shipping option allows the bikes to be position closer to one another in the truck. With the bikes being closer together there is a slightly higher possibility of the bikes coming in contact with each other in the unlikely event a tie down becomes loose while in transit, which could possibly lead to minor damage. Damage claims are very infrequent with the uncrated shipping method however.