This article discusses cheap motorcycle shipping options.
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So you are researching motorcycle shipping options and the thought of finding the cheapest motorcycle shipping service available comes to mind – be careful!
There are many factors to consider when researching a motorcycle transport company to move your motorcycle across the country. It is human nature to seek out the least expensive shipping option you can find and consider booking your shipment with that company.
As is the case in any industries, you get what you pay for. When you are considering booking your shipment with the cheapest motorcycle transport company you can find there are a number of questions that you need to ask the motorcycle shipper before booking your shipment with them. The first question you should ask is are you a broker or are you a transporter. Shipping brokers work with numerous transport companies. Most shipping brokers farm out the shipments to transport companies they find on a service called Central Dispatch. There are many shipping brokers and many transport companies that work together to handle motorcycle shipments.
The main challenge with using a shipping broker is the majority of the shipments they handle are car shipments not motorcycle shipments. Additionally, there is a high probability that the transporter the shipping broker refers you to is a company they have never worked with before and there is a chance the transporter has shipped very few motorcycles in the past and does not have the correct equipment for handling a motorcycle shipment. They use heavy duty auto transport ratchet strap tie-downs that can damage suspension components on a motorcycle because they are made specifically for handling much heavier car shipments not motorcycle shipments.
Other factor that can come into play when you find a cheap rate for shipping a motorcycle is licensing and insurance. There are many unlicensed, uninsured illegal motorcycle transporters that bid on motorcycle shipments on the internet. In order to be DOT compliant, transporters are required to have an active and current DOT license number and Motor Carrier license number along with an adequate level of cargo insurance coverage. If a transporter does not have these licenses or insurance chances are they are operating illegally putting customers vehicles at risk.
You can rest assured when you work with us that you are dealing with a fully DOT compliant motorcycle specific shipping broker. We do not use Central Dispatch to find transporters for the motorcycle shipments that we handle. We have a select group of motorcycle specific transporters that handle thousands of motorcycle shipments each year. We perform a monthly check of each one of the transporters we work with to make sure their DOT license number is up to date, their Motor Carrier license number is up-to-date and that their cargo insurance is in place. There are many DOT regulations that transporters must adhere to in order to be licensed and insured. We take the guesswork out of which shippers to work with and which ones to stay away from.