Motorcycle shipping question

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zman

zman

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May 25, 2013
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Location
Ardmore Ok.
I remember a show called shipping wars or something like that where shippers would outbid other shippers, is this something I should consider doing?..Never shipped a motorcycle and I`ll tell ya I am a little nervous about doing it but I have a car to pull behind my moving truck...wondering whats the best plan to get it to Oklahoma.
Any tips,advice would be great.
 
My personal choice would be to put the bike in the truck first then pack in the rest of the stuff. Pack high and tight and you'll be surprised how much you can get in there.
 
I've never shipped one but I did look into it a few times. ... As a truck driver I can tell you cheaper is not really your best bet. I'd look at the reviews of the companies closely .. you may find the cheaper rate company is the best reviewed but you never know
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=167047#p167047:eg4rx958 said:
slabghost » Wed Jan 27, 2016 3:16 pm[/url]":eg4rx958]
My personal choice would be to put the bike in the truck first then pack in the rest of the stuff. Pack high and tight and you'll be surprised how much you can get in there.
Click to expand...
I would like to but those rental box trucks are too high and getting past the crest of the ramp is impossible unless you have a loading dock to back into, besides I have to see one with tie down anchors.
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=167048#p167048:3l0o7a9x said:
Mysteryrider » Wed Jan 27, 2016 3:17 pm[/url]":3l0o7a9x]
I've never shipped one but I did look into it a few times. ... As a truck driver I can tell you cheaper is not really your best bet. I'd look at the reviews of the companies closely .. you may find the cheaper rate company is the best reviewed but you never know
Click to expand...
Thanks, I am guessing cheaper means they are near every stop, seems to me if you could get drop offs close together you could charge less, not looking for cheap , My mom had her car shipped for 600 to Tx from here, seems a bike should be less but so far I get $800, a little too much considering the value of the bike...would rather take it with me then sell it.
Heading to Ardmore Ok in spring, maybe sooner.
 
in some cases yes that's the case the main difference between them shipping a car and a motorcycle is most cars ship on a exposed to the elements carrier and bikes generally ship on a enclosed carrier which generally can haul a little less not to mention check to see if they crate the bike which will add allot to the shipping costs honestly your best bet is to try to pack it in the truck or another possibility is to get a little bit larger trailer for your car and stash it with the car on the trailer.... uhaul might not like it but what they don't know wont hurt them lol
 
another suggestion I will add is look at the prices of decent used flatbed trailers rated to haul the weight of your car and bike combined .. you may find you can buy a trailer for less than the cost of renting a car hauler and shipping the bike put together and you have the trailer to either sell or use once you get to your destination
 
Jeff You might want to look at some of those rental trucks. Some do have floor anchors and most have wall anchors so holding stuff in place. Most have ramps that will hook to the deck of the box so there isn't a step to navigate at the top. Buying a used car hauling trailer isn't a bad option either. Could make you real popular with friends and family though.
 
Uhaul trucks do not have anchor points in the floor, and the slats on the wall will not support a bike. I once rented a 26 foot truck to a group that was going to Sturgis and their solution was to make their own anchor points on a sheet of plywood and then park their bikes on the plywood and then stud the plywood to the floor using the ceiling of the truck as the support for the top of their studs. I didn't think it would be strong enough, but they had no problems. I would have liked to see it! The claimed to have taken 6 bikes that way.

Now, if someone were to do that and then stack lots of furniture on top of the plywood anchor, well that might work a little better.
 
Thanks guys, when I sold my 78 the guy came with a uhaul and the bike bottomed out at the top, half got in the truck the other half was stuck on the ramp, some heavy lifting by 2 got it in but it was a struggle, don't want that with a full dressed GL....Thinking the only easy answer is to sell the Rabbit and get a truck, didn't want to but looks like that would be best.U Haul has a bike trailer...I have some time to think it out so thanks again.
 
Jeff I used to inspect damaged freight for the trucking companies and it always was a case of "the lower the rate the more serious the damage." Oh and compensation was always pennies per pound.

~O~
 
I was surprised how expensive bike transport was in the States. I paid $340 aud to bring a bike up from Melbourne with a specialised bike transporter which was about 1300 miles. In LA they wanted $300 to go from Steve's place ( Altadena) to my brother Kim's place in Laguna Niguel about 80 miles. Luckily Steve was kind enough to hire a Uhaul bike trailer and run it down to Kim's :good: :clapping: :salute:
 
Just feel the same way about hauling, :roll: that i do about someone else fixing most of my stuff. :headscratch: No thank you. :nea:
 
Thanks fella`s, further thinking maybe a full size pickup truck and bike trailer with two trips or maybe one of those pods and have the stuff dropped off , think I have about 2 full size truck loads but I need to get it all in storage and get a measurement, too soon to guess at exactly how much...need to compare pod cost and gas cost.
I was trying to get ahead of problem but maybe too soon to figure.
 
Good luck, man. I've asked my brother-in-law about shipping bikes before, as he works for a smaller shipping firm that runs up and down the eastern seaboard, and he told me that bikes can be shipped for not too bad a price, but the real trouble is finding a driver en-route, making sure someone trustworthy can help load it, and making certain the driver actually gives a damn about his cargo. The guys in his company are pretty good, but he notes not every company out there is as nice. It really ca be a shot in the dark. I hope an answer comes soon for you.
 
Option 1: Get someone to ride the bike, however this time of year riding thru might be pretty rough.

Option 2: Pull a Uhaul bike trailer with the Uhaul moving truck, and have someone drive the car.

I've used Uhaul motorcycle specific trailers on a few occassions (buying/selling) they're dirt cheap and work fine but they are open not enclosed.
 
On one move I opted to buy a used box truck. Maybe you can find one with a lift gate that fits your budget. Selling it after the move will recover at least some of the cost.
 

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