How to Transport Your Motorcycle Collection Out of State
There's a famous, anonymous quote about the joys of riding a motorcycle:
"Take a journey, soar like an eagle, there are so many roads to explore, so little time."
Yes, indeed, and if you treasure your motorcycle collection, then, you want to know the best ways of transporting your fleet out of state when you need to. The experts who do this for a living have some good advice to share.
Pro Assistance
You have several options for transporting your motorcycles out of state, and some of these are do-it-yourself methods. You could also save yourself the hassle and allow a professional car shipping transportation company to take care of it. When you choose a qualified company that provides a very reliable and fast service, where everything is properly done, and your prized, two-wheeled collection is carefully inspected when it is picked up. Then, it's carefully loaded onto the motorcycle shipping trailer and arrives safely at your doorstep without a scratch. You can also closely inspect your motorcycles to ensure that everything is in order.
Safely Secured
If you want to use D.I.Y. transportation, that's fine, too, but the most important thing to remember here is to safely secure your bikes before transporting them. A motorcycle is one amazing machine, but it's also carrying flammable fluids. Therefore, you need to consider this key fact before moving your bikes to another state.
For example, draining most of the fuel is required. The fuel must not exceed one-quarter of the tank capacity.
All batteries must be installed and securely fastened in the battery holder of the vehicle and be protected.
So many people enjoy riding motorcycles these days, and the statistics tell the story. The number of on-road motorcycles registered in the U.S. has been increasing over the past few years. However, it's more complicated than just loading your bikes onto a trailer as-is if you're doing it without professional transporters.
Tow Dolly
A tow dolly is simple to use and efficient and can be hitched to almost any kind of vehicle. If you're moving a collection of bikes, however, you'll have to make several trips.
In addition to the hitch, you should also have towing straps available to keep your motorcycle safe during transport. A tow dolly secures the front end of the motorcycle, leaving the back tire on the road. The maximum load the tow dolly can carry is 800 pounds.
Pickup Truck
Maybe you and your friends have pickup trucks at the ready for transporting your bikes out of state. The experts recommend parking the vehicles on an even surface to begin with. Next, you'll need a motorcycle ramp and align it with the truck's tailgate.
It's no secret that motorcycles are bulky machines and not so easy to load, and two people should be involved in the process with one pushing and one steering. Use tie-downs and wheel chocks to secure your bikes and prevent rolling, and as an added safety measure, loop a bungee around the front brake lever to prevent front-to-back movement.
Van
Some bike owners use a van to transport their collection out of state, but again, a few trips may be in order depending on how many motorcycles you own. The procedure is similar to using a pickup truck, but you must consider the space amount you have in your van.
It's a creative method of transportation, but there are a few factors to think about first. You may need to take out the back seats from the van completely to assure a good fit. Also, you may have to adjust or temporarily remove the motorcycle's handlebars. The bike must be secured completely in order to use this manner of transportation. Don't forget to drain any fuel or hazardous fluids from your bike.
A cargo van is your best bet. Also, make sure that the top of your motorcycle clears the van's ceiling, or you risk damage to both.
You love your motorcycles, and these vehicles are very special to you. That's why extreme care and planning should be considered when D.I.Y. transporting them out of state. That's also why professional vehicle movers are available and can give you peace of mind.