How to Ship Your Motorcycle

To date, my Ducati Scrambler has been shipped over 7,350 miles. Since I started traveling for extended periods of time, my bike has come along for the ride. He's gone from NYC to LA, LA back to NYC and then NYC to Austin. So if anyone out there is looking for some advice about shipping their motorcycle from point A to point B, here are my tips.

The only company I use is Federal Motorcycle Transport. My friends at Rising Wolf Garage suggested the company to me and I cannot say enough good things about them. They make the shipping process so simple and affordable. You just call, provide some basic info about your bike and location, and then find days that work best for pick-up.

Most importantly, they offer affordability without sacrificing the safety of your motorcycle. Price is one thing, but reputation is much more important when it comes to shipping your baby. My shipment from NYC to LA was about $650, a bargain for having my bike delivered in the same perfect condition as it left.

Delivery of Ducati in LA

Federal Motorcycle Transport has a local team come to you in a moving truck with a lift gate to pickup the bike. They call you a day before to confirm your reservation and then an hour before they arrive. The team inspects the bike with you before loading it, noting any scratches, dents, or oddities. Then they load it onto a pallet on the truck, you sign off and away it goes! It only took about 6 days to arrive in LA from NYC and vice versa.

For delivery, they call the day before arrival and then about an hour before drop-off. The team unloads it for you, and once again, inspects the bike with you to ensure nothing has been damaged in the move.

Loading Day, NYC to Austin

A couple of items to note before having the bike shipped.

1. Empty the gas tank to a quarter tank or less

2. Inspect your bike prior to loading day and make personal notes of any marks or dents

3. Remove any side bags

4. Take the key(s) with you

5. Inspect your bike upon arrival and don't sign the papers until you are 100% positive it is undamaged and runs properly (or how it did when you shipped it)