Weather to ride down to the desired destination or to ship the bike directly to the endpoint is one of the hardest choices to make. Both have their own share of pros and cons. Sometimes shipping the motorcycle using professional services may cost a bomb, while riding all the way to the destination will only cost half as much. Though the latter might seem like a better choice considering the kind of experience a long ride offers in return, but not necessarily do we have always have the time.
So the only choice we are left with is to get the bike delivered on to the preferred location. So if you are planning to ship your motorcycle sometime in the near future and need some quick points on how to get your bike shipped safely to the other side, give the article below a thorough read.
Click pictures before handing over the bike:
Wash your motorcycle and prepare it for the shipment. Scrutinize its surface in detail and look for the scratches and dents already present on its paint surface. Click a clear picture of its present state, and make sure that all the angles are covered properly. It will help you out during the later stage if something unfortunate happens during the transit. This will definitely make the insurance claims easier.
Check tyre pressure:
Make sure that both the tyres are properly inflated when you load the bike for the shipment. The motorcycle might take days, or weeks to arrive at the destination and you definitely wouldn’t want a flat tyre when you receive the same. Also while you are at it, check for cracks or punctures in the tyres, if any, repair them on urgent basis.
Pack back the accessories:
The reason why you should take off the accessories is that these items are generally not covered under the insurance policies. If any damage occurs to these accessories, the probability is high that you may not get a claim for the same. So detach all the unnecessary aftermarket parts before shipping.
Mirrors should be folded:
Make sure that you fold the rear view mirrors inside, and at the same time tape the headlights. This will protect these surfaces from scratches.
Fuel tank should be empty:
It is always recommended that you drain the fuel tank before the bike is picked up for shipping. The reason being, the company might ship it in wooden crates, or it might get completely wrapped in plastic cover sheets. Even the slightest fuel leakage from the tank will create a hazardous situation in transit. So make sure your motorcycle is dry for safe transit.
Battery should be detached:
It is one of the most important steps in shipping preparation as the bike might take weeks to arrive at the desired destination and if the battery remains unplugged, it might get completely drain by the arrival time. Also, another reason why you must remove the battery is that even though the bikes are fairly secured for shipping, the shipment trailer is always in movement and so is everything inside it, the engine ignition switch can turn on the bike even with a slight tap on the switch. So it is always recommended that you remove the battery in advance.
