What Is the Best Way to Transport a Motorcycle?

There’s something about riding a motorcycle that soothes the soul. The feeling of riding down the road with the wind in your hair and a couple hundred pounds of iron revving between your legs takes your breath away!

More Americans ride motorcycles than ever before. A 2018 study shows that there are more than 13 million motorcycles registered in the United States!

But, what happens when you need to move? How do you get your bike from point A to point B without any damage?

Don’t worry, we put together a comprehensive guide to explain the best way to transport a motorcycle. Keep reading to learn all about keeping your bike safe while you transport it.

The Best Way to Transport a Motorcycle

If you want to move your motorcycle, there are many transportation options to choose from. Pick the safest transportation option that fits within your budget.

Hire a Moving Company

If you don’t want to shoulder the risk of transporting your motorcycle by yourself, hire a professional company to do it for you! A good moving company will also carry insurance for your bike. That way, if the worse should happen and your bike sustains damage, their insurance will pay for the repairs.

Hiring a moving company to transport your motorcycle isn’t cheap though. Make sure you get a few quotes before you decide to go this route.

Pickup Truck

Do you own a truck? If so, then you can move your motorcycle for the cost of the gasoline to get to your destination!

If you chose to use your pickup truck to move your bike, make sure you have a good ramp that reaches the height of the truck bed. You might also want a friend to help manage the weight of the bike as you raise it into the truck.

Moving Van/Truck

If you expect rain or high winds during your journey, you may want to put your motorcycle inside another vehicle. A moving truck or utility van is perfect to protect your bike from the elements while in transport.

For a van, make sure you take measurements of your bike to make sure it will fit inside the van. Some vans have lower roofs and, if you have a taller bike, it may not fit.

Trailer

If you don’t have a truck, don’t worry! You can still transport your bike and drive your sedan too!

Hitch a motorcycle trailer to the car and you can tow the bike behind you. Make sure your trailer is safe and meant for transporting something as heavy as a motorcycle. You don’t want the trailer to fall apart while you’re on the road!

Be sure you check out as many trailer options as you can so you can find the best price. Some companies even post their shop inventory online for your convenience!

Ride It!

Another option for transporting your bike is to get on it and ride to your destination! 

This is, by far, the easiest way to move your motorcycle from point A to point B! No loading or tie downs to worry about and no need to spend money on an expensive transportation company.

The only downside is that, once you get to your destination, you might need a taxi or a friend to drive you back to where you came from to get the rest of your stuff.

Tips for Securing Your Bike

If this is your first time transporting your motorcycle, you may be a little intimidated. Here are a few tips to make you feel more at ease during the process.

Get a Good Ramp and Tie-Downs

If there is one thing you don’t want to cheap out on, it’s the ramp and tie-downs you use to transport your motorcycle. If these snap on you, your bike might suffer!

Make sure your ramp can handle the weight of a motorcycle and that it reaches as high as you need to load it into your vehicle of choice.

Ask a Friend to Help

There’s no shame in asking for a little help getting your bike loaded. Motorcycles are very heavy and trying to hold that much weight above your waist, without help, is a challenge, to say the least.

It takes only a few minutes for two people to get the bike up the ramp and strapped down. Then you can offer your friend a beer for helping!

Where to Put the Tie-Downs

When you tie down the motorcycle, make sure your straps don’t slide around or become unhooked. Try to use the bike frame to connect the tie downs as much as possible. 

Also, be sure you have a tie-down on both sides of the front and back to ensure your bike won’t shift around while you’re on the road.

Drive a Short Way and Check on the Bike

Once you get everything squared away, take a short drive at a slower pace and then get out and check the bike. If the motorcycle has shifted, take this chance to shore it up a bit more before you get on the road in earnest.

Treat Your Bike Right and It Will Treat You Right

No matter if you are moving the bike a few streets over or across the nation, you want to make sure it’s safe during the journey. After all, your motorcycle is like an extension of you! 

If you aren’t careful with the way you transport your bike, it could cost you a pretty penny in repairs before you can even ride it again! Since you know the best way to transport a motorcycle now, there’s no excuse for transportation damage to your iron horse!

We hope you loved reading this article and that you learned a thing or two about transporting your motorcycle in the safest manner. If you are looking for more articles about travel, motorcycles, and much more, check out the rest of our blogs today!