How to Ship a Motorcycle to Cyprus and to Other Faraway Places

How to Ship a Motorcycle to Cyprus and to Other Faraway PlacesThere is probably nothing in the world that makes me feel more at peace in the world than when riding my motorcycle down a long stretch of deserted highway on a warm summer evening. It is especially nice to ride through the U.S. in the more mountainous areas as well as along the west coast.

On a recent trip that I took from the U.S. to the Philippines, I knew I would be completely lost if I didn’t have my bike with me. While I would have given anything to just hop on and ride across the sea, I knew I was going to have to find a reliable motorcycle shipper and have my motorcycle delivered to me once I arrived in Coron, the area I planned to visit during my journey.

Having it shipped was much easier than I thought it was going to be, and since I had such a great experience, I wanted to share what I did to have it taken care of so that others may possibly benefit from the experience that I had. While there are numerous reasons that one may need to have a motorcycle shipped including taking a vacation or moving to a new city or state or even buying a new or used motorcycle from a seller that may be located out of state or even in another country, you can follow the guidelines listed below to have your own bike shipped safely as well as with an affordable rate.

Getting a Good Quote

Sure, you could make one phone call and hire someone right away to ship the motorcycle and just accept the price that they give you when you call. It is better to really check into a company however and make sure they have the necessary experience to be able to ship the bike safely as well as with a price that is truly competitive with other shippers in the industry. You should always check with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to verify that the company has valid insurance coverage as well as a safe shipping history. If a company tells you they have the cheapest price in town, run away as quickly as you can! Unfortunately, those companies that offer rock bottom prices will usually have horrible safety standards and you run the risk of having your motorcycle delivered with damage that will not be taken care of by the company. I found this out several years ago when I shipped one of my older motorcycles with a company that offered such a low price. Since that time, I have thankfully learned a lot and had a great deal of success when shipping my new motorcycle during my extensive travels all over the world.

Types of Overseas Carrier Options

When I ship my own personal motorcycle, I usually opt for a crated shipment but I have also shipped with Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) which is a type of open shipping and both have worked quite well for my bike. To determine the best choice for your own motorcycle, it may help to know the difference between the two options.

  • Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO): If you have ever seen one of the large carriers rolling down an interstate piled high with automobiles, then you already know what a RORO carrier is. All sorts of motor vehicles ranging from small and large cars and trucks as well as SUV’s and even motorcycles are shipped on RORO ships. They are driven aboard and then secured in place for the journey. RORO is the least expensive option for overseas motorcycle shipping but it will be necessary to make sure that the port you are shipping to will accept RORO shipments. If not, you may be able to ship to a different port in the country and then have it shipped via land to your specific location.
  • Enclosed Container: An enclosed container is a great option to have a motorcycle shipped and is also beneficial if you want to have some of your personal items shipped along with the bike. This is usually ideal for people that are making a complete move to a new country.
  • Crated Motorcycle Shipping: The most widely used form of overseas shipping for motorcycles is going to be to have it crated and then shipped. You can opt for either RORO or Container shipping when the bike has been crated. Crates can be found online as well as through local dealerships and even the shipper. Some people even build their own crates but this can be time consuming as well as difficult to do unless you have some carpentry experience. Personally, I usually opt for crated shipping on a RORO ship for a better price although due to port regulations, I have also shipped via containers and had great results with that as well.

Preparing the Motorcycle for Overseas Shipping

There are several things that are quite important when you need to have a motorcycle shipped overseas. Be sure to follow a few simple preparation tips when shipping your bike:

  • Make sure the motorcycle has been taken care of or repaired before shipping. Many areas of the world will not have bike parts, even common ones, and making sure all is well before it is shipped is very important. Even a quick drive chain lube can be very important to save expenses once the bike has been delivered to a new country. Services can be costly overseas.
  • If the bike is going to be crated, you need to drain the fuel unless the shipper tells you not to drain it.
  • The battery may also need to be disconnected. You should make sure it is fully charged even if it will be disconnected during shipment.
  • When you ship a motorcycle overseas, taking plenty of pre-shipment pictures is crucial. Not only to check for damage after delivery but also because bike theft overseas is quite high and you will want detailed pictures to hold on to in case an issue arises.

The company that you hire should be a reliable international RORO motorcycle shipping company with no less than 3-5 years of experience with shipping motorcycles overseas. Another option that you will want to check into may be GPS or satellite tracking services. Many companies now offer this and I have found it is an ideal way to reduce stress when separated from the motorcycle because you can use the service to keep track of its whereabouts from the moment it is picked up all the way through delivery.

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