For a motorcycle owner, the mention of moving may sound like a tempting opportunity for some road trip ideas. Who wouldn’t want to use the opportunity to do some cross country ride? However, if we are talking about long-distance, it may not be attractive so much. Altogether, if we consider the fuel cost, the amount of time you will need, and the legitimate caution from unfamiliar roads, it doesn’t sound good anymore. If you really need to move a motorcycle long distance, then perhaps some other option will be a better solution.

Best way to move a motorcycle long distance

Being the motorcycle owner is something many people say with a stoic pride in their voice. For them, nothing can replace the feeling of conquering the road while riding a heap of perfectly assembled chrome and steel. That powerful engine listening to your every command and delivering mile after mile of joy with the unique sense of freedom in your hair. It doesn’t take long before it becomes a part of your personality, the part of who you are.

First-person view when riding a motorcycle.

It’s only when you ride a motorcycle you understand the “freedom”.

Given these points, it can be hard to choose the right way to transport such a remarkable thing. Nevertheless, there is a couple of the most popular ways to move your motorcycle long distance:

  1. Moving your motorcycle with a truck
  2. Using a trailer for hauling
  3. Hire a company to move your motorcycle long distance
  4. Using a moving container

Moving your motorcycle with a truck

With a carefully thought plan, it’s quite doable to move your motorcycle with a truck. You or some of your friends may already have a truck waiting in the garage, so it looks like a good opportunity to put it to use. However, it’s not child’s play at all. Considering the weight of your motorcycle, it’s never a good thing to try to load it by yourself. Call for a couple of your friends to help you and take all precautions before loading. Check if you will need loading ramp and every other necessary equipment before you start. Ask around, you can gather a lot of valuable pieces of information from local motorcycle parts store owners. They will gladly provide you with all the details about what tying method can be the safest solution to prevent and protect your bike from damage when you move a motorcycle long distance.

Using a trailer for hauling

If you don’t want to separate from your personal possession when packing and moving coast to coast, you can consider trailer as an option. You can load your motorcycle inside and haul it with your car. In general, some trailers are specially designed for motorcycle transportation and really differ from a regular one. Usually, you will have the possibility to choose between enclosed and open type motorcycle trailers. Since this is a long-distance moving adventure, probably the best option will be enclosed type. It provides more protection from weather conditions and other hazardous incidents you may encounter on the road. Also, these types of trailers possess the internal equipment which you will use to tie your motorcycle as firm as possible before moving. Again, it’s better to call someone to help you with loading than doing it solo.

Old blue motorcycle with sidecar.

Some exceptional models are particularly hard to move long-distance.

Hire a company to move your motorcycle long distance

Of course, there is always an easier way to do it. As always, relocation comes with a price but it’s always better to let experienced and skillful professionals do the job for you. When hiring a moving company for this particular service, start looking for those who are specialized in motorcycle moving. They already have all the necessary knowledge about every single detail, some of which would never cross your mind. Get a couple of offers from several different companies and check their background. In general, this should not be very hard to do with all the data available over the internet. Compare the prices and options and make an intelligent choice.

Using a moving container

If none of the options above work for you, there are additional options left. There is a sort of hybrid options between packing by yourself and hiring a professional moving company. You can choose a crated shipping method where your motorcycle is secured inside of a compact crate of appropriate size. In fact, the fitting size is very important because it’s preventing any kind of shifts and movement during transportation.

Another option is something you can choose when you are moving your complete household possessions. Portable On Demand Storage (PODS) are containers for moving and storage. The company delivers a container at your doorstep where you can take the time to load it. After that, they’ll drive the PODS to a new location of your choice.

: Portable containers in portable container open warehouse.

Portable containers are useful in many situations.

Prepare your motorcycle for moving

Before you load your motorcycle on a truck, trailer, PODS, or placing it in hand of professional, there are certain things to do to properly prepare your motorcycle for moving:

  • Examine the condition of your motorcycle.
  • Take as many pictures as necessary to document even the slightest scratch or bump.
  • Go to the mechanic to see if there is everything alright with the motorcycle.
  • Go through the manuals for any recommendations about transporting.
  • Detach all removable parts so you don’t lose them.
  • Check everything about the insurance with your moving company.

Effort pays off!

As you can see, it takes a lot of effort when you want to move a motorcycle long distance. Nevertheless, all the effort you place in is ultimately worth it because nothing can replace the sense of accomplishment after this job is done. Not to mention the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of your labor. In this particular case, it will be a long relaxing ride that only the proud owner of the motorcycle can understand. The long ride and the exploration of new horizons.