Moving Your Motorcycle Overseas
More and more, a lot of people in the United States have chosen to use a motorcycle as their primary forms of transportation. When you are living in an area with wonderful weather, a motorcycle can be a far less expensive way to get to where you need to go. However, if you decide to move overseas, you might be worried about how your motorcycle is going to move with you. You do not need to worry though, there are options available to you. With a little bit of planning, you should not have many problems. You should contact the customs agency of the country you are moving to so you can find out what their requirements are, and then choose a moving company that offers the best rates for those qualifications. The more you plan, the quicker your motorcycle will be delivered to you.
The first thing you should understand, is the types of services that are available. Of course you could always choose air travel, however this method is very expensive, often to the point that it would be cheaper to just buy a new motorcycle. If you decide for sea shipment, you can either use the roll-on roll-off method, or have your bike containerized. When your bike is stored in a container, it will be protected from the elements, but it is also more expensive. Not only that, but your bike will be loaded with other bikes, and will be loaded and unloaded with a forklift. This could lead to your bike tipping over. With roll-on roll-off service, your bike will be rolled onto a ramp on the ship, and will also be stored next to other motorcycles, but is not as protected as a container shipment.
Preparation for Your Motorcycle Shipment
Next you should do a fair amount of preparation before you send your bike to the ship. Depending on the type of shipment you choose, you may need to prepare your motorcycle in a different way. However, there are some universal things you have to do regardless of what method you choose. First, you should disconnect the battery. This way something will not accidentally drain your battery, your electrical systems have a far less chance of getting damaged, and nothing will accidentally turn on during shipment. You should also take the key with you. If you leave it in the ignition, it could fall out and get lost. Also, do not ship your bike with the kickstand down. You will want the bike to be able utilize its suspension as it is being shipped, which is impossible with the kickstand down. Last, drain almost all of the gasoline out of your bike. Remember, your bike may be traveling on a boat for months, and the vapor from the gasoline is extremely hazardous.
Last, the customs agency of the country you are moving to might require that your motorcycle is packed professionally in a crate. Most international moving companies have packing services, and they should be able to meet all of the requirements that have been put to you. They will send an agent to your home to check out all of the measurements of your bike, and will have a custom sized crate built to its specificities. They will then secure it inside the crate, using chocks, cables, padding, and mounts, so that it is not only immobile, but will also be able to use its suspension to help absorb motion. Shop around and find an international moving company that has experience in moving vehicles internationally, and knows how customs agencies like things to be packed, such as Allied International. While there might be a lot of steps you will have to take in order to ship your bike, it is definitely not impossible, and you will be back to riding the open roads in your new country in no time.
