After hours of humping boxes and furniture, the movers packed the truck front to back and top to bottom-which left no room for my Kawasaki ZX-10R. Not wanting to leave it as a play toy for West Coast vacations, I shipped it east using JC Motors' Motorcycle Transport service. JC Motors began shipping bikes in 1994, and after more than a decade of learning the business, designing its own shipping pallets and partnering with North American Van Lines, it transported more than 6000 motorcycles last year.
JC Motors' custom pallet-and four tie-downs-keeps your bike vertical while en route.
Getting an Internet-based price quote was easy. Armed with my bike's wet weight as well as pick-up and drop-off locations, I inserted the information into an electronic form that splits the country into four zones. For bikes up to 550 pounds, prices range from an in-state charge of $435 to a cross-country fee of $690, which is what I paid to ship my bike from California to Connecticut. In general, pickup takes place one to five days after the shipment has been booked, and ship time anywhere in the U.S. is five to 10 business days.
For insurance, comprehensive motorcycle policies generally protect a bike in transit, but just to be safe, each JC shipment is covered for $7000 with no deductible. Additional insurance is available for $7 per $1000 of coverage.
A high roller needing his bike to land on a specific date can add $150 for VIP Service. Those needing super-quick shipping between Atlanta, Dallas, L.A. or New York can use the Executive Express Service for an additional $300 per bike. The company offers discounts to many motorcycle organizations including Kawasaki's ROK and the Gold Wing-oriented GWRRA.
I checked with the nation's other major motorcycle transporter, Allied Van Lines Special Product division, which would have charged $875 for the same trip. Additional fees included residential pickup and delivery ($72 each) and supplemental insurance to bolster the included 60-cents-per-pound rate (less than $300 worth of coverage).
When the air-ride 18-wheeler showed up, I simply rolled my bike up to the truck's lift gate. No fluid draining was required; the only stipulation was a rolling bike with its fork unlocked. Owners even keep their key. Before loading my bike, the driver filled out a comprehensive condition report and, with a helper, raised the bike, rolled it into the trailer and onto JC's bike-specific pallet, strapping it down gingerly with four ratchet-style tie-downs. A pallet jack was used to position my precious cargo at the front of the truck, where it was draped with a protective Nelson-Rigg cover that I got to keep. The entire process took just 20 minutes.
After six days my bike landed on the East Coast. As promised, the driver phoned an hour or so before he rolled into my neighborhood, and after a quick unload, my Kawi sat in my new garage as perfect as it had a week before. For just 24 cents per mile-about the same price I would have paid to ride the bike nearly 3000 miles on the superslab, taking gas and hotels into consideration-the 10R traveled in style, and much safer than if it had been strapped between my bedroom set and office shelves. Other Motorcyclist staffers have used JC Motors and experienced the same level of quality and value, so we recommend these guys highly.
JC Motors
Motorcycle Transport
Price: $435-$690
Contact: JC Motors
16591 Noyes Avenue
Irvine, CA 92606
http://www.motorcycleshippers.com
Verdict
Excellent, affordable service and above-average in-route protection make this the company to call when shipping your scoot.