To Crate or Not To Crate your Motorcycle

Some freight agents will deal with the motorcycle on an ‘uncrated’ basis and simply strap the bike to a wooden pallet. It often makes your total freight charge cheaper, although there is the small potential for damage to the motorcycle.

Full crating is often required by major airlines, especially if your motorcycle is going in the cargo hold of a long-haul passenger plane. If your bike is going into a shared container for sea freight, then a full crate is also necessary. Full crates provide extra protection for the motorcycle but do come at a price – we have heard of quotes as high as 16,000 Baht, for something that will get used for firewood at the other end.

A useful tip is to go to your motorcycle dealer and see if they can help you with a cheaper solution. But if you do this or make your own crate, many countries now require that the wood packaging must be specially treated and show an approved stamp of certification or else the shipment is sent back.

Another thing to check is the in-transit insurance requirements. Insurers may not cover you unless a professional packer has put your crate together.

In our experience, no two freight agents price in the same way. Very few are all-inclusive and you can find many additional charges creeping in. So you need to be very clear with an agent when they give a quote as to what other charges you are expected to pay.

Air freight is normally priced based on volumetric weight. That is they charge you the greater of either actual weight or the amount of volume the cargo takes up. Bikes are nearly always charged on volume.

Often the freight charge alone, which can be quoted as US$36; per kilogram, is just one small part of a quote. Common extras are charges for :

• dangerous goods certificates (needed when flying a motorcycle)
• warehouse handling and storage or port charges (normally at the destination)
• Customs charges and Customs agent's fee (both outbound and inbound)
• crating your motorcycle (if needed)
• in-transit insurance

Make sure you are really clear with the agent just what their quote covers both at the outbound end, as well as your destination.