Crate spec ticket
| Base | Skid with a front wheel chock and rear wheel rail |
|---|---|
| Tie-down | Ratchet straps to frame points, forks left unloaded |
| Fuel | Tank drained, cap sealed |
| Battery | Disconnected, terminals covered, or removed |
| Walls | Sheathed plywood on framing |
| Quote needs | Length, width at bars, height, weight, destination |
Chocks, straps and the forks
The bike sits upright, its wheels in a chock at the front and a rail at the back, both fixed to the skid with lag bolts. Straps run from frame points, not from handlebars, mirrors or footpegs, and the forks are never compressed to hold the bike down because a compressed fork seal leaks.
Where the bike has a centre stand, we usually leave it up and let the straps do the work. Sport bikes with fairings get padded strap points, and a soft loop goes round any painted tube. Wheel straps stop the machine from rocking in the chock.
Fuel, battery and the rules
Motorcycles with fuel or batteries are regulated as hazardous materials under 49 CFR and the IATA rules for air cargo. The tank is drained and the cap sealed, and the battery is disconnected or removed, per the carrier's rules, before the crate is closed. Tell us how the bike will travel, because air and sea carriers differ.
We note on the crate what has been drained. An electric bike has a traction battery that is a separate category with its own handling, so send the model and we will ask the carrier before we quote.
- Tank drained and cap taped
- Battery terminals covered
- Carburettor float bowl drained on older bikes
- Keys and manual boxed and taped to the frame
What gets removed
Mirrors, windshields and handlebars that stick out beyond the frame are turned or removed and tagged. Handlebars are loosened and rotated so the bars do not make the crate wider than it needs to be. Loose luggage, panniers and top boxes go in their own box, with the fasteners in a labelled bag.
Chrome and polished aluminium are wrapped in soft film. Exhaust tips are capped. The seat is covered, because a seat that chafes against a strap shows marks on arrival.
Moisture and shock
A shipment by sea risks surface rust on chain, brake discs, fasteners and exposed engine metal. The whole bike goes under a VCI film cover, closed at the base, with desiccant inside. A chain lubricant or protective spray keeps the chain from seizing in transit.
Foam blocks sit under the fairing lower edges and around the radiator. Shock and tip indicators go on the outer panel, where a dock worker can see them. They are small, and they settle arguments about damage.
Different bikes, different cradles
A cruiser with a long wheelbase and a low seat needs a longer skid than a dirt bike, but a shorter, narrower box. A touring bike with a fairing, a top case and a high screen needs height, and sometimes the screen is removed and wrapped so the crate does not have to be as tall.
Scooters and small-displacement bikes can share a crate pair on one skid if the buyer wants it. Two bikes in one crate need a separator and a second set of chocks, and we confirm the combined gross weight before we draw it.
Off-road and trials machines have a higher ground clearance and a lighter frame. We strap those at the frame down-tubes, not at the swingarm, and we pad the skid plate.
The crate and its marks
A sheathed plywood crate on a skid gives the walls enough stiffness for the motorcycle's height and keeps the weight down for air freight. The lid is screwed on for a re-open at inspection, and a plywood door can be fitted if the bike will be rolled out directly.
Handling marks follow ISO 780: this way up, fragile, keep dry. A centre-of-gravity mark and a forklift-entry stencil go on the skid. Our crate markings guide covers the order and placement of those symbols.
Export, dealers and collectors
The skid is heat-treated lumber with an IPPC stamp for export, and the plywood walls are exempt. Dealers moving the same model repeatedly get one crate spec on file. A one-off classic gets a measured design, with the cradle shaped to its wheelbase and ground clearance, which we confirm from your photos and dimensions.
What to send for a quote
Send the length from the front tyre to the rear tyre, the width across the bars at their widest, the height to the top of the screen or mirrors, the gross weight, and the destination country. A photograph from the side and from the front helps us confirm the chock position.
If the bike is a collector's machine, say so. We add extra padding on tank, fairing and paint, and we photograph the crate in stages for the shipper's record. The spec stays on file for the next bike.
Questions buyers ask
Can the motorcycle stay on its wheels?
Yes, upright in a chock with straps. We do not lay a bike on its side unless the owner asks for it.
Do I have to drain the fuel?
In nearly every case. Fuel in a motorcycle is regulated as a hazardous material, so it is drained per the carrier's rules.
Does the battery have to come out?
It is disconnected as a minimum, and removed if the carrier requires it. Say which carrier you use when you ask for a quote.
What size crate does a motorcycle need?
It depends on the bars, mirrors and screen. Send the length, width at the bars with them turned, and height.