The latest shipment we did was that of two vintage Harley Davidson FLH 1200 Electra Glides from Crestline, Ohio to Linden, New Jersey on the same enclosed trailer. Both models were made in 1968 and 1980 respectively, having travelled 514 miles at $925.00 total, which makes it $1.80 per mile per motorcycle.Shipment of two motorcycles in one trip is fairly common in case both the motorcycles are being sent to the same destination. This is because, the cost of the trip, which forms the base rate is shared by two motorcycles.
This shipment provides an insight into how vintage motorcycles are transported.
The Route
The route is a 514 mile distance from Crestline to Linden and lies mainly through the northern interstates’ corridor. Motorcycles will be loaded in Crestline which is situated in north-central Ohio near Mansfield then travel east through the Ohio Turnpike.
The route will continue moving eastward through Pennsylvania in the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The destination will move south of Pittsburgh then make a turn towards Harrisburg and finally to Philadelphia region and end up crossing over to New Jersey through I-78 and ending up in Linden, Union County south of Newark.
This corridor is a busy freight route all throughout the year and therefore the two-motorcycle load in such a corridor should not wait for long to get a carrier. The $1.80 per mile price is based on the enclosed trailer plus the additional loading time of two vintage motorcycles instead of one.
Why Two Vintage Bikes Ship Well Together
The process of loading two motorcycles to one trailer will require less space compared to one car. This is another factor that ensures that the cost is kept low when putting them together. Every motorcycle has its own wheel chock and its own tie-down straps, which means that any change made to one does not affect the other.
Two different motorcycles of models from 1968 and 1980 can have different information concerning the construction of the frame, the position of the kickstand, and the point at which the frame can be tied up by the strap. The carrier takes note of every bike individually and does not assume that they secure in the same manner.
Why Motorcycle Tie-Down Differs from Car Securing
As motorcycles cannot support themselves like cars, tie-downs must serve other purposes as well. The front wheel must be positioned in a wheel chock that allows the wheel to be upright and prevents it from moving. Then, four-point strap system is used to secure the motorcycle where there are two straps coming forward from the handlebars or the triple tree and two from the rear of the frame.
Such a crossing strap system prevents the motorcycle from falling during transportation as the kickstand alone does not have such a capacity to stabilize the motorcycle against the vibration and the braking forces on highways. In addition, there should be some slack in the straps to allow movement in the front forks due to road vibrations as otherwise the seals might get damaged.
Why Enclosed Transport Fits Vintage Motorcycles
The chrome, paint, and trim of motorcycles produced in 1968 and 1980 are not as easily available for replacement as parts for a modern motorcycle, and thus enclosed transportation is the standard mode of transport for this type of shipment. With enclosed transportation, both bikes are kept away from any debris, water, and the dirt accumulated in open transportation through hundreds of miles.
In a case of a 514 mile journey spanning across three states, such care is more necessary compared to when transporting a motorcycle for only a few miles. Along with individual wheel chocks and tie-downs for each bike, enclosed transportation completes the process of transportation of two classic motorcycles as they were originally packed.
Transport Summary
- Origin: Crestline, OH 44827
- Destination: Linden, NJ 07036
- Distance: 514 miles
- Service cost: $925.00
- Cost per mile: $1.80
- Vehicles: 1968 Harley-Davidson FLH 1200 Electra Glide; 1980 Harley-Davidson FLH 1200 Electra Glide
- Trailer type: Enclosed
- Route: Ohio Turnpike east, Pennsylvania Turnpike through Harrisburg, I-78 into Linden
