How To Ship Your Family's RV And Motorcycles When Moving

Moving can be extremely stressful. You may need to rent a truck, hire movers to box and load your belongings, and move your family via plane, train or car. Getting your family RV and your motorcycle to your new home can be even more worrying. However, there are professionals who focus on moving these recreational vehicles and heavier items such as motorcycles and four wheelers when moving.

Hire a Driver

To get your RV from one side of the country to another, consider hiring a driver if you're under a tight time frame. Professional RV drivers often have truck driving histories and know the highways and hazards in the area where they'll be driving your RV.

Hire someone from a company that can provide you with proof of insurance and driver certifications. Make sure that your RV is mechanically secure by getting it checked out before your hired driver gets it on the road. Make sure that the driver has access to all manuals and instruction booklets.

Do be aware that the driver may bring their own sleeping bag and spend the night in your RV if they have an overnight drive. If you're not comfortable with this, be ready to pay for a hotel stay for your driver. You may be able to get a better rate if your driver can sleep in your RV. You may also be able to get a faster delivery if you hire a driving pair who can swap off to stay safe on a long drive.

Consider an Enclosed Trailer for Your Motorcycle

Moving your motorcycle on an open air trailer is a great way to get the lowest motorcycle shipping cost for your move. However, depending on the length of the trip and the season, this is also a good way to get your bike beaten up by rain, sun, snow and whatever else Mother Nature is doing.

Hiring an enclosed trailer may well cost a bit more, but your bike will arrive in much more secure shape than transporting in the open air. Even better, your bike will not be visible to others on the road and will lessen your risk of theft or vandalism.

Your driver will know the best route to safely transport your bike to your new home. As possible, allow plenty of time for this transport and consider setting up a storage unit at the new drop-off city for your bike if the conditions will be hazardous. Hauling a trailer on icy roads can be dangerous even for those who are certified as professional drivers. Moving during good weather and paying for storage may be your best option for getting your bike there safely.

Check Train Routes

You can ship a small trailer and your motorcycle via Amtrak. While they probably can't take your RV, this may be the fastest and most cost effective way to get your bike to a city near your new home.

Depending on when you are moving and when the trains run, you may need to hire someone to get your bike to the train station. Because this transport will be shorter, you may want to consider asking your local motorcycle dealer or repair shop to help you with this part of the transport.

DIY As Part of Your Move

If you have the time and enough competent drivers, you can hire movers to take care of your house contents and move in the RV, hauling the motorcycle in a toy hauler. Of course, the timing of this may be difficult unless you are certain of the security of your possessions at your destination. Hiring a security professional to watch your home and possessions while you slowly RV across the country may be worth the money.

For those who prefer to do their own packing or at least supervise the movers, consider loading the RV with what you need for a couple of weeks of travel. If the weather is good, you may be able to live in your RV in your own driveway with much less disruption while your house is disassembled and packed up. Moving with an RV doesn't have to feel like you're moving two households.

Using your RV as a tiny home while you pack up the main house can give you more relaxation than staying in your sticks and bricks house. Additionally, moving with your RV may give you the chance to buy the toy hauler you've always wanted. If this isn’t a possibility, consider living out of the RV while professionals transport motorcycles and heavy furniture. With so many options available to you, you should be able to find the best solution for your move, and combine those options into a feasible, functional plan.