shipping a scooter across country

If you want to move to a different state or city, it’s easy to get there by car or motorcycle. You can always pack and ship your entire home with moving trucks and hop in your vehicle for a long drive. You can even take an overseas vacation and still take your car or bike with you.

But you can’t exactly drive a scooter for thousands of miles. If you need to move your scooter to a faraway location, shipping is your only option. And if you’re not sure how to do that, the following paragraphs will outline everything you need to know about scooter shipping.

Cheap Motorcycle Shipping specializes in shipping of motorcycles, scooters and ATV’s. If shipping a car, we can help using our trusted partner https://www.a1autotransport.com.


scooter transport companies

How to Ship a Moped

Before asking yourself how much does it cost to ship a moped , you should know about the various transport methods.

Shipping It Disassembled

Unlike a motorcycle, a moped is much smaller, weighs less, and is easier to disassemble. That’s why some owners prefer shipping a moped after removing its wheels.

A disassembled moped takes up less space in a trailer or truck and is likely better protected against shock and impact damage. This type of shipping will also make it easier to find scooter transport companies with affordable rates. The reason is that carriers don’t need a lot of specialized equipment to strap down the moped during transit.

Upright Transport in Enclosed Trailers

If you don’t know how to disassemble a scooter, you can always ship it whole. The moped will often be transported similarly to a motorcycle in that scenario. It will be tied down with at least four straps to prevent falling or taking damage while the trailer is driving on bumpy roads. But some carriers may tie multiple scooters and bikes together to maximize cargo space, which isn’t ideal.

Of course, a moped transport service may require you to drain it of gas and oil. This will prevent spills and even dangerous situations, and many carriers appreciate the effort of keeping their trailers clean.

However, if you do decide to ship your moped without removing its wheels, it’s best to opt for an enclosed trailer. Unless you’re only shipping it a few hundred miles away, enclosed shipping is safer and will protect it from weather, road debris, and theft.

Mopeds can fit inside transport crates due to their size. While this packaging can add extra costs, it can make shipping the moped with an open trailer safer. The affordability of open trailers could offset the cost of having specialized and robust packaging.

Packing Guidelines

shipping a scooter across country

Some people forget that mopeds are much easier to transport than other vehicles. Carriers can fit multiple mopeds and scooters in trailers and deliver more than one during a long haul. Because of this, packing properly is highly recommended.

Consider wrapping the moped in multiple layers of bubble wrap to protect the paint and vital components. Some carriers might offer a full-service package and do this for you, but in most cases, shippers simply pick up the items and drop them off at the destination.

Buying a shipping crate isn’t required unless you want extra protection. If shipping a disassembled moped, a large and strong enough cardboard box or multiple boxes should be enough so long as you use bubble wrap and foam and pack everything tightly.

How to Ship a Scooter

Shipping a scooter across country can be handled in many ways. If you want to transport a scootervia air, it’s very safe and a lot cheaper than sending a motorcycle or car. It’s also the fastest way to get a scooter from point A to point B.

But many scooter transport companies offer great scooter shipping quotes for shipping via land. There are a couple of reasons for this.

transport a scooter

While it can take longer to deliver a scooter using a truck or trailer, it doesn’t occupy much space inside the trailer. This allows carriers to handle multiple orders simultaneously. The smaller and lighter packaging also makes it easier to handle scooters.

Drivers don’t need years of experience. Anyone can figure out how to move a scooter without damaging it, whether it’s shipped disassembled.

In addition, scooters aren’t as expensive as cars and motorcycles. Shipping via land shouldn’t be stressful for owners because licensed carriers have sufficient cargo and liability insurance coverage to settle any claims.

Of course, you should consider whether to drop off your scooter at your preferred shipper’s warehouse or request a pickup. In some cases, pickups won’t be feasible because carriers may use 18-wheelers that won’t fit your average neighborhood streets.

Preparing Your Scooter

If you want to make sure the scooter gets the best protection, you can wrap and package it yourself. Bubble wrap and foam will often do the trick.

Putting your scooter inside a tight and robust cardboard box or transport crate will keep it even safer during transit.

Although you can ship a scooter like a motorcycle, the biggest advantage of a scooter is its space-saving design. Many carriers would prefer to package scooters so they can fit more cargo in one haul.

These are details you can work out with scooter transport companies directly. Reputable carriers should be able to handle the crating for you if you opt for enclosed trailer shipping. The same applies to air travel as carriers have crates in different sizes, some even designed for specific scooter models to provide the best protection.

Just make sure that you drain it of fluids if it’s a traditional scooter. This can prevent spills and make them even lighter and easier to transport.

How Much Do Scooters and Mopeds Differ?

Every vehicle on two wheels with a platform allowing riders to rest their feed is classified as a scooter. However, mopeds aren’t nearly as powerful.

Scooters can get up to 250cc, while mopeds are usually under 50cc. You can call your moped a scooter and still be right. But legally, your scooter is a moped if it has an engine smaller than or equal to 50cc.

Because they’re the same vehicle category and only differ in power, you’ll find that scooter shipping companies use the terms interchangeably. It’s essential to understand this, so you don’t get discouraged if you don’t see a specific term used on a carrier’s website.

How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Moped or Scooter?

Due to their size, scooters and mopeds are relatively cheap to transport with a licensed carrier. You could pay as little as 50 cents per mile if you ship a moped or scooter over a distance of 1,000 miles. But you could spend four times as much if you want to ship across a shorter distance.

Still, some familiar land shipping factors will be accounted for in the carrier’s quote.

For example, not all scooters are the same size. The price may vary depending on how much space it actually occupies in the truck.

If gas prices are rising, you can expect to pay a bit more so the carrier can maintain its profit margins. But here’s some good news before you ship. Moped shipping prices and scooter shipping prices are very similar.

This means that the weight and size variables won’t impact the delivery cost significantly. If anything, the distance will affect the price the most. Carriers prefer long hauls because it allows them to pick up additional cargo and get better mileage. That’s why shorter distances are priced higher.

So, shipping a scooter across three states will give you a better average cost per mile than sending it two towns over in your state.

But seeing as the shipping industry is highly competitive, you should still compare quotes. Sometimes similar quotes won’t equal similar services. Some motor scooter transport companies go above and beyond to give their customers extra perks, better customer service, faster delivery times, etc.

Do You Need Extra Insurance?

Shipping a scooter across country shouldn’t require you to pay insurance deductibles. Even standard cargo insurance should be able to reimburse you in the event of a total loss.

Car owners aren’t as lucky because of the higher value of their vehicles. They might have to pay deductibles and pay for extra shipping insurance to gain peace of mind. Unless you’re shipping a luxury or vintage scooter, scooters and mopeds rarely need this.

In that case, you should talk to a carrier or broker and have them advise you on the insurance front.

Shipping E-Scooters Internationally

If you want to ship your e-scooter internationally, the best scooter transport service is via airplane. This ensures maximum safety and quick delivery. If you want to pay less, shipping your e-scooter via boat is always an option, though it can take weeks or months instead of days to fulfill the delivery.

While packing an e-scooter is generally easy, there are some issues regarding lithium batteries. These batteries are considered dangerous and are highly regulated by the International Air Trade Association (IATA.)

Not all batteries have the same packaging requirements, and not all carriers will take care of the packing for you. There’s a bit of extra red tape to go through.

However, reputable scooter transport companies should be able to clarify any packaging requirements based on your e-scooter model. If a company isn’t transparent and helpful with IATA regulations, it’s a good sign that it doesn’t have the necessary experience to handle your international shipping needs.

Unlike traditional scooters and mopeds, e-scooters may also require special packaging that can only be bought from licensed vendors. Again, this is where speaking with experienced scooter transport companies, brokers, or reading the IATA regulations can help.

scooter transport service

Choosing Between Sea and Air Freight for International Shipments

Sea freight is the cheapest and slowest method of scooter shipping . But while you might be strapped for cash when transporting a scooter, consider this before deciding on a scooter transport service
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If you want to send your scooter overseas and have it ready for you to pick up, things might not go as planned. Delays are widespread with sea freight shipping. Sure, your scooter could also be on a delayed flight. But it will still get there in a short time.

A delay at sea can mean weeks, making planning your trip very difficult. And if you plan to start your trip while factoring in some delays, storage costs for a couple of weeks at customs overseas can burn a hole in your wallet.

Identifying Experienced International Shippers

Shipping a moped internationally, for whatever reason, requires working with the best carriers in the industry. It’s not an issue of transport vehicles and equipment anymore, but rather a matter of dealing with international laws, customs paperwork, and clearing your scooter for pickup.

An experienced carrier or broker deals with overseas shipments all the time. They can advise you on when to schedule a delivery, what countries have strict customs laws, what you can expect to pay, etc.

Doing some research and asking the company for proof of experience and successful international deliveries is essential.

Going through reviews can help, but don’t forget to get some details straight from the source. If the customer service department or shipping agents are transparent, that’s a good sign. Your scooter will likely be in good hands during the trip and after it reaches its destination.

Scooters Are the Easiest Vehicles to Ship

There’s no need to sell your scooter and buy a new one after you relocate. You also don’t have to deprive yourself of your favorite ride if you’re going on vacation.

Scooter shipping is the easiest type of vehicle transportation for most carriers due to convenient equipment requirements. It’s certainly cheaper for customers, too, especially on long hauls across state lines.

Finding the best and closest carrier to handle your delivery can still take some doing. But there are fewer risks involved with shipping a moped and less research necessary.

If you need a moped transport service, don’t hesitate to reach out to Ship Vehicles. We have years of experience handling cars, bikes, and scooters domestically and internationally and can accommodate various forms of transport at competitive rates.