Private motorcycle delivery company?

[Acuity30]

There's a bike I really like but it's 175 miles and a 3 hour drive away. Due to limited time I'm not sure I'll be able to get transport there and ride it back myself.
Private sale. The owner of the bike said he would consider riding it to me and I drive him back which is nice to offer, but I think a private courier is probably going to be less of a headache for all involved, especially if the weather is bad on the day.
Yeovil to south Leicestershire. Can anyone recommend a courier who will take great care with the bike and with competitive pricing? Failing that I may just leave it. It's not a bargain price, it's priced similar to dealership pricing but has all the options I'd want and in a somewhat rare colour.

[FlopperV60]

I've used these guys: https://www.movemotorcycles.co.uk/

Can't praise them highly enough.

[Acuity30]

FlopperV60 said:

I've used these guys: https://www.movemotorcycles.co.uk/

Can't praise them highly enough.

I found them on an old thread and they've quoted £204 which honestly is quite reasonable considering the journey time.

[Krikkit]

Acuity30 said:

I found them on an old thread and they've quoted £204 which honestly is quite reasonable considering the journey time.

Bargain, you know it's not bad value when you could barely get the train and ride it back for that money, let alone the time!

[FlopperV60]

I only ever recommend when I get first class service and treatment, these guys were amazing.

The vans are kitted out so professionally too, you just know the bike is in capable hands.

[looksfast]

When I had a bike delivered at the end of last year, they used SOS: www.sosmotorcycletransport.com. It took about a week for the bike to get to me in Buckinghamshire from Aberdeen, so I suspect that they pool bikes and deliver several at once. Having said that, the van was well kitted out for transporting and seemed to be a bespoke conversion. The driver was excellent as well and far better at moving bikes around than I can ever hope to be. You can get a quote from their website I think. Certainly as the end customer, I have no complaints.

[Bob_Defly]

I've used Motofreight before, highly recommend them.

[Acuity30]

looksfast said:

When I had a bike delivered at the end of last year, they used SOS: www.sosmotorcycletransport.com. It took about a week for the bike to get to me in Buckinghamshire from Aberdeen, so I suspect that they pool bikes and deliver several at once. Having said that, the van was well kitted out for transporting and seemed to be a bespoke conversion. The driver was excellent as well and far better at moving bikes around than I can ever hope to be. You can get a quote from their website I think. Certainly as the end customer, I have no complaints.

£250 excluding VAT, priced themselves out. Thanks for the recommendation though

[dibblecorse]

Try Keith, The Bike Mover, he is excellent, he is on https://www.evoke-classics.com/trade_directory/the... and tell him Dibble sent you, I have known Keith over 20 years and have used his services a few times, cheapest isn't always best ... he is now doing all moves in a fully set up van.

[camb10]

i used Helmic via shiply a few years ago, really good

[xstian]

I'm glad you're getting some good recommendations, I would definitely go for one of those.

I sold a lovely condition Laverda a couple of months ago, the buyer used the cheapest courier on Shipley. They where going to collect the bike between 3-4pm. They finally turned up at 11pm, the driver stank of weed and said he had been on the road from 4am and was heading to Newcastle after me in Norfolk. Anyway, went to load the bike, but he had no ramp and wanted to try and lift the bike straight into the back. No way are 2 people going to load a 200kg bike into a van without damaging it. So off he went without the bike.

He came back a week later only 3 hours late this time, but he had a ramp. Got it into the back of the van, he tried to use a rear paddock stand under the front forks and the only straps he had where the 3" type used on lorries. I had to strap the bike down he had no idea, he had all the straps facing forward. He slung a couple of dirty blankets over it and that was that.

The buyer said it arrived safely thank god, but I was quite stressed by it all.

I also bought a Vespa last year and the seller said they could arrange deliver for £100. It turned up on a home made trailer. The wheel bearing was so fked the wheel was at very jaunty angle. I watched him leave and the wheel was wobbling all over the place.

[KTMsm]

xstian said:

I'm glad you're getting some good recommendations, I would definitely go for one of those.

I sold a lovely condition Laverda a couple of months ago, the buyer used the cheapest courier on Shipley. They where going to collect the bike between 3-4pm. They finally turned up at 11pm, the driver stank of weed and said he had been on the road from 4am and was heading to Newcastle after me in Norfolk. Anyway, went to load the bike, but he had no ramp and wanted to try and lift the bike straight into the back. No way are 2 people going to load a 200kg bike into a van without damaging it. So off he went without the bike.

He came back a week later only 3 hours late this time, but he had a ramp. Got it into the back of the van, he tried to use a rear paddock stand under the front forks and the only straps he had where the 3" type used on lorries. I had to strap the bike down he had no idea, he had all the straps facing forward. He slung a couple of dirty blankets over it and that was that.

The buyer said it arrived safely thank god, but I was quite stressed by it all.

I also bought a Vespa last year and the seller said they could arrange deliver for £100. It turned up on a home made trailer. The wheel bearing was so fked the wheel was at very jaunty angle. I watched him leave and the wheel was wobbling all over the place.

I would also advise against Shipley - most don't have insurance cover either

However, it's easy for two men to load a 200 kg bike into a van, we do it most weekends

[dibblecorse]

KTMsm said:

I would also advise against Shipley - most don't have insurance cover either

However, it's easy for two men to load a 200 kg bike into a van, we do it most weekends

You've not been to Heathrow recently have you ?

[xstian]

KTMsm said:

I would also advise against Shipley - most don't have insurance cover either

However, it's easy for two men to load a 200 kg bike into a van, we do it most weekends

You must have a different opinion to me on what’s easy.

[croyde]

dibblecorse said:

KTMsm said:

I would also advise against Shipley - most don't have insurance cover either

However, it's easy for two men to load a 200 kg bike into a van, we do it most weekends

You've not been to Heathrow recently have you ?

I shouldn't, but

OP, where are you? and where's the bike? I'm not doing much at the mo' and could do with some motivation.

I'll pick it up and ride it to yours, for a cuppa, a biscuit and a lift to the nearest station

Edited by croyde on Wednesday 4th June 12:15

[KTMsm]

xstian said:

You must have a different opinion to me on what s easy.

Both at the front, lift the front wheel in - approx 50kg each, then the same with the back

Admittedly most of us are builders or tree surgeons so I guess we're stronger than most middle aged men, also used to picking bikes up as we're regularly dropping them in the mud

[xstian]

KTMsm said:

xstian said:

You must have a different opinion to me on what s easy.

Both at the front, lift the front wheel in - approx 50kg each, then the same with the back

Admittedly most of us are builders or tree surgeons so I guess we're stronger than most middle aged men, also used to picking bikes up as we're regularly dropping them in the mud

I work in the building industry and also ride dirt bikes.

A sprinter van floor is 71cm off the ground it also has a rear step. The front wheel is covered by the mud guard so you can’t pick it up from there. So you would have to use the clipons to lift the front. There isn’t really many places to lift the back up from, maybe the subframe but it’s covered by the fairing so you can’t get a very good grip. Assuming you manage to get the front wheel into the van the belly pan is going to foul the step anyway.

Why wouldn’t you just use a ramp? Save your back and very low chance of damaging the bike.

[chappj]

Another vote for moving motorcycles. I used them last week for a bike I’d bought at auction. Extremely professional and fair pricing. As has already been said, their vans are purpose built and bikes look very secure in transit.

[Acuity30]

To update. That night another bike popped up on FB mktplace. Same colour, 1 year younger, same mileage, but with all the official mods I wanted to do on the bike anyway, for the same price. Roughly the same journey (time wise, slightly nearer in miles).
Bonus is the owner of the bike is happy for me to drive to him, inspect the bike, if happy give a small deposit. He will then ride the bike back following me in my car. Ride all the way back to my place. We finish the sale with bank transfer and V5 stuff, then I'll drive him to the local train station where he will get the train back home.
Honestly makes life so much easier, and very, very generous of him to offer. I suggested I drive him home to avoid having to get a train but he seems perfectly happy to get a train back home. He wanted one last farewell ride on the bike anyway, and it's a pretty easy route too. Just hoping the weather holds up on the day.
The bike is in for a service and it's first MOT in a couple of days, then the sale will begin. It looks cherished and well priced. Hopefully all goes to plan

[Acuity30]

Just to give this thread some more value for future people who search for this kind of thing. While I won't be needing his services, the guy at DB Motorcycle Logistics has been great:

https://www.facebook.com/DBMotorcycleLogisitics/

He gave me the best quote of all. He also sent me pics of how he loads bikes into his van. We were chatting about Shiply rates (which were all more expensive than his quote), and he was saying how a lot of them are mostly house movers and have no idea how to safely secure a motorbike, Ratchet straps over the tank, seat etc causing rips and scratches in the paintwork. He secures the bike with a mount thing which the front wheel fits into (not sure on the correct name) and straps the bike down via the hand grips. It all looks very secure and professional and seems to have a good rep.

The second best quote I had was from this company which seemed like they knew what they were doing as well:

http://www.sosmotorcycletransport.co.uk/

So those two were my top picks if I needed them. I assume their quotes might not be as good depending on where you live, but both were very reasonable for me based in Leicestershire.