I have an older motorcycle frame that I've sold and I need to ship it to the buyer. Has anyone here done this themselves or have ideas on what service to use? Cost is an issue. The ship start point is San Francisco, the destination is Seattle WA. I've never shipped anything this big before. Crating the thing is an option I don't want to do unless it has to be done. Dragging it into the post office this time of year will be a hassle but..... Any suggestions are welcome, even the snide and sarcastic. I have a sense of humor, sort of.

 

What is the weight?
Length?
Height?
Width?

I ship most stuff USPS, but ship Motorcycle engines UPS (have to take them to a Hub for drop off)

Once you now the shipping info... it's a matter of going to each site and checking the cost..... If aesthetics are not a concern.,. wrap in cardboard and packing tape... and ship like that.

 

Oh and GreyHound bus shipment is an option if the receiver is willing to go down to the terminal and pick it up.

 

Whatever you do make sure you don't use franchise mailbox stores. I was once charged $100 to ship 18 pounds, granted they also boxed it up but if I had gone to a ups regional wharehouse it would have cost me @ $20-25 however I would have had to pack it.

 

The franchise retail store fronts are a pain for larger, non standard items.. They are allowed to set their own policy on what, if, or who things can be shipped.. They can refuse anything package they want, even if it meets UPS shipping rules.

Worse.. These franchise retail store policies are set at the store level, so what you find works (or does not) at one store may not work at another.

I ship Suzuki DRZ engines in a wooden crate or cooler several times a year via UPS.

Both the cooler and crate meet UPS standards... BUT the local to me store fronts refuse to except the packages...So I drive 30 min to the UPS hub.......

 

Twist, I've shipped an engine accross Canada this spring. Thing travelled
about 4500km, and got in the same condition it left in.
Get yourself a pallet (grocery store, hardware store, or any where they get large loads, even WM) A couple of old straps to tie the frame to the pallet. And, if you wish to make it look right, bubble wrap paper a few turns around it, with tape.
Shipping : I recommend you check with trucking companies. They will probably be much cheaper then any other.

 

Flash, not sure how you did it but a pallet would kill you in volume cost. For something durable like a frame, like Marquez said, wrap it in cardboard and tape. Back in the day UPS let you just put a label on frames and tires and ship em but no more.

If you pallet it you increase the dimensions. Shipping trucks NEVER get close to their wieght limits so say for one cubic foot, they allow like 50lbs so you will never approach overwieght unless you ship lead or gold.

For sure avoid UPS stores like the plague. They will rape you and charge you for it. Then maybe ship your package. BUT if you print your own ups label, they dont really check dimensions within reason.

I have an account so if I ship a bikes worth of fairing I subtract 12"(ish) on each dimension, print the label at home then drop it at staples and they just take it, scan it and ship it. No one ever measures. (or of course wieghs)

 

Obviously, it depends on how big the frame is, and how heavy. If you take the VTR frame, completely striped, I agree, very light weight, and can easily fit in a box. Anything bigger and heavier, then card board box is out of the question. Pallets can be easily modified in size if to big, just like I did for my engine.