Shiping tie down suggestions

[IceFJ]

Hi all
I am planing to ship my FJ overseas, from Iceland to Denmark and the shipping company is suggesting to tie the bike down on a pallet, which is ok for me but I would like some input from your experience on how to tie the bike, on the center stand -or not, standing free, attachpoints etc.
The side bags will be following the bike which may limit the attachpoints if the bags are mounted on the bike(which I prefer) rather than next to it on the pallet

Any input is appreciated

Magnus

[Arnie]

Go to a motorcycle dealer and beg/borrow/or buy a shipping crate from a bike (thats as big as the FJ) that they have just unpacked and assembled.  Also get the cardboard carton which surrounds the crate, and enough of the self-tapping bolts to re-assemble the crate and carton.
Remove front wheel and use the front axle to anchor the bike to the bottom steel pallet axle tower.
Use "strapping" (steel is best, but good heavy nylon straps will work) and anchor frame and rear wheel to the pallet.
Tie the front wheel to the side of the bike.
Assemble the rest of the crate with a large block of styrofoam between the seat and the upper crossmember of the crate.  Cover the whole bike in plastic sheet.
Cover with the cardboard carton with the UNMARKED INSIDE to the OUTSIDE.
Label it properly and take to the freight company on a trailer that allows them to lift the whole unit with a fork lift truck.  Pay them for the freight, the insurance, the documentation, and be nice about it.

Arnie

[fj johnnie]

 Be sure to leave it in neutral.

[Dads_FJ]

I wonder if you have to drain the petro and/or oil.  Might not be a bad idea draining the petro whether they require it or not.

[ribbert]

What an excellent idea of Arnie's!

Noel

[IceFJ]

I agree that Arnie's method would be the best but I am not too optimistic that I will be able to get a crate as there are not many new bikes sold on an island with total population of around 320 thousand
but I will give it a try for sure!!

I am not required to drain the fluids as it will be crossing "the big water" in a ship but I will keep the fuel level at minimum to reduce the fuel spill if anything goes wrong 

Why should I leave it in neutral Johnnie? I was thinking it would be better to leave it in gear to assist stopping it from moving on the pallet

And of course the battery will be disconnected

Thanks for good inputs guys 

Magnus

[fj johnnie]

 It's probably not a huge deal on a ship but as it is much smoother than a trailer, but left in gear it will with any movement add stress to the gears. Also a friend once trailered his bike a long distance. At the end of his trip his tire had worn in one spot where it moved on a friction point. There was a small groove cut in the tire. Had it free wheeled it wouldn't have cut the groove into the tire. I hope I am explaining this correctly. Of course if it is secured in such a manner as it has no movement at all then what I have said doesn't matter.

[IceFJ]

I see what you mean Johnnie, it will be left in neutral 

[Arnie]

Neutral makes NO difference. 
If there is movement that might wear the tire, you have NOT secured the bike sufficiently.
If you can't get  a dealer to give or sell you a crate, then make one from timber.
Remember, you will pay for "deemed" weight.  This means that size is more important than weight.
Remove the front wheel and use the axle to bolt it to the pallet.  Then tie the front wheel to the side of the bike.
Make the crate large enough to hold everything you want to ship with the bike, but no larger.
Shipping air is expensive. 
Everything in the crate must be securely strapped down. 
Anything loose will be damaged and cause damage.

[keand3]

Magnus,

Who are you shipping your bike with? I know a lot of those carrieres that often ships bikes make or have pallets/shipping boxes one could buy.
It might be possible to get one ordered through a carrier and shipped it to Iceland...

I know JetCarrier will either use a standard box, or build one custom for the bikes they ship overseas from US to Norway. Not sure if they operate in Iceland. Diden't there used to go a ferry from Iceland to Norway (Bergen) in summer time? If so you could perhaps drive it 

[REV1]

I googled and there seems to be a ferry from Iceland to Denmark, no idea what the costs might be though.

I've been on a ferry from Calais-France to Dover-England and they simply secure bikes with a tie-down over the seat.

I also shipped a motorbike from England to the U.S, using Wallenius Wilhemsen, but that was a ro-ro ship so I didn't have to crate the bike at all.

[Alf]

Every year I get a ferry to go to mainland Spain, I´ve travel between islands here in the Canary Islands a lot of times, I´ve shipped my bikes to Sevilla a coupled of times, bring motorbikes to Santander from Plymouth and and even I´ve travel to Dover and always the bike have been secured with a tie-down over the seat and another securing the bike from the footpeg plate, the bike on the side-stand and with 1st gear on.. well, not. Around 25 years ago the bike were secured with a rope to the ferry side.

Well, my motorbike have never suffered any damage even with crossing a storm one time that leave all the passengers sick

[IceFJ]

Magnus,

Who are you shipping your bike with? I know a lot of those carriers that often ships bikes make or have pallets/shipping boxes one could buy.
It might be possible to get one ordered through a carrier and shipped it to Iceland...

I know JetCarrier will either use a standard box, or build one custom for the bikes they ship overseas from US to Norway. Not sure if they operate in Iceland. Didn't there used to go a ferry from Iceland to Norway (Bergen) in summer time? If so you could perhaps drive it 

Ken, I bought the bike in Sweden and used it in Norway (Trondheim) where I worked, then drove it to Denmark and took the ferry to Iceland, that ferry ride was dead boring and I wish not to repeat it especially because a shipping broker has given me a lot better price for shipping the bike as described above.

I will be at the shipping company and take part in prepairing the bike for shipping and I WILL make sure it is done properly,
A friend of mine is also suggested the same as Alf did, that is to tie-down over the seat as well as other necessary attach points.

The crate idea will be done if I get a crate in Iceland as shipping one from elsewhere is far too expensive


Magnus

[keand3]

Yes, I could only imagine how dreadfull that boat trip would be... After all, there is some distance between Denmark and Icland, even dough it dosen't look like it on the map. Really shitty weather too if unlucky