If you have a motorcycle engine that you need to ship to a buyer, a shop for repairs, or any other reasons, you have to follow appropriate packing and shipping precautions to ensure that it will arrive on time and intact. Because motorcycle engines are relatively less bulky than a car or truck engine, they are a bit easier to ship. The best safest way to pack a motorcycle engine for shipping is through open-crating. Through this method, the engine is well protected but also allows the freight shipper you are using to see the contents of the package. Here are some useful tips on how to pack and ship a motorcycle engine.
Before packing the motorcycle engine, drain all of the fluids including oil, water, and antifreeze from the motor. This will prevent spillage that could damage other packages during transit and cause you to pay for cleanup or Haz-Mat spill fines.
With the use of cardboard pieces, cover any protruding parts or sharp corners. Use heavy duty packing tape to secure the cardboard pieces in place. This will help minimize puncture holes and tears on the plastic wrap and will provide the engine protection from the elements. It will also ensure that any remaining oil won’t leak out.
Wrap the motorcycle engine with a generous amount of plastic wrap. Make sure that the entire motor is tightly wrapped with several layers of plastic wrap.
Make the crate by cutting a piece of plywood to size. The ideal crate should be about 8 to 10 inches bigger than the motor.
With nails and a hammer, attach three 2×4’s to the bottom of the plywood. Space the 2×4 evenly along 2 perpendicular edges and the last one in the middle.
Drill holes on the 4 corners and place the plastic-wrapped motor on top of the flat surface of the plywood. Secure the engine with ratchet straps using the drilled holes for mounts.
Take the engine to a freight shipper. This style of open crating is highly favored by shipping companies because they know exactly what is in the package.