2 Types of Trailer for ATV Shipping | Picking the Right Trailer for your ATV
All-terrain Vehicles (ATV) can be of great fun when driven over picturesque landscapes, exploring hidden parts of a chosen excursion scenery. On the other hand, there are plenty of situations where ATVs can be used in a practical manner. These more utilitarian applications include on farms, for hunting and camping, and for search and rescue operations.
No matter why you use your ATV sometimes it’s necessary to move your ATV from one place to another. Shipping your ATV to the desired location can take a little bit of planning, and one of the most convenient ways of doing this is by using a trailer. Generally, there are two types of trailers for ATV shipping, and those are open and enclosed trailers. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, mostly regarding your ATV’s security, availability of the said trailer types, and its costs.
In this article, we discuss the differences between open and enclosed trailer types for ATV shipping.
1. Open Trailer for ATV shipping
Using an open trailer for ATV shipping is usually the easiest option and is perfectly acceptable for shipping your ATV a short distance. An open trailer means your ATC is driven onto a flatbed trailer or long box trailer and attached with straps or chains. You don’t need a special kind of trailer for this kind of shipping, but you do need one that has adequate strength to carry your ATV. You also need to ensure your towing vehicle is powerful enough to tow your ATV. Don’t forget to consider additional load items such as fuel, equipment, and people when calculating tow weight.
As your ATV will be exposed to road debris, weather, and dust, take care to choose a low debris road and a good weather day. To mitigate some of these things use a canvas or ATV cover for the drive.
Hiring a Company for ATV Shipping with an Open Trailer
If you don’t own or can’t borrow a trailer to ship your ATV consider using a shipping company. This will mean the stress of the move is taken out of your hands. If you go down this road, make sure you have adequate insurance before handing over the keys.
Another good option is to use a marketplace service such as CitizenShipper. You just list your shipping needs and experienced drivers bid to take the job. You can check if the drivers have moved ATVs before, their previous customer ratings as well as their available equipment.
Buying an Open Trailer for ATV shipping
If you move your ATV often it might be worthwhile investing in your own open trailer.
If you opt for this approach, there are several things you should take into consideration, first of all — the size of your ATV. The size of your ATV will determine the size of the open trailer you need, however, bear in mind that the trailer should have some extra space so it can carry other supplies such as tires, ramps, helmets, and boots. Make sure that the trailer you want to purchase meets the weight requirements (of both your ATV and the extra load there might be). Have in mind that bigger trailers have bigger tires, and bigger tires mean less trouble on dirty roads and slower wear out.
2. Enclosed Trailer for ATV shipping
The enclosed trailer for ATV shipping is the option to go for if you need a long-distance haul for your vehicle. An enclosed trailer means your ATV travel inside a fully protected area. The longer the shipping, the more chances your ATV can get damaged either by small debris or weather conditions, but with the enclosed trailer, not only your ATV is safe from casual scratches, but it is also better secured from inclement weather or other travel-related damage.
Hiring a Company for ATV Shipping with an Enclosed Trailer
Finding the right company to ship your ATV with an enclosed trailer will cost you a bit more time and planning, but it is still manageable and can be stress-free. You can list your ATV for shipping on Citizenshipper.com, state that you want your ATV to be shipped with an enclosed trailer, and have a friendly chat with the moving companies. The movers will gladly answer all of your questions regarding the shipping time and the conditions in which your ATV will be shipped. Also, you will be advised about the shipping price which you can expect to be higher than when choosing an open trailer.
One item you do need to consider is that choosing an enclosed trailer for ATV shipping is that some companies may ship your ATV along with other vehicles in the trailer, which means that you will need to be more flexible regarding pick up and drop off dates.
Buying Enclosed Trailer for ATV shipping
Buying an enclosed trailer for ATV shipping can be a hefty investment, especially since this type of trailer can cost as much as the ATV itself, or in some instances even more. However, if you do opt for purchasing one, apart from the essential things to take into consideration (such as the size of the trailer), you should also think about the material that the trailer is made of and its durability. You want such an investment to last you as long as possible, so double-check the warranty you can get from the seller. Some may offer only a limited 1-year warranty, but others can offer up to a 10-year limited warranty.
