The UN number for a motorcycle is 3166, which corresponds to "Vehicle, flammable liquid powered".

Your shipper can look in the IATA DGR book to find the most recent "packing instruction" for UN 3166, if it has not changed in the last year (I doubt it has changed), the instructions will state that the battery must be disconnected, and the fuel tank as empty as practical (generally understood to be less than a gallon). You DON'T have to drain every last drop of fuel.

The motorcycle will also need a diamond-shaped DGR sticker on it, class 9, 'miscellaneous'. Any air carrier can supply you with this sticker.

A DGR declaration needs to be filled out, according to international law, this must be filled out by the shipper (meaning, the airline cannot complete it for you), but if you ask nicely, the airline cargo acceptance staff are allowed to explain to you how you fill out the form (what goes where). But please understand they are forbidden by law from putting pen to paper themselves on this DGR declaration.

Look in the very back of the IATA DGR book and you will find a two page acceptance checklist that indicates everything you must do to make your shipment ready. 99% of it is paperwork, 1% of it will be following the packing instruction for the UN category that your cargo falls into.

PanEuropean