Sometimes people have a difficult time choosing the urn for a loved one’s cremated remains. Other times, you know the perfect urn as soon as you see it.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- What’s a Motorcycle Urn?
- How Much Do Motorcycle-Themed Urns Cost?
- Different Types of Motorcycle Urns
- How to Choose a Motorcycle-Themed Urn
- Where Can You Find Motorcycle-Themed Urns?
If your loved one spent a lot of time on a motorcycle, it only makes sense that they would want to have their remains inside a motorcycle-inspired urn.
Motorcycle or final ride cremation urns are readily available from online retailers. Here’s how to shop for them and some things to consider before you make a purchase.
Custom urn tip: If you can't find the perfect motorcycle urn for your loved one readymade, you can have one made custom. Foreverence specializes in creating truly one-of-a-kind urns, including urns that are vehicle-themed.
What’s a Motorcycle Urn?
A motorcycle urn is a specifically designed urn created for someone who loved motorcycles. They come in a wide variety of styles and sizes.
You can use motorcycle urns for display purposes, should you choose to have your loved one’s cremains placed in a special spot inside your home. You can also use one if your loved one’s eternal resting spot is in a columbarium niche or a cemetery.
A motorcycle urn can also be the temporary resting place for your loved one’s cremains. You may want to use a motorcycle urn to hold the cremains at your loved one’s funeral. You may later remove the cremains to be scattered someplace that was special to your loved one.
How Much Do Motorcycle-Themed Urns Cost?
Motorcycle-themed urns typically cost between $80 and $300 from online retailers. Many of them can be personalized for an additional cost. Since most of the designs would look blank without a few lines of engraving, plan on spending an additional $25 to $50 to have the name and other details added.
Please keep in mind that these are average prices. The answer to “how much does an urn cost?” can vary greatly depending upon the craftsmanship and quality of materials. You may also pay more if the urn was custom-made to depict a specific motorcycle.
Different Types of Motorcycle Urns
Let’s go over the different types of motorcycle urns available on the online market. Even though this is a relatively niche market, you can choose from many different shapes, styles, and colors. Some are brand specific, while other urns depict the generic form of a motorcycle.
1. Urn with a motorcycle model on top
A variety of urn styles have a model of a motorcycle on top. They vary by size and finish, but most do not allow you to choose a specific motorcycle model or brand.
All of these types of urns shown online can be personalized. Besides adding your loved one’s biographical information, consider adding a poem, verse, or song lyric meaningful to the deceased.
2. Motorcycle tank cremation urn
A true motorcycle enthusiast is able to recognize the shape of a motorcycle gas tank from a distance. If the form of this part of the motorcycle reminds you of your loved one or would give you comfort, considering purchasing a motorcycle tank cremation urn.
Online retailers offer these urns in a variety of finishes. They are typically engravable, and you may consider adding an emblem of another vital part of your loved one’s life, such as a military service symbol or a cross.
3. Box urn with photo of motorcycle
Are you looking for a sturdy, traditional-looking urn that reflects your loved one’s interests?
You may consider purchasing a wooden box depicting a stock photo of a motorcycle engine or a motorcycle and rider enjoying a sunset.
4. Engraved cremation cube
If you are looking for a more modern, sleek-looking cremation urn, consider purchasing a metallic cube.
They come in a variety of styles and finishes. Most are engraved with the biographical information of the deceased as well as an image. Consider choosing a motorcycle as the featured image of a motorcycle enthusiast’s urn.
5. Traditional urn with engraving of a motorcycle
When most people think of urns, they think of a large, rounded receptacle with a lid secured to the top.
If you appreciate the look of this traditional-shaped urn but you want to personalize it with an image important to your loved one, consider purchasing a metal urn and adding a motorcycle engraving to it.
6. Traditional urn with painting of motorcyclists
You can always hire an artist to create something special for your loved one’s cremains but you can also purchase an urn that shows a pair of motorcyclists riding down a long highway. This may be a perfect choice for a companion urn or an urn that holds two individuals’ cremains.
If you know a couple that spent hours riding up and down the highway on their motorcycles, search for this urn online. Make sure it is large enough to hold the cremains of two people.
7. Urn with a motorcycle engine model
A motorcycle engine may not be immediately recognizable to everyone.
If you and your loved one belonged to the exclusive group that would recognize the part, you might consider purchasing an urn with an engine’s model on top.
8. Harley Davidson urns
Although many companies manufacture motorcycles, it seems as if the only brand-specific urns available are those Harley-Davidson fans. You can find many different styles of Harley-Davidson urns. Some of the urns feature the saying, “Live to Ride; Ride to Live.”
9. Small motorcycle urns
Can you think of some reasons you may want to purchase a small urn? One of the most common reasons is if you divide the deceased’s cremains up among other family members. Since you may only receive a small amount of your loved one’s ashes, you may only need to purchase a small urn.
Small motorcycle urns are usually available for a lower price than the larger alternatives.
How to Choose a Motorcycle-Themed Urn
We understand that you may not have shopped for an urn before now, which means that you would appreciate some guidance on choosing an urn. So here are some things to consider when buying a motorcycle-themed urn for your loved one.
Pay attention to the type of motorcycle represented.
If you are buying a motorcycle-themed urn for a loved one but you know little about this method of transportation, you might need guidance from a friend.
Reach out to someone who enjoyed the motorcycle lifestyle with your loved one.
They will be able to tell you if the motorcycle engine urn that you are considering looks like an engine from your loved one’s bike. They would also be able to guide you on whether that Harley urn that you found online reflects the model your loved one rode.
If you are going to go through the trouble of purchasing a motorcycle-themed urn, you might as well get the details right.
Pay attention to the size of the urn.
If your loved one was a typical-sized adult, you probably don’t have to worry too much about whether the urn is large enough to hold their remains. However, if your loved one was a large person, you might need to buy an extra-large urn.
For each pound that your loved one weighed, you’ll need one cubic inch of urn space. Read the fine print of the urn you purchase to ensure it isn’t designed to hold only a portion of a person’s remains.
Determine your timeline for needing the urn.
Do you want to display your loved one’s urn at their funeral? If so, you may need to find a company that can complete a rush order to personalize your loved one’s motorcycle urn. However, if the cremation will occur after the funeral (or you don’t plan to have the urn on display), you can be a bit more relaxed about getting this item ordered.
Where Can You Find Motorcycle-Themed Urns?
Many online retailers offer motorcycle-themed urns. We will discuss these retailers as well as give you other ideas on where to look.
Online retailers
Most of the time, people don’t think of buying caskets or urns anywhere else but a funeral home or crematorium. Even though many of these places have products available, they cannot require that you buy them from their business.
If you have time, consider comparing the offerings and pricing with your local retailers. You may be able to find a piece that depicts your loved one’s interests for not much more than you would spend on an urn at the funeral home.
Even if you save money buying online, make sure you pay attention to your timeline. If you expect your personalized motorcycle urn to arrive in time for the funeral, you may need to pay for rush delivery or put off the service. Pay attention to the return policies, as most companies will not allow you to return personalized items.
Foreverence should be one of your first stops for designing a customized urn for your loved one’s remains. This company was tasked with creating a personalized urn to hold Prince’s cremated remains, and they could create an urn that exactly replicates your loved one’s favorite ride. Expect to pay a bit more for this custom-designed urn.
Perfect Memorials offers several different styles and sizes of motorcycle urns. Some have a model of a motorcycle on top of the receptacle, and others have motorcycles etched on the side of a traditionally shaped urn. Perfect Memorials offers free shipping on orders more than $150.
Etsy is an excellent source for ordering customized urns. Many online retailers also have Etsy shops, so you’ll see a wide variety of motorcycle-themed urns on this website.
Etsy is also an excellent source for finding an artist to create a hand-painted cremation urn. Find an artist whose style you appreciate, and provide them with a photograph of your loved one on their favorite bike.
You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that you can buy urns for ashes from America’s largest online retailer. You can buy Harley Davidson urns or generic motorcycle urns from this website as well.
In the Light Urns sells urns that are shaped like a motorcycle gas tank. The website also sells toolbox-shaped urns if your loved one spent more time working on their ride than riding.
Funeral home or cremation center
Some funeral homes may have motorcycle urns available for immediate purchase. Even if they don’t have an urn with a model of a Harley sitting on top of it, they may have a generic-shaped one that they can send to a local engraver to add the image of the motorcycle.
The benefit of purchasing an urn or casket from a local funeral home is that you are not required to do any online research during a time of grief. You can simply add the urn to the bill that you will already owe that particular establishment.
Local or online artist
Support artists and craftsmen by purchasing items directly from them. Of course, many artists do not work on rush jobs, so you may have to be patient if you commission a piece from a popular craftsperson.
If you have a specific design in mind for your own cremation urn, why not purchase it as a part of your end-of-life planning? Your loved ones will appreciate not having to choose a cremation urn for you as they mourn your loss. While you’re at it, why not make a detailed funeral plan? Choose the music, the readings, and the type of service you would like to have. You may want to plan a motorcycle rally to be held in your honor.
Other Things to Consider When Buying an Urn
As we mentioned earlier, make sure the urn will arrive before your loved one’s funeral if you choose to order a specialty item online. Urns cannot be returned if you order them personalized.
Also, if you plan to scatter your loved one’s cremains, you may not need to go through the expense of buying an urn. The crematorium will return your loved one’s cremains in a durable plastic bag inside a heavy-duty cardboard box. You do not need to transfer them to an urn before you scatter them.
Finally, think about the urn’s eternal home before deciding on the design. If you know that the urn will eventually be placed in a columbarium niche, ensure the urn will fit within the space requirements.