The Cost of Shipping A Motorcycle Explained
It’s not easy to ballpark the cost of shipping a motorcycle (or any vehicle for that matter) because so many different things can affect the final price. What is easier to do is explain the aspects of motorcycle transport that go into determining the cost, which is what we’ll do in this article. The price of shipping is typically one of the primary concerns of our customers and that holds true of the clientele of every company in the industry. The fact of the matter is that it’s not cheap to ship a bike and people like to know where the money is going and, perhaps more importantly, how they can save money along the way.
Cost Factors When Shipping A Motorcycle
The basic elements of pricing a motorcycle shipment ultimately break down to a few simple things, but the impact of each of them can vary depending on the circumstance. In general, here are the most important things to keep in mind when estimating your shipping costs:
- Shipping distance – The distance is the most important aspect of pricing the shipment of a motorcycle. The further it’s being shipped, the higher the price will be.
- Curb weight – The more a bike weighs, the more it typically costs to ship.
- Delivery location – If you’re shipping to an out of the way spot that’s not near to a major city, the cost will likely be slightly higher. You can mitigate this by having the bike shipped to a terminal in a larger city and hauling or riding it the rest of the way yourself.
- Size and dimensions – Most bike haulers can accommodate any type of motorcycle, but larger bikes or those with tricky dimensions can pose some challenges in certain cases, which can increase the price.
- Delivery method – If you have a bike shipped to a transport terminal it costs less than if you have delivered to your door or a specific address.
- Storage – In some cases, customers may need their bike stored for a few days before they’re able to pick it up, in which case there is a small additional fee.
Prices For Recent Motorcycle Shipments
It’s helpful to understand how motorcycle transport prices are tallied, but ultimately, our customers like to see some actual numbers that reflect current prices. With that in mind, here the costs of recent shipments we’ve made to and from different U.S. cities.
- Chicago, Il to Dallas, TX: $590
- Philadelphia, PA to Miami, FL: $670
- Los Angeles, CA to Nashville, TN: $871
- Minneapolis, MN to New York City, NY: $783
- Seattle, WA to Phoenix, AZ: $796
- Detroit, MI to Charlotte, NC: $533
Please note that prices will vary based on the make, model and curb weight of the motorcycle. These prices reflect shipping costs for a typical cruising bike in the range of 500 to 600 pounds, while heavier touring bikes will be slightly higher and lighter sport bikes will be slightly less. For more information, or if you’d like to get a FREE cost estimate that reflects your specific bike and transport request, contact us today at 1-888-230-9116.