You just bought a bike from a seller three states away, or you’re heading south for the winter and don’t want to put 1,200 miles on your odometer to get there. Either way, you’re staring at a blank quote form wondering: is shipping a motorcycle even a normal thing people do, and how much is this actually going to cost?
It’s more common than you’d think, and it works differently than shipping a car in a few important ways — crating, chocking, and how carriers price it by weight and size instead of just distance. Here’s what actually happens to a motorcycle between pickup and delivery, what it costs, and the questions worth asking before you book.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Motorcycle?
Motorcycle shipping generally runs cheaper than shipping a car on the same route, mainly because a bike takes up far less deck space and weighs a fraction as much. Across the industry, typical published rates fall in a fairly consistent range:
- Short routes (under 500 miles): roughly $300–$600, since a flat minimum charge tends to apply regardless of exact mileage.
- Medium routes (500–1,500 miles): roughly $500–$900.
- Cross-country routes (1,500+ miles): roughly $900–$1,300, with per-mile pricing dropping the farther the bike travels.
Per-mile, most published industry pricing lands somewhere between $0.40 and $1.00 a mile, trending toward the lower end on longer hauls and higher on short ones — the same “fixed cost spread over distance” logic that applies to car shipping. A few things push the price up regardless of distance: an oversized touring bike or trike versus a standard street bike, a non-running or modified bike that needs special handling, enclosed transport instead of open, and peak season demand (spring and early fall, when riders are shipping bikes to and from storage or events).
Crated vs. Uncrated: The Decision That Shapes Your Quote
This is the one decision unique to motorcycle shipping that doesn’t have a real equivalent in car transport, and it affects both price and how your bike actually travels.
- Uncrated (the standard method): your motorcycle rolls onto an enclosed trailer or a dedicated motorcycle bay and gets secured upright with soft-loop tie-downs and a front-wheel chock — the same basic setup a track-day hauler or dealership uses. This is how the large majority of motorcycles move. It’s less expensive, faster to schedule, and perfectly appropriate for a running, standard-condition bike.
- Crated: the bike is built into a custom wooden crate on a pallet, usually with the wheels removed or the bike partially disassembled, and shipped more like freight. This adds real cost — crating materials, labor, and sometimes freight-style handling fees — but it’s worth considering for a non-running bike, a highly customized or vintage machine, or international/long-haul freight movement where the bike may be handled by multiple parties along the way.
For most domestic point-to-point shipments with a rideable, standard motorcycle, uncrated transport on an enclosed or open trailer is the normal choice. Crating tends to make more sense for restoration projects, non-runners, or bikes moving through freight terminals rather than direct carrier pickup — similar to how shipping a non-running car requires extra equipment a standard carrier doesn’t carry.
Open vs. Enclosed Transport for a Motorcycle
The same open-vs-enclosed decision that applies to cars applies to bikes, but the stakes can feel higher because a motorcycle has no metal shell protecting its paint, chrome, and exposed components from road debris and weather.
- Open transport: the bike travels exposed on a multi-vehicle carrier, often loaded on a rail or ramp built specifically for motorcycles alongside cars. It’s the more affordable option and standard for daily riders and non-collector bikes.
- Enclosed transport: the bike travels inside a fully covered trailer, shielded from weather, road spray, and debris. This is the common choice for classic, custom, or high-value motorcycles — the same logic covered in our guide to enclosed auto transport cost for cars applies here, just at a smaller scale and lower absolute price.
If you’re shipping during winter or through a route with snow and road salt, enclosed transport is worth the premium for the same reasons we cover in our piece on open carrier transport and weather — a motorcycle’s exposed chrome and paint are more vulnerable to road spray than a car’s body panels.
Preparing Your Motorcycle for Shipping
- Fuel: most carriers ask for a low fuel level — around a quarter tank or less — for weight and safety reasons, the same standard used for cars.
- Battery: make sure it’s charged and terminals are secure; a dead battery can complicate loading if the bike needs to be rolled or started briefly during positioning.
- Fluids and leaks: check for oil or fuel leaks beforehand — a leaking bike can be refused by a carrier who doesn’t want fluid on other vehicles or the trailer deck.
- Alarm and accessories: disable aftermarket alarms, and remove or secure loose saddlebags, windshields, or other add-ons that aren’t permanently mounted.
- Photos: photograph the bike from all angles before pickup, the same way you would for a car — see our vehicle preparation checklist for the full logic behind this step.
Insurance: What’s Actually Covered
Motorcycle cargo insurance works the same way car cargo insurance does, with one detail worth knowing: some standard cargo policies cap payouts based on weight rather than value — historically an industry reference point of around $0.60 per pound of vehicle weight, which for a 500-pound bike could mean a coverage ceiling far below what the bike is actually worth. That gap matters more for a customized or collector motorcycle than it does for a mainstream commuter bike.
Before booking, it’s worth asking directly what the carrier’s cargo insurance limit is and whether it’s based on the bike’s actual value or a weight-based formula. This is exactly the kind of question we walk through in our broader guide on car shipping insurance gaps, and it’s just as relevant for a motorcycle as it is for a car — arguably more so, since a bike’s per-pound value is usually much higher.
It’s also worth confirming the carrier’s or broker’s operating authority before you book. Our guide on how to verify a broker’s FMCSA license covers exactly how to look up an MC number and confirm active insurance in a couple of minutes.
How Best Care Auto Transport Handles Motorcycle Shipments
We coordinate motorcycle shipping the same way we handle car transport: we work with carriers who have the right equipment for the job, we confirm active insurance before a carrier is ever dispatched, and we walk you through prep and inspection so there are no surprises at pickup or delivery. Every quote factors in your specific bike’s size, weight, and route rather than a one-size-fits-all number. Best Care Auto Transport (USDOT 3255843 / MC 1205890), Elk Grove Village, IL. Call (224) 218-2949 or use our online calculator for a route-specific estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to ship a motorcycle than a car?
Generally yes. Motorcycles take up less trailer space and weigh far less than a car, so most carriers price them lower — though a short route or an oversized touring bike can still land in a similar range to an economy car on the same short distance.
Do I need to crate my motorcycle to ship it?
No — most motorcycles ship uncrated, secured upright with tie-downs and a wheel chock on an open or enclosed trailer. Crating is typically reserved for non-running bikes, restoration projects, or shipments that move through freight terminals rather than direct carrier pickup.
Should I ship my motorcycle open or enclosed?
Open transport is the standard, affordable choice for most daily-rider motorcycles. Enclosed transport costs more but protects exposed chrome and paint from road debris and weather — worth it for a classic, custom, or high-value bike, or any winter shipment through snow and road-salt states.
Does my motorcycle insurance cover it during shipping?
Usually not. Personal motorcycle insurance is written for you operating the bike, not for third-party commercial transport. The carrier’s cargo insurance is the primary coverage while your bike is on their trailer — ask about the coverage limit and whether it’s value-based or weight-based before you book.
How much fuel should be in the tank when my motorcycle ships?
Most carriers ask for a quarter tank or less, the same standard used for shipping cars — enough to move the bike on and off the trailer without adding unnecessary weight.