If you’re moving soon and you have a motorcycle to ship, you might be worried about the potential expense of relocating your vehicle. While this is never a negligible expense, you really won’t be spending a fortune either. After all, the most important thing is that you relocate safely, and also that your motorcycle arrives at the destination unscratched. Verified Movers reviews will happily help you find a company that will take care of your relocation. But also, our team will show you how much it costs to ship a motorcycle. So, make sure to read on and learn everything there is to know about the upcoming expense.
The average cost of shipping a motorcycle in the United States
First of all, we need to say that there is no fixed price for relocating a motorcycle. Not even once you know where the destination is. Truth is, the cost of shipping a motorcycle depends on several things, and we’ll go through them one by one later in this article. For now, we wanted to mention just a few numbers for you to get an idea of how much you’ll have to spend. So, on average, shipping a motorcycle costs between $400 and $600 for distances beyond 1000 miles. Of course, if the distance is way more than that, the price will only go up. As for the shorter distance, the price could even be as low as $150. Now, before you prepare your motorcycle for transport, let’s take a look at some of the things that will affect the final cost.
What affects the cost of shipping a motorcycle?
We always say that every relocation is unique, whether it’s a household or a commercial one. The same goes for vehicle shipments. There are many factors that will determine the final cost, and below, you’ll find some of the main ones.
The distance
This is surely the most obvious thing that will determine how much will it cost to ship a motorcycle in your case. Well, we have already briefly covered this when we mentioned the average prices earlier. However, besides the distance, those average prices were based on the average motorcycle as well. Now, we’ll dive directly into the pricing based purely on distance. The best way to do this is by giving you the average rate of carriers in certain states. Your destination will determine the final distance. However, the state you’re moving from will determine the rate you’re shipping a motorcycle at. These are the 10 states with the cheapest rates.
- Massachusetts – $0.40/mile
- New Mexico – $0.45/mile
- Maryland – $0.46/miles
- California – $0.47/mile
- New York – $0.47/mile
- Ohio – $0.47/mile
- Maine – $ 0.47/mile
- Florida – $0.48/mile
- Virginia – $0.49/mile
- Arizona – $0.50/mile
It feels weird seeing some very expensive states such as NY, CA, or MA among the most affordable states regarding anything. But, these are indeed 10 least expensive states in terms of shipping a motorcycle per mile. And now, let’s take a look at 10 of the most expensive ones.
- Alabama – $1.03/mile
- Kansas – $1.01/mile
- South Dakota – $0.94/mile
- Tennessee – $0.92/mile
- Wyoming – $0.91/mile
- Mississippi – $0.90/mile
- Pennsylvania – $0.72/mile
- Rhode Island – $0.72/mile
- Illinois – $0.70/mile
- Indiana – $0.70/mile
As for the other 30 states we haven’t mentioned, it’s easy to notice that the cost of shipment per mile is between $0.50 and $0.70.
The cost will also depend on whether you decide to ship a motorcycle via open or enclosed transport
Now this will make a big difference. There are a few ways to transport a motorcycle, but the main ones are open and enclosed transport. Open transport leaves your motorcycle exposed to outside elements. For obvious reasons, this is the cheapest option. However, it is really not recommended on long distance trips, especially if your motorcycle is very expensive. Bear in mind that your motorcycle wouldn’t come to its destination is an awful condition. But, certain small damages are always a possibility, which makes this option so risky.
On the other hand, enclosed transport gives your motorcycle complete protection from outside factors. The only issue is that on average, enclosed transport is $150 more expensive than open transport. It could even go beyond that margin for long trips. Of course, pick the one that suits you more. One thing is certain. If you pick enclosed transport you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your motorcycle is safe and you can focus on other tasks regarding this transport such as updating your license and registration which is needed when moving between the states.
The size and weight of your motorcycle
As expected, the cost of your shipment will depend on the size and weight of your motorcycle. However, the price won’t rise with every inch or pound of your motorcycle. In most cases, a standard space of 4’x9’ is devoted to every motorcycle. Only if your vehicle doesn’t fit this space, you can expect some additional charges. The same logic often applies to storage units. So, if you need to put your vehicle in a storage space for some reason, before you prepare your motorcycle for storage, it’s important to know that the size and weight will affect the cost.
The most important thing is to ensure the safety of your motorcycle during the transport
We said it once, and we’ll say it again. Safety is easily the most important thing on this journey. Of course, you want to know a bit more about the price before you ship a motorcycle to plan your budget. However, safety should be at the top of your mind throughout the process. So, make sure to find a reliable carrier, and we’d recommend you opt for an enclosed transport option. Otherwise, we’re sure that some of these companies will give you an offer that fits your budget easily. After all, that’s one of the benefits of dealing with reputable and trustworthy companies.