Handing your bike to a transporter you have never met is nerve-wracking — one careless strap and your tank is dented. But shipping a motorcycle is straightforward when you know the steps and the one question that separates a real bike hauler from the rest. We move motorcycles every week, so here is the process that gets yours there untouched.
The short answer: To ship a motorcycle, get quotes and verify the carrier's FMCSA authority first, pick open, enclosed, or crated to match the bike, prep it (quarter tank, fold mirrors, remove loose accessories, clean for photos), document every existing mark, and inspect against your photos at both ends. The one thing to confirm with any carrier: they secure the bike with a front-wheel chock and soft ties, never chains.
Shipping a bike comes down to five moves: vet and book, choose the method, prep and document, inspect at pickup, and inspect at delivery. The transport is routine. The discipline — and one key question — is what protects the bike.
This is the process guide. For the full service and how a bike is secured, see our motorcycle shipping service page. Let us start with choosing who moves it.
Start with a few quotes, but do not stop at price. Verify each carrier's FMCSA authority and insurance, and read reviews. A motorcycle is easy to damage in the wrong hands, so trust outweighs a small saving.
Ask one specific question: how do you secure a bike? The right answer is a front-wheel chock and soft tie-down straps at the frame, never chains on the motorcycle. If they cannot explain it, keep looking. Verify any carrier with our FMCSA lookup before paying.
Match the method to the bike. Open transport is fine for a standard motorcycle and saves money. Enclosed shields a valuable or custom bike from weather and debris. Crated is for vintage, high-value, or international moves.
Our guide on crated, open, or enclosed compares all three. The honest part: over-buying protection on a standard bike wastes money, and under-protecting a rare one risks it. Pick by value, not habit.
Prep is mostly documentation. Clean the bike so flaws show, leave about a quarter tank, fold or remove the mirrors, take off saddlebags and loose accessories, and disable the alarm. Then photograph everything — the whole bike and each existing scratch — with timestamps.
A motorcycle has a lot of exposed surfaces, so this is your protection. Ten minutes of photos can protect a valuable bike, and skipping them is the most expensive shortcut in the move.
When the carrier arrives, walk the bike together and note every existing mark on the bill of lading before you sign. Confirm the delivery contact and window too.
You or a knowledgeable backup should be present — someone who knows the bike, not just any available person. We tell riders never to sign a clean form without checking it against the motorcycle first. The bill of lading is the protection.
When the bike arrives, walk it against your pickup photos before signing anything. Check the tank, fairings, pipes, and wheels, and that it starts. Note any change on the bill of lading on the spot.
Signing a clean delivery form ends the conversation, so inspect first. For the price side, see our motorcycle shipping cost guide, and for a long move, our guide on shipping a motorcycle cross-country. Price your route on the calculator when you are ready.
Skip the averages. Our calculator pulls live diesel prices and real Google Maps distance for an actual price range on your exact route and vehicle — no spam, no obligation.
Calculate My Costor talk to a dispatcher: 1-888-706-8784
Get a few quotes, then verify the carrier's FMCSA authority and insurance before comparing prices. A bike is easy to damage in the wrong hands, so the carrier's legitimacy matters more than a small saving. We tell riders to start with trust, then price, not the other way around.
Clean it so existing marks show in photos, leave about a quarter tank, fold or remove the mirrors, take off loose accessories like saddlebags and GPS, and disable the alarm. Note any leaks. We tell riders that prep is really documentation prep — a clean, photographed bike protects you in a claim.
Fold or remove the mirrors and take off anything loose or protruding — saddlebags, windscreens, GPS units, and the like. They can vibrate loose or get caught during loading. We tell riders that the fewer fragile parts sticking out, the less there is to damage, especially on an open trailer.
Match it to the bike. Open is fine for a standard motorcycle and saves money. Enclosed protects a valuable or custom bike from weather and debris. Crated is for vintage, high-value, or international moves. Our guide on crated versus open versus enclosed walks through which fits your ride.
They are the most important step. Photograph the whole bike and every existing scratch, dent, and scuff with timestamps before loading. A bike has a lot of exposed surfaces, so before-and-after photos are your proof. We tell riders that ten minutes of photos can protect a valuable motorcycle.
You or a knowledgeable person should be, to inspect the bike and sign the bill of lading. Someone who knows the motorcycle can spot a new mark a stranger would miss. We tell riders to name a backup who knows the bike, not just any available person, for both pickup and delivery.
Ask the carrier directly how they load and secure motorcycles. The right answer is a front-wheel chock and soft tie-down straps at the frame — never chains on the bike. We tell riders that if a carrier cannot explain the chock-and-soft-tie method clearly, they are the wrong carrier.
A week or two ahead for a standard move, and earlier for cross-country or in summer riding season when demand peaks. A last-minute booking gets whoever is free, not the best fit. We tell riders that lead time secures both a better rate and a carrier who actually specializes in bikes.
Walk the bike against your pickup photos before signing anything. Check the tank, fairings, pipes, and wheels, and that it starts. Note any change on the bill of lading on the spot. We tell riders that signing a clean delivery form ends the conversation, so inspect carefully first, then sign.
Yes, but tell the carrier up front, because a bike that does not roll or start needs different loading — often a crate or extra hands. Disclose the exact condition so the right equipment arrives. We tell riders that a surprise non-runner at pickup is how delays and extra charges happen.
Tell us where you're shipping — we'll handle the rest. No obligation, no hidden fees.