Brogan Woodburn is a writer for USA TODAY Homefront and has read dozens of extended auto warranty contracts, including the fine print that will tell you whether your car insurance covers slashed tires or can get you a new engine replacement. His editorial experience in the auto industry includes work that appears on MarketWatch and Motor1.com.
Brogan is based in Prineville, Oregon, and enjoys exploring the outdoors in his free time. Having studied guitar at Berklee College of Music, he also performs classical guitar for local events and weddings.
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Shipping your cherished motorcycle over hundreds of miles can be nerve-wracking. You want to find a good price, but you also want to make sure the company handles your bike with care. Brokers such as Montway Auto Transport lead the pack in securing reliable carriers to move motorcycles state-to-state or across the country.
Many of our top-rated car shipping companies also specialize in motorcycle shipping. In this article, we detail our picks for the best motorcycle shipping companies in the industry.
Montway Auto Transport is one of the most popular motorcycle shipping companies. Below are a few more.
Montway Auto Transport ranks highly due to its relatively short pickup date range and affordable cost. See how it compares to other top motorcycle shipping companies in the table below.
We explore our top picks for motorcycle transport in the provider sections below, detailing the best and worst aspects of each company, listing service options and providing cost estimates for various shipping situations based on actual quotes we received.
Note that all costs in this article are for enclosed motorcycle shipping. Some companies only offer enclosed, while others offer enclosed and open but recommend enclosed for motorcycles.
We sourced provider cost information by receiving quotes for the following enclosed shipments:
We also compared each provider’s costs to the average of all quotes we received for the top 5 motorcycle shipping companies in this article. Average rates are the following:
Montway Auto Transport is our top motorcycle transport company recommendation due to its wide range of options and high customer ratings.
What we like
Montway ships over 200,000 cars and motorcycles annually. It’s also the shipper of choice for many motorcycle manufacturers. The company can ship bikes door-to-door or between distribution centers, also called terminal-to-terminal. It also allows you to ship a sidecar standalone or with a bike.
What we don’t like
Montway offers an instant quote option for car shipping but not motorcycle shipping. You have to call the company for a motorcycle quote. In contrast, the rest of our picks for the best motorcycle shipping companies offer instant quotes or near-instant emailed quotes.
Montway offers the following motorcycle shipping services:
Montway has access to over 40 shipping terminals or distribution centers nationwide. Most states have one center, a few states have more than one and some states have none. This type of shipping makes sense if your origin and destination are close to distribution centers. A customer service representative can advise you on the best option for your route.
All motorcycle shipments come with $7,000 of insurance coverage by default. If your bike is worth more, you can let Montway know ahead of time.
Quotes we received from Montway show it’s more affordable than the industry average for mid- and long-distance shipping:
Deposit: Required once a carrier is dispatched
Payment methods: Card for full payment at dispatch or card for deposit and remainder in cash on delivery
Montway ships motorcycles to all 50 states. Many other companies only cover the 48 contiguous and sometimes Hawaii.
Montway has high customer reviews across platforms: 4.6 out of 5 stars on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), 4.2 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews. It also maintains an A+ rating with accreditation from BBB.
We read customer reviews on Trustpilot involving motorcycle shipment, and most had their bikes delivered with care. One mentioned the carrier Montway lined up had scheduling issues and took a week to pick up the customer’s bike. Montway responded that its service is to book shipments with carriers but after that the carrier handles pickup and delivery. This is true of all shipping brokers.
Mercury Auto Transport stands out as the most affordable motorcycle shipping company of our top picks.
Mercury Auto Transport offers instant quotes for motorcycle transport, and its rates are affordable. Compared to our other top picks, Mercury’s rates can be up to 30% cheaper than average. This makes it one of the best options if you’re on a tight budget.
While Mercury Auto Transport has low quotes, some reviewers mentioned the price can increase if the company can’t find a carrier for the initial rate. This is a common issue in the industry because carriers are independent and can choose which jobs to take.
Mercury Auto Transport offers the standard motorcycle shipping services:
The company also offers open shipping as an option. With this service, your motorcycle is strapped onto an open trailer with other bikes and possibly cars. Open shipping is cheaper than enclosed shipping. Mercury advises this is a good option for local moves but not the safest for long-distance shipping.
Mercury Auto Transport is one of the most affordable motorcycle shippers according to our quote data:
Mercury Auto Transport ships motorcycles to all 50 states.
Most customers have positive experiences with Mercury. The company has 4.9 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, 4.7 out of 5 stars on BBB and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews.
We read motorcycle shipping reviews for Mercury on Google, noting that multiple reviewers say Mercury’s customer service reps took more time to explain how things work than reps from other companies. Customers also said Mercury has great communication even when things don’t go according to plan.
AmeriFreight is a reliable motorcycle shipper known for its variety of discounts and an insurance upgrade that can cover damage during pickup, drop-off, parking or storage.
AmeriFreight offers discounts for military members, first responders, medical personnel, students, seniors and returning customers. Of these, discounts for first responders and medical personnel are unique in the industry.
The company’s AFTA plan is another unique offering. This provides up to $2,000 in additional insurance if the carrier’s insurance denies your claim. Like all companies on our list, AmeriFreight is a broker that works with carriers that have federally required levels of cargo and liability coverage.
AmeriFreight’s standard pickup window of five to 10 days is longer than what other companies offer. You can get faster service with expedited transport, though it will cost you extra. AmeriFreight also doesn’t offer terminal-to-terminal shipping and isn’t transparent about its Best Price Guarantee.
You can get the following motorcycle shipping services from AmeriFreight:
AmeriFreight’s team can help you prepare your bike for the shipping process. One thing it recommends is to drain fluids from the bike as vibrations can lead to leaks.
Rates we received from AmeriFreight closely matched the average for our five recommended providers:
AmeriFreight has a Best Price Guarantee, but it gives little information about it online. It’s worth calling to ask for a better price if you’re shopping around and want to use AmeriFreight.
AmeriFreight ships motorcycles to all 50 states.
AmeriFreight is rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on BBB, 4.8 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews.
Customers who’ve used the company’s motorcycle transport services generally have great experiences. According to Jason on Trustpilot, the customer service rep found a great price and adapted the shipment to some last-minute changes in the customer’s situation. Another customer, Mike, said the motorcycle arrived a day before promised.
With its price match policy and guaranteed pickup date options, SGT Auto Transport is a great option for motorcycle shipping.
SGT Auto Transport is a good option to include as you shop around and compare multiple motorcycle shipping quotes. If you present a lower written quote from a direct competitor, SGT Auto Transport will match it to keep your business.
Like most shipping companies, SGT offers expedited transport services. What’s different is it can guarantee pickup by a specific day. This makes it a good option if you have rigid moving plans.
SGT Auto Transport’s motorcycle shipping costs can be higher than average depending on the route and distance. For example, an SGT quote for an enclosed shipment from Miami to Phoenix was 26% higher than the average cost of our top 5 picks. Of course, our quote data doesn’t take into account discounts or SGT’s price match.
SGT Auto Transport offers a good range of motorcycle shipping services:
With SGT, you can get a guaranteed pickup day to keep your plans on track. Be aware that SGT Auto Transport doesn’t guarantee the delivery date — no reputable vehicle shipping company does because there are too many variables during transport.
The quotes we received from SGT Auto Transport are on the higher side:
While initial quotes tend to be higher than average, it’s good to know SGT is open to matching competitor quotes. The cost of shipping is also customized to your situation, so you’ll find different quotes than we did.
SGT Auto Transport ships motorcycles to 49 states. It excludes Alaska.
SGT Auto Transport is the only auto transport company with a B rating from BBB on our list. It has 93 complaints on the site, though the SGT has answered or resolved all of them.
Thousands of customers have left positive reviews for SGT. Motorcycle shipping customers on Google Reviews say SGT offers fair prices, outstanding customer service and safe transport. Customers have rated the brand 4.6 out of 5 stars on BBB, 4.7 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews and 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
Nexus Auto Transport is a reliable motorcycle shipper with an easy-to-use website for booking transport.
Nexus Auto Transport has a fast online quote tool that shows you three pricing options for your shipment and what makes them different. It also offers plenty of useful motorcycle shipping information on its service and FAQ pages. The company’s enclosed shipping service includes expedited transport, which is a nice perk.
As with SGT Auto Transport, we found Nexus Auto Transport’s costs to be higher than average for our top picks. The provider also doesn’t offer service to Alaska or terminal-to-terminal shipping.
You can get open, enclosed and expedited shipping services from Nexus. When you get a quote, you’ll see three main options:
You’ll see Nexus doesn’t offer enclosed shipping with standard transit time only expedited service.
We reached out to Nexus to get quotes for expedited shipping. They were generally higher than average, but you might find lower rates for its standard shipping option.
Nexus Auto Transport ships motorcycles to all 50 states.
Nexus earns high ratings from customers on various reputable platforms. It’s rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on BBB, has 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and 4.4 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews.
Many motorcycle shipping customers who posted on Google Reviews said Nexus handles their bikes with care and maintains professional communication. One reviewer, Chad, said the carrier accommodated a last-minute local address change on delivery day without adding any fees.
Now we’ll take a closer look at how motorcycle shipping works, the difference between open and enclosed transport, how to prepare a bike for shipment and more.
Motorcycle shipping companies are usually brokers that book shipments with carriers on your behalf. Most carriers don’t work with the public directly, though you might find some local carriers in your area that do.
When you get a quote, the broker will post the job to a carrier board. In some cases, the broker might have to raise the quote if no carriers pick up the job. Reputable companies give good price estimates that are high enough to secure a carrier the first time and avoid this situation. On the other hand, a company that offers dirt-cheap quotes may have a hard time getting a carrier for the price.
Once a carrier accepts the job, they’ll be dispatched to get your bike. At that point, you can pay a deposit by card and then pay the rest in cash on final delivery — or pay the full cost by card at dispatch.
With door-to-door service, the carrier will get as close to your address as possible. Terminal-to-terminal shipping, on the other hand, can be cheaper but requires you to drop off and pick up your motorcycle at shipping terminals in specific cities. Depending on where you live, this could be a considerable inconvenience or even not work for your move at all.
You’ll sign a bill of lading at pickup which notes the motorcycle’s condition. You’ll sign the same bill of lading at delivery.
All carriers are required by law to have minimum levels of insurance. According to SGT Auto Transport, open carriers usually have between $100,000 and $150,000 of cargo insurance while enclosed carriers have $250,000 to $3 million. If the carrier were to crash during transit, this policy would be split between the values of all vehicles onboard.
The carrier’s insurance covers damage during transit, but damage during loading/unloading or storage isn’t usually covered. Your comprehensive insurance can cover this. Some companies like AmeriFreight offer supplemental insurance for these situations.
Whether you’re shipping a sportbike or a Harley Davidson, you want peace of mind that the motorcycle will arrive at the destination without a scratch. Most motorcycle owners are very protective of their bikes, which is why enclosed shipping makes the most sense.
In fact, shipping companies generally recommend enclosed shipping as the first option, and some don’t even offer open shipping for motorcycles. While enclosed shipping costs more than open shipping for motorcycles, it’s also cheaper than enclosed shipping for cars. This is because the carrier can fit more motorcycles than cars per trip.
To get your bike ready to ship, make sure it has a 3/4 tank of gas or less. Clean the bike and check for any leaks. Unlock the steering column and make sure the bike can roll. Remove personal items like helmets, GPS units and cameras.
Our quote data shows motorcycle shipping costs about $1,476 for a 1,530-mile shipment from Salt Lake City to Memphis, Tennessee. This average includes the top 5 companies we recommended above.
How much motorcycle shipping costs you depends on the time of year, type of shipping, distance, carrier competition, urgency and more.
Below, you can see enclosed motorcycle shipping quotes for three distances. Per-mile costs range from 55 cents to $1.54.
Our top recommendations for motorcycle shipping include Montway Auto Transport, Mercury Auto Transport and AmeriFreight. Since multiple companies offer good service, we recommend comparing rates from at least three options to see which is best. Remember to check a company’s reputation and service, not just look for the cheapest quote.
Compare motorcycle shipping rates from our top picks below.
We base our auto shipping ratings and recommendations on our proprietary detailed methodology. We’ve assessed key aspects of the customer experience, including pricing, breadth of services offered and overall reputation, to determine which auto shipping companies offer the best service.
Auto shipping providers that meet our standards carry the required licensing and registration as a prerequisite. Each company has also maintained a good reputation via high customer ratings, which cite clear pricing, timely service and multiple shipping options for different vehicle types.
BBB, Trustpilot and Google Reviews scores are accurate as of April 2024.
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
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