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We found through our industrywide review that the five best motorcycle shipping companies are Montway, SGT, American Auto Shipping, AmeriFreight and uShip Sea To Sea Shipping
Alex is a MarketWatch Guides team writer that covers automotive and personal finance topics. She’s worked as a content writer for over a dozen car dealerships across the U.S. and as a contributor to several major auto news websites.
Rashawn Mitchner is a MarketWatch Guides team editor with over 10 years of experience covering personal finance and insurance topics.
Shipping your motorcycle is a good way to keep your bike safe during a long-distance move. To help you find reputable transporters that fit your needs, we at the MarketWatch Guides team will provide details on five of the best motorcycle and car shipping companies . We’ll take a close look at providers that ranked well in our industrywide review before outlining what to expect when shipping your motorcycle.
The MarketWatch Guides Team is committed to providing reliable information to help you make the best possible decision about shipping your vehicle. Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car shipping companies. We collected data on dozens of auto transport providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. After 200 hours of research, the end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines .
Our team spent over 200 hours researching auto transport providers, taking into account their reputations, costs, services and customer experience. The table below shows our overall ratings for the shipping industry’s 10 best motorcycle transport companies:
Our review team named Montway Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping, AmeriFreight and uShip as the best motorcycle shipping companies of 2023. Below, we’ll take a closer look at each of these providers:
Headquarters: Schaumburg, Ill. Provider type: Auto transport broker Availability: All 50 states and international
Montway Auto Transport is our Editor’s Choice for vehicle transport services, earning 9.3 out of 10 in our industrywide review of the best car moving companies. It also earned the highest customer satisfaction score out of all providers in our latest vehicle shipping survey. Montway Auto Transport holds an A+ rating , accreditation and a customer review score of 4.6 out of 5.0 from over 2,200 reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Montway offers two types of motorcycle transport services to customers: door-to-door shipping and deliveries to distribution centers. You can ship a motorcycle alone, or with a sidecar for a surcharge.
Montway Auto Transport only works with insured vehicle carriers and provides extra insurance in case your motorcycle is damaged during transport. Keep in mind that Montway only ships motorcycles via enclosed transport to ensure maximum protection from the pickup to your delivery date.
Read more: Montway Auto Transport review
Headquarters: Greenville, S.C. Provider type: Auto transport broker Availability: 49 states, with the exception of Alaska
SGT Auto Transport earned 9.2 out of 10 stars in our review and the distinction of the provider with a Price-Matching Guarantee. SGT says that if you find a lower written quote from a broker that’s a direct competitor, it will match that price. The company currently is currently not rated by the BBB with a 4.5- out of 5-star customer review score from over 700 reviews.
Shipping a motorcycle with SGT Auto Transport is similar to shipping a car, truck or SUV. However, SGT only ships motorcycles via the pricier method of enclosed auto transport. Full insurance coverage is included in your rate, and sidecars can be shipped for an additional fee.
Read more: SGT Auto Transport review
Headquarters: Las Vegas Provider type: Auto transport broker Availability: All 50 states plus U.S. territories
We gave American Auto Shipping 9.2 out of 10 stars in our review. It has provided vehicle transport services since 1999, making it one of the more seasoned brokers on the market. In addition, American Auto Shipping holds an A+ rating , accreditation and a 4.7- out of 5-star rating from over 300 reviews on the BBB.
Motorcycle shipping services are offered in all 50 states with American Auto Shipping. This provider also mentions that its price quotes are binding, so no hidden fees will be added later on. Enclosed carriers and flatbed trucks are used by American Auto Shipping to haul bikes.
Read more: American Auto Shipping review
Headquarters: Peachtree City, Ga. Provider type: Auto transport broker Availability: All 50 states
AmeriFreight has nearly 20 years of experience in the auto shipping sector and holds an A+ rating on the BBB with 4.8 out of 5 stars. We awarded AmeriFreight with a score of 9.1 out of 10 stars and feel that it’s worth highlighting the optional AmeriFreight Total Assurance plan. This gap coverage plan can take care of your insurance deductible as well as potential damages that your carrier’s insurance won’t typically protect.
Unlike other auto transport companies that ship motorcycles and motorbikes, AmeriFreight offers open transport in addition to enclosed trailer transport. You’ll find your overall shipping costs to be cheaper using open transport, though this can leave your motorcycle more susceptible to damages during transit.
Headquarters: Austin, Texas Provider type: Shipping marketplace Availability: All 50 states and international
We awarded uShip with 9.0 out of 10 stars in our review of the best motorcycle shipping companies and designated it as the provider with an Easy Online Marketplace. It has accreditation and an A+ rating through the BBB in addition to an “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot from over 11,000 reviews.
If you’re looking for more control and choices when shipping a motorcycle, you may want to consider uShip. The online marketplace that uShip provides makes it easy for customers to get multiple quotes from different carriers all in one place. However, using a marketplace like uShip also means that you must vet carriers yourself, so keep that in mind if you’d rather not deal with the research.
Motorcycle shipping rates are usually less than for shipping a car, truck or SUV, but they’ll vary based on your chosen provider. See the table below for some general cost estimates provided by Montway Auto Transport, one of our top-rated companies:
Just as with auto shipping, your motorcycle shipment costs will depend not only on your chosen broker or mover, but also on factors such as the make and model of your motorcycle, shipping distance, extra insurance coverage and market demand. Different Harley-Davidson or Yamaha models will likely receive varying prices for motorcycle shipping. The best course of action is to get free quotes from multiple providers to find one that specializes in your needs for a reasonable price.
If you’re ready to ship your motorcycle but don’t know where to start, consider the steps below to get a general idea of what to expect during the process.
You’ll start off by choosing the motorcycle transport option you’re most comfortable with. While many of the best motorcycle shipping companies only offer enclosed transport to better protect bikes, a few provide open trailer transport if you’re concerned about shipping costs. However, remember that you’ll run the risk of damage from road debris or other hazards during transit with an open trailer.
Once you’ve decided on the transport type, gather free quotes from various reputable motorcycle shippers. Once you’ve got plenty of quotes to look over, you’ll be better equipped to choose the best provider and shipping price for your motorcycle.
Do research on each provider you get motorcycle shipping quotes from to make sure they offer legitimate services. We recommend looking up motor carrier numbers assigned to reputable haulers by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as well as reading customer reviews on sites such as the BBB and Trustpilot.
Once you’ve chosen a hauling company and booked your transport, you’ll need to prepare your motorcycle for its journey. Some steps you can take to ensure your bike is ready to go include:
When it’s time to drop your motorcycle off, take photos of its condition before transport. This will come in handy in the event that you need to make a damage claim report. You’ll then meet your carrier, sign the bill of lading and your motorcycle will be loaded onto the shipping trailer.
Many transporters offer GPS tracking so you know where your motorcycle is during transit. Either way, your carrier will contact you before delivery with a pickup time window. Keep in mind that unexpected delays due to heavy traffic, severe weather and road obstacles can affect your delivery time frame, so patience is key during the process.
Once you’ve met your carrier at the predetermined location, reinspect your motorcycle and sign the bill of lading once again to confirm that it arrived without issue.
While we chose Montway Auto Transport as the best motorcycle shipping company, you’ll also receive excellent shipping services from SGT Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping, AmeriFreight and uShip. We recommend getting shipping quotes online from each of these providers to compare motorcycle transport services, prices and customer service.
Below are some frequently asked questions about the best motorcycle shipping companies:
Based on our research, we’ve chosen Montway Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping, AmeriFreight and uShip as the best motorcycle shipping companies of 2023.
Like moving a car, shipping a motorcycle is cheapest if you opt for open trailer transport. However, many carriers don’t offer this method, providing enclosed shipping services instead. You’ll need to check with the provider you’re interested in to see if it offers open-air motorcycle shipping.
You can ship a motorcycle with gas in it, but it’s recommended that no more than three-fourths of a tank be left inside during the shipment.
Our research found motorcycle shipping costs can range from $579-$959 depending on the length of the route, your bike make and model as well as the provider you choose to ship with.
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best motorcycle shipping companies. We collected data on dozens of auto transport providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
*Data accurate at time of publication.
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