The Best Motorcycle Shipping Company in Maryland: What Riders Should Look For

What motorcycle shipping in Maryland costs and how long it takes

Most shipments to or from Maryland

$750 to $1,200

Coast to coast (for example Baltimore to California)

About $1,300

Transit time

10 to 15 business days

Your price depends on distance, the size and type of bike, whether it runs, how easily a truck can reach each address and how flexible your dates are. These are typical figures, not a quote. Our motorcycle shipping prices page explains how quotes are built, and you can request a free quote for your shipment.

What the best motorcycle shipping company in Maryland does

With tight city streets, busy suburbs and beach traffic, a Maryland shipment goes best when the details are agreed up front. Look for:

• A fully enclosed trailer. Rain, road salt, grime and rock chips stay outside, and the bike is out of sight whenever the truck stops. Read about enclosed motorcycle transport.
• Soft tie-down straps. Soft loops wrap solid frame points, so no metal hooks touch paint or chrome, and the bike rides upright without strain on the bars, levers or fairings.
• Door-to-door service. The driver comes to your home, dealer, shop or storage unit, or to a nearby wide street or lot you agree on. See how it works.
• Insured carriers. Ask who provides coverage and how claims work, and make sure the bike is checked at pickup and again at delivery.
• A quote for your exact shipment, based on your bike, both addresses and your dates.
• Live agents who answer. A real person should pick up 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm ET. Ours are at (866) 216-7742.
• The ability to palletize non-running bikes and projects.

For the full checklist, read how to choose the best motorcycle transportation company.

Palletized shipping: an option most shippers do not offer

We can palletize a motorcycle. It is rolled onto a pallet, set in a wheel chock and held with soft tie-downs, then moved as one secured unit. The bike does not need to run, which works well for a project stored in a rowhouse basement, a restoration headed to a builder, or a vintage or high-value motorcycle that should be handled as little as possible. Tell us about the bike when you request a quote and we will say whether it ships palletized or rolled into the trailer.

Shipping a motorcycle within, into and out of Maryland

Into Maryland, bikes arrive with new residents, with service members reporting to Fort Meade, Annapolis and Aberdeen, and with riders heading to OC BikeFest in Ocean City in September. Many come up from Virginia or across from Washington, DC.

Out of Maryland, bikes go to buyers across the country, to new duty stations, and north into Pennsylvania.

Within the state, a bike might go from Hagerstown to a buyer in Columbia, or from Frederick to a summer place near Ocean City. For the regions we serve, see our Maryland motorcycle shipping page or the service areas map.

Why Maryland riders ship instead of ride

• Military moves. Service members around Fort Meade, Annapolis and Aberdeen often ship a bike to the next duty station. Read our military PCS motorcycle shipping guide.
• OC BikeFest. Riders coming from out of state ship in for September in Ocean City and skip the beach traffic on two wheels.
• Buying out of state. Skip the trip to the seller and the long ride home on an unfamiliar bike.
• Job moves. A bike can travel separately while you handle the rest of the move.
• Projects and restorations. Non-running bikes need to move without being ridden.
• Protecting a new or vintage bike. Fewer miles means a lower odometer and less wear before you ride it.

Maryland tips: rowhouse streets, suburb traffic and the shore

• Where we pick up and deliver. Baltimore, Annapolis, Columbia, Frederick, Rockville, Silver Spring, Hagerstown and Ocean City, plus the towns in between.
• Baltimore rowhouse streets. Many blocks are too narrow for a truck to stop. We agree on a nearby wide street or lot ahead of time so loading is quick.
• DC suburb traffic. Around Rockville and Silver Spring, a flexible pickup window makes the day easier for everyone.
• Eastern Shore weekends. Ocean City traffic on summer weekends can slow a truck, so a weekday pickup or delivery often goes smoother.
• OC BikeFest timing. Book three to four weeks before September, since rally weeks fill up first.
• Title and registration. If you bring a bike in from another state, check with the Maryland MVA for the current title and registration steps.

How to get your bike ready for pickup

A little prep makes pickup quick and gives you a clear record of the bike. Our guide on how to prepare a motorcycle for shipping covers every step. In short:

• Wash the bike and take dated photos of every side.
• Leave about a quarter tank of fuel or less.
• Empty the saddlebags and remove loose accessories.
• Turn off the alarm and have the keys ready for the driver.
• Tell us about anything unusual, such as a lowered bike, a leak or a bike that does not run.

Why riders call Motorcycle Transporters

We are based in Richmond, Virginia, a short run from Maryland, and we ship motorcycles nationwide. Every bike travels door to door in a fully enclosed trailer, held with soft tie-down straps, with insured carriers.

A real person answers when you call. Live agents are available 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm ET, to plan around city streets, beach traffic and report dates before you book, and to keep you updated while the bike is on the road. Shipping from just across the river? See our guide to the best motorcycle shipping company in Virginia. When you are ready, request a free quote.