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

What motorcycle shipping in Michigan costs and how long it takes

Most shipments to or from Michigan

$750 to $1,200

Coast to coast (for example Detroit 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 Michigan does

A bike leaving Michigan in late fall or arriving for a summer shoreline trip needs to travel clean and secure. Look for:

• A fully enclosed trailer. Road salt, slush, 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, storage unit or lake rental. 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 is handy for a winter garage project, 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 Michigan

Out of Michigan, the busiest lane in the fall runs to Florida. Bikes also head to buyers across the country and to neighboring Ohio and Illinois.

Into Michigan, bikes come home from Florida in spring, arrive with new residents in Detroit and Grand Rapids, and show up for summer trips along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Within the state, a bike might go from Flint to a cottage near Traverse City, or from a dealer in Kalamazoo to a buyer in the Upper Peninsula. For the regions we serve, see our Michigan motorcycle shipping page or the service areas map.

Why Michigan riders ship instead of ride

• Winter. The season ends early, so many riders ship to Florida and keep riding. See snowbird motorcycle shipping.
• Shoreline trips. Riders ship bikes in to ride the Lake Michigan shore and the Tunnel of Trees on M-119 without the long ride there.
• Buying out of state. Skip the trip to the seller and the long ride home on an unfamiliar bike.
• 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 no road salt on the finish.

Michigan tips: the Upper Peninsula, the shoreline and winter timing

• Where we pick up and deliver. Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, Kalamazoo and Traverse City, plus the towns in between.
• Upper Peninsula addresses. These are remote, so allow extra time for pickup and delivery and keep your dates flexible.
• Ship south before the cold. Book the trip to Florida early in the fall, and book the spring return at the same time if your dates are set.
• Shoreline trip timing. Work backward from the day you want to ride, using our transit time of 10 to 15 business days.
• Cottage and lake rentals. Tell us about narrow roads or long drives so we can agree on a spot the truck can reach.
• Title and registration. If you bring a bike in from another state, check with the Michigan Secretary of State 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 and ship motorcycles to and from Michigan and 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 remote addresses, winter dates and trip days before you book, and to keep you updated while the bike is on the road. Shipping on the East Coast too? See our guide to the best motorcycle shipping company in Virginia. When you are ready, request a free quote.