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

What motorcycle shipping in New York costs and how long it takes

Most shipments to or from New York

$750 to $1,200

Coast to coast (for example New York to California)

About $1,300

Transit time

10 to 15 business days

Your price depends on the 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 shows what goes into a quote, or you can request a free quote for your exact shipment.

What the best motorcycle shipping company in New York does

In New York, a smooth pickup depends on planning: where the truck can legally drive, where it can stop and when. A shipper that asks those questions up front is usually one that gets the rest right too. Look for:

• A fully enclosed trailer. It keeps winter salt, slush, rain and road grime off your motorcycle and keeps it out of sight when the truck is parked. Learn 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 that works in the city. The driver comes to your home, garage, dealer or storage unit, or to a nearby wider street or lot you agree on when your block is too tight. 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, built 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 questions to ask and red flags to watch for, read how to choose the best motorcycle transportation company.

Palletized shipping: an option most shippers do not offer

We can palletize a motorcycle. The bike is rolled onto a pallet, held in a wheel chock and secured with soft tie-downs, then moved as one unit. It does not need to run, so this works well for a bike that has been sitting in a garage all winter, a project headed to a shop, 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 tell you whether it ships palletized or rolled into the trailer.

Shipping a motorcycle within, into and out of New York

Within the state, riders move bikes between the city, Long Island and upstate all the time. Buffalo to Staten Island or Rochester to a shop on Long Island is a long ride, and an impossible one if the bike does not run.

Shipping into New York often starts next door. Many riders buy from sellers and dealers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and from much farther away when the right bike turns up online. Door-to-door pickup means you never have to travel to collect it.

Shipping out of New York follows the seasons. When upstate winter shuts down riding, many owners ship their bikes to Florida and bring them back in spring. Our Florida motorcycle shipping page covers that end. For the regions we serve in the state, see our New York motorcycle shipping page or the service areas map.

Why New York riders ship instead of ride

• City traffic. Riding a new or vintage bike out of the five boroughs is slow and stressful. Shipping skips it.
• Winter in Florida. Send the bike south when the season ends upstate and keep riding until spring.
• Americade. Ship to Lake George in late spring and arrive ready to ride.
• Buying online or out of state. Skip the trip there and the long ride home on a bike you do not know yet.
• Moving. Relocating in or out of New York is enough work. Shipping the bike takes it off your list.
• Projects and shop work. Non-running bikes need to move without being ridden.

New York tips: parkways, tight blocks and the short season

• Where we pick up and deliver. New York City (Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island), Long Island, Yonkers, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, plus the towns in between.
• No trucks on the parkways. Commercial trucks cannot use the parkways, so routes into some neighborhoods take longer. Build that into your pickup window.
• Tight blocks. Many city blocks are too narrow for a truck and trailer to stop. We agree on a wide street or open lot near you ahead of time.
• Americade timing. Book three to four weeks before Americade in Lake George in late spring.
• Ship south before the snow. If you send the bike to Florida for winter, book three to four weeks before you want to ride there.
• Title and registration. If you bring a bike in from another state, check with the New York DMV for the current title and registration steps.

How to get your bike ready for pickup

A few minutes of prep speeds up the handoff, which matters when the truck is parked on a busy street. Our guide on how to prepare a motorcycle for shipping has every step. The essentials:

• 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.
• If the bike is in a garage or building, tell us how the driver gets to it.

Why riders call Motorcycle Transporters

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

When you call, a real person answers. Live agents are available 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm ET, to plan around your block, your garage and your dates before you book, and to update you while the bike is on the road. If you ship in Virginia as well, see our guide to the best motorcycle shipping company in Virginia. When you are ready, request a free quote.