How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Dirt Bike?

How Much Does It Cost To Transport A Dirt Bike? What You Need To Know

If you’re looking to ship a dirt bike when you’re moving or for any other reason, you may be wondering how much you’ll pay.

In this guide from A-1 Auto Transport, we’ll take a look at a few of the top factors that influence the cost of Off-road motorcycle shipping, answer a few FAQs about the process, and ensure you have all the information you need to ship your bike safely.

How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Dirt Bike?

On average, it will cost you around $400 to $600 to ship an Off-road motorcycle 1,000 miles. Shorter shipments may be closer to $200 to $300. These rates are usually charged on a per-mile basis. You will pay more per-mile for shorter distances, but your total cost will still be lower.

Let’s explore a few of the factors that affect the cost of shipping your bike now.

• Distance of shipment – As mentioned, motorcycle and Off-road motorcycle shipments are typically charged at a certain rate per mile, such as $.50 per mile. The more miles your bike covers, the more you’ll pay.
  Size and weight of your dirt bike – A small dirt bike that’s not road-legal will usually be lighter and cheaper than a road-legal Off-road motorcycle. The overall size, weight, and dimensions of your bike are a major determining factors when it comes to how much it will cost to ship.
• Door-to-door delivery – This means that your bike will be picked up at your door and dropped off at the door of its destination location, and it usually costs a bit more money to make use of this service, compared to dropping off and picking up your bike at a specified freight terminal or other location.
  Open vs. closed shipping – Open shipping is cheaper than closed shipping for Off-road motorcycles. Since your dirt bike may be a bit banged up from the trails and off-roading, you may choose to ship it on an open flatbed to save some cash. This is a particularly good option for shorter shipments/
  
  But if you’re shipping a mint-condition bike or a very valuable Off-road motorcycle, closed shipping in a trailer is a better option for protection from the elements – as well as theft and vandalization. And, in general, we recommend closed container shopping for any trip that’s longer than 500 miles. It simply provides much better protection for your Off-road motorcycle.
• Crate shipping – Crate shipping is definitely the safest way to ship your motorcycle. In this method of shipping, your bike is tied down and lashed inside of a specialized wood or plastic crate, ensuring it won’t tip, move, or shift.
  
  You can also pack accessories and tools in the crate along with the motorcycle, in most cases. However, crate shipping is also usually more expensive, since the crate will be bulkier than shipping an Off-road motorcycle without a crate.
• Required delivery date – If you need rush delivery, you’ll pay a lot more to ship your dirt bike. If you want to save money, make sure you plan well ahead of time. If you have a flexible delivery date, you will be able to save quite a bit of money.

Can I Ship A Dirt Bike With A Moving Company?

In most cases, the answer is “yes.” If you’re making a cross-country move, for example, you may want to ship your Off-road motorcycle and your household goods together. This is much more practical with a dirt bike than it is with a motorcycle, because dirt motorcycles are typically much smaller and lighter.

Off-road motorcycles usually weigh about 200 pounds, on average – though some larger, street-legal models may be heavier. In contrast, even a small sports motorcycle usually weighs at least 700 pounds.

This means that a few strong movers can easily move your dirt bike into a truck for shipment, and no special equipment is needed to do so. They can simply lift it up, and secure it in place with tie-downs.

However, we do recommend talking to a person at the moving company to see if they do offer this service. Some moving companies may wish to avoid the liability associated with transporting a motor vehicle alongside your household goods, and may not offer this service.

If you’re shipping your Off-road motorcycle with a moving company, there are also a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, you’ll want to clean your motorcycle thoroughly to remove dirt and grime, which could get onto boxes, furniture, and other items that you’re moving and ruin them.

You also may want to purchase additional insurance from your moving company, because standard insurance covers your goods for $0.60 per pound. Obviously, your Off-road motorcycle will be worth much more than this – so you need more protection.

You can buy “full value protection” insurance from most moving companies, which will cost about 1% of the value of your items. If your belongings (including your dirt bike) are worth $20,000, you’ll pay about $200 for this protection.

How Should I Prepare My Dirt Bike For Shipping?

Whether you choose a specialized motorcycle shipping company or ship your bike with your household goods, there are a few steps you should take to prepare, such as cleaning and documenting its condition, draining the fuel, and removing any unnecessary accessories and personal items

• Clean your dirt motorcycle & document its condition – First, give your Off-road motorcycle a comprehensive cleaning. This ensures dirt and grime are not transferred to your other items or to other bikes during the shipment process, and also lets you check on the condition of your bike.
  
  You should take plenty of photos and videos of your bike once it’s clean. This way, you can have proof of the condition that your motorcycle was in before it was shipped. It’s rare for damage to occur, but if it does, you’ll have plenty of evidence to back up an insurance claim.
• Drain the fuel and take out the battery – It’s a good idea to drain the tank to 1/4 full or less, and to take out the battery. This immobilizes the motorcycle, and also ensures its alarm systems won’t go off during transit.
• Remove any accessories and personal items – Cell phone holders and any other extra accessories should be detached from the bike to prevent them from being damaged. You should also remove any personal items from storage compartments, if applicable.

Need Help Hauling An Off-road Motorcycle? Contact A-1 AT Today!

At A-1 Auto Transport, we’re always here for customers who need to ship Off-road motorcycles throughout the United States. With our network of expert motorcycle shipping companies and dedication to customer service, you can trust us to always get the job done right.

So don’t wait. If you need to ship your dirt bike anywhere throughout America, contact us online or give us a call at (888) 230-9116 to get a quote and get started. We’re available to help you 24/7!