Arizona to Minnesota Motorcycle Shipping

Arizona to Minnesota Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

A standard cruiser or sport bike from Phoenix to Minneapolis costs about $625 to $875 on an open carrier, or about $875 to $1,225 enclosed. From Tucson the open range is about $625 to $875.

Most of the price is distance. Minneapolis is served by plenty of trucks, so a bike for the metro rarely waits long, while one headed north to the lakes depends on a driver with room and a reason to go.

A big touring bike usually costs $50 to $100 more. Sidecar rigs and trikes carry a $150 to $300 premium. A bike that will not run adds a step, since the driver has to winch it, so raise it early.

Season changes the price on both ends. Minnesota owners bring bikes out in April and May, and the Arizona spring rush happens at the same time. A booking made three weeks ahead gives you the widest choice. Several ways to bring the price down are in our money-saving tips.

Three Interstates Into the North

Most Minnesota deliveries use one of three interstates. I-94 covers 259 miles inside the state, entering from North Dakota at Moorhead and from Wisconsin at the St. Croix River. I-35 comes up from Iowa. I-90 crosses the southern edge from South Dakota through Albert Lea, 276 miles in all.

I-94 and I-35 both pass through the Twin Cities, so a delivery to Minneapolis or St. Paul is about as easy as it gets. A truck carrying eight or ten bikes does not want to leave the highway for long, which is why suburbs near the interstates, such as Maple Grove, Burnsville or Woodbury, beat a dead-end street in south Minneapolis. I-35 divides at Burnsville into I-35W through Minneapolis and I-35E through St. Paul.

Rochester is easier than Duluth. US-52 runs through the city, and I-90 passes along its southern side. Beyond Brainerd or near Bemidji, expect to meet at a larger town and name the closest one when you request quotes.

One more point is road salt. A bike that sat through a Minnesota winter carries plenty of it underneath, so give it a wash before it goes on a trailer.

How Your Motorcycle Is Loaded and Secured for the Trip

A good driver loads a motorcycle upright. The front wheel goes into a chock so it can't move, and soft straps go around solid points like the frame or the lower triple clamp. The straps are tightened enough to hold the bike but not so much that they bottom out the forks. Hooks stay off your bars, levers and paint.

Enclosed trailers add a roof and walls, and a trip north across the Plains may mean wind, hail and ice. Owners of custom paint and vintage bikes often pick enclosed for exactly that reason. Before the bike is loaded, check it against the condition report and take dated photos of your own. Keep both until the bike is delivered in Minnesota.