Arizona to Nevada Motorcycle Shipping

Arizona to Nevada Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

A standard cruiser or sport bike from Phoenix to Las Vegas costs about $325 to $475 on an open carrier, or about $450 to $675 enclosed. From Tucson the open range is about $375 to $500. Reno is a very different trip, at about $425 to $600 open.

On a short haul, a few miles change the price more than they do on a long one, because the cost of getting a truck to your door is a bigger share of the total. Las Vegas gets frequent trucks from Phoenix, while Reno depends on carriers working the I-80 corridor.

Bikes in the tourer class add about $50 to $100. A trike or sidecar can push the price up by $150 to $300. A dead bike needs winch loading, and the carrier should know before pickup.

Season matters less here than on a cross-country trip, but summer heat and weekend event traffic in Las Vegas can affect timing. Ask for quotes two or three weeks ahead and leave the pickup window open. Our guide of money-saving tips has other ways to cut the bill.

Crossing the Nevada Desert

Nevada has very little interstate. Only about 124 miles of I-15 touch the southern tip, running from Primm at the California line to Mesquite at the Arizona line, with Las Vegas between them. It links Southern California with Salt Lake City, so carriers pass through every day of the week.

I-80 forms the northern spine, about 410 miles long, and serves Reno and Sparks, Lovelock, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Elko, Wells and West Wendover. No interstate links Las Vegas and Reno. The direct way is US-95 north through Tonopah, Hawthorne and Fallon, which meets I-80 toward Reno, and the drive between the two cities is about 445 miles.

Pequop Summit, east of Wells, is the high point of I-80 in Nevada at 6,967 feet. Winter storms have closed parts of it.

If you live in a small town such as Elko, Winnemucca, Pahrump or Ely, the driver may not detour 100 miles for one bike. You may be asked to bring the bike to a larger city or a lot on the highway.

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, which helps a bike on a trip through desert sun and grit. Owners of custom paint and vintage bikes often pick enclosed for exactly that reason. Before the straps go on, read the report with the driver and take your own pictures. Keep both until the bike is delivered in Nevada.