Arizona to North Carolina Motorcycle Shipping

Arizona to North Carolina Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

A standard cruiser or sport bike from Phoenix to Raleigh costs about $750 to $1,050 on an open carrier, or about $1,050 to $1,475 enclosed.

Mileage sets most of the price. The Piedmont cities sit on busy interstates, so trucks reach them easily, while mountain and coastal towns can take longer to schedule.

Tourers on the heavy side cost about $50 to $100 more. A trike or sidecar adds roughly $150 to $300. If the bike will not start, say so first, because a winch is needed.

Season changes the price on both ends. Spring is the busiest time for Arizona departures, and hurricane season can raise prices and delay loading on the North Carolina coast. Book three weeks ahead and keep your pickup dates loose. More ways to bring the price down are in our money-saving tips.

I-85, I-40 and the Mountain Roads

I-85 covers 231 miles across the state, through Charlotte, Greensboro and Durham on its way to Virginia. Near Greensboro, I-40 shares the road for about 31 miles until the two split near Hillsborough, where Raleigh-bound traffic leaves. I-77 heads north from Charlotte, and I-95 runs through the east toward Fayetteville.

In the Piedmont, interstates run through Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham, so a driver can reach most addresses within a few miles of the highway. The mountains take more effort. Asheville is reached by I-40 and I-26, but roads out of the city climb quickly, and a long trailer does not fit on all of them.

Near the coast, drivers often choose a lot by the highway over a narrow beach street, so suggest one if you live around Wilmington or the Outer Banks.

The roads riders come for are not carrier routes. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles from Virginia to Cherokee with a 45 mph cap, and commercial vehicles need National Park Service approval to use it. The Tail of the Dragon packs 318 curves into 11 miles of US-129 at Deals Gap on the Tennessee line. A pickup near either one is handled on a regular highway, normally in the nearest town.

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 from the desert to the Southeast takes a bike through heat, storms and humidity. Owners of custom paint and vintage bikes often pick enclosed for exactly that reason. Before loading, check the bike against the condition report and take your own dated photos. Hold on to both until the bike is delivered in North Carolina.