California to Missouri Motorcycle Shipping

California to Missouri Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

A standard cruiser or sport bike from Los Angeles to St. Louis runs about $675 to $950 on an open carrier, and about $950 to $1,325 enclosed. San Francisco is farther, at about $725 to $1,000 open.

Kansas City and Springfield sit on the western side of the state, so they cost less. Los Angeles to Kansas City runs about $625 to $875 open, and Springfield is about the same at $625 to $875.

The bike changes the price. Heavier bikes cost more. Figure $50 to $100 extra for a tourer, $150 to $300 for a trike or sidecar, and a winch for a bike that will not start. Mention it when you ask for quotes.

Missouri weather swings. Spring brings severe thunderstorms that can stall trucks for a night, and winter ice can slow I-44 and I-70. Late fall and winter are often cheaper outside snowbird lanes, though the weather can eat the savings. The busiest stretches follow rally weeks and the spring return from Florida. See our money-saving tips for more.

I-70, I-44 and the Ozarks

I-70 is the first road to think about. It enters from Kansas at Kansas City, runs 250 miles across the state through Columbia, and reaches St. Louis at the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi. I-44 runs 293 miles from Joplin through Springfield and Rolla to St. Louis, and east of Springfield it follows the old Route 66 corridor. Most bikes come in on one of those two.

I-70 and I-44 meet in St. Louis, so a carrier can stop at both before heading east. I-55 runs south toward Memphis, and Kansas City adds I-35, I-435 and I-29, which all tie into the city. Jefferson City, Joplin and Cape Girardeau are smaller markets, so give the carrier a wider pickup window.

Columbia is its own case. It sits on I-70 in the middle of the state, and on University of Missouri home football game days, MoDOT and the Highway Patrol expect delays before and after the game. Book around the football calendar if you can.

The Ozarks need a meeting point. A lake house near Branson or Table Rock Lake is a drive south of I-44, so plan on meeting the driver in Springfield or on a highway. In the bootheel or far northern Missouri, expect to meet at a larger 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 Missouri summers are hot and humid. A bike strapped to an open trailer takes it fine, but a black seat in the sun can cook, so an enclosed trailer or a seat cover is cheap insurance. Go through the condition report with the driver before the bike loads, and photograph every side with the date. Those records are what you compare when it arrives in Missouri.