California to New Hampshire Motorcycle Shipping

California to New Hampshire Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

A standard cruiser or sport bike from Los Angeles to Manchester runs about $925 to $1,275 on an open carrier, and about $1,300 to $1,775 enclosed. San Diego comes out about the same at $925 to $1,275 open, and a San Francisco pickup runs about $950 to $1,325.

Concord, up I-93 from Manchester, costs about the same, near $925 to $1,300 open. Portsmouth, on the coast and close to I-95, runs about $925 to $1,300. Nashua is a short drive south of Manchester, so a carrier reaches all three without a detour.

A heavy tourer adds roughly $50 to $100. Trikes and sidecar outfits add $150 to $300, and a bike that will not run needs a winch, which dispatch should hear about first.

The calendar is simple. Spring brings bikes north, June brings the rally, summer is the riding season, and fall sends bikes south. Winter is the quietest market, and quotes outside the snowbird lanes often run lower from fall through winter. The June premium is real. See our money-saving tips for more.

From the Coast to the Notches

I-93 is the state's spine. It enters from Massachusetts at Salem, passes Manchester and Concord, and then heads north into the White Mountains. I-293 loops around Manchester. I-89 splits off at Bow, just south of Concord, and runs west toward Vermont, meeting I-91 at White River Junction. I-95 touches only the seacoast, around Portsmouth.

Portsmouth is the odd one out. It sits on the coast and is a short drive from the Maine line, so if a carrier is already working a Maine pickup, it is close to the route.

The White Mountains need patience. North of Concord, I-93 runs into the mountains, and the roads beyond are two-lane. Lincoln, Conway and the smaller towns around them can be tricky for a tractor-trailer in winter. The Kancamagus Highway, NH-112, is about 32 miles from Lincoln to Conway and a favorite fall ride, but carriers stick to interstates, so a pickup near it probably means meeting in Lincoln or Conway.

US Route 3 is the road to know in the Lakes Region. It runs through Laconia, Weirs Beach and Meredith, so in rally week plan on delay if your address is anywhere along it.

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 over a trip of nearly 3,000 miles they cover the bike through a week of weather. Open carriers are still the standard choice for most bikes. When the driver arrives, check the bike against the condition report before you sign. You will want that report and your photos when the bike arrives in New Hampshire.