California to New Mexico Motorcycle Shipping

California to New Mexico Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

A standard cruiser or sport bike from Los Angeles to Albuquerque runs about $450 to $625 on an open carrier, and about $625 to $875 enclosed. San Diego is a little closer at $450 to $625 open, and a San Francisco pickup runs about $500 to $700.

Santa Fe is not on I-40, so a driver bound for there leaves the interstate in Albuquerque and finishes the trip up I-25. Los Angeles to Santa Fe runs about $450 to $625 open. Las Cruces, in the south, comes in near $450 to $600.

Weight and condition matter. A tourer adds around $50 to $100, a trike or sidecar $150 to $300, and a bike that does not start needs a winch and a heads-up to the carrier.

Spring and fall are best for shipping. Riders from the Midwest and Northeast winter here, and those lanes run heavy in October and November and again in March and April. Outside the snowbird lanes, fall and winter quotes are often lower. See our money-saving tips for more.

I-40, I-25 and the Big I

I-40 follows the old Route 66 across New Mexico. It runs about 374 miles from the Arizona line through Gallup, Grants and Albuquerque to Tucumcari and the Texas border, and a bike coming in from Los Angeles will most likely ride it. I-25 is the other road. It starts in Las Cruces and runs about 462 miles north through Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Raton to the Colorado line.

Albuquerque's Big I is the stack interchange where I-40 meets I-25, and it is the center of the map. Anything crossing the state east to west or north to south passes through it, which is why a pickup in Albuquerque is usually quick. A bike in the far corners takes longer to place, so offer to meet the driver at an interstate exit if your address is out of the way.

West of the city, I-40 crosses the Continental Divide at Campbell Pass, 7,275 feet, on its way to Grants and Gallup. East of the city, it goes through Tijeras Canyon, which tops out near 7,200 feet. Both are mountain crossings, so snow can matter in winter.

I-10 runs only about 164 miles in the state, from the Arizona line to Las Cruces. Roswell, Clovis, Farmington and Taos are farther from the main roads, and a driver may ask you to bring the bike to a bigger 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.

Albuquerque sits at about a mile of altitude, and summer afternoons bring thunderstorms to much of the state. They rarely stop a truck, but they can delay a loading, so a morning pickup is smarter. Enclosed trailers add a roof and walls for fresh paint or a high-value bike. Check each line of the condition report with the driver before the bike is loaded, and take dated photos of your own. Compare both when it arrives in New Mexico.