California to West Virginia Motorcycle Shipping

California to West Virginia Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

A standard cruiser or sport bike from Los Angeles to Charleston runs about $800 to $1,100 on an open carrier, and about $1,125 to $1,550 enclosed. San Diego comes in at about $775 to $1,100 open, and a San Francisco pickup runs about $825 to $1,150.

Huntington sits at the western edge of the state on I-64, on the Ohio River, and runs about $775 to $1,075 open from Los Angeles. Morgantown, in the north on I-79, is reached from the Pittsburgh side, so ask carriers for a quote on that city directly.

Plan for extras on a heavy or unusual bike. A Gold Wing adds around $50 to $100, a trike or sidecar around $150 to $300, and a bike that will not start needs a winch.

Winter is the problem, since snow and ice on the mountain grades can slow a trailer. If you can wait, winter quotes outside the snowbird lanes are often below the summer numbers. See our money-saving tips for more.

The Turnpike, I-64 and the Hollows

Charleston is the easy one, and most first-time shippers start there. I-64 and I-77 run together there, and the Kanawha River valley is wide enough that a trailer can get near most addresses. The West Virginia Turnpike is the spine of the south, about 88 miles from near Princeton to Charleston, with three toll barriers, and I-77 follows it. I-64 is the other long road, about 189 miles from the Kentucky line at Kenova through Huntington, Charleston and Beckley to the Virginia line near White Sulphur Springs.

The north is different. Morgantown sits on I-79, close to the Pennsylvania line, so a bike from Pittsburgh or the Northeast arrives from that side. Out east, Martinsburg is on I-81, roughly 63 miles from Washington and 73 from Baltimore.

Corridor H, or US 48, is the newer east-west road. It runs 157 miles from Weston, at I-79, to Strasburg, Virginia, through rugged mountains and two national forests, and some stretches are still two-lane. A driver heading toward Davis or Wardensville may be on a slower road.

A farm up a county road, or a house in a narrow valley, may be too tight for a full-size trailer. If you are not on a state highway, expect to meet the driver at a lot on one. A gas station with room to turn is the usual choice.

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 through mountain weather and for fresh paint or a high-value bike. Open carriers are the standard choice and suit most bikes. Go through the condition report line by line with the driver before the bike goes on the trailer. Hold on to it and your photos for delivery in West Virginia.