California to Wisconsin Motorcycle Shipping

California to Wisconsin Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

A standard cruiser or sport bike from Los Angeles to Milwaukee runs about $725 to $1,000 on an open carrier, and about $1,025 to $1,400 enclosed. San Diego comes in at about $750 to $1,025 open, and a San Francisco pickup runs about $750 to $1,050.

Madison, on the I-90 and I-94 corridor, runs about $700 to $975 open from Los Angeles. Green Bay, up the I-43 lakeshore run, is a longer leg, so ask carriers for a quote on that city directly.

Heavier bikes and odd setups cost more. A tourer adds about $50 to $100, a sidecar rig or trike about $150 to $300, and a non-runner needs a winch.

Winter is the long season. Snow and road salt keep most Wisconsin bikes off the pavement from about November through March, so demand drops and prices often follow. Spring is the rush, usually late April through May, so get quotes in March and not the week before. See our money-saving tips for more.

I-94, I-90 and the Lakeshore Run

Between Tomah and Madison, I-94 and I-90 share the same pavement for about 92 miles. Past Portage they are joined by I-39 for a roughly 30-mile stretch. In practice it means one wide, busy road carrying nearly all the trailers between Minnesota and the Illinois line, and a single crash can back traffic up for miles. Madison, Milwaukee, Eau Claire and Wisconsin Dells all sit on or right beside those two roads, so a driver can drop a bike without leaving the highway for long.

I-43 is the second spine. It is about 192 miles long and stays entirely inside the state, running from Beloit to the edge of Green Bay. Past Milwaukee it hugs the Lake Michigan shore through Sheboygan and Manitowoc, and it is the road to the Green Bay and Appleton end of the state.

Door County is the one place where the map really matters. WIS 42 and WIS 57 are the only two state highways into Door County, and both run through Sturgeon Bay and cross the ship canal there. Beyond that, towns like Fish Creek, Ephraim and Sister Bay have tight streets, and most drivers prefer a meeting spot on the highway.

Lake towns and small north-woods villages are another story. Many of those streets are narrow, lined with trees and plowed late, and a tractor-trailer cannot always make the turn, so expect the driver to ask you to meet at a big lot, a supermarket or a gas station on the main highway.

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 cost roughly 40 percent more and keep rain and road salt off the bike, which helps in an April or October rain. Open carriers are the standard choice and suit most bikes. Inspect the bike with the driver, read the condition report, and take your own dated photos. You will want them when the bike arrives in Wisconsin.