New York to Florida Motorcycle Shipping

New York to Florida Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

A standard cruiser or sport bike from New York City to Miami costs about $550 to $775 on an open trailer, or about $775 to $1,075 enclosed. Buffalo to Miami runs about $575 to $800 open. New York City to Orlando comes to about $500 to $700, and to Jacksonville about $475 to $675.

So many trucks run I-95 that prices on this lane are often good for the distance. Demand swings with the seasons, though, and that matters more here than the mileage.

Carriers usually charge $50 to $100 extra for a big dresser. A three-wheeler takes more room, so add about $150 to $300. Say so early if the motorcycle will not start, so the right truck is sent.

Snowbird season drives this route. Southbound trucks fill up from October through December, and northbound trucks fill up in April and May. If you can ship outside those windows, offers tend to be lower. Daytona Bike Week in March and Biketoberfest in October also bring a rush of bikes. Our money-saving tips list the changes that save the most.

Straight Down the East Coast

Almost every truck on this lane takes I-95. From New York City it crosses New Jersey on the Turnpike, passes Baltimore and Washington, and runs through Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia before entering Florida near Jacksonville. A Buffalo load usually heads south through Pennsylvania on I-79 or I-81 and joins I-95 or I-77 on the way down.

Jacksonville is the first big Florida city, and I-95 keeps going south along the Atlantic coast past Daytona Beach to Fort Lauderdale and Miami. For Orlando, trucks leave I-95 at Daytona and take I-4 west, and the same road continues to Tampa.

South Florida has heavy traffic and many gated communities, and condo buildings often have rules about trucks. A driver may ask to meet outside the gate or at a large store lot nearby.

Summer brings heat, humidity and afternoon storms, and hurricane season runs from June through November. A storm can close roads or slow trucks for days, so a summer or fall shipment needs some slack.

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 transport keeps the bike out of winter salt as it leaves New York and away from heavy Florida rain at the other end. Owners of custom or vintage bikes often think it is worth the extra cost. Before the bike goes up the ramp, check the report with the driver and note any marks it misses. Keep that report and your photos until the bike is unloaded in Florida.