Texas to Hawaii Motorcycle Shipping

Texas to Hawaii Motorcycle Shipping Rates by Bike Type

Distance does not set the price across the Pacific, so the table below uses broker ranges and says to ask where no real number turned up. One broker page lists about $900 to $1,800 for the state overall, with Honolulu near $1,000 to $1,500, Hilo at $700 to $1,500 and Maui at $800 to $2,200. An ocean carrier lists motorcycle service starting at $660, plus $100 if the bike needs a shipping skid.

Those figures come from different services and do not line up neatly. Some cover port to port, where you drop the bike at one terminal and collect it at another. Others include a truck at your door. Texas is a long drive from any California port, so the truck leg is a real cost that a port-to-port number leaves out. Ask each carrier which one it quoted.

Bikes with trunks and big fairings typically cost $50 to $100 above the base rate. Trikes and sidecar combinations are priced about $150 to $300 higher than a standard bike. Say if the bike is a non-runner when you request prices, and nobody will be caught off guard.

A neighbor island adds a second sailing and a second set of fees. Read the quote closely for who owns the last leg. The general shipping rates page and our money-saving tips show ways to trim the bill.

Truck, Port and Ship to the Islands

A move has three parts. A truck collects the bike at your Texas address and drives it west to a California port. A ship then carries it across the Pacific to Honolulu, Kahului or Hilo. Last, you or a carrier pick it up at the terminal, or a driver brings it to your door if you paid for that. The crossing itself is the quick piece, roughly 5 to 7 days. Terminal handling, the wait for the next ship and unloading stretch the sea portion to the 10 to 21 days that broker pages quote.

Which ship line takes a motorcycle is not obvious, and it shapes your plan. Matson states on its own FAQ page that it does not carry motorcycles and points riders to a freight forwarder. Pasha Hawaii does list motorcycles, but its terminal page said that only its San Diego terminal in California accepts them, while Los Angeles and Oakland do not. A carrier in our network knows which terminal and sailing fit your bike, so ask before you plan a drop-off.

You have to book a drop-off time at the terminal for every bike. The ship line wants the bike clean, especially the engine, tires, fender wells and underside, and one line says it will refuse a bike that fails USDA cleaning rules. Set aside a day or two for the wash before the drop-off.

Registration comes once the bike lands. There is no statewide DMV in Hawaii, so the counties handle registration of bikes from out of state. Among the requirements of Hawaii County are a current Hawaii safety inspection, the most recent out-of-state registration and a bill of lading or shipping receipt, with Form G-27 added for newer model years. Keep the shipping paperwork, and use the links at the bottom of this page for your county.

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.

A bike headed to the islands spends days on a truck and then days on a ship, so how it is secured matters. Open or skid-mounted service is common, and crated service costs more but guards against handling. Go around the motorcycle with the driver and add anything the form leaves out. Hold on to the report and photos until the bike is parked safely in Hawaii.