Destination charges on covered motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs
Posted destination charges by brand and vehicle class, with a same-model subtotal example and the separate quote items to compare.
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A destination charge is a separate delivery line when the manufacturer quotes it outside base MSRP. Compare the complete written quote: omitting a charge from an online specification does not establish that a dealer delivers the machine without a fee.
| Class | Records with a charge | Minimum | Median | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycles | 158 | $215 | $675 | $1,195 |
| ATVs | 37 | $300 | $620 | $785 |
| UTVs | 37 | $595 | $1,245 | $2,395 |
Compare the charge within the relevant brand and class
| Brand | Class | Records | Median charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW | Motorcycles | 18 | $995 |
| Ducati | Motorcycles | 4 | $995 |
| Honda | Motorcycles | 39 | $600 |
| Kawasaki | Motorcycles | 35 | $650 |
| KTM | Motorcycles | 30 | $690 |
| Suzuki | Motorcycles | 4 | $700 |
| Yamaha | Motorcycles | 28 | $675 |
| Honda | ATVs | 7 | $620 |
| Kawasaki | ATVs | 5 | $600 |
| Polaris | ATVs | 14 | $648 |
| Suzuki | ATVs | 3 | $600 |
| Yamaha | ATVs | 8 | $700 |
| Arctic Cat | UTVs | 3 | $1,250 |
| Honda | UTVs | 4 | $1,240 |
| Kawasaki | UTVs | 11 | $1,120 |
| Polaris | UTVs | 14 | $1,195 |
| Yamaha | UTVs | 5 | $1,400 |
Add the charge to the same model’s base price
For a hypothetical $8,000 machine with a $600 posted delivery charge, the subtotal is $8,600 before other charges. Adding the median delivery charge of one group to the median MSRP of another does not identify an actual model or quote. Use the price and delivery line belonging to the same configuration.
Preparation, dealer-installed accessories and sales tax are separate questions. A quote can call delivery freight or destination and can list another preparation charge.
Ask which services each line covers. Compare the final payable amount for equivalent equipment and the same tax jurisdiction; a lower base price can be offset elsewhere on the quote.
The manufacturer sets the published specification, while the dealer sets the actual selling price. A prior-year review or a buyer’s forum estimate does not establish a current mandatory fee.
Keep the exact edition and market with the figures. The base-price analysis gives the price bands without treating those amounts as an out-the-door price.
Posted charges from 158 motorcycle, 37 ATV and 37 UTV named records; absent charges are not counted as zero. Reviewed October 18, 2026.
- Blog · Prices
- What a destination charge adds to a motorcycle, ATV or UTV, brand by brand; What a manufacturer adds for delivery, by class and by brand, and why a blank does not mean free.
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Where a manufacturer lists a destination charge, the median is $620 on an ATV, $1,248 on a UTV and $675 on a motorcycle, on the 243 of 362 current models that list one. Harley-Davidson, Can-Am, Triumph and Indian list none on any model page but still bill delivery, so the sticker and the price you pay differ by more than a listed charge suggests.
Published September 19, 2026.
What a destination charge is
A destination charge is the fee a manufacturer adds for shipping a machine to the dealer. It sits outside the MSRP. A manufacturer that lists one states the base price and the charge as two numbers, and the total is their sum.
Not every manufacturer lists the charge on the model page; some fold delivery into the MSRP and others leave the dealer to bill it.
What each class pays
The charge is close to the same share of the sticker in every class: 7.1 percent of the starting price on a motorcycle, 7.5 percent on an ATV and 6.4 percent on a UTV.
ATV charges fall between $300 and $785. UTV charges run from $595 to $2,395, a wider band on larger and heavier machines. Motorcycle charges run from $215 to $1,195.
Across the 38 ATVs that list a charge there are only 9 different amounts. UTVs show more variety: 21 different amounts across 42 models.
Which brands list one
Honda and Kawasaki list a charge on every motorcycle page, and Yamaha (29 of 33 models), Suzuki (4 of 23 models), KTM (32 of 35 models), Ducati (4 of 17 models) and BMW (20 of 24 models) list one on some.
What the brands that list none charge
Harley-Davidson, Can-Am, Triumph and Indian publish no destination figure on the model page, but they do charge. A Harley-Davidson buyer's guide cites an $895 destination and freight charge on every new bike, while another guide puts Harley freight at $400 to $1,500 by model, so ask for the line in writing. A rider's guide puts the out-the-door price of a new Indian $1,500 to $3,000 above MSRP once destination, setup, tax and registration are added.
What it does to a price comparison
Take the median model in each class and add the median charge; a motorcycle at $10,798 becomes $11,473. An ATV at $7,799 becomes $8,419; a UTV at $19,899 becomes $21,147. Those totals are before dealer fees, taxes and options.
The trouble starts when two models are compared across brands; if one page lists a charge and the other does not, the two sticker prices are not measured the same way. The listed model looks dearer by the charge; the other may be dearer in practice, or cheaper, depending on where its delivery cost went.
How to compare two models fairly
- Start from the starting price on each model page
- add the destination charge where the page lists one. Where it does not, ask the dealer whether delivery is in the price or on top of it.
Then add options you would actually buy and the dealer's own fees; the starting price post shows where each class sits before any of that is added. The buying section covers the wider cost of ownership.
Last, recheck with the dealer. Both the price and the charge can move within a model year.
Destination charges by brand and class questions
How many current models list a destination charge on the manufacturer page?
243 of 362. That covers 38 of 51 ATVs, 42 of 49 UTVs and 163 of 262 motorcycles, each taken from the manufacturer's own model page.
What is the typical destination charge on an ATV?
The median among ATVs that list one is $620, and the range is $300 to $785; it is billed on top of the starting price, so it raises the total by about 8 percent.
What is the typical destination charge on a UTV?
The median is $1,248 among UTVs that list one, with a range of $595 to $2,395; a side-by-side is larger to ship, which is why the figure runs higher than on an ATV.
Do motorcycles list a destination charge?
Some do. 163 of 262 current motorcycle pages list one, with a median of $675. The brands that list it do so on every model, and Harley-Davidson, Can-Am, Triumph and Indian list none.
Does a missing destination charge mean the brand does not bill one?
No. Harley-Davidson, Can-Am, Triumph and Indian list none on the model page but still charge: a Harley guide cites $895 destination and freight (another says $400 to $1,500), and a new Indian typically runs $1,500 to $3,000 above MSRP out the door. Ask for a written quote that shows every line.
Which ATV brands list a destination charge on every model?
Polaris, Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki. Every model page for those brands carries a separate charge. Can-Am and Arctic Cat list none on any ATV page.
Is the destination charge included in the starting price?
Where a page lists one, no. The starting MSRP and the charge are two figures, and the total is their sum. Dealer fees, taxes and options come on top of both.
Why do UTV destination charges show more variety than ATV charges?
Across the 38 ATVs that list a charge there are only 9 different amounts. UTVs show 21 different amounts across 42 models, on machines that differ more in size and weight.
How does a destination charge change a price comparison between brands?
If one brand lists a charge and another does not, the two starting prices are not measured alike; the listed model looks dearer by the charge. Only a written dealer quote for each machine puts them on the same footing.
What share of the sticker price is the destination charge?
The median is 7.1 percent on motorcycles, 7.5 percent on ATVs and 6.4 percent on UTVs, among models that list a charge and a price; it is close to a constant share, so it grows with the price.
Can the destination charge change during a model year?
It can. Manufacturers revise charges along with prices, sometimes within a model year, so confirm the charge with a dealer before you rely on it.
What should I ask a dealer about destination or freight?
Ask whether delivery is included in the advertised price, what the destination or freight line reads on the written quote, and whether any other pre-delivery fee applies. Get the answer on paper before you compare machines.
- Buying: what a machine costs to own
- Where the destination charge fits among the other costs of a machine.
- Models by brand
- Each model page shows its starting price and any destination charge.
How manufacturers state weight: curb, wet, dry or estimated on 362 models; Manufacturers state weight on 7 different bases, and a lighter machine is not always lighter.
Taller tires on a quad: the arithmetic of a two-inch swap; 15 of 44 ATVs start on 25-inch tires. What two more inches does.