Montana Motorcycle Shipping: Rates & Free Quotes

In This Guide

Quick Facts
Ship a Motorcycle to Montana
Cost to Ship a Motorcycle
How Getting Quotes Works
Shipping a Motorcycle From Montana
Highways and Mountain Passes
Montana Shipping by Season
Rallies and Rides
Military Moves
Challenges & Tips
FAQs
All Montana Routes

Montana Motorcycle Shipping at a Glance

Main Highways	I-90 east to west, I-94 from Billings to North Dakota, I-15 from Butte to Great Falls and Canada
Largest Cities	Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman
Typical Transit	1-3 days from Washington, Idaho and Wyoming, 3-6 days from the Midwest and Southwest
Popular Routes	Washington to Montana, Minnesota to Montana, Montana to South Dakota, Texas to Montana
Tight Booking Weeks	Early August around the Sturgis rally, plus Red Lodge rally weekends in July (Beartooth Motorcycle Rally) and August (Beartooth Rendezvous)
Weather Watch	Snow can slow the I-90 passes in winter; Beartooth Highway is shut from mid-October to Memorial Day weekend
Phone Quotes	1-800-590-6492, available 24 hours a day

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Ship a Motorcycle to Montana, and Where the Truck Stops

The question to settle first is how far your address is from I-90. Missoula, Butte, Bozeman, Livingston and Billings are on it, so a carrier can reach them without leaving the highway. Great Falls is off to the north on I-15, and Helena and Kalispell take longer to reach. The farther from the interstate, the more a driver has to plan, and the more likely you are to meet the truck in a larger town nearby.

Most bikes enter from one of three directions. From the Pacific Northwest, trucks come across Lookout Pass on the Idaho line, which sits at 4,725 feet. From Minnesota and the Dakotas, they run I-94 into Billings. From Colorado, they drive north through Wyoming and join I-90 where it enters the Crow Reservation. Seattle to Missoula is about 475 miles and runs roughly $375 to $525 open, a 1-3 day trip. Minneapolis to Billings is about 840 miles at $450 to $625.

The Hi-Line, up near the Canadian border, is well away from the interstate. A bike for Havre or Glasgow may wait a while for a trailer headed that way.

Starting from the coast or the Midwest? Washington to Montana, Minnesota to Montana and California to Montana are the lanes carriers know best.

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Montana Motorcycle Shipping Rates and Transit Times

Last updated: October 2026

A standard bike on an open trailer costs about $375 to $525 for around 500 miles, about $500 to $675 for 1,000 miles, and about $725 to $1,000 for 2,000 miles. Montana is big, so even a lane inside the state is a real haul: Billings to Missoula is about 345 miles at $350 to $475. Longer trips cost less per mile, so a 970-mile haul from Great Falls to Minneapolis runs $475 to $675, not triple the Billings price.

An enclosed trailer adds roughly 30% to 50%. A crate costs about $150 to $400 extra, a trike or sidecar about $150 to $300, and heavy tourers often add $50 to $100. The table shows lanes carriers run in and out of the state. It assumes a standard bike on open transport. Transit time counts days on the road after pickup, and scheduling can add one to three days before that.

Route	Distance	Transit Time	Open Carrier	Enclosed
Billings, MT to Denver, CO Montana to Colorado	~550 mi	2-5 days	$400 - $550*	$550 - $775*	Get Quote
Missoula, MT to Seattle, WA Montana to Washington	~475 mi	1-3 days	$375 - $525*	$525 - $725*	Get Quote
Bozeman, MT to Phoenix, AZ Montana to Arizona	~1,065 mi	3-6 days	$500 - $700*	$700 - $975*	Get Quote
Great Falls, MT to Minneapolis, MN Montana to Minnesota	~970 mi	2-5 days	$475 - $675*	$675 - $950*	Get Quote
Seattle, WA to Missoula, MT Washington to Montana	~475 mi	1-3 days	$375 - $525*	$525 - $725*	Get Quote
Minneapolis, MN to Billings, MT Minnesota to Montana	~840 mi	2-5 days	$450 - $625*	$625 - $875*	Get Quote
Dallas, TX to Bozeman, MT Texas to Montana	~1,480 mi	3-6 days	$600 - $825*	$850 - $1,150*	Get Quote
Billings, MT to Missoula, MT	~345 mi	1-3 days	$350 - $475*	$500 - $675*	Get Quote

*Estimates for a standard motorcycle, updated October 2026. Distances are approximate road miles. Real prices depend on your bike, the pickup and delivery locations, open or enclosed transport, and the time of year. Complete the form at the top of this page or call 1-800-590-6492 for free, no-obligation quotes so you can compare prices for your exact route before you book.

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How Getting Quotes Works

You don't have to call company after company. One request goes out to the carriers that run Montana lanes, and the offers come back to you.

1. Send one request

Fill out the quote form at the top of this page, or call 1-800-590-6492 any hour of the day. Give us your pickup and delivery cities, the year, make and model of your bike, and the date you want it picked up.

2. Carriers respond

We pass your request to carriers that move motorcycles in and out of Montana. You can receive up to ten free quotes without spending hours calling companies one by one.

3. Compare the offers

Look at price, pickup date, and whether the carrier offers open or enclosed transport. You can check any company you're considering on the FMCSA SAFER system.

4. Choose your company

You pick the company you want to work with. Ask that company about its insurance coverage, deposit, and payment terms before you commit.

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Shipping a Motorcycle From Montana

Billings is the easiest place to start. It is the biggest city in the state, sits at the point where I-94 splits from I-90, and has trucks leaving for the Dakotas, Minnesota and Colorado. Billings to Denver is about 550 miles at $400 to $550 open. Missoula leans west and south, with Missoula to Seattle at about 475 miles and $375 to $525.

Bozeman works well for the Southwest. Bozeman to Phoenix is about 1,065 miles at $500 to $700 open, a 3-6 day trip. Great Falls is on I-15, a separate road from the I-90 towns, so ask for it by name. Great Falls to Minneapolis is about 970 miles at $475 to $675 open, with a 2-5 day transit. Short hops inside the state, like Billings to Missoula, are priced as full hauls because the distances are real.

Going home from a summer in Montana? If you ride in for the summer and fly home, ship the bike out of Bozeman or Missoula and book at least two weeks ahead. The Montana to Washington and Montana to California lanes are the busy ones. Give the carrier a pickup window of three or four days, since a driver crossing Montana can be held up by weather over the passes.

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Montana Motorcycle Transport Across I-90 and the Passes

I-90 climbs over three passes on its way across the state. Lookout Pass is 4,725 feet at the Idaho line, Homestake Pass near Butte is 6,375 feet, and Bozeman Pass is 5,760. Trucks slow on all three, and a snow squall on any one of them can add hours. I-15 joins I-90 for a stretch through Butte, which is where the road splits for Helena and Great Falls.

Billings is the crossroads of the east. I-94 begins there, running toward Miles City and North Dakota, and US 212 and US 87 each share stretches of the interstate around the city. If your bike is going to Sturgis, South Dakota, the usual route runs from Billings across Wyoming rather than through Montana, and carriers who do that run know it well.

Two roads that tempt riders are not freight routes. US 212 over the Beartooth Highway is 68 miles long and reaches nearly 11,000 feet. Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park is about 50 miles long and bans vehicles longer than 21 feet. Carriers stay on the interstates, so a pickup near Red Lodge or West Glacier usually means meeting the driver in a larger town.

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Motorcycle Shipping to Montana by Season

Montana has two riding seasons that are not what most people expect. The high roads open late: the Beartooth Highway closes from mid-October until Memorial Day weekend, and can close as early as September if storms hit. Going-to-the-Sun Road has typically been fully open from early July until the third Monday of October. If you are shipping a bike in to ride those roads, aim for July or later. The low country is a different calendar.

The interstate passes can see snow in winter, even when Billings is dry. Winter shipments to or from Montana should have a few spare days and a flexible pickup window.

Early August is the crowded stretch, when Sturgis traffic pulls trailers toward the region and prices on busy lanes can climb. Booking three weeks out saves trouble. Even in summer, snow can close the Beartooth Highway for a spell, so a July ride date is not a promise.

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Red Lodge, the Beartooth Pass and Sturgis Season

Red Lodge is where the state's motorcycle events are. The Beartooth Motorcycle Rally comes in July, with poker runs on the Beartooth Highway, a bike show and a rodeo on the last day. The Beartooth Rendezvous and BMW Motorcycle Rally follows in August, at a youth camp about 10 miles south of town.

Then there is the Sturgis traffic. Sturgis is not in Montana, but the lane from Billings to Sturgis is only about 290 miles at $325 to $475 open, a 1-3 day trip. See the Sturgis rally page for what to expect. The roads between Montana and South Dakota fill up in early August.

Events like these tighten trailers around them. Ask for quotes at least two to three weeks early, and expect higher prices on busy lanes in rally weeks.

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Military Moves to and From Montana

Malmstrom Air Force Base sits next to Great Falls and runs missile operations, which brings a steady rotation of airmen in and out of town. Great Falls is on I-15, off the I-90 corridor, so name the city when you ask for quotes. If you are moving on orders, ask for quotes the day you get a report date. Ask each carrier whether it offers a military or multi-bike discount, and give a pickup window of several days. Orders move fast, and the first week after you get a report date is when trailers are easiest to book. Ask whether the driver can deliver to an on-base address or will meet you off base, because access rules vary by installation.

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Montana Shipping Challenges and Tips

Distance and weather cause most of the delays in Montana. A little planning covers both.

Long Gaps Between Towns

Missoula to Billings is a long day behind the wheel, and the Hi-Line towns sit well off the interstate. A small-town pickup may wait for a driver who is headed that way.

Mountain Passes

Lookout, Homestake and Bozeman passes slow trucks in snow. Plan on extra days in winter.

Roads Trucks Cannot Use

Beartooth Highway and Going-to-the-Sun Road are not freight routes, and the Glacier road bans vehicles over 21 feet. For a pickup near Red Lodge or Glacier, expect to meet the driver in a larger town.

Tip: Pick the Nearest I-90 Town

Offering to meet at Billings, Bozeman or Missoula can cut days off a pickup from a remote address. Ask each carrier what it prefers.

Tip: Plan Around Sturgis Early

Quote at least three weeks ahead for early August, and allow for a pickup window of several days on either end.

Tip: Winterize Before You Ship

A bike left in storage may need fresh fuel and a charged battery. Read our prep checklist before the driver arrives.

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Montana Motorcycle Shipping FAQs

How much does it cost to ship a motorcycle to Montana?

For a standard bike on an open carrier, expect roughly $375 to $525 for 500 miles, $500 to $675 for 1,000 miles and $725 to $1,000 for 2,000 miles. Seattle to Missoula, about 475 miles, falls at the low end. Enclosed adds roughly 40%.

How long does it take to ship a bike from Dallas to Bozeman?

Dallas to Bozeman is about 1,480 miles and typically takes 3 to 6 days on the road after pickup. Add one to three days for scheduling, so plan on about a week and a half from first call to delivery. Open transport costs roughly $600 to $825 on that lane.

Can a carrier pick up in Red Lodge or near Glacier?

Often not at the door. Carriers stay on interstates, Beartooth Highway is a high mountain road, and Going-to-the-Sun Road bans vehicles longer than 21 feet. Expect to meet the driver in a larger town such as Billings or Kalispell, and ask the carrier which it prefers.

Do passes close in winter and delay shipments?

Yes. Beartooth Highway closes from mid-October to Memorial Day weekend (the exact dates depend on weather), and I-90 passes can slow trucks in snow. Allow extra days in winter and ask the carrier how it handles weather holds before you book it. Pass closures are usually short, but they stack up when a storm hangs around.

Is Billings to Sturgis a quick lane?

It is one of the shorter hauls from Montana: about 290 miles, $325 to $475 open, 1 to 3 days. During the rally in early August it is busy, so book two to three weeks ahead, give a pickup window, and ask each carrier about the return trip too.

Open or enclosed for a Montana shipment?

Open is fine for most bikes and costs less. Enclosed is worth the extra for show paint, a classic, or a fall or winter run over the passes, where sleet and road grit are common. Ask for both prices and see what the shelter is worth to you.

Do I need to be there at pickup and delivery?

Someone 18 or older must sign the inspection report at both ends. If you cannot be there, name a friend or relative in advance and give the carrier their number. Remote addresses make a missed handoff costly, so confirm the time the day before.

What if my motorcycle does not run?

Say so when you request quotes. A bike that will not start has to be winched on, and some carriers charge for that. With long distances between Montana towns, a surprise at pickup can cost a full day, so be upfront.

For more questions about motorcycle shipping, visit our Motorcycle Shipping FAQ page. Choosing a company? Read questions to ask your motorcycle shipping company first.

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Motorcycle Shipping Routes From and To Montana

Pick the route that matches your trip to see estimated rates, mileage and transit time for that lane.

Ship a Motorcycle From Montana

Ship a Motorcycle To Montana

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Motorcycle Shipping in Nearby States

Related Guides

How to Ship a MotorcycleThe full process from quote to delivery.
How to Prepare a Motorcycle for TransportA checklist for the day before pickup.
Money-Saving Tips for Motorcycle ShippingWays to lower the price of a quote.

Helpful Links for Your Montana Shipment

FMCSA SAFER System - Carrier Safety CheckVerify any carrier's safety record, licensing, and insurance status before you book.
Montana DOT Traveler InformationRoad conditions, cameras, rest areas and chain laws from the Montana Department of Transportation.
Montana MVD - Vehicle RegistrationWhich vehicles Montana requires to be registered, with rules for residents, non-residents and military, and fees.

Call now, 24 hours a day, at 1-800-590-6492 or complete the quote form on this page to find the best Montana motorcycle shipping rates and when a truck will be in your area.