Washington Motorcycle Shipping

Ship a Motorcycle to Washington: West Side or East Side

Say which side of the mountains you live on when you ask for quotes. It changes the driver's route, and sometimes the price.

West side deliveries are the easy ones. Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and Olympia all sit right on I-5, and a trailer can usually reach a residential street in the suburbs without trouble. Inside Seattle itself, steep hills and tight streets can be a problem for a long trailer. The driver may ask you to meet at a wide commercial lot, which is normal. The Seattle page has more on that city.

East side deliveries add a mountain. Coming from Seattle, I-90 crosses Snoqualmie Pass, at about 3,000 feet. In winter trucks can be required to chain up there, and the pass has closed in extreme weather. Spokane is at the far end of I-90's 297 miles across the state. That sounds like a one-day hop, and in July it is. In January a storm can turn it into three.

Islands are a separate question. Washington State Ferries serves Bainbridge, Whidbey and the San Juans, and busy sailings back up onto the highway shoulder. A carrier hauling a full trailer may prefer to stop on the mainland and have you pick up near the dock. Ask before you book.

Coming from out of state? The lanes carriers run most are California to Washington, Arizona to Washington and Utah to Washington.

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Washington Motorcycle Shipping Rates and Transit Times

Last updated: October 2026

For a standard bike on an open carrier, a trip of about 250 miles runs $325 to $450, 1,000 miles runs $500 to $675, and 2,000 miles runs $725 to $1,000. Distance is the biggest factor, but not a straight one. A 2,000-mile haul costs a few hundred dollars more than a 750-mile one.

Enclosed trailers add roughly 30% to 50%. A crate adds about $150 to $400, a trike or sidecar adds $150 to $300, and a heavy touring bike like a Gold Wing often adds $50 to $100. The table shows Washington lanes. Times are days on the road after pickup, so add one to three days for scheduling.

*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 Washington lanes, and the offers come back to you.

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Shipping a Motorcycle From Washington to the Rest of the Country

Washington is far from most buyers and most winter homes, so outbound bikes tend to travel long. The usual ones go south down I-5 to California and then on to Arizona for the winter, or east on I-90 to Montana and the Midwest.

A Seattle to Portland run is about 175 miles and costs $300 to $425 on an open trailer, which is as cheap and quick as this state gets. A carrier going south with room on the deck will often take it. Tacoma to Boise is about 515 miles and $375 to $525, and Spokane to Minneapolis is about 1,330 miles and $575 to $775.

Bikes also leave Washington for Alaska. That lane works differently from a regular truck route, because part of the trip is by sea or through Canada. The Alaska page on this site explains it in detail.

Heading to Sturgis in August? Some Washington riders ship the bike and fly rather than spend days crossing Montana. Book early, because Sturgis pushes prices up.

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Washington Motorcycle Transport on I-5, I-90 and US 2

I-90 is the only Interstate that crosses the state from west to east, about 297 miles from Seattle to the Idaho line near Spokane, running through Issaquah, Ellensburg, Moses Lake and Ritzville. Two floating bridges carry it over Lake Washington between Seattle and Mercer Island. Most east-west trucks use it.

US 2 is the other way over. It runs 326 miles from Everett to the Idaho line near Newport, and crosses the Cascades at Stevens Pass, 4,061 feet. It is higher than Snoqualmie and slower. A carrier will usually pick I-90 unless your pickup is in Leavenworth, Wenatchee or somewhere else near US 2.

State Route 20, the North Cascades Highway, is a rider's road. It closes for the winter, typically from late November until the snow is cleared in late April or early May, and no carrier is going to try it.

South of Seattle, I-5 runs to Olympia and on to the Columbia River at Vancouver, across from Portland. Carriers heading to Oregon and California use it, which is why Seattle and Tacoma pickups fill quickly.

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Motorcycle Shipping to Washington by Season

Rain is the west side's constant, and it hardly bothers a carrier. Snow is what costs you days. The Cascade passes can close in heavy snow, trucks may be held back for chains, and a bike due on the east side waits with them.

Summer is the busy stretch. Riding season brings more bikes onto the road, and the Oyster Run and summer rallies fill trailers further. Prices run higher in event weeks on busy lanes.

Fall brings a different pattern, with Washington bikes heading south for the winter. If you can ship between October and February, quotes outside the snowbird lanes are often cheaper. Washington is not a snowbird destination, so that discount applies to most routes coming in. Passes are the catch. A cheap winter quote to Spokane is only worth it if you can wait for a clear day.

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Rallies, Rides and the Oyster Run

The Oyster Run is the big one. It is held in Anacortes each September, it has run since 1981, and it is often called the largest motorcycle rally in the Pacific Northwest. If you plan to ship a bike in for it, book three or four weeks ahead and expect carriers to price accordingly.

Anacortes is also where the ferries to the San Juan Islands leave, so that weekend can be a bad one for any delivery near town. Ask your carrier where it will meet you.

Washington is also a launch point. Riders heading to Sturgis or the Rockies often send the bike east and join it later. Others ship to the Pacific Northwest for a summer trip around the Olympic Peninsula and back down the coast.

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Military Moves Into the Puget Sound Area

Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Naval Station Everett, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and Fairchild Air Force Base outside Spokane keep a steady flow of service members moving in and out. Orders rarely give much slack. Get quotes as soon as you have a report date, and ask each carrier whether it offers a military discount.

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Washington Shipping Challenges and Tips

Mountains and water cause most of the delays here. A few habits cut them down.

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Motorcycle Shipping Routes From and To Washington

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

Ship a Motorcycle From Washington

Ship a Motorcycle To Washington

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Motorcycle Shipping in Nearby States

• Oregon Motorcycle Shipping
• Idaho Motorcycle Shipping

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 Washington Shipment

• FMCSA SAFER System - Carrier Safety CheckVerify any carrier's safety record, licensing, and insurance status before you book.
• WSDOT Mountain Pass Closure and Opening DatesHistorical opening and closing dates for the Chinook, Cayuse and North Cascades passes.
• Washington DOL - Buy and Register a VehicleSteps for titling and registering a vehicle in Washington.

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