Montana motorcycle laws: lane filtering, helmets and more

This page explains Montana motorcycle laws in plain English so you know what to look up. It isn't legal advice, and it may not cover every condition or exception. Laws change. Before you rely on a rule here, read the law itself and talk to a lawyer about a specific situation. For roads, seasons and events, start with the Montana state guide.

Read Title 61 of the Montana Code for the exact wording, including the speed cap and any conditions we haven't listed.

In practice, Montana has few places with traffic jams, so filtering mostly matters in Missoula, Billings, Bozeman and at summer construction stops. Many drivers don't know it's legal, so go slowly, watch for doors and lane changes, and settle back into a lane when traffic moves. At a pilot-car stop, follow the flagger's directions.

Montana requires riders and passengers under 18 to wear a helmet. Riders 18 and older aren't required to by that law.

Wear one regardless. Montana riding means deer and elk stepping out of the trees, fresh chip seal throwing gravel, hail in summer storms, bugs at speed and cold air on the high passes. A good helmet helps with every one of them.

You need a motorcycle endorsement on your Montana license to ride on public roads. It comes from the Montana Motor Vehicle Division. The usual path includes a knowledge test and a skills test, and the state's motorcycle rider safety training is a common way in. Check the MVD for current steps, since requirements change.

Training pays off here. Montana roads ask a lot: wildlife at dusk, gravel and chip seal, crosswinds on the plains, long distances from help and mountain weather that turns fast. New to riding? See our page on the motorcycle app for beginners.

Carry your license with the motorcycle endorsement, your registration and proof of insurance. Montana requires liability insurance on registered vehicles. Check with the MVD and your insurer for the current minimums.

Much of Montana is open range, which means cattle can legally be on or near the road outside towns. Treat every cattle guard and every black shape on the road at night as a cow until proven otherwise.

In a group, every bike follows the same traffic laws. Ride staggered on open roads and single file in the canyons, and regroup at stops. A group ride in Rippin' keeps everyone on one live map, handy when the gaps between riders stretch out across the prairie.

Crossing Lolo Pass into Idaho, the Beartooth into Wyoming or US 212 toward Sturgis? Leave the filtering habit at the border.

Check state and local rules on phone use while driving; some Montana cities have their own. On a bike, the simple rule is: don't touch the phone while you're moving. Tap Record Ride once before you roll, pocket or mount the phone, and tap Stop at the end.

Rippin' never rewards speed on public roads. Segment boards are about who owns a road and who rides it, not a race. On the roads in the best motorcycle roads in Montana, wildlife and gravel reward a margin.

Set a home privacy safe zone so the part of your rides near home stays hidden from other riders.