Shipping bike Colombia-Panama by air or sea?
 

Hello regional forum members: I will be traveling from Machu Picchu to New Orleans on my BMW 1200 GS Adventure in December. I´ve been reading some comments on this site and I´ve been talking to some people about the best way to ship the bike from Colombia to Panama. There are mixed answers. Most suggest to to ship it by air, since it is the safest way to go.

Personally I would like to ship it by sea and enjoy the journey at the same time, however, I want a ship/ferry that can offer certain safety conditions for me and for the bike. In some posts I´ve read that even getting the bikes into some yachts is quite an adventure, salt water splashing on the bike is another issue, and paperwork is another.

Can anybody provide me with suggestions, recommendations on this matter.
Also if anybody has a contact name of a ship/ferry that can handle this safely (if there is one at all)

Thank you all very much,

Entreprerider

Personally, I would definitely choose the sea route. I've done it twice, both ways. From what I've heard the choice trip on the "Stahratte" is getting expensive, about $700, but even so, worth the plata - big old German 100 year-old boat, comfortable berths, great food, 20-odd other travellers, a couple of nights in the San Blas. Somewhat cheaper, very much smaller, but as professional as things can be, "The Melody", Mark/Marcus and his wife Paola. Failing that take your chances in Club Nautico, Cartagena. Your lump of a bike will make things more difficult for you however ;) , and you will have to be prepared for the prospect of some damage. Good luck, and if I can be of help, let me know, here or PM.

Do a search here - tons of information. Suerte.

Stahlratte
 

Dear Stretcher Monkey, your advice was very helpful and encouraging. So I've focused my energies on crossing by sea. I did a search on the www.stahlratte.org: Logbuch and it looks like they will be doing a tour from Oct thru Jan all over the Caribbean and I was thinking about being there in Dec. So, then I did a search on The Melody and I couldn't find it, a big italian ship came up, but I came across a site of Horn-Linie Hamburg Reederei Frachtschiffreisen Frachterreise Karibik Cameroon Freighter Cruises ship cargo cruises travel - Hornbay, Horncap, Horncliff, Alicante Carrier, Algeciras Carrier and it looks like they transport cargo from Colombia to Panama and they accept passengers. It's not quite as picturesque as the Sthalratte but and option. I sent and e-mail just now and I'll let you know what they say. Do you have any other idea?

Thank you so very much for taking the time to help.

Glad to be of help!
 

Mark's e-mail address is:

freshaircharters[at]yahoo.com

I think the cost was $250 for bike and $250 per person. The last I heard, he had a shrimp boat moored in the San Blas to allow some quality R&R. I am sure someone here can chip in with the latest.

A large German agent called Manfred is useful and he will most likely have information on other boats:

manfred.al[@]gmx.net

He knows all about Horniline aswell. From what I know, you can travel with them, but as you say, it's unlikey to be a great experience and I think, costly. Do let us know.

You can't miss Cartagena anyway but it's unlikely that you will want to spend more than a few days there, so my advice would be to stay in the Getsemani area, which is a few minutes walk from the Old City and very close to Club Nautico. You can drop in a for a beer, browse the notice boards, enquire at the bar and generally hang-out. Once you've made some contacts, you may have time to shoot along the coast to Santa Marta and it's environs, which in my opinion is unmissable too. If you are unlucky, then it's a 2/3-day ride back down to Bogota where you can ship by air without too many problems. I've got some contacts for that if you need them.

Oh - saltwater is preventable with care and if you bring plastic and WD40, jet wash the bike on landing, but it's still a risk. Paperwork - you can bus it into the Zona Franca area of Colon and have this taken care of quite easily.

Suerte

Horn Linie
 

Dear Stretcher Monkey, you are very resourceful. I got a reply today from the Horn Linie's agent in Colombia and they don't offer that sevice for motorcycles or passengers in that direction, even though online it sounded like they do. Ohh well. I am writing The Melody and Manfred right now. Let's see what they got for those dates. Thank you so very much and I will keep you posted.

ctuzar mi moto de panama a ecuador o colombia
 

Hola, espero hables español. Soy de Queretaro Mexico y el 15 de Agosto de este año salimos 2 amigos a Ushuaia. el viaje durara 100 dias y estamos viendo como cruzar las motos de Panama. Puedes darme algun numero telefonico de la alternativa mas economica, me agrada la del barco aleman.. gracias

melody sails sep 3
 

from panama
just got price its also 700 bucks:helpsmilie:

shipping to south america
 

I sent my bike from Medellin Colombia to Miami by air about a month ago. Cost $1270. Paper work took a entire day but they were very nice. My bike is a BMW 2007 GS adventure with the bags and top.

After 8 month of riding from Chile all the way up to Oregon and across to Miami, I'm now back in Cali, Colombia with my bike and Colombian girlfriend Diana and we're expecting a baby in December.

Today 1st of August 2008 we start a super nice hostel in the nice part of Cali.

If you head this way its cheap, quiet and safe and we'll help you in any way we can.

We have airport pick-up and since I have flown my bike in and out of Cali, i can help with all the legal matters of arriving or leaving Cali.

Casa Blanca Hostel, Avenida 6 bis, Calle 26n, #57, Santa Monica Redencial, Cali, Colombia. Tel. (+57) (092) 668 99 86 or
mail me at mikkel@schhh.biz.

Check my video diary from my journey at YouTube - kaiserkyhl's Channel

Update From Colombia to Panama/Costa Rica
 

Dear Forum Members thank you very much for the feedback provided. This is what I have so far regarding the shipment of the bike. Stretcher Monkey gave me a great contact manfred.al[@]gmx.net this guy is extremely knowledgeable regarding any sort of shipments from Colombia, please read the message that we exchanged

MESSAGE
Nice to hear from You.

In fact, lots of Bikers take the trip with smaller sail-boats: spray the bike over with W-40, put yellow grease on vital parts (bare brake and shift-wires maily) and warp it in plastic foil, use lots of duct tape!

From Colombia to Panamá, You go with the wind, that means, not much spray, and saltwater only harms on bare metal after extened periods of time. After arrival in Panamá, have it rinsed with a garden hose, and You will be fine, unless You have flooded the air-intake.... There is nothing to be afraid of... From over 100 Bikes shipped and received, only 2 did'nt start right away (one was a women driver, the other was a dutch guy....)

May be, You got the "Maritrans -Guy at Cali" (Agents of Horn-Line) in his "noon brake"...(I would kill for that too !!!)

But in fact Horn-Line offers this service every sunday, at least to our clients! Horn-Line as i said has a vessel every sunday from CRT via TURBO to PUERTO LIMON / COSTA RICA, as said every Sunday, reliable as the British Railroad. Estimated transit time: 4 days, underdeck or sheltered stowage, some vessels are even RoRo. Very nice cabins, but a single person has to pay for double room. Passage with Horn-Line is not precisely cheap! But on the other hand, this is an adventure not accessible to everyone, just to a few selected!

In fact, our contacts at HORN-LINE are in Blind-Copy right now and will be in contact with You after a couple of hours after receiving this msg, to give You a quote for the passage. We will assit You with the necessary paperwork at customs and at the port facilities. You even may stay at our TRANS-OCEAN GUEST HOUSE at Manga on the waterfront if You need accomodation.

An alternantive may be shipping with SEABOARD, but You will have to pay at least for a 20' Container, and You can't travel with the carrier! You still may go with a Sailboat instead of flying, but Horn-Line is more fun and relax. At least for the passage, You will be back in civilization...
Seaborad only pays out, if You ship at least 4 Bikes at a time, and You will need to pay a special SEABOARD approved agent to ship with them: they will charge 4-times our rate....

If You have any more questions, pls revert.

rgds,
manfred



-------- Original-Nachricht --------
> Datum: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:26:21 -0600>
> An: manfred.al@gmx.net
> Betreff: Shipping Bike from Colombia to Panama

> Dear Manfred:
> I got your e-mail address from a motorcycle forum online called Horizons
> Unlimited. I will be traveling from South America to Central American and
> I
> wanted to cross from Colombia to Panama tentatively on the third or fourth
> week of December. I would like to do it by sea, since I think that the
> experience is more fulfilling than by air. (Girag or Copa Cargo) I would
> like a sea transport that offers some guarantees to loading/unloading the
> bike + some protection against salt water. I did a search for the Horn
> Linie
> but I got turned down by their agent in Cali, saying that they don’t
> offer
> that service to bikes+ passengers. Then I checked out the Stahlratte but
> they’ll be in the Caribeean by that date. Then The Melody looks nice, but
> might be small and we don’t know if the bike will get splashed too much +
> loading and unloading look difficult for a heavy loaded bike. Do you have
> an
> option of sea transport that could work for us?
>
> Thank you so very much.
>
-----------------------------------------------------------
>

--
CA Manfred H.H. ALWARDT, Ing.
AB&B Shipping Ltda. / HANSA PROvisiones GmbH
/ TRANS - OCEAN ONG

Pie de la Popa, Par. Res. LA ERMITA
Calle 29E #20-141, Apto 101
CARTAGENA de Indias / Bolívar
COLOMBIA

Mobil1: ++57-311-400-6394 (Main)
Mobil2: ++57-301-222-1255 (Back-up only!)
Home: ++57-5-666-3230
Fax: ++57-5-656-0553

E-mail: Manfred.Al@gmx.net (Main)
E-mail: hansapro@hotmail.com (Back-up only!)

Horn Line follow up
 

After Manfred's reply I decided to go for the Horn Line and they sail from Cartagena to Port Limon in Costa Rica (for me it works out well) and this is the contact person in Horn Line: Sabine Guettel SGuettel@Hornlinie.com

My only challenge right know is to see if they'll let me on board in December since it is their high season, but please read below and get in touch if you need to. Sabine is great and she replies daily. Extremely professional, just like Manfred.

Another challenge is that they are fixing a ship and it look like room on board is subject to this.

Please read the 3 email below with the info exchanged:

Good day Entreprerider,

in order to say the truth-it's very difficult to find a sailing for your favourite time...please understand that we accept on Christmas time only roundtrips from Europe-Europe (duration 35 Days) passengers using this trip as Holiday and not way of transport to get from A to B...

At this moment there is the chance also to sail with Segovia Carrier vessel but departure dates can still change-because now vessel is in Dry Dock and it depends when the vessel will be in our trade back again...planning is:

Cartagena Moin Name of vessel
------------------------------------------------------
02.11.2008 07.11.2008 Horncap
09.11.2008 14.11.2008 Segovia Carrier
14.12.2008 19.12.2008 Segovia Carrier
-------------------------------------------------------
Passenger fare/per person 360 EUR + 80 EUR port tax

A crate would be perfect for a good handling and your bike would be better protected against larceny...nevertheless I'm kindly ask for the correct measure of the bike.

Kind regards from HAmburg
Sabine

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 23. Juli 2008 20:30
An: Sabine Güttel
Betreff: Re: Freighter Trip * Horn-Linie

Hallo Sabine viele gruesse aus El Salvador.

Thank you for your prompt response.

I am planning on being in Colombia ready to cross to Costa Rica on the
fourth or fifth week of December 2008. Do you have a ship going every Sunday
of the year? If not what will be my options in the month of December?

I will be traveling with my wife. What would be the price for a cabin for 2?

I will measure the bike and I will let you know.

If I don't have a crate for the bike, I assume there will be a place where I
can secure the bike safely with straps, right?

Thank you so very much. Yo have been very helpful and Manfred has been
amazing guiding in putting together this awesome adventure.

Vielen Dank.

Entreprerider


On 7/23/08 3:11 AM, "Sabine Güttel" <SGuettel@Hornlinie.com> wrote:

> Dear Entreprerider,
>
> many thanks for your very kind mail & your interest in our freighter trips. My
> name is Sabine and I'm responsible for the Passenger Department. Like Mr
> Alwardt wrote already our vessels calling normally each Sunday Cartagena and
> sail after this to Costa Rica (Puerto/Limon=Moin) in Costa Rica in 5 days. You
> have the chance to sail as passenger with us and to transport also your
> motorbike-please find here our offer:
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Cartagena Moin Vessel
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Very first chance:
> 03.08.2008 01.08.2008 Hornbay
> 10.08.2008 15.08.2008 Horncliff
> 24.08.2008 29.08.2008 Horncap
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Fare/Single cabin: 400 EUR + 80 EUR port tax
> (including meals)
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Freight/Bike 350 USD (up to 2,5m x 1,0 x 1,4 m)
> if your bike have other size please ask for a new freight
> plus costs for costume clearance, documentation
> Direct delivery * we advice a crate for the safe transport of the bike
>
> I like to point out, that there is no doctor on board and that we are ask for
> a health insurance of each passenger and for passengers over 65 years we need
> a Medical Certificate. There is also an age limit of 79 years.
>
> If you are interested in a booking, please be so kind to send us the Booking
> Application. Enjoy the material-If you have questions it will be a pleasure
> for me to answer.
>
> Very kind regards from Hamburg
>
> Sabine
> Manager Passenger Department
> H O R N - L I N I E
> Horn-Linie Hamburg Reederei Frachtschiffreisen Frachterreise Karibik Cameroon Freighter Cruises ship cargo cruises travel - Hornbay, Horncap, Horncliff, Alicante Carrier, Algeciras Carrier

llama el aleman Manfred en Panama. Conoce los voleros que viajan en el caribe.

Lo encontre en Cartegena, hizo los documentos de aduana por la moto.

Manfred habla espaNol tambien,

Tiene 3 numeros:
57 311 400 6394
57 666 3230
57 301 222 1255

o tal vez, escribe el capitain leonardo del Zoa Zoa:
zaoezao@yahoo.com


Suerte,

Jeff

Thank you for an inadvertent lead Entreprerider, I have had great difficulty finding a major line that makes a port call in Costa Rica. I had even given up but now I believe the Horn Line runs from Antwerp to Puerto Limon and their prices look fair. I have sent them an email and I await their reply.

Thanks you for the lead and best wishes on your trip

MeCasa

just flew with girag
 

3 weeks ago i appeared at panama city cargo airport,left my bike(1150 bmw)there,disconnected the battery ,bargained for half an hour,(from1550 to 750 us dollars down),made 1 hour paperwork+flew with copa to bogota(better book for pax in advance).in columbia i had to wait for one day,and than it took 2 hours paperwork to leave the airport on bike.fast+easy,but not just very cheap.good luck.joerg

Do it by boat!
 

Hi
I just arrived Cartajena 3 days ago after GREAT sailing from puerto lindo, Panama.
It was a 47 feet boat, called ZAO.
To avoid the rust i bought gear oil and a brush and just "painted" the bike with it- no rust at all! the problem with wd40 that it gone after 2 days or so.
The uploading and downloading of the bikes was easy the excpected , you can see the pics and movie in my web site- it is in hebrew but the movie is on the right side..
The paper work took me about 2 days (not intense, just go here and there, i did it on the bike..) and a guy is helping you all the way- include in the 700$ price.
I really enjoyed the trip and beside- it is much better to start Colombia from Cartajena and go south rather the Bogota.
Omer.

Thank you HUBB Members for this thread!!!
 

I have been looking for this exact information! I hope to be in Panama by the end of January and hope to sail myself and my HD HOG to Columbia from there, en route to Machu Pichu.
Thanks again!

Just had some more biker guest arrive here in Cali from Panama by Copa Airlines. Its real easy. Just go to the airport cargo terminal in Panama City. There's an Copa office, no shipping agent needed. They strap it down to a airline pallet. No need to empty fuel or oil. They fly to Bogota, Medellin, Baranquilla and Cali. If you arrive in Cali we can help you with the paperworks, which needs to be cleared in town before getting to bikes out in the airport.
Price now is about 600 us dollars per bike.

Hey Mike!
 

I am riding a Harley Davidson Street Glide, almost 900 pounds... Does the shipper charge by weight? Will it be a problem for them to tie my bike down with it's fairing?

I look forward to seeing you in Cali!

Hi buddy

I don´t think that's much more than a loaded BMW 1200GS, but airlines have a system where the a curtain volume equals a curtain weight, so depending on what they get most for (volume or weight) is how they calculate the price.

But I think you should be able to fit with more less same price!

See ya!

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but.................
 

.....These countries are connected by land, so why ship instead of ride.

"land" is overstating it a bit.

More like swamp and dense jungle, no road, narco-traffickers, guerilla and paramilitaries. It's called the "Darien Gap".

Cheers!!!
 

So thats the Darien Gap!!! Heard of it but never knew where it was. Cheers!!!

Article:
 

I flew the bike from Panama City to Bogota at the end of October with Copa Carga for $630 USD. I personally flew on Aires for right around $200 USD. I specifically asked and they do not charge by weight. There is a flat rate for all motorcycles. At that time, they had one flight each week that could carry dangerous cargo, and it left on a Friday. I dropped the bike off on a Tuesday, flew to Bogota on Wednesday, spent the week there and picked the bike up on Monday. Bike was just as dirty as when I left it!

FYI: Girag, who´s office is 300meters from Copa Carga´s, could ship the bike the next day. Their flat rate was $905 USD. I met two guys in Bogota who arrived a couple days after me, and they shipped their Vstrom 1000 and KLR 650, for that same price (each).

shipping to Panama
 

Hi , I shipped my bike across 3 days ago , it was like you said 900.00 usd , I went to the Girag office in the morning , Did the paper work and the bike was shipped the same day KlR 650 . I then hitched a ride over to the airport terminal and caught a plane at 11:30 am for 320 usd . Was in Bogata at 1:30 pm the same day, stayed a night in the hostel and taxi back to the terminal in Bogata the next day and had my bike out of customs by 11:00 am . It all went quite smoothly , as i was waiting for the plane in Pamama I was sitting next to one of the owners of Girag whom works in the office in Bogata , it is a Family business and she said they rent the planes which is why the prices fluctuate so much , yes it is a lot but.... i did:nt also have to wait somewhere and spend extra time and money on hotels... now i am in Bucamarunga and heading for Medellin .... cheers

I crossed a few months ago with Guido, vessel Seeadler. The trip was an unforgettable one and the San Blas Islands were one of the highlights of my trip. You can find the story, photos, and contact info for bike bearing boats here:

LOS ANGELES to BUENOS AIRES : expedition journals*: San Blas Islands

An important note though... I met a guy who crossed with Stahlratte with his bike uncovered and the electrical system got pretty messed up. On my trip there were 3 bikes, and Guido (the captain) took care of covering the bikes nicely without being asked. He too rides and knows about bikes. We did not use any WD40 or anything on the bikes, and sailed in very rough weather. All bikes arrived fine. Just be sure your bike is covered thoroughly, and you'll be fine.

Have a great trip!

Metacomet, 75´, 235HP, now taking motors across
 

Hi there,
Just to introduce ourselves, Im Dagny and my Frenchie husband Herve, and we currently run a boat fit perfectly for the job of running motorcycles to and from Panama and Colombia, passengers as well of course. Our boat is called Metacomet and its 65 feet on the deck, we can fit easily 6 + bikes at a time, well covered to protect from salt water. We are well organized in both Panama and Colombia for transport to and from the boat. The cost without hostel intervention is $700 total (bike & rider). For more information email to metacometpassages@yahoo.com or see www.sailing-sanblas.com around the begging of May with the website will be active.
Cheers!
Dagny
colombia; 310 642 0597
panama, 507 6777 1876

sail with bike from panama to cartagena
 

Hi,
let me try to post here the same message I post for another friend......is the same argument:
Hi,
I am trying to post (quite difficult...!) the report of my last trip with my big bike from Panama to Cartagena (the same trip opposite direction!) with leonardo on his vessel ZAO. I took his boat because was the only available and with reluctance because two bad reports. But I cannot understand why, because actually I had an excellent trip. Zao is a very strong safe and roomy sail vessel. ok it is not painted, but it is not the paint who tooke make safe and comfortably over 250 nautical miles. Leonardo is a special person, sure a strong carachter but full of knowledge, excellent sea men, with an extraordinary culture (he was an high energy phisicist) and, very important and not usual, no drogue, no alchool. I am sure to strongly recomand you for your trip and your bike.
fritz

Panama, Bogota, shipping
 

Panama city, Bogota Columbia, Shipping
Dec 28, 2009

Toques on Moto

Listed in the lonely planet are several hostals which offer economical accomidation as well as help finding and booking a boat to and from Panama to Cartagena, Columbia. The last boat sailed on dec 26th and no others would sail until Jan 8,2010 as Christmas is very serious here. The price was listed as 365 USD per person and the same for the bike.

I decided to drive out to the Cargo Airport just 5km past the passenger airpport to inquire about the cost to ship to Bogota via cargo plane. There were apparently two shippers named Copa Airlines, and Griag Airlines. Copa listed their flights for 638USD for the bike only. The crux came when I learned that Copa informed me that they wouldn`t be flying cargo until march 2010. This left me with one option which was Griag cargo for the minimal cost of 901USD for the bike which was loaded right then and there on the spot. The fee had to be paid in cash which I withdrew from an ATM located at the Copa airlines departure gate (there are two Copa buildings here within 2km of each other that dispense USD.) All I did to prepare the bike was take off the windshield....no battery disconnect or fuel issues to resolve.

I hitchhiked to the passenger Airport and was happy to find a plane leaving immediately to Bogota. I boarded the plane with Avanzier Air lines (forget spelling) who were the only ones that would sell me a oneway ticket to Columbia. The cost for that was 380 USD plus free liquor during the hour and a half flight. I was suprized when mid flight the steward came back with airplane food....an extinct thought for our starving North American aircarriers.

Arriving in Bogota I was asked at immigration what hotel I was staying at that night. I had packed the lonely Plant in the bike and 2 hours before that didn`t even know I was going to Columbia, so, I simply told him that I was staying at ``hotel Bogota`` I got busted immediately and lectured that this was very important. I kept saying Hotel Bogota and finally the ticked off immigrations agent let me pass and stamped my passport. I checked into a great hostal in the «Historical centre of Bogota that I searched online. Initally a cab driver dropped me of at a hotel for a 200USD per night, I couldn`t afford that so I asked to use their internet to seach for a hostal. The dumb cab driver didn`t understand my terrible spanish...so maybe I was the dumb one..... I needed an affordable accomidation. I wandered out into the streets just a few hundred meters from the airport and tried to flag down a cab. It was too dark to see me so I came up with the bright idea of using my flash light to S.O.S. a cab to the side of the busy dark road. The idea worked and with the hostal address in hand I gave it over to the cabbie.

I picked the bike up at the airport the next moring but only after a bit of a wild goose chase that included leaving the Griag Cargo area and having to walk across the parking lot, cross two busy streets 3 lanes wide each, while circumnavigating a chain link fence along a dirt foot path some 500 meters to a place with a green sign to fill out import papers. (sorry I forget the name) Everyone kept telling me that the place had a green sign so I opted to ask a new person for directions every 50 meters because I knew that I was in the vicinity.

40 minutes later and the paper work was filled out and I walked back to Griag cargo to retrieve my bike just as I left it in Panama.

I spent new years in Bogota, met all kids of great people, stored my bike at a garage that I knew was charging me more than the locals paid etc. New years day I rode to Manazales along ruta 50, a great road to Hostal Mona Lisa. Before I left the garage, however, the man looking after my bike handed me a new Years gift of Columbia finest rum. The guy used the extra money he was charging to buy me a gift even though he lived in a corrugated sheet metal house in a parking lot with two dogs and could have used the extra money. I gave him my extra leatherman because I was so floored by his generosity...

Greg George
Toques on Moto