Question about transport from South America

**jklotz** · #1 8 Jul 2005

Hi all! Quick question: When shipping a bike from South America, has anybody been required to remove all items from the bike so it can clear customs? This extreemly difficult company, Panalpina, took it upon themselves to empty my cases, pack them seperatly and now wants an additional $500+ to ship my stuff. I already paid them right at $3000 just to ship the bike! They are holding all my stuff for ransom!!! Is this correct?

**jklotz** · #2 8 Jul 2005

guess I should have added that I am shipping from Buenes Aires to Atlanta, Georgia.

**javkap** · #3 8 Jul 2005

Hi James
Is the first time than I ear that, also $3000.- is to much expensive.
Panalpina? no one told me about.
Regards
Javier…
www.dakarmotos.com

**Werner** · #4 9 Jul 2005

Hi James,
Your story rings a familiar bell. You're being ripped off. They got you by the balls. But what can you do? Depending on what make your bike is. You can call their bluff, and say, "I don't want the bike. You keep it, and don't bother me with the customs hassles." I trust you didn't use a Carnet. Throwing down the gauntlet, perhaps you can negotiate. Go for US$1,000 as a starting point. Perhaps you can settle for US$1,500.

**Werner** · #5 9 Jul 2005

Sorry, James,
I just reread your post. You already have the bike in your possession, right. But they are holding the contents of your luggage. I would confront them with the threat of bad publicity, and also threaten them to go to the authorities (Argentinian ambassador in Washington). If this doesn't help, I'd say, "keep the stuff." You'll have no guarantee that these crooks are going to send you everything you had in your luggage.

**jklotz** · #6 9 Jul 2005

Thanks Werner. I already have the bike. I really have 2 questions: A) how much should it cost to ship a 1200 GS from Buenos Aires to Atlanta (more or less), or better yet, how much have you guys paid in the not so distant past for similar and B) is there any truth to the statement made by Panalpina that the bike would not be allowed into the USA if my personal possesions (tools, clothes, helmet, etc.) were left in the panniers that are bolted onto the bike. The whole thing, quite frankly, sounds fishy to me, but some of you guys have been there long before I....

**richardb** · #7 10 Jul 2005

This is definitely a rip off. The shipper doesn'r really have responsibility to clear customs at the point of destination - so they have clearly done it as a scam. Check out what US customs have to say about it.

You can try threatening them I suppose, but if you are in the US and your luggage is still in Argentina - you may have to just take a view on what the luggage is worth to you.

Best of luck.

------------------
Richb
http://www.postmaster.co.uk/~richardbeaumont/60684/

**bwaters32** · #8 3 May 2006

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I don't think so, I'm in Lima a the moment and am being ripped off trying to ship my bike back to Europe, its double the pice that I paid to ship it from Ireland. Is it possible to get into Ecuador wih the bike and is i cheaper to ship th bike fom there. In lima quotes ranging from 1300 dollars to 1800 for sea freight, same for air freight. Anyone have any info on this.

**Grant Johnson** · #9 4 May 2006

Doesn't anyone look at the left menu?

Getting there

You and your bike

Shipping

Air and Sea

A whole database of previous shipments, and people's experiences - and prices.

**garjgoyle** · #10 5 May 2006

i've been looking at the left menu and found the last post more informative than others because it gave me current prices and methods of shipping from miami which is where i will be shipping my bike from in nov. thanks for the info.