Advice for crating up a bike?

[Lonesome George]

I'm about to crate up and ship (yes I know ALL the advice is to fly not ship) my bike from Panama to South Africa. I've never done this before and just thought I'd ask in case I've missed anything obvious that I should do.

I know I'll have to disconnect the battery and drain the petrol.I need to tie down the bike but not to compress the folks all the way. I won't be putting the bike on either the side stand or the centre stand.

And then pray it turns up in Cape Town 50 days later...

Anything else?

[kawazoki]

Most important thing is to make some brace`s at top of your motorcycle which is going to prevent movement from left to right in the crate and that is more important then strapping it down.
hope this help

[Ekke]

Hi Dom,

I really can't offer much advice, never having shipped by sea, but I am curious to see how it turns out. Please post when you get to Cape Town with your experiences.

Will the bike go by container with other bikes or will you crate it up?

[SeanF]

Make a detailed list of everything that will be in the crate (you'll probably be required to do this anyway). Also take several photos of your bike in the crate, before you seal it up. Thinking worse case, if your bike never shows up, or when it does the crate is damaged either by accident or malicious intent, you'll have something to refer to when filling out forms for the police, insurance co, et al.

Sean

[Lonesome George]

Bike has ben crated up and is now on a ship. Cost $1900 to send it from Panama to Cape Town (Via Rotterdam) Should take 65 days. I'll let you know what happens!