Shipping from middle east to Australia
 

I've just organised the shipment (by sea) of my bike from the UAE to Australia in December. I sent out dozens of enquiries and received about ten quotes. The one I've gone with is Allied Pickfords. The reason was not that they were the cheapest (about A$1500 - compared to the cheapest, $450 - average about $800), but the comprehensiveness of their quote. The quote included all costs, at both ends, as well as crating and door-to-door delivery. The only unknowns were things like pressure cleaning and the like - in other words things I can do myself.

Having heard horror stories of port costs in Sydney, let alone the delays and the drama of getting the bike out of storage and to the motor registry people etc., it probably only ends up being a few hundred bucks dearer and heaps less stressful.

Considering the value of the bike, saving $500 (or not) to go with a company that provides a cheaper quote but leaves you filling in lots of the blanks, looking after docks charges, quarantine etc., is simply false economy.

I know there are other major professional moving companies like this that probably do the same job (Crown was my second choice). I would recommend anyone to work the extra week before setting off to pay for the extra freight.

Of course, the bike hasn't got there yet...