From Panama City, Panama to Bogota, Colombia - May, 2004

I went out to the Cargo airport in Panama the day before I dropped off the bike for shipment. All went fairly smoothly. I did the paperwork the first day, and dropped the motorcycle off the second day. Shipping charges were $350. Breakdown, $250 for freight charges, $75 dangerous goods charges, $25 airbill charges. Pretty much everyone gets charged $350 to Bogota. They typed up all my paperwork, and took my money (they only take US cash, but Panama ATMs dispense US currency).

The next day dropping of the motorcycle was a bit hetic, as no one seemed to know where I was supposed to go to get the vehicle stamped out of my passport from customs. Long story short. Drop the motorcycle off at Girag, and then catch a ride back or hike back to the main entrance to the Cargo terminal area (don't ride the motorcycle there or they won't stamp the passport). Get your passport stamped out at the first entrance house to the cargo terminal. I spent about 2 hours running around being referred from one place to the other before this final tidbit was worked out.

They wanted a nearly empty, or empty gas tank, and a disconnected battery. I was well past switching to reserve, and "Ooops" I forgot to disconnect the battery. I removed the mirrors and put them in a Givi bag on the top rack.

I had arranged with Girag for them to keep the motorcycle in Panama for two weeks, so that I could fly back to NYC and get some work done, before meeting up with it in Bogota.

Upon arriving in Bogota on Monday, I found that most of the city was shut down, including Girag, and Customs, due to the "festival". The security guards did let me look at the motorcycle though. I returned the next day at 7:30am to Girag. Girag photocopied my paperworks (airbill, passport, and title). I walked over to the Customs office (DIAN), but they didn't open till 8am. Turns out that a second necessary office of DIAN didn't open till 8:30am. All told, I only had to have one additional photo copy made, and then the customs inspector came over and looked at the motorcycle. Returned, and had the jefe sign the last piece of paperwork, and I was done.

Reattached the mirrors, turned the key, and it started.

Overall a good shipping experience, though it was frustrating that Girag couldn't send me to the proper place the first time to get the customs stamp in Panama City.

Hopefully this is not to much information.