From Brisbane, Australia to Vancouver, Canada - July, 2006

The above price includes port and customs charges. We shipped a Honda VFR800 and a Honda CBR1100XX Brisbane to Vancouver via seafreight this price is 1 way and does not include transit insurance which adds $375.00 AUD per bike return for $10000.00 AUD cover on each bike. There is a list as long as your arm of dreamt up charges, most of which I don't understand, eg AQIS barrier fee, port service charge, etc etc. Total consignment was 570kg.

As for delivery time, we were told 6 weeks and actual was nearer to 7 weeks. Well within the 8 weeks we had allowed. Bikes were crated by us in genuine Honda steel frame cates this avoided any use of timber and associated fumigation charges. We crated them at the freight forwarders depot at Northgate. As for the rating, this is the first shipment I have made, so I don't have much to compare it with. A staff change within the freight company did not help, but overall service was not too bad. You will never get a quote that you can compare with another as they all use different terms and they will add on any charges that they forget to quote you on.

The following items are included in the above price but were added to the original quoted price, cartage from freight forwarder in Brisbane to the dock around $93.50 AUD for both bikes, storage in Vancouver due to reasons only known to the freight company there at around $135.00 CAD for 10 days for both bikes.

Very difficult to tell you the exact difference between quoted and actual prices as some items were quoted in CAN$ and some in AUD$ and some were on a do and charge basis. All up it was about half the price of hiring a bike and about half the estimated cost of air freight. Yes I would sea freight bikes again. I do have an Excel document that has quoted and actual costs that I can email to anyone that is interested. Hope this helps! Glen