Hi Fle:
Good post, fresh info always appreciated.

1) What size, model was your motorcycle (cc, type)?

2) Assumed it flew from Panama City to Bogota?

I've know of a newbie team going down in the Fall of 2017 - passed on your info. They were "pondering" the ship/boat option out of lovely Colon, but have been swayed to the "less time/hassle/" air cargo option. While less exotic than a boat with fellow travelers/backpackers/ they feel $1,000 plus or minus some $'s for handling/hotel/taxis/restaurant food meets their parameter to be rolling versus a sea cruise :-)

I believe you were wise to go the air cargo route. One of my KLR650 acquaintances did the boat trip and lived to say, "Never again."

Thanks again for the fresh data.

I did Miami to Bogota in January, 2015, by air cargo, for a 1983 Honda GL650. $1,800-$1,900 price was less than what it would have cost to drive the motorbikes from Miami and then ship/fly around/over the Darien, and far less stressful and time consuming. Some details can be found in HU forum for Shipping, and a bit here:
Great Around The World Motorcycle Adventure Rally

__________________
Sun Chaser, or 'Dr.G', Professor of Motorcycle Adventure at SOUND RIDER magazine. Professional Motorcycle Adventurer/Indian Motorcycle Racer/journalist/author/global economist/World's # 1 Motorcycle Adventure Sleeper & Wastrel
Soul Sensual Survivor: www.greataroundtheworldmotorcycleadventurerally.co m

I have to say something about that
We tranported an estimated 1500 bikes and a lot more backpachers across the gap over the last years and I haven't heard of ONE who said "Never again". Some get a little seasick, yes. But they still see the advantages compared to all the other options... Just don't take the small boats

Air lifting a motorcycle across the Darien Gap is for people with more money than time.

The painful shortage of time is felt while in Panama City or Cartagena trying to figure out the next step -- typically due to a lack of advance planning. Yes, research, the time invested before you leave the comfort of your warm home. I wouldn't know the prices of airlifting or have direct experience putting my motorcycle in a sea container, because when I headed south, I had a list of boats that were transporting bikes and riders. In the fall of 2012 I emailed dear Captain Ludwig and another boat that was doing the run at the time. The Stalhratte replied first and gave me a reservation.


One month later I was on a dock in the San Blas with a group of riders that all were going to the same place and taking the same noble vessel.


The experience was epic. One of the highlights of my trip. On my way north I took passage again with the Stalhratte, from Cartagena to Jamaica, Cuba, then Cancun. If the first passage was epic, the second was the stuff of legend. There is little that can compare to a night journey over water.

It's the journey, not the destination.

The Stalhratte fills up, so book a spot in advance. Failing advance planning, contact the Stalhratte as there may not be room for you (a bunk), but there may be space to transport your bike. Visit the website and come to understand the voyage schedule. There are a few months every year when the boat isn't shuttling between Panama and Colombia...when it does the annual trip to Jamaica and Cuba.

I would beat the report from a ride who did "the boat trip" didn't take the well oiled machine that is the Stalhratte or doesn't do well at sea. Chances are the rider took boat with one of the shady operators. Do some reading in this forum and the professionals will stick out. Frankly, there is only one that is consistent and has a solid history.

Shipping via a sea container (or as "loose cargo" with a freight forwarder) is the most cost effective method for getting your bike from Panama to Colombia (or the other way.) It takes a bit more time to make the arrangements, for the whole process to complete and there are lots of fees to be paid along the way. As Grant Johnson once said to the effect, the sea shipping business has been around for thousands of years and they have worked out how to extract as much money from the customer as possible. Currently sea containers remain affordable and the whole industry is basically going broke, but that a different topic.

Ferry service bridging the Darien comes and goes. In recent years two services started and stopped. If you hear of a ferry service starting up, be cautious of putting down a deposit towards a reservation as travelers have been ripped off in the past.

I hope to hang out with Captain Ludwig again one day. If and when that happens, chances are it will be over s on dry land as I figured out how to short circuit the Darien Gap. I bought a motorcycle that lives in Peru. It is available for short and long term rental, but frankly I don't care if it doesn't go out.

__________________
Peter B
2008/09 - NJ to Costa Rica and back to NJ
2012/13 - NJ to Northern Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba and back to NJ
2023 - Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia...back to Peru.

Blogs: Peter's Ride

Hi,

Does anyone know which organizations are currently running this crossing?

There are quite a few threads/web pages but everything seems inconclusive...

We are two up on a BMW g/s, looking to make the move in 8-12 weeks.

Thanks,

Crendon

https://www.instagram.com/endangeredspeciesvanguard/

Go with Aircargopac PTY-BOG , plenty a hassle going on in Colombia right now I was the vicinity of a protest teargas bombs and rocks were flying yesterday at a intersection in Bucaramanga. Stay away from Crowds on the main streets in all Colombian Cities
borders are opening June 1

I was riding TDF to Canada and had been in contact with Stahlratte on my way up. Everything I’d heard about them from people with experience sounded great and the skipper seemed very nice so we aimed to use it.

However, we (wife on pillion) got to Colombia late in the season and would have had to miss everything in Colombia and race through in three days in order to catch the boat as this was the last sailing of the season. Colombia turned out to be a lovely country and we spent weeks there so the Stahlratte sailed off with our best wishes.

To the German ‘proper planning’ guy above, this doesn’t represent bad planning. I was on an open ended, many month trip and didn’t plan a single stop in advance. That’s the way I like it (baby). The whole point was to be wandering and footloose, not following a script.

So, with the Steel Rat option closed I looked at Plan B: aircargopack.com
They were great but for one thing. They told us the flight would cost US$1,000 and told us to meet them on whatever day it was at their office. Sadly, they’d failed to tell us that they wanted the money in US cash and that everyone except a junior would be on holiday. We spent the most frustrating whole day of the trip trying to get cash on a national holiday. So unnecessary.

Eventually that got sorted and the flight was a dream. Very easy and efficient.

Just TAKE US DOLLARS if you want to use Air Cargo Pack, though next time I’ll probably try the Rat.

Good information on air shipment, not so much on the Stahlratte--maybe it'll be back, but likely not.

https://www.stahlratte.de