Mate,
if you go by the dvd done by HU they advise fly as you can go at the same time as in the past, they have arrived in the country and found the boat is still en route or not sailed as still waiting to fill the containers up!
my own experience is fly cheaper better quicker.
have a look here James Cargo Services IATA, AATA, IPATA and DEFRA approved Cargo Agent

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We are the Pilgrims, Master, we shall go Always a little further: it may be beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow, Across that angry or that glimmering sea.

Hey thanks All for this very lively feedback - seems like air vs ship is quite a controversial issue amongst the biking fraternity, hahaha!

After all I've heard, I'm still veering towards air freight if poss - PaulD, I'll email you separately about getting a quote off that handy Qantas guy, as it sounds like you're onto something good there. As you advise, I always try avoiding agents/go-betweens anyway as I prefer to be more hands-on and save money: it's worth it for a little extra effort!

Buying a bike in South Africa is of course still a possibility (thanks again Pumbaa for that very useful link). But as a newbie rider I still feel like I'll want to be riding a bike I'm familiar with and am drawn to the idea of spending time kitting it up properly at home (and practising riding being loaded up) before I head off on my adventures...

Jeanie

No probs - everyone on that forum is very nice and really HELPFUL, going out their way to help you if they can...there are a lot of lady riders too and also a lot of shorter people. They should all be able to give you some good advice.

If you know what you want and want to avoid the shipping costs etc, its definitely worthwile keeping an eye on the for sale section. Lots of guys wil be able to help you kit it out too if not already kitted out.

btw, my wife is going for her first lesson tomorrow, also vertically challenged and petite at 5ft2'...hope she enjoys it!!

Cheers

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Gary,

I was told by Qantas they they go on a pallet, and are not crated (that was after I had arranged for crating !) I have a friend in Townsville who flew his bike to Singapore but I just can't remember the airline (it was not Qantas) It was very reasonably priced and also not crated. I will try and get the details for you and pm them to you. It was this year also.

Thanks
Paul

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www.globetrekkers.net.au

Sorry mate, I don't go by books or DVD's, I'm an empiricist, I go by experience. The inconveniences you mention are things you have to carefully check with you're agent (whom you have to choose with great caution).
Yes, I can agree with that
Yes, definitely
Definitely not. Or at least, it depends on the size of your motorcycle. Now, here is my last shipping bill:

Currency: USD
Ocean Freight Rates => 75$/CBM X 6CBM* => 450$
ACI (advanced commercial Information)----=> 25$ per bill of lading
Local Handling charges Vancouver -------- => 95$ per bill of lading
Local Security Charges Vancouver ---------=> 15$
Currency: Malaysian Ringgits
Terminal Handling Charges => 40 per round up CM = 240
Bill of lading------------------------------------ => 110 per set
SMK fee --------------------------------- ------=> 30 per set
Surrender fee---------------------------------- => 80 per bill of lading
Custom Examination ----------------------------=> 30 per 1st sets of declaration
Custom Documentation -------------------------=> 30 per Bill of lading
Electronic Data Interchange---------------------=> 30 per Bill of lading
Forwarding fees --------------------------------=> 100 per shipment
Handling and supervision fees -------------------=> 100 per shipment
5% government tax -----------------------------=> 14.50
Fumigation charges -----------------------------=> 175 per wooden crate
*CBM: Cubic Meter

Total = 2870 RM (malaysian ringgits)
= 900$

That's for a 6 Cubic meter crate! If you do a nice crate, and use your screwdriver a bit, you can get it to 2CBM for a rather small motorcycle (mine is a long K100 with a large Ural).
That gets you to

2 Cubic Meters = 550$

Malaysia to canada is a long distance. But it is a fairly common route (going to Singapore, Beijing and so on).
This I hope gives a rough estimation of shipping costs.

It is always preferable to ride a bike you know, in terms of road behaviour and in terms of mechanics. That is an advice that I think everyone on this forum will agree with ;-)

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Agreed 100% - and that is one of the most important things, when we talk about inconveniences regarding freight. Doing your homework and taking your time to find the best contacts can really make a big difference.

On our 6-month trip from Europe to Australia, getting the bike to go to another location without actually riding it, and handling its customs clearances and other related stuff at other than land-borders, was probably the biggest pain_in_the_XXX on the whole trip. But we had never sent by sea or by air before, so if I´d go again, it´d probably be easier now.

Hi, we were in South Africa last year as part of our RTW trip and If I was coming from OZ to ZA I would buy in ZA, we rode down from England so a differant ballgame
there are plenty of bikes for sale in South Africa, use the horizons comunity for more info, we met a lot of great people using the comunity.
If you fly into Durban contact Thomas at www.motozulutours.co.za, I am cetain he would have a bike for sale.
Hope this helps Pete N Brucella, currently in Ecuador and very wet!!!!

Thanks guys, this is all really useful info.

Summing up what I've heard here so far, I'm still thinking flying is the best option rather than shipping, and that if you can find the right person to talk to, it can be cost-effective as well.

Notwithstanding that, I think the advice to keep an eye out in South Africa for a bike is good too - thanks for the various SA website links, I'm keeping an eye out on all of them from now on!

Oh and hey Pumbaa...sending lots of good vibes your way for your wife's first lesson: I really hope she enjoys it, cos if she does - as I now well know - she'll be joining the best club in the world, eh...!?!

Jeanie

Hi PaulD!

Not sure if you're still following this thread.... I did email you about a week or so ago, to see if I could follow up on your offer re your Qantas contact and getting an air freight quote. I think perhaps my email went astray??!

Still keen to get that quote - or indeed contact your contact directly! - if that's possible...

Jeanie

Jeanie
When you get this all figured out I would be most interested in what you have found out. I am shipping two bikes to Australia latter this year and have been toying with the idea of sending at least one on to South Africa some time before my 12 month temp import is up. So if you do all the hard work and come up with the ultimate answer to shipping to Africa I would gladly make use of your hard work and run with it.

Bob

+1. My trip planning is in its absolute infancy.... but one of the first things I'm gonna have to know is cost and possibilities of flying a bike from Oz to RSA. Keep us posted please Jeanie