Cheapest way to send a motorcycle (EUR-->SOUTH_AM & NORTH_AM-->ASIA)
 

Hello,

I searched a lot on the hubb and other forums, all over the website, google and everything, but I don't really find what I'm looking for. I'm planning a trip after my studies which will (I live in Belgium)

1) cross america from south (argentina-Ushuaia) to north (canada-Anchorage)
2) cross asia from east to west

The thing is, the money for transporting the bike will be my biggest expense (except fuel). So I'm very flexible, and I just want to find the cheapest way to travel between these continents, and after it, adapting my itinerary

I plan to do "Europe - South_America" in october 2013 and "North America - Asia" in march-april 2014. I will adapt my itinerary on the flights I'll find. For example, I don't mind going to Madrid or Morocco to ship the bike to South America, and I don't care if the shipment from North America to Asia will arrive in Vladivostok, Singapore or Bangkok.

A big thank to everyone who can help me

Regards
Alexandre

[EDIT] The thing I'm doing now is to look at every old shipment of HU and compare them all, but it would be easier if there was especially one zone that is cheaper than others or something like that. I don't really know..

[EDIT AGAIN] Another secondary question : It is never really clear : This is always cheaper not to travel with the bike (boat or flight) or it is just not possible ?

Hi,
Have you checked out the info on this site:
Shipping the bike | Horizons Unlimited

Make no mistake, shipping the bike is a huge ´guagmire´. The basic problem is, that it doesn´t happen very often, so there are almost no readymade services (or they cost a lot), each shipment will be an individual case, and there are at least a hundred variables involved every time. Different rules & procedures in different parts of the world, authorities with varying attitudes, port strikes, etc, etc. So it pays to do your homework well in that area.

“if there was especially one zone that is cheaper than others or something like that “
- Aim to send your shipment to/from the bigger transport ´hubs´ (such as Frankfurt or Amsterdam by air, or Hamburg or Rotterdam by sea).. the further away you want to get on a “sidetrack”, where not a lot of cargo gets transported, the more you pay. But like I said, there are a lot of other variables at play, so this is just a very rough rule.

“This is always cheaper not to travel with the bike (boat or flight) or it is just not possible “
- Usually you travel separately, when your bike is freighted. Sometimes you may get on the same airplane as your bike, which may be convenient, but it doesn´t really affect the costs (ok, it could save you some accommodation costs at either end). And you cannot board normal freight ships, like people did in the past, there may be some exceptions, but very few these days. Especially when crossing the oceans, you normally leave the bike to be shipped by the freight forwarder, and buy flight tickets for you. (And do make double-certain, that you´ll be able to sort out everything with the bike and its shipping, before you plan to fly out).

Note, that in Asia, China and Burma are still major obstacles for overlanders. Again, you´re already in the right place to find up-to-date info about the possibilities.

Hello,
we are two spanish guys and we want to ship a bike to Argentina on September-October 2013. Maybe we can look the way to share costs if we seek together. Also we can find other people thinking on the same idea... I'm already sending mails to the shipping companys to get some info about prices and stuff but they did not reply yet. If you think this is a good idea just keep in touch!

Share container?
 

Hello to the 2 Spanish bikers,

My girlfriend and I are looking at shipping 2 bikes from Europe to Argentina possibly, Monte Video in Uruguay the same time as you. Interested in knowing where you plan to ship out of. We were thinking the UK.

Let me know what you think.

Regards,

Mark & Sanne

@ pecha72 : Thanks for the informations !
@ Aritz76 and Big Empty : What about creating a group, like a Facebook group, and put all the information we'll find about sending a bike from Europe to South America in september/october 2013 ? Send me a Private Message if you want to and i'll create the group

(Sorry but I'm new in HUBB and I can't send private messages yet)
Yes Alexegg, it's a good idea to create a group. I'll try to send you a mail with my data. What do you think Big Empty?

Hello folks,

... me and my girlfriend will also start our motorcycle journey this fall. We will try to ship our bikes to south america as well. If we can arrange a container and share costs it would be grate.
I got a quote for 450 euros (per bike), from Antwerpen belgium to Suriname.... but I would rather be more south.
So if you guys are interested in sharing costs, plx contact me!

cheers, Demian

Hi Demian, Aritz, Alex and Mark:

Me and my girlfriend are also planning to ship a bike from Europe to Chile or Argentina in October/November so if you do create the FB group or want to exchange info, please count on us too!

Cheers,

Sandro & Orinta

shipping my bike and me
 

I'm going to do about a 3 month tour of the U.S this summer, and shipping the bike is the main problem... I just read in an English magazine that it's possible to ship on a cargo ship, and sail on the same boat. Anybody know about this?

Cheapest way to send a motorcycle (EUR-->SOUTH_AM & NORTH_AM-->ASIA)
 

hi Racer196,

I'm not 100% sure but i read somewhere this is not possible anymore. However I'm getting quotes with some shipping companies and will inquire with them - will let you know if any of them does.

Hello Friends,
Airfreight or seafreight are the only options to send your bikes from one country to another..

Probably you may know all int. procedures, so excuse me if I give more details..

Antwerp,Hamburg and Barcelona are the connection and collecting ports in Europe for containers to all continents for sea deliveries....

You can hardly get a reply for mails or messages as shipping a bike needs more time,work and patience..Always better go to the port,knock the door, get your price,(acc. to the weight of the crate for seafreight) or book a complete container, crate your bike a few days before the loading(If it will be partial load),do paperwork yourself,leave it in the customs red zone and get your container number to track online and B/L. to clear customs at the destination port..

If you book a container, crating is not a must..You have to tighten bikes carefully inside(never keep on stands),a few gas in tanks,unconnect batteries..This way will be more cheaper..Here are dimensions of container types to decide which one will be best for your group.
20.....L:589..W:235.. H 238 cm.
40.....L: 1215...W:235...H: 238 cm.
40H...L: 1215...W:235...H: 267 cm.

By cargo ships or rice/onion ships only available in some se. asia island countries,mid america and temporary but none of the insurance companies pay any damages you may have..

Wish you all the best..

Given that many people don't have Facebook, :thumbdown: why not continue to use this thread? :eek3: Seems to me that this is where everyone meets, and can share information here easily, and it's available for travellers in the future, whereas a Facebook group is not - and certainly hard to find too! A few posts and you also have full PM ability too.

The whole point of the HUBB is to share information among travellers! :)

POSSIBLE - but VERY rare and hard to find. I've been watching shipping for many many years, and fewer than 10 have done this. Might even be only 3-4 come to think of it...

One guy got his bike on as "hand luggage" on the QEII - but I think he didn't save any money, those cruises are megabucks. :)

In the end, even if you do get on a cargo ship, it's NOT CHEAP! The days of cheap cargo trips are long long gone. Any cargo ship that does take passengers is a "adventure-cruise" ship and you pay accordingly.

Air freight or sea freight, that's about it. And air can be much cheaper than sea, by the time yiu factor in wait time while your bike is in transit, and port fees are much higher. MOST bike shipments are by air for a reason.

hola aritz and folks: me also interested in shipping my bike from spain to BsAs this late autumn,I live also in Spain. What bike you have? Me a GS1200.

Umm
If you arrive in Vladivostok it will be difficult and costly to get to Singapore or Bangkok!
China = $$$$ to get through
or you could try riding west through Russia .. then south (China again or Turkey - Iran - Pakistan)

Singapore is expensive to arrive in with a vehicle .. Bangkok would be better.

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If you resort to a different medium it will be more difficult for people to find in the future. Much better to keep it here with the other stuff and it will be found.