I took a look at the Motorcycle Express website today when I was responding to a post another member made in a different forum, and I was quite surprised to see that air freight availability and air freight prices now appear to have returned to quite close to pre-pandemic levels.

Here's the link, have a look: 2022 Air Freight Prices as of late August 2022

There is, however, quite a big difference between shipping TO Europe (cheap) and shipping FROM Europe (still very expensive). I don't fully understand the reasons behind that... historically, prices have been the same in both directions.

Michael

Presumably a lot of commercial exports from Europe to Canada (electronics, pharmaceuticals, and other such things that are expensive and urgent enough for airfreight) and not much being exported from Canada that needs to get there super quickly. So the cargo holds of jets coming to Europe are generally empty, and going back are generally full.

I'm a bit more inclined to think that it is due to the need to carry more fuel on the westbound trip (about 15% more) due to prevailing winds blowing from the west. This reduces the weight capacity for cargo.

For a typical flight from, for example, Toronto to Zurich, the westbound flight is about 1 hour longer on average.

There's also the shift in aircraft types from 767s to 787s. The 787's weigh a lot less, and this means that adding payload weight (freight) has a more pronounced effect on fuel consumption / range than on the 767.

But, I do agree that you may have a point about more freight being shipped Europe to Canada than the other way around.

Michael

Wouldn't say pre pandemic levels yet, but definitely a slight decrease...

Looking towards the end of the year with stock levels going up for the festive period, we see a bit more volume moving.

Even for people going US would be worth trying land in Canada and ride in at the moment.

Hopefully we'll be back to our brighter days soon.

__________________
JCS MOTORCYCLE SHIPPING
Lucas@jamescargo.com

Definitely true for Transat where the difference is a hundred bucks or so. Wouldn't account for the 60% difference on Westjet or Air Canada though...

Ah, but it does.

WestJet & Air Canada use much newer aircraft (787s) for transatlantic flights, whereas Air Transat uses an older fleet of Airbus A330s, which are of the same generation as the 767.

Michael

Good morning to all

Want to ship my bike to Frankfurt then tour Europe for 3 months.

Received a reply from ADAC this morning indicating that you can not get green card insurance from them.
Also received a reply from another source Knopftours indicating rates and all.

For me for comprehensive for 3 months would be 1060 Euro.

Any recent info available

Thank you

The discussion on the 787 and 330 is just not correct.

Transat charges less because their fare structure are made that way. Their decision and very little of do with the generation of aircraft.

Flew the 787 for years and actually had bikes in the cargo hold from FRA to YUL (or reverse) on a few occasions. Once I was able to locate the owner from the bike on the flight and went into the galley to have a short talk with him.

He was a fellow from Atlanta you rode his bike to Montreal and then sent it to Europe. That day he was returning to Montreal then riding south to Albany after the flight. Had been doing this for 30 years he said. Was meeting his friend in Europe and then toured around for 6 weeks or so. He told me he was the younger of his friends. He was 81!!!!! I found his story fascinating and hope for me to ride for many years to come!!!

There are many different companies that provide third party liability insurance - that which is commonly referred to as "Green Card" insurance - to riders from outside Europe who want to ride a motorcycle registered outside of Europe within Europe.

There is a whole sub-forum here on the HUBB devoted to this topic, go have a look at this sub-forum: Trip Paperwork. Prices vary dependant on two factors, one being the country in which the provider purchases the policy, the other being how much the provider marks up the policy to cover their administrative charges. At present, the least expensive coverage that I know of is available from Ivo at Moto Camp Bulgaria - that will probably cost you less than €250 for 3 months. Other well-known providers are listed in the sub-forum. Go spend some time in that forum and you will find all the information you need.

Be aware that "Green Card" insurance for non-European vehicles is a fungible product, just like gasoline. The coverage provided is identical no matter who sells you the product, so, make your choice of provider based on the service they provide you and the price they charge.

On the contrary, the information I posted is very correct. I've shipped my motorcycle by air between continents many times in the past 25 years, and I am also a retired aircraft pilot.

Air Transat tends to be less expensive than Air Canada because they frequently have excess cubic space available in the hold, this because they don't operate the frequency that sched carriers do on TA routes and hence don't have the same demand for cargo shipments that AC does. A 300 kg motorcycle stuffed into an otherwise empty LD6 container (capacity 3,000 kg) is "money for nothing" to a carrier that would otherwise depart with empty space down below.

In past years, AC has offered some very attractive fares during summertime for motorcycle shipping. This program stopped during the pandemic. It remains to be seen whether AC will bring it back next summer. In the meantime, Air Transat continues to offer very attractive deals on motorcycle shipping. You don't deal directly with Air Transat for this service, instead, you book through a company that specializes in motorcycle transport, which is Motorcycle Express in New York state.

Michael