Hello,

Yes, it is like the bike passport, as we now call it after our trip :) It's the registration.
As for the "automobile inspection" we don't have any in France for motorbikes. I told them so and they didn't seen to bother.

Have a good day,

Boo

Here is a March-April 2023 update:

A reference:
https://www.madornomad.com/how-to-ca...o-south-korea/

Camilla Lines Ferry
-we visited the booking office, in person, on 1April 2023 hoping to cross to Korea the 24. Not possible - no vehicles at this time,bonly passengers. They recommended KAMPU FERRIES.

Kampu Ferries
-2 April, booking office closed. Tried calling, no English. Informed to send email. Response was-
1) Return ticket only
2) only Japanese resident OR foreigners with visas permitted reentry (ie students)

They were not open to discussion of past practices.

Camilla Lines Ferry
-a final phone call they let slip that cars/moto transport would start 11 May. Email reservation was approved:

Hello, further to my email of April 10 regarding I would like to let you know details of the price.

Please check about the price following.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Departure date in HAKATA　
2023/05/11（OneWay）

●Vehicle freight rates ＜Cash or Card ＞
¥20,000 / per person
※This price is inculds driver's 2nd class room fare.
※Passenger 2nd class fare is ¥9,000.

●A customs clearance fee ＜CASH ONLY＞
¥5,000 / per person

●Oil charge ＜Cash or Card＞
¥1,200 / per person

●Port tax ＜Cash or Card＞
¥500 / per person

●Passenger tourist tax＜Cash or Card＞
¥1,000 / per person

Total 55,440 / 2 persons
※Vehicle insurance premiums and customs guarantee fee must be paid at Busan Port.
The attached file is the documents that price as a standard.
We look forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Camellialine passenger Div.

ONWARD PASSAGE
-To be permitted to land in Korea, need to provide details on onward passage. Currently in contact with:

Wendy Choi (note new address and contact information)
Wendy.choi/aero int'l/sel
Imp. & Adm Manager
#521 Hanil Novelliatower 10 Magokjungang 1-ro
Gangseo-Gu Seoul Korea ZIP. 07807
TEL:82-2-372-6181 FAX:82-2-375-8145
DIR:82-(0)70-8845-9781
E-MAIL:wendy@aerointl.kr

Mr Youn
Assured Sea and Air Services
uhy@assured.co.kr
+82 10-2474-2658
Who never answered the mail, but responds to WhatsApp. He was recommended by MadorNomad but he seems to be very relaxed about responding to out inquiries.

AA. BORG AIR SEA TRANSPORT INC
Person in charge : Yoon Hwa Jung (air02@borgairsea.co.kr)
TEL 82-70-7459-6015
Did not respond to the 2 different contact emails I sent.

In any case, apparently the COVID effect is still in play, meaning fewer flights means air freight is super expensive. And currently out of our price-

"The first of all, the air rate for May, isn't fixed yet
So it is rate base on Apr.2023

It is still very expensive and i am not sure whether you still want to arrange it via air or not

AIR RATE : USD14/KG(The cost will decided by your size after crating)
So even it is 200kg motorcycle, if size is 230x100x130(after crating), then volume weight is 499kg
Then airline will charge base on 499kg

LOCAL CHARGE : CRATING+ DG CERTIFICATE FEE + TRUCKING +CUSTOM + ETC : APPROX 600/EACH BIKE

EXAMPLE COST
GROSS WEIGHT : 200KG
VOLUME WEIGHT : 500KG

THEN 500KG X USD14 = USD7000 + USD600 = APPROX USD7500/EACH BIKE

Base on your size of bike, cost may changeable, but it is still very expensive compare to previous cost before covid19."

Yes well...looks like sea shipping is the only option.

Maybe it's important to clarify the shipping situation post COVID- and how it is much more complicated in these early days of return to travel.

From our shared experience from Russia to Japan to Korea to elsewhere, it's clear that things have changed over the last 3 years.

The break in continued transport services from all the lock-downs, the diminished travel and tourism affecting the quantity and availability of available modes of shipping have made the hurdles of motorcycle shipping regress to the olden days.

In 2019, before we decided to overwinter the bikes in Japan, we were in contact with Wendy Choi (like everyone else) who provided us an air shipping quotation to Vancouver for our two small bikes (advantage small bike) about 2000 USD each.

In the spring of 2023, after Japan finally let us back into the country to recover the motorcycles, we reconnected with Wendy Choi for another quotation to Vancouver. She is still in business in a new address so has survived COVID for better or worse. The estimated price in 2023 now was raised to slightly more than 7000 USD per motorcycle. She explained to us that COVID had changed the number and availability of planes, affected the amount of cargo being moved thus changed the price per kilogram and ultimately because of COVID probably the shipping systems and processes were changed (or at the very least atrophied from lack of use). Clearly she had a hard time connecting with her previous suppliers because it took a long time to get this information to us.

Well with this shocking information we decided to go to sea shipping route. In 2023 we contacted no less than 8 different shipping agencies that we have good sources of contact, and ultimately we only received one response.

The downside of sea shipping, as you understand well, is the transport time and the extra cost associated with recovery and customs clearance at the other side.

Coincidentally on the latest podcast from Adventure Rider Radio, the guest speakers made note of this additional complexity post COVID transport from their south -american perspective.