Shipping from Australia to South America
 

Hey Guys,

I am planning to go from australia (melbourne/sydney) to south america next years march/april.

I am posting this to get a feeling if someone is doing the same at the same time and so maybe options coming up to share a cointainer or crate etc. Or even just to share informations about shipping options etc.

get in contact with me, if this appeals to you.

cheers
ingo on a XT 660Z

mail@traveling-east.com

Thoughts!
 

Hi Mate,

I am looking at doing a similar thing, but still deciding

1. is it better to go south to north from Canada to South America or the other way.
2. is it better to buy here and then ship or buy over there and do it that way.

I am in 2 minds about it at the moment and am doing it with a mate and just trying to sort everything out now and am into research at the moment.

Any advice you could share would be apprecaited!

I haven´t done all of Americas, though I´ve done some parts of the route but not many... however, for #1, I´d say during planning, do your homework well for climate and latitude. You´ll be changing latitudes _a_lot_, and further away you are from the Equator, the shorter is the comfortable riding period each year. In short, you´ll want to avoid the far north from about end of September to at least March (or even longer). And south of the Equator the seasons are reversed, so coldest period will be during North American summer. Oh yeah, then there´s summertime heat, especially in desert areas, and also rainy season in the tropics to think about (not forgetting altitude, which will also affect everything)... maybe someone else who is an expert on the Americas can give you better info on those!

#2: "buy here" - where is that?? But if you still haven´t got the bike, for the Americas I´d fly into the US, and buy there, lots of cheap low mileage bikes there (though it is always a risk, but buying 2nd hand is a risk also back home). Shipping the bike costs money, and it´s always a hassle, though it can be done that way, too, if you so desire.

I am currently in Argentina doing the south then the north after shipping my bike from Brisbane to Lima. The direction you travel, to me, seems largely based on preference but I am encountering many riders who choose north to south, its really all about the weather in my book.
As to shipping, it was a monumental and expensive balls-up! I had a new bike (my preference as I will be going around the world on the same machine) cost a total of A$2200 imported into the port of Callao and the agent (Bikes Abroad) were terrible to deal with. What was told to me to be a 48 day transit ended up 97 days plus another 7 days in the customs office.
If I had my time again I would seriously look into buying a bike in the states and going from there. Only thing would be bringing the bike back permanently to Oz.
Good luck!

We are planning to ship 4x4 from Melbourne to Cartegena, Columbia some time in June 2014. I have already got a few quotes in but feel that I might be able to save a bob or two if someone is interested in sharing.
Have chosen Columbia as we propose to do a circuit and exit Sth America at same point (Cartegena)for Central America. Have been researching best time to be around the Amazon heading south, and July/August departure from Columbia appears to be the go. That is according to travelers recently over there who I have been in contact with.

Have shipped to various international ports before, but using a 20' container. However if someone is interested a 40'er might be the go. My truck will take up a full half of the 40ér but still plenty of room for a few bikes or another 4x4.

hey guys, i dicided to go to south america end of this year. when the winter is over there. shipping my bike to kl meanwhile.