motorcycle transport

[gslf]

The container is shipping over in March if you want to see if theres room, just gotta get the bike to florida first.

http://www.knopftours.com/Web-Site/Welcome.html[/QUOTE]
Thanks for all the replies.
I talked to Stefan(nice guy on the phone) and he gave me a good price, but from vancouver to frankfurt with air. I'm in MB and want to go to Munich, so i have to calculate the cost to and from the airport or seaport too. I have family in Munich, so if something would happen timewise, or taking the bike back to the airport 5 days before departure, i don't need a hotel or rental car.

[gslf]

Originally Posted by Pecha72

Yes, there are possible pitfalls. But airfreight isn´t completely free of those, either. When someone (like Motorcycle Express) offers this kind of service, they handle the paperwork, but always do it for a fee, naturally. If you do it yourself, you might save a bit, no matter if you send by air or by sea. But then you have to do your homework really well (and for air, you´ll need a Dangerous Goods-document from somebody, who´s certified to issue it, so that one you can´t DIY). I think, however, that US <-> Europe is not the most complicated region in the world to send something.

I do agree with you and that is why i posted this question here to get as much info before i make my decision.

[ajklik]

I just finished the paperwork for transport Germany-Halifax and back again. Living in the northern part of the netherland this was the cheapest way. Got all my info from the horizon unlimited site
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tri...eryResults.php
I used a german shipper, and they arranged everything for me. For 6,5 weeks travelling it's cheaper to transport your own bike
albert

[gslf]

Originally Posted by ajklik

I just finished the paperwork for transport Germany-Halifax and back again. Living in the northern part of the netherland this was the cheapest way. Got all my info from the horizon unlimited site
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tri...eryResults.php
I used a german shipper, and they arranged everything for me. For 6,5 weeks travelling it's cheaper to transport your own bike
albert

I did look at horizon and they also do work with motorcycle express. It looks like it will be with them to and then 8 mounth later back from germany.

[Ken Fritz]

I struggled with the same ideas, costs, problems. I didn't want to be without my bike for long periods of ocean transport. I wanted to ride Europe for 5-8weeks or more and do it again the following year or more often. That left renting out of the picture as too expensive. From the US, it has to go on a ship. From Canada, it can go on a plane. The airfreight and the cost of riding to Vancouver began to look pretty expensive, too. And a friend who shipped his bike from Germany to Vancouver arrived 6 days before his bike, costing him a lot of grief, lost riding time and hotel bills. His camping gear was with the bike.

Next option? I considered buying a bike in Europe. I had been told that this was nearly impossible, but I met Wheatwhacker on ADVRider. He steered me to an online site to look for bikes to buy in Ireland. He's in Kinsale, near Cork, so that's where I began to look for a bike. He was more than helpful. He and his bike mechanic buddy checked out the bike I liked, gave me honest info on it, and after I paid for it, they picked it up from the seller for me. They stored it for me and I had them install new tires, rear brake pads and engine crash bars.

And they delivered the bike to the B&B near Kinsale where my wife and I would stay for a week in SE Ireland. We got a very nice Honda Varadero with Hepco & Becker side cases and top case. We rode it over 3,000 miles on that trip and will return this summer for more. Our 1150GS stayed home safe and ready for our travels on this continent and the Vara is ready over there.

Registration and insurance? Wheatwhacker helped with that, too. And we loved Ireland!

Now I have a nice bike to ride for close to the cost of shipping. In fact, I figure it's paid for itself already. And it's there for me whenever I get there. Look for Wheatwhacker on the EMEA section of Trip Planning.

I don't work for him or get anything more than his usual smiles and cheerful help. In fact, I do owe him a beer (or more than a few).

[gslf]

Originally Posted by Ken Fritz

I struggled with the same ideas, costs, problems. I didn't want to be without my bike for long periods of ocean transport. I wanted to ride Europe for 5-8weeks or more and do it again the following year or more often. That left renting out of the picture as too expensive. From the US, it has to go on a ship. From Canada, it can go on a plane. The airfreight and the cost of riding to Vancouver began to look pretty expensive, too. And a friend who shipped his bike from Germany to Vancouver arrived 6 days before his bike, costing him a lot of grief, lost riding time and hotel bills. His camping gear was with the bike.

Next option? I considered buying a bike in Europe. I had been told that this was nearly impossible, but I met Wheatwhacker on ADVRider. He steered me to an online site to look for bikes to buy in Ireland. He's in Kinsale, near Cork, so that's where I began to look for a bike. He was more than helpful. He and his bike mechanic buddy checked out the bike I liked, gave me honest info on it, and after I paid for it, they picked it up from the seller for me. They stored it for me and I had them install new tires, rear brake pads and engine crash bars.

And they delivered the bike to the B&B near Kinsale where my wife and I would stay for a week in SE Ireland. We got a very nice Honda Varadero with Hepco & Becker side cases and top case. We rode it over 3,000 miles on that trip and will return this summer for more. Our 1150GS stayed home safe and ready for our travels on this continent and the Vara is ready over there.

Registration and insurance? Wheatwhacker helped with that, too. And we loved Ireland!

Now I have a nice bike to ride for close to the cost of shipping. In fact, I figure it's paid for itself already. And it's there for me whenever I get there. Look for Wheatwhacker on the EMEA section of Trip Planning.

I don't work for him or get anything more than his usual smiles and cheerful help. In fact, I do owe him a beer (or more than a few).

How much did you pay for the Honda? Sounds to me that you don't regret to buy, and it would be an option for me too, but i'm still thinking back and forth.

[travelintoNY]

I mean I'm in the same boat, I really want to take my bike with me to Europe sometime this year. I am just not sure about the best option.
Renting is out of the question, it would cost me way too much as I plan on spending a few weeks and possibly months out there.
Buying/selling is possible but there are too many what ifs, unless I find a real good deal and then just leave it there somewhere for the next time around.

I live near Buffalo, NY so I am considering air freight from Toronto to Europe (anywhere.. cheapest)

OP if you find some other options, please do post for the rest of us.

[wheatwhacker]

Hey guys.
If you decide to buy bikes in Europe, there are plenty to choose from.
If you need any help, I'm here.
Check out this thread I started to answer all your questions.
This is not my main business, just a way of spending my spare time and meeting some great folks.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=868979

[Ken Fritz]

>How much did you pay for the Honda? Sounds to me that you don't regret to buy, and it would be an option for me too, but i'm still thinking back and forth. <

I'll sell the Varadero and get a newer bike - maybe - in year or two. YES, I'd do this again - no worries at all. The only thing I'd do differently is allow more time to ride around Ireland.

I got a 2003 Varadero with Hepco & Becker top case and side cases for $4300and it has been like a dream. I could have gotten other bikes for less, but this is what I wanted. Bullet proof deal from beginning to end; Martin checked it out and let me know the condition was exactly as represented in the ad; I paid the seller after agreeing on the price; Martin picked up the bike and got his mechanic to install new tires prior to my arrival and he stored it until I got there. He even had it delivered to my B&B near his place. And he knows the area and where the beers are best.

He can help you tremendously. You will have your bike at home safe and ready to ride whenever you wish and you will have a bike over there ready to go, too. Registration? Martin can help with that. Insurance? Doug has liability insurance for only 60 eur/month - a LOT less than anyone else. There are only 2 underwriters for Green Card insurance, so if you pay more, you get no better service or coverage - you just have less beer money.

BTW, at the Horizons Unlimited meeting in California last November, I met a rider from The Netherlands who sent his bike to Vancouver from Amsterdam (Motorcycle Express) with the promise of arriving with his bike so he could spend 4 weeks riding the west coast. Well, he spent 4+ expensive nights in Vancouver awaiting his bike, plus he blew an afternoon waiting for it to be unloaded and cleared into the country. That screwed up his plans and ate at his wallet pretty badly, too. Then he had to be back to Vancouver in time ( a day and night early) to make sure his bike was loaded up for the flight home. All that screwing around effectively took off another day or two of his vacation and more money from his wallet. YMMV, but he never realized his dream of riding his 100PDGS in Baja. But he did spend a lot of dough that was totally lost to the shipping company and hotels.

Yes, I am very happy to have avoided a lot of troubles and delays -- and I have a bike instead of just a credit card bill for shipping services.

[gslf]

Reading all the posts on the web, Motorcycle Express is not as reliable as they want to be.
I'm still disappointed that it is so complicated to ride/ship (insurance/regulations) your bike between North America
and Europe. I'm thinking of renting again (i did all my previous years) and pay a bit more, but no headaches.

[Pecha72]

Shipping is always a hassle, even when everything goes to the plan (and more often than not something doesn't!)... But first time is usually the hardest, after you've done it once, it'll be much more clear to you the next time. Buying overseas, can be done, too,but not without a bit of effort. And what you do afterwards, sell it? Ok, but that´s yet another unknown. All these can be done, if you´ve got the time and a bit of patience. In a hurry (or don't want the hassle), then just simply rent. For shorter trips, it might well be cheaper overall, too.

[daysgoneby]

Have you thought about doing a bike swap? I met a guy a few years back from Victoria BC who placed an ad in a Australian bike mag. for a one month swap, worked out really well for both parties, he said the following year he had a swap set with a German guy.

just found this
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-swap-or-rent/

and this
http://www.bikeshareworld.com/