Shipments done by Travellers

LEP International offered the best price for shipping our Honda Transalp from Auckland to Melbourne. This was mainly because it was the only company which didn't charge a dangerous goods fee. Therefore we were supposed to drain the fuel and even the oil - which nobody checked.

Splitting of costs:
New Zealand: 230 NZ$ (95 NZ$ per cubic meter of freight + 45 NZ$ documentation)
Australia: 200 AU$ (109 AUS$ port service charge etc. + 91 AUS$ quarantine inspection)
(total costs: approx.. 320 US$ for 1,95 cubic meters)

Everything worked very well. The shipment from depot to depot took altogether 2 weeks. The motorcycle had to be delivered in a crate, which we got free of charge from a motorcycle dealer in Auckland. Try to get a crate made of metal (and cardboard), since with a wooden crate additional costs for fumigation result. Australia has very strict hygiene regulations, therefore the bike should be cleaned very thoroughly.

I drove out to the Rio Airport and checked around with all the shippers. Variglog seemed the easiest and cheapest. They "cut me a deal" from their normal per kilo rate because they said they wanted more international motrocyclist business. I didn't know we were so popular.

I negotiated the price on Thursday, and was back in the morning on Friday with the bike ready to go. They inspected all of my luggage, and I locked her up and was off. The only stressful part was dealing with the customs people. Their guy was AWOL, but once I found him, it was pretty easy.

Knowledge of basic portuguese is a major plus, as their collective english was pretty lacking.

Overall, they were fair and accommodating. They even gave me a ride to the terminal for my flight back to the U.S.!

Shipped our Af Twin and Transalp as "loose" Cargo aboard the container ship Global Prosperity (Nassau).

This ship has a drop down ramp (like cross channel ferries) so you can ride on, then you drop down two levels to a lower deck. The crew secure the bikes
then a water tight door is closed and your babies are safe from sea salt and the fingers of dodgey stevedoores..

We used Mitchell Cotts Freight forwarders for the Mombasa customs clearance etc and their fee was 125 pounds stirling. They were very professional and a
locally run outfit.

In India we drove the bikes off the ship and into a secure customs area to await inspection.

In Bombay we used Spurgeon Frieight Forwarders and they again were very professional and trust worthy ( ask for Felix ) Cost was 15,000 Rupees for both
bikes (about 190 pounds stirling).

We had to pay Indian customs a bribe. They asked for 2500 Rupees per bike!! We got them down to 1000 for both (about 12 quid).

We also had to get a form from the Indian AA to confirm the validity of our Carnets this cost 10 USD.

The normal process in India should only take about two days but due to an admin error, which lost us a day and took us into the weekend plus a bank holiday, meant the whole process was 7 days.

One point of note is that the arrival and departure of a ship is not set in stone and you can have couple of days to wait at each end....

Geoff's a very helpfull guy though he took a bit of convicing that I was serious about the journey.
Had to crate the bike and I sorted my own custems
clearance. The bike left 16/01/04 and arrives 26/03/04 in Buenis Aires going via Hamberg would you believe.

JAS are a good shipping company and I would well recomend them.

Jeewan Dhakal Eagle Eyes, found us, as his competitors had been phoning him for advice. Think this says enough!

No Longer reduced rate over 500kg. Some other companies claimed there still was

Thai cargo rate per kilo $01.37
Insurance rate per kilo $00.07
Dangerous goods $20.00
Air way Bill $02.00
Crate $55.00 (includes metal banding some quoted this as extra)
Fee $34.00
Tax $08.00

My Air Ticket $225.00 +
(Airport tax, buy at airport 1000npr)

The grand total for me and my 250kg bike ( the 250kg include crate and 10kg pallet that Thai cargo put it on later) was $704.

In Thailand the costs are minimal 1.24B per kilo + 200B delivery orderfee+ 250B cargo terminal fee+ VAT @ 7 per cent so forfor me a total of 813.20B

At the Airport, go straight to Thai cargo office thay give you paper work to take to customs, There will be plenty of Shipping agents eager to help, but you dont need them once you find the right desk at Customs ( its personnal effects imports or something like that).

Once the Thai customs documents have been completed( 1 hour approx)return to Thai cargo, Cashiers dept. this time,pay up (5 mins if there is no Backlog)

Then go to warehouse 3,present your paper work to Thai, who will process it through customs here another hour). At Least I think thats what was happening! and then you will be presented with your crate and porter with a crowbar. You can let him loose with it if you want, he helped me and was happy getting the rope the bike was tied down with.

Everyone was very helpful, even although I seemed to turn up at everyones desk as they were having lunch.