Shipments done by Travellers

Need a hazardous cargo declaration, which is quite simple and they don't even need to see the bike. Also need a customs agent at Heathrow (a Heathrow specific requirement) but that was quick and simple. Air Canada Cargo staff in Toronto can recommend a hazardous cargo certificate source and I just found a Heathrow customs agent on the internet. You can just wait until you arrive and get one there but I thing having one lined up sped it up a bit.

Rode the bike into the AC cargo facility in toronto, right onto the scale, and outside of disconnecting the battery pretty much left the rest to them. Canada TSA did X-ray my bags but they all stayed with the bike, except the little bit I carried with me as luggage.

On the other end I just waited, and rode out of Heathrow 3 1/2 hours after landing. No hassle at all. Couldn't have been easier and the Air Canada team on both ends were incredibly friendly and helpful. I'd give the 6 stars on a scale of 5.

When you get a quote $400 cheaper than the rest, it IS too good to be true. Day and time of pickup came and went, driver eventually turned up at midnight one night and had no idea how to safely load or tie down bike on truck. I then heard nothing for 2 weeks. I contacted Pierre, the bike was on its way. Could I pay him the second half in advance? No. I left instructions for where to leave bike as I wouldn't get there before it. Night before I arrive he says driver turned up and I wasn't there. Duh. He asks me to pay hotel expenses for driver. No. I arrive home. Driver turns up - different driver, different truck. Truck is full of dust and packing materials. Bike is tied against wall of truck. I inspect - bike has clearly been dropped on its side - extensive damage. Pierre apologises, says he didn't know. I ask about insurance. Silence. I contact insurance - his policy was cancelled and actually didn't cover transport of recreational vehicles! I hear nothing from Pierre. Now waiting for quote for repair, then applying to small claims court. This is a tale of how not to ship your beloved bike.

Motofreight shipped the bike as is (only mirrors removed) and invoked all my luggage and riding gear in the box. Shipping went very smoothly. Their agent in SA (Econotrans) were equally professional and made collection incredibly easy and straight forward.

Highly recommended

Stefan received my KTM 400 Military in his company area in Heidelberg, with gear and tools in side panniers, top case and tank bag. He has managed the whole staff for temporarily import of the motorcycle with EPA and custom. The motorcycle is cleaned by Knopf Tours, wrapped in plastics cover, mounted on a special transport palette and put in a kind of cage. One can see details in one of the first blog posts, where I have published pictures of the unwrapping in Washington DC.

Despite the correctness of all custom and EPA papers, there were difficulties at the customs office in Washingon DC. At first, the customs officer want me to register the bike at the Department of Transport. I could convince him that this is not correct, but then they wanted to set up a security inspection of the bike, scheduled for the next day. I was already on my way out of the bureau, when the officer came out, handed over the papers and said everything is ok.

The staff of the air cargo company, United Airlines Cargo, was very helpful and friendly.

Another problem was none of us had have a look at the local Holidays calender. The plan was to pick up the bike on Sept 7th - but that's Labor Day, and the customs office was closed ...

Schumacher Cargo is spezialiced in transport of cars and motorcycles from North America to Europe. I handed over the bike with all the luggage, paid, signed a few documents which were prepared in advance via information gathered by email. The whole procedure was finished in less than half an hour.

I picked up the bike, a KTM 400 Miliitary, at Bremerhaven harbour. The Partner of Schumacher Cargo in Germany is LPL Automotive GmbH, Geo-Plate-Str. 1, 27568 Bremerhaven. That's an adress in the harbour area where they unload the container, which has arrived a few days before in Hamburg.

The bike was placed in a fenced area together with a lot of Harleys and Gold Wings.

The staff of LPL is very professional, friendly and helpful.

I dropped the bike in LA on Sept 28t and picked it up in Bremerhaven on Nov 13