Shipments done by Travellers

Ivan was a great help, even helping us source an MDF crate big enough to fit both of the bikes in. Using MDF got around the quarantine issue and was lighter than steel. We just needed to reinforce it (using ceritified wood which Ivan provided) and packed the bikes as tightly as we could, draining most of the fuel and disconnecting (and taping) the battery terminals.

We got the volumetric weight down to 669kgs, however I think we were eventually charged on our actual weight (they take whichever is more, which was a couple of kgs heavier.

Then we delivered the crate to Ivan's yard and he handled the rest. Picking up the bikes in Vancouver was a breeze. We'd cleaned the bikes immaculately before we left and with the paperwork/instructions Ivan gave us we had the bikes cleared and unpacked in a few hours without dramas.

I'm from the US, but after making a few calls to freight brokers and cargo desks, I learned that after 9/11, shipping a dangerous good (i.e. something with gas in it) into and out of the US via air had become more restrictive and expensive than going through Canada. So, my goal became to ride my motorcycle up to the cargo desk in Toronto and ride it away from the cargo desk in Madrid. Most airlines would not allow a one-off shipment of a dangerous good, DG, by a private party. I found two that would in the spring of 2011: Air Canada and Air Transat.

I ended up going with Air Transat because they started their routes to Madrid sooner than Air Canada. I called the cargo desk of Air Transat and was put in touch with Walky Joseph of Amex Cargo. He was great to work with and even arranged for a DG consultant to inspect the bike: Glenn McDonald with Dangerous Goods Control (800-663-3690). I would certainly do business with Walky again.

The requirements for shipping the bike were: gas in the reserve range of the tank (typically less than a gallon), battery disconnected and taped (you must show the shipping agent this), and the bike needs to be generally clean. Shipping the bike with the panniers was fine. Technically, no personal items are allowed to be shipped with the bike, but no one will ask you to open your panniers to check. So, pack your panniers with your gear and have them ready to go before wheeling the bike up the loading dock. You will not be allowed to put personal items (for example, riding pants) in your panniers once you're in the warehouse.

I arrived at the cargo desk at the Toronto airport signed a few papers, showed the disconnected battery, and basically was good to go.

I arrived in Madrid a few days later and went to the customs office with my air freight bill, DG certification, passport, title, and insurance papers from Arisa Assurances. I was led to an office where a gentleman gave my papers a cursory look, entered some numbers in a computer, then stamped my papers, and directed me to the cargo pick-up area.

I paid a handling fee of around $40, Walky told me to expect this, and they brought out my motorcycle strapped in to it's own aluminum container. I undid the straps, wheeled the bike out, and drove away. It was easier than I expected.

If you're thinking of shipping from Europe to North America, Walky moves a lot of freight from Frankfurt to Montreal year-round.

Paul was very helpful and everything was done very well. The quote was very detailed and included all cost, also in Malaysia.
No hidden or extra costs!!!!

We could have saved 150,- AUD but we wanted to be present at customs inspection. Therefore we had 2 transports (Sydney- warehouse, warehouse to the harbour) and an additional handling with the carnets.

In KL we paid an optional of 100,- MYR (32,-USD) extra as we had to assemble the bikes and let them transport from Port Klang customs warehouse to the warehouse of VESCO (agent in Malaysia)-3 days in the warehouse. That was very relaxing for us and we picked the bikes up just after the weekend.

We shipped 2 bikes in 2 crates (Honda Africa Twin & Honda Dominator 650NX):
in total: 4,58 cbm and 628 kg
measurements: 224x80x128cm

we used the original packaging from Yamaha bikes (wooden pallet and cardboard), which we got from an Australian motorcycle dealer in Sydney/ Paramatta for free.

The agent here in Malaysia is great & efficiant - very nice and helpful people. Without an agent it will be a hazzle at Port Klang, and we doubt that they will you let in the customs warehouse. It¥s like a special border x-ing.

Agent details:
A. Ragunathan (Ragu)
Manager
ph: 03-5882 4654
mobile: 012-981 9116
email: r...@vescomto.com.my

VESCO-MTO (M) SDN. BHD.
Multimodal Transport Operators
Air & Sea Freight Forwarders
Packing, Warehousing, Transportation

HQ/ Sea Freight Office
No. 9-1A, 1st Floor, Jalan Bandar 3
Pusal Bandar Puchong
47100 Puchong, Selangor

Airfreight Office:
Lot CTB-B-01 (Warehouse/ Ground Floor)
KLAS Cargo Terminal B, KLAS Cargo Complex
Southern Support Zone, KLIA
6400 Sepang, Selangor D.E.
Tel.: 03-8778 8779
Fax.: 03-8778 8889
Mail: vesc...@klia.plexus.net

They also organize shippments directly from KL and also have an agent in Thailand

We had no problems at all.

You just need
a carnet de passage
an ICP (road permit for Malaysia) and an insurance.
The ICP costs 150,- MYR and is valid for 3 month.
The CTP insurance (3rd party) costs 155,- MYR and is valid for 1 year.

You get both at the AAM (225, Block, 4, No7, Persiaran Sukan, Laman Seri Business Park, Section 13, 40100 Shah Alam - www.aam.org.my, mail: admin@aam.org.m (not all AAM branches can sell the ICP) or at road departments (1 shall be at Port Klang) and at the border.

Avoid lunch time, Fridays and Saturdays for any of the above in Malaysa. It takes more time ;-)

When we came to Lome we had 7 days to ship bike somehow to Croatia, or somewhere close in Europe. I first tried to find a sea cargo, but no luck. I found some agents but they didn't call me back which was not very profesional. The only proper motorbike place in Togo - Toni Togo - that deals mostly with KTM's, people there were very helpful. They told me sea shipping is much more hassle and not much cheaper, and that they always use air. The only proper way to shipp to Croatia from there was with Air France. But the procedure was pretty profesional, very reliable even though expensive. I had to build the box/crate for a bike, and ToniTogo helped me with their workspace and finding carpenter for me, and transporting the bike afterwards to airport. It took me whole day to make the crate as i tried to reduce the volume maximaly. I took both wheels off as well as front suspensions (forks?) and steering wheel, vizor etc... I count i saved some 200-300 euros by doing that. Eventualy the price was 1000 euros, and i payed 50 more to take the bike home from Zagreb airport. Once we brought the box (it costed me aroun 50 euro to make the box) to the airport, the procedure there was not a big hassle. But dont do the mistake i did - don't close the top of the box, before the customs officers check the inside. They wanted to open it, but i somehow managed to persuade them not to...
So the bike was gone, and i was a bit worried how it will go, but everything went well. In the air France they gave me the tracking number, so i could check where my bike is online. They also find the agent (obligatory) there who did all the paperwork for me. Bike arrived 10 days later to its destination, and everything was fine, no problems!
Good luck!

Shipment by RoRO-Ferry Wallenius Willhelmsen.
From Bremerhafen,Germany to Halifax,Canada.
I did all the booking/paperwork through an Agent in Germany:
InTime Hamburg
Olaf J Kleinknecht
o...@intime-ham.com
Cost for Agent and Ferry: 905 euro
cost of transport in a truck in Germany from Loerrach to Bremerhafen: 230 euro
Cost of release in Halifax,Canada: 110$us
Release of the bike in Halifax,Canada:
1.Go to the agent of Wallenius Willhelmsen and pay the fees.
2.Go with the paper you just paid to the custom/police, about 500m from the agent.
3.Go to the autoport.take a taxi for 25 minutes/20$
and show the paper whith the stamp of payment of the agent and stamp of the custom to the office.
they will drive the bike to you.
Had no scratches at all.
Can only recomend it.
You can leave the boxes atached to the bike but they must be empty.
RoRO-Ferry costs a bit more then in a wooden box but it is less hassel.