shipping a motorcycle overseas

[beechfront]

has anyone ever looked into doing this?


i'm just curious as to how much it would cost.

i think it would be fun to take my bike overseas and use it to travel with.

[ratbyk]

Shipping Overseas

In 1976 I shipped a 76 Gold Wing from Heath Row, London to Toronto International. I had it crated (put on a pallet and strapped down) and shipping one way with the tie down cost me 90 lbs. Very cheap as far as I was concerned. I have no idea about pricing now.
I had flown to England, bought the new Wing in London. I had them fit it with large Krauser saddle bags etc. I had packed camping gear and then took off for a 45 day put put through 14 countries/principles. Had a fantastic trip. I bought the bike for export without 1 cent of tax on it in England. The bike with bags cost me $2384.00 Cdn. (the British Pound at the time was $1.69 Cdn) The same bike in TO at the time was about $3400.00. On arriving back in Canada with now a used bike with 6000 miles on it as a personal possession it cost me somewhere around $350. in duties.
About 6 weeks ago I was talking to a V-Strom 1000 rider at a rest stop and he had shipped his bike to New Zealand, then he and his wife flew down for the winter. He shipped the bike by ship and had to allow more than a month lead time each way. He did indicate that it was pricey but I do not recall his figures.
Said he had a great time and would do it again some time. Maybe Australia next time.
A friend of mine in Vancouver has shipped his bike to San Diego, flown down, done the Baja and had it shipped back north. It went by truck on a pallet. I believe that the shipping portion of his venture cost him about $500.00 Cdn round trip. He also in 02 shipped his bike, Vancouver-Toronto. He then flew to TO, did the east all the way to Newfoundland and rode it all the way back to BC. He had to stop in Winnipeg on the way back to have new tires fitted.
I think from taking to him he indicated that there are a couple of companies that now specialize in this kind of shipping. They already have pallets for bikes made up and they move them around all the time.
Ken/Sooke