Best bike shipping service..

Mort443
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Mort443
Edited Date/Time 1/18/2012 7:10am
Anyone out there have any experience in shipping there bikes out? Who do you find to be the best/most cost efficient?
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TheWeapon 12/19/2008 10:09am
12/19/2008 10:09am
Good question. I'd like to know the answer too - since I'll be headed back to Oz in the next year or so.

Also....I vaguely remember bikes being shipped to dealers as 2 per crate (obviously not assembled). I'm wondering if I could buy 2 this way and ship them home....bikes are much cheaper here!!
nc_mx_kid
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nc_mx_kid 12/19/2008 10:11am
12/19/2008 10:11am
I've heard forward air is okay to work with. I don't think i'd call any of them "BEST"

Sometimes you can hook up w/ a trucker making a run to haul a bike for you.
KGA
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KGA 12/19/2008 10:12am
12/19/2008 10:12am
I shipped a bike via Forward Air a few years ago, and it was cheap. www.ForwardAir.com

You have to crate the bike yourself and deliver it to them, but no big deal. This was a while ago so check the website to see details.
WSR
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WSR 12/19/2008 10:29am
12/19/2008 10:29am
Forward Air and Fedex Freight are usually the best deal. If you use Fedex Freight, you need an account with them. Also they will charge more if you say it's a motorcycle, but I don't know why. Maybe the gas and oil scares them. It's cheaper if you just get a quote on the dimensions and weight of the crate. If it has to be disclosed, say it's motorcycle parts. Technically it is parts if the bike is partially disassembled. Good luck.

The Shop

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babba boey
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babba boey 12/19/2008 11:50am
12/19/2008 11:50am
Talk to your local shop. They should have accounts with shipping companies and will be able to get you the best deal. I shipped a SM bike from Boise to FL for $135.00. If I did not use a dealer the price from the same shipping company was $800.00.
tuz371
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tuz371 12/19/2008 12:09pm
12/19/2008 12:09pm
Mort443 wrote:
Anyone out there have any experience in shipping there bikes out? Who do you find to be the best/most cost efficient?
So I guess you found a good deal on the Kawi or Suzuki you were looking for?
cjmx
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cjmx 12/19/2008 12:28pm
12/19/2008 12:28pm
when serivce honda shipped mine they used Yellow Freight.
jeffro413
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jeffro413 12/19/2008 12:52pm
12/19/2008 12:52pm
you've got mail
Mort443
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Mort443 12/19/2008 2:49pm
12/19/2008 2:49pm
Jeff it wont let me send you back a message. I do not need to ship anything right now, but I did while I was in Cali and possibly will soon here again so was just trying to get a run down on how much it would cost and threw who. If you could Jeff (stormlakehonda) send me a e-mail. Jeffmort@hotmail.com

Thanks
newmann
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newmann 12/19/2008 5:20pm
12/19/2008 5:20pm
I have used Bestway Solutions about 7-8 times. Had to crate it myself. They are very reasonable. Look them up on their website and give them a call. They subcontract through other shippers and the rates have usually been only a third of what the other companies quoted. And it ended up shipping through the high priced shipper anyway.....go figure! Bestway must get one heck of a discount.
floridaflash
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floridaflash 12/19/2008 6:29pm
12/19/2008 6:29pm
I shiped a bike by UPS from Florida to California once in 4 boxes, I don't no what the weight deals are now, but you can check
jock
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jock 12/29/2008 5:58pm
12/29/2008 5:58pm
TheWeapon wrote:
Good question. I'd like to know the answer too - since I'll be headed back to Oz in the next year or so. Also....I vaguely remember...
Good question. I'd like to know the answer too - since I'll be headed back to Oz in the next year or so.

Also....I vaguely remember bikes being shipped to dealers as 2 per crate (obviously not assembled). I'm wondering if I could buy 2 this way and ship them home....bikes are much cheaper here!!
Check the shipping price first Weapon.
When I won the 450 on MotoXDream, the quotes ranged from $2500 - $4500 just for freight.
MXD got me a better price though.
All up it cost me $2300, half of that was for GST, brokers fee's, import approval, quarantine, etc.
If it's a new bike, it doesn't work out much cheaper than buying one over here.
FlickitFlat 12/29/2008 9:08pm
12/29/2008 9:08pm
Wow that is crazy prices Jock. If any of you guys are having a bike shipped international post something up prior to doing so. If someone is seriously going to ship I know I can help arrange a better rate than $2300.
AJ
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AJ 12/29/2008 9:50pm
12/29/2008 9:50pm
Mort..

we use yellow frieght for US shipments.

for international shipping we use UPS foward supply chain..-
to most of europe it is about $800 to $1200 USD dependent on exact destinantion airport

one key is to be an already recognized as a originator of this type of shipment with the cargo companies.
and individual (or many shops) have to jump thru a lot more hoops.
if its a first time international shipment.


Jock -

fo erwhat its worth,
we ship 500AFs to austrailia somewhat regularly.
the shipping cost is typically in the 1200 to 1600 range for one crated off road bike.
thru UPS forward supply chain (international)
(i shipped one to tazmania this summer , it was $1300USD)

Granted any import duties,taxes, or brokerage fees and quaranteen are added expenses and have to be found out on the australian side beforehand.

One thing that catches many aussies is they ship the bike before applying for an import permit or completing docs to do so on that end.
when the bike arrives without preapproval, then it sits as they permit is applied for and the process takes some time to go thru
(the bike all the time getting storage duties)
Customers that apply for an import permit well beforehand..(more than 30 days)
get it approved then have it shipped , save several various fees..

but i'm unsure of any shipping brokerage
fees ofr th eexact import duties/tax.

i know it can be steep there.
but in most of europe it is beween 17 to 25% ouch!

NZ seems to have a much more lax import system than australia,,not sure why
but it seems less painful, and not a big deal importing bikes to there.

pjs dad
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pjs dad 12/30/2008 6:00am
12/30/2008 6:00am
for domestic shipping:
I just used freightandshipping.com
easy to arrange online, they price multiple shippers but seemed to funnel toward Road Runner Transportation.
$288 with no hidden fees or charges.
Corona, Ca to a small town outside of Charleston, SC, door to door
we did have to crate it, we just used old oem packaging, just like how they arrive at the dealers.
seems like a friendly dealer would be glad to hook you up with the packaging since it is trash for them to get rid of.
jock
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jock 12/30/2008 3:47pm
12/30/2008 3:47pm
The shipping price came in at $970USD, through Concordia.
The fee's on my side for brokerage, taxes, import approval and quarantine were $1200 Aussie.
Taxes are 10% of the combined purchase price and shipping price.
With the import permit, the transport department told me not to have the bike sent until it was approved.
AJ, here is a link to importing vehicles into Australia if you are interested.

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/impo…

The original shipping quotes I got were from Qantas and DHL.
scrubbin
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scrubbin 12/30/2008 7:11pm
12/30/2008 7:11pm
I just used uShip had a bike shipped from CA to GA door to door for $400.00. All you have to do is go the the uShip site. http://www.uship.com/ and fill out the where the bikes at and where you want it shipped. You can also put a price that you'd like to pay to have it shipped. Then you can just wait while shippers bid on the job and you can select which one suits your needs.
AJ
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AJ 12/30/2008 9:13pm
12/30/2008 9:13pm
jock-
Thanks for the link.

and 970 U*SD sounds about right,and fair, ,as far as freight costs..
(as long as it was air) to aus..

other than the brokerage fee seems a bit rough?
but sounds like that also included vat or taxes?
and then it would be expected amounts..

most guys import mx bikes to aus NZ or europe more due to
lack of the model availiblity , or enough quantity locally.
you're right it is seldom any less expensive

now with the aussie dollar taking a hit,,
i havnt sold many 500AFs there lately Sad

Pit Row

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TheWeapon 12/31/2008 6:18am
12/31/2008 6:18am
Perhaps....

But when the company I work for here said that they will pay relocation costs when my visa runs out....It would be stupid not to take advantage of that! Smile
jay_547
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jay_547 12/31/2008 8:38am
12/31/2008 8:38am
WSR wrote:
Forward Air and Fedex Freight are usually the best deal. If you use Fedex Freight, you need an account with them. Also they will charge more...
Forward Air and Fedex Freight are usually the best deal. If you use Fedex Freight, you need an account with them. Also they will charge more if you say it's a motorcycle, but I don't know why. Maybe the gas and oil scares them. It's cheaper if you just get a quote on the dimensions and weight of the crate. If it has to be disclosed, say it's motorcycle parts. Technically it is parts if the bike is partially disassembled. Good luck.
yep, a guy shipped me a bike once. he gave the crate dimensions to forward air and got a price. when he arrived with the crate, they asked him what was in it. when he told them it was a motorcycle, they jacked the price up by a couple hundred dollars. he went ahead and shipped it because we had already made the deal. he was pissed. i don't blame him.

when it arrived, it had a huge hole in the side just about the size of a lift truck fork. luckily, it didn't damage the bike.
Oldmotoguy
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Oldmotoguy 12/31/2008 8:59am
12/31/2008 8:59am
WSR wrote:
Forward Air and Fedex Freight are usually the best deal. If you use Fedex Freight, you need an account with them. Also they will charge more...
Forward Air and Fedex Freight are usually the best deal. If you use Fedex Freight, you need an account with them. Also they will charge more if you say it's a motorcycle, but I don't know why. Maybe the gas and oil scares them. It's cheaper if you just get a quote on the dimensions and weight of the crate. If it has to be disclosed, say it's motorcycle parts. Technically it is parts if the bike is partially disassembled. Good luck.
good advice same thing with shipping with matson..tell them its tools and parts..i did that

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