Shipping bikes to the USA

[ThreeDawg]

It's definitely tricky out there. We were due two bikes shipped to Capetown in late Sptember or early October and they got bumped off the ship at the last minute. Just as well as said ship arrived in Capetown a month late! Bikes were then put on a plane (what we'd normally do, but prices were a bit silly at the time, to say the least), one was delayed for about 10 or 12 days on the way, while the other was sent to Johannesburg and had to be trucked to Capetown arriving three or four days late. The bikes are still in Capetown waiting for a ship seven weeks after we arrived home - of course Xmas got in the way, but bad weather has caused many hold ups at the port, and there have been covid related problems as well. This is all highly unusual - shipping normally goes pretty smoothly, but at the moment it's all over the place. Send your bikes early and pay for storage if necessary!

For any trip of over 4 weeks I'd always ship - it's at that point you normally break even (we once shipped to New Zealand and broke even at around the fortnight mark - bike was there for two months touring - worked out at about £26 per day ), and it is so much better having your own bike and not being terrified of damaging a rental, and having your familiar machine set up the way you want it, decent shocks, footpegs, seat etc. as well as your own luggage is well worth it IMHO.

 

[shakey]

Shipping the USA Update

Ok So Moto Freight are my new best friends. (If you are that Excel show at the weekend pop in and see them on their stand)

I’m all booked, Final price is - Outbound by Air freight to New York is £2525 - Home by sea from Los Angeles is £1045

Total price £3620 (Including all port, customs and handling fees in the UK and USA)

I am going for seven weeks so this is well within the “cheaper than hiring” price band. Bonus is i can pack the bike with all of my kit, camping kit, helmet, jacket etc so i only need to take hand luggage on my flight.

Next on my list is sort out USA foreign rider insurance and travel insurance. Just had a quote from “Motorcycle express” that is considerably cheaper than Fernet.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

That’s a good deal, Shakey.
Hope you have great time.
Not jealous at all.

 

[AustinW]

Ok So Moto Freight are my new best friends. (If you are that Excel show at the weekend pop in and see them on their stand)

I’m all booked, Final price is - Outbound by Air freight to New York is £2525 - Home by sea from Los Angeles is £1045

Total price £3620 (Including all port, customs and handling fees in the UK and USA)

I am going for seven weeks so this is well within the “cheaper than hiring” price band. Bonus is i can pack the bike with all of my kit, camping kit, helmet, jacket etc so i only need to take hand luggage on my flight.

Next on my list is sort out USA foreign rider insurance and travel insurance. Just had a quote from “Motorcycle express” that is considerably cheaper than Fernet.

Make sure you take some evidence that your bike is being shipped with your luggage. US border control gave me and wife a decent grilling about how we could be travelling to the USA for 6 weeks with just hand luggage.

Also be sure to have some dollars to hand to pay duties and other costs in the US when you pick up your bike. I thought I’d paid an “all inclusive” fee to James Cargo but needed to shell out about $100 to actually get my hands on the bike. And then I had to I uncrate it myself too -which is right PITA as they are bloody well wrapped up. And the tyres were flat. And then I was straight out onto busy New York City streets. It was an experience.

 

[shakey]

That’s a bloody good point. Thank you so much.

Make sure you take some evidence that your bike is being shipped with your luggage. US border control gave me and wife a decent grilling about how we could be travelling to the USA for 6 weeks with just hand luggage.

Also be sure to have some dollars to hand to pay duties and other costs in the US when you pick up your bike. I thought I’d paid an “all inclusive” fee to James Cargo but needed to shell out about $100 to actually get my hands on the bike. And then I had to I uncrate it myself too -which is right PITA as they are bloody well wrapped up. And the tyres were flat. And then I was straight out onto busy New York City streets. It was an experience.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Also be sure to have some dollars to hand to pay duties and other costs in the US when you pick up your bike. I thought I’d paid an “all inclusive” fee to James Cargo but needed to shell out about $100 to actually get my hands on the bike. .

Aah, James Cargo..........never quite what they say it is. I was chatting to a guy in Anchorage a few years ago who's bike was 2 weeks late as James Cargo failed to do their job properly.

They aren't the company they once were that's for sure.

 

[Decompressing]

What could I be looking at paying for getting a bike across to the east coast of the USA by sea, return from the west coast.

Cheers for any info.

 

[grantmac]

IIf its for now, I'd not both if I were you. The ILA (longshoremen) Unions are about to go on strike on all East Coast ports so any shipping to he US East Coast will be severely hampered for the coming months depending on how long the strike by the longshoremen lasts. If its for future then of course a different story... A good bike fright forwarder should be able to give you an idea

 

[gspod]

My advice would be, if you can, to fly yourself and your bike from Paris to Montreal which is a days ride from Boston.
We used Motorcycle Express and flew with Transat on the same plane as the bikes.
2 years ago it was approximately $1200 Canadian per bike and $300 Canadian per person - one way.
It was very easy, you don’t need to speak French. When we landed we got a taxi to the cargo area and an hour and a half later we were riding away.

 

[Cortina]

We flew , bought a bike , rode for a month+ sold , return. Need "friend" in states to make life easy (register /tags/ insure) - done it about 4 times now , kept bike there and used it for two years one time. Cheap (relatively) , but do-able if you can work on it , inspect , with confidence. Hiring one struck me as mad , flying bike in and out - is expensive too

 

[Sgt Bilco]

You should budget about £3k return if you are using sea freight.

There are various ways but a good one is RO/RO with Wallenius Willhelmson who run across to Baltimore. I used them some year ago and they were spot on

Also I have a very good contact in Oakland for the return shipping.

Check out flying your bike out as well as it can be good value. For that, contact Kathy at Motofreight who are superb.

Also, Motorcycle Express are good and they will also do your insurance.

PM me if you need any more info.

 

[Davey B]

My advice would be, if you can, to fly yourself and your bike from Paris to Montreal which is a days ride from Boston.
We used Motorcycle Express and flew with Transat on the same plane as the bikes.
2 years ago it was approximately $1200 Canadian per bike and $300 Canadian per person - one way.
It was very easy, you don’t need to speak French. When we landed we got a taxi to the cargo area and an hour and a half later we were riding away.

I'd be interested to see if it still anywhere near that figure. I was quoted £4k+ rtn just for the bike, a few months ago (not with Transat)

 

[wilbjr21]

You should budget about £3k return if you are using sea freight.

There are various ways but a good one is RO/RO with Wallenius Willhelmson who run across to Baltimore. I used them some year ago and they were spot on

Also I have a very good contact in Oakland for the return shipping.

Check out flying your bike out as well as it can be good value. For that, contact Kathy at Motofreight who are superb.

Also, Motorcycle Express are good and they will also do your insurance.

PM me if you need any more info.

Another vote for Motofreight from me.

 

[ThreeDawg]

I wouldn't ship by sea for the outward trip unless you get a killer deal like I did to New Zealand - delays can and do happen often with seafreight. Also, check carefully on arrival/unloading costs, they can be a bit salty. Might be easier and cheaper to fly to Canada, Kathy will be able to advise - US airlines very sticky about flying bikes.

In my experience, you need to be travelling at least a month to break even renting v shipping your own bike.

 

[OnHellas]

Another one for MotoFreight here. Always had top notch service from them.

 

[fizzer]

or ring james cargo.

 

[gspod]

I'd be interested to see if it still anywhere near that figure. I was quoted £4k+ rtn just for the bike, a few months ago (not with Transat)

Wow, that’s a big difference 2 years - I guess everything’s going up.

 

[SIM]

This is the quote I got in May for air freight to NY GBP 1870.00

I know you asked for sea, but as someone else suggested you could be waiting ages for your bike to arrive, I see using the sea for return as it can take as long as they want.

This price includes collection, packing, freight, fuel surcharges, documentation, handling and export clearances. You will then need to pay any import formalities and import clearances on arrival of the motorcycle in the USA. Any storages or additional disbursements are excluded.
For temporary import into the U.S you will require prior approval from the EPA.
US arrivals quote based on crate being collected from Newark Liberty International Airport, taken to depot for uncrating, ready for you to ride away:

$425 Customs Clearance
$95 Handling
$220 Airline Terminals
$250 US Customs Bond fee
$750 Collect crated bike from EWR airport and uncrate so its ready for him to collect and ride away from our warehouse is in Elizabeth NJ

 

[Sgt Bilco]

I'd be interested to see if it still anywhere near that figure. I was quoted £4k+ rtn just for the bike, a few months ago (not with Transat)

Returning from the US by air can be really expensive. Either fly back from Canada or sea freight from Long Beach or Oakland for better prices.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

or ring james cargo.

Not heard many good things about their service if I'm being honest.