Shipping question

[dlapierre]

Anyone have experience shipping a motorcycle from Canada to the UK? I've had a serious query from someone in London England about a motorcycle I have for sale, but I'm having trouble finding out how to ship, the shipping options, prices, rules, etc.

I live in British Columbia, Canada.

 

thx

[gstallons]

It's probably expen$ive....and not worth it.

[dlapierre]

It's probably expen$ive....and not worth it.

 

All depends, doesn't it?

 

I made some queries and got such good advice from a shipping company, I thought it would be worth passing along.

First, shipping by boat, making the bike part of a container load is the least expensive way to go. Shipping rates are based on volume, not weight, by boat. I was quoted $5.00/cu/ft. Additionally, there is a terminal fee ($90.00) and an export documentation fee ($90.00).

The least expensive and least troublesome way of crating is to mooch a crate from a bike dealer and re-crate the bike. In the UK, for example, they have issues with non-certified wood, so a crate from there takes care of any worries about what kind of material the crate is made of.

The shipping outfit I spoke with also offered advice about assuring the transaction is concluded without difficulties. Assuming a deposit is already made by the buyer, once the shipping company has possession of the crate, it will notify the buyer so the balance can be paid to the seller. It will not release the bike unless the debt is satisfied.

Depending on traffic and what else is in the container, shipping can take 1-2 months. Rough total cost? $600.00. Compare that with "budget" air freight, less than 1/4 the price of air freight.

 

In my case, what I am negotiating to sell is a collectable motorcycle, so it would appear that the boat freight rate just might be worth it to the buyer.

[dlapierre]

It's probably expen$ive....and not worth it.

 

All depends, doesn't it?

 

I made some queries and got such good advice from a shipping company, I thought it would be worth passing along.

First, shipping by boat, making the bike part of a container load is the least expensive way to go. Shipping rates are based on volume, not weight, by boat. I was quoted $5.00/cu/ft. Additionally, there is a terminal fee ($90.00) and an export documentation fee ($90.00).

The least expensive and least troublesome way of crating is to mooch a crate from a bike dealer and re-crate the bike. In the UK, for example, they have issues with non-certified wood, so a crate from there takes care of any worries about what kind of material the crate is made of.

The shipping outfit I spoke with also offered advice about assuring the transaction is concluded without difficulties. Assuming a deposit is already made by the buyer, once the shipping company has possession of the crate, it will notify the buyer so the balance can be paid to the seller. It will not release the bike unless the debt is satisfied.

Depending on traffic and what else is in the container, shipping can take 1-2 months. Rough total cost? $600.00. Compare that with "budget" air freight, less than 1/4 the price of air freight.

 

In my case, what I am negotiating to sell is a collectable motorcycle, so it would appear that the boat freight rate just might be worth it to the buyer.