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**Warthog** · #1 5 Apr 2006

Hello one and all,

I've been scouring this site for some time, but I've now decided to sign up to quiz the collective wisdom.

In Sept of this year, my girlfriend and I are going to be flying to Buenos Aires for a 3 month jaunt around Argentina and Chile. Our bike, a R1150GS, will be shipped to Buenos Aires before hand, in order to arrive a little before us.

Herein lies my biggest head ache: trying to get some idea of costs and the associated bureaucracy. So far I can find a shipper to get the bike there and a crater to pack the bike.
But I'm finding it very difficult to work out how much I should budget for as far as customs charges are concerned: what are they and how much?

Also what should I put in place for a crossing from Arg into Chile as far as documents are concerned. I've read here that Carnets are not necessary and this is good as they're expensive.

So how do I do it? I don't want to get to Chile Chico and be truned away.

What about bike insurance out there, who will cover me???

HELP!

**MikeS** · #2 6 Apr 2006

hi

Where are you shipping from?

I'm also planning to ship my bike to BA in October from Scotland. I've been quoted anywhere between £850-£1200 but these exclude crating and other costs on arrival. There are others currently looking into shipping from London at the same time.

**fcasado** · #3 6 Apr 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeS:
hi

Where are you shipping from?

I'm also planning to ship my bike to BA in October from Scotland. I've been quoted anywhere between £850-£1200 but these exclude crating and other costs on arrival. There are others currently looking into shipping from London at the same time.

I'm shipping mine probably in Oct or Nov, would be intrested in the quotes you've got so far...

Have you thought about shipping it to Chile?

Cheers
Fernando

**MikeS** · #4 6 Apr 2006

Hi

Currently looking at Buenos Aires for sometime in october. Iain who started the south america thread and a couple of others are apparently also looking at doing this. I have only contacted a couple of air freight companies at edinburgh airport so far but will be sending out more enquiries in due course. I'm not sure whether it's cheeper to send more that one bike or not- does anyone know if this is the case?

**Grant Johnson** · #5 6 Apr 2006

check the shipping information page - link on left.

Basically BA is fairly easy, charges are reasonable.

To get costs down when crating for air or sea, but especially air - and we don't recommend sea for the outgoing leg - you want to get the physical SIZE down. Details on the shipping page. Custom craters rarely try hard to get the size down, the size and cost isn't their problem, their problem is only to make sure it isn't damaged en route.

Removing handlebars, wheels, etc makes a huge difference in shipping costs. Visit a dealer who is uncrating bikes and see how small they come and how they do it, especially Japanese bikes.

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

**Grant Johnson** · #6 6 Apr 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeS:
I'm not sure whether it's cheeper to send more that one bike or not- does anyone know if this is the case?

We'll assume you mean PER BIKE - and yes it can be if you're lucky. More weight is usually cheaper per pound. Then make those crates SMALL!

Tip: Be sure to check the weight break points carefully - occasionally you can save substantially by ADDING a few pounds to a crate to get it over a price break!

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

**MikeS** · #7 6 Apr 2006

thanks grant

I need to go back the the agent to check about price breaks anyhow as they didn't actually mention it on their quote.
Cheers

mike

**Warthog** · #8 9 Apr 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by Grant Johnson:
check the shipping information page - link on left.

Basically BA is fairly easy, charges are reasonable.

To get costs down when crating for air or sea, but especially air - and we don't recommend sea for the outgoing leg - you want to get the physical SIZE down. Details on the shipping page. Custom craters rarely try hard to get the size down, the size and cost isn't their problem, their problem is only to make sure it isn't damaged en route.

Removing handlebars, wheels, etc makes a huge difference in shipping costs. Visit a dealer who is uncrating bikes and see how small they come and how they do it, especially Japanese bikes.

Grant,

I'm planning to ship by Sea on the outgoing. Any reason you don't recommend this? From what I've been quoted its a lot cheaper than flying and its not then shipped as dangerous goods.

Also what are the charges I'm going to face once the bike arrives and what do they amount to?

Will I face the same charges when crossing from Argentina into Chile?

And finally, do I need a special motorcycle insurance for travelling abroad?

I've got so much still to save up and we are supposed to be leaving in September I really don't want any surprises when we arrive, or find that we can't get into the continent because we lack one small piece of paper....

Yours in crisis, Nick

**mother77** · #9 9 Apr 2006

I flew my bike over at the start of march to BsAs. Cost 900quid for a BMW R850GS with boxes and kit, total with pallet 350kg. I took the front wheel off, beak, screen, handlebars, indicators, license plate, and got the volume down by 30% or over 500quid. Costs in BsAs airport was 125 US dollars. could have been less if the plane landed in the morning and saved 1 day warehouse fees. these costs are predictable and transparent. i was going to boat it but after much faffing decided i needed to get a move on and get south asap before the winter months.

Quotes i got for the boat were in the region of 600 quid. I have been told that port costs are very expensive and variable. NikB (on this site and has his own blog), i think paid in the order of 400 US dollars to get his bike from teh dock. so the differance in cost is not as great as you think.

Also the airport warehouse staff are professional even if you do have to put up with Maradonna jokes for the day. 1 lad stayed with me all day while i rebuilt the bike. start to finish 6 or 7 hours with lots of queing at teh offices of customs etc. but i expected that. I also read on here that santiago is cheaper than BsAs for both docks and airport. Shipping takes the same time too. depends were you want to start your trip. In BsAs you also have the invaluable help and back up of Dakar Motors if you need to do anything once you rebuild.

The biggest factor is flying was the Volume weight. Packers are reluctant to take whhels off in case of damage. I had to supervise and accept any resonsibility whilst there as it was packed.

Some where on this site is a detailed account of teh customs process at BsAs airport. helped me no end.
cheers
Mike

**Fritz** · #10 27 Apr 2006

The details for custom clearance at airport are here http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tst...ies/001540.php as well as on the BB too, glad they were of use.
Also a thread here with Nik and I on shipping http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-shippers-2954
Mike at Advanced highly recommended, know of atleast 5 bikes he's sent and we were all pleased !
Will do details on the return leg BsA to UK via air shortly (Lufthansa is the choice, for UK anyway)
Ps, if it' the same Warthog as UKGSers, this is the same Fritz as there, so feel free to PM me and I'l pass on me Tel No for a chat if it helps, Chau, Fritz
PS make contact will Karl (Heinz ?) at BA community, you can get insurance in BA, once out of town, your knackered, we had none :-0

**Mick O'Malley** · #11 28 Apr 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fritz

PS make contact with Karl-Heinz at BA community

Or PM him; BCK_973 is his user name.

Regards, Mick

**Cinquegrana** · #12 28 Apr 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying Gringo

Shipping by air out of BA took me the good part of three days, and I speak fairly good spanish and had a very attractive Colombian woman with me.

You dufus, of course it took you three days if you "had a very attractive colombian woman with you". If I were the customs agent I would've kept you there a week and done a strip search on the Colombian!!!! hahahaha j/k

No te calientes che!!!

**Flyingavanti** · #13 2 May 2006

We are current ending year one of a 4 year trip. We are currently in Buenos Aires. Give Javier a call at Dakar Moto. See attached link. He will help, and even store the bike for you if you want to ship it early, so you will not have to wait for it!

http://www.dakarmotos.com/index1.htm

www.Ploung.com