Got to Panama yesterday. Stayed two days in CR. The last night in CR stayed in Ciudad Neily... 30 minutes from Paso Canoas crossing. Hotel Andrea...clean, safe , security.... $40.00.
CR...exit. On left is immigration...you will see people and cars...park there..
get immigration exit stamp...go to your left around the corner...same building... to customs and get a short form to fill out...get exit stamp for bike. No exit check of papers...possibly as I was there at 8.15 am.
Whole procedure... immigration and cutoms...25 minutes.

Panama...entry.
I used a helper. It cost me $3.00. I could have done it on my own as I did all borders except Honduras...but it would have taken longer and after the run around in CR well...
1) As you leave CR and enter Panama there is a beige concrete building on the left...everything is done at this location. Park on the road right in front of the stairs. Walk to your right across the road 10 feet to the ??? Automil and buy your insurance...$14.65..they take US . Get this insurance first. The exchange rate here is 1 to 1.
2) Back across the road ...line closest to road is immigration entry.Show insurance paper etc. Have picture taken ...no charge...get entry stamp.
3) Go upstairs turn right through doorway past Banos ...come to customs office. Ok so when I went there was no one there but a sign basically said. 'Back shortly
...on official business'. WTF?
4) Back downstairs...to the right is where you get your bike permit / customs paper. So give them your papers...stand in the tourismo line. They are friendly.
Get permit. No charge.
5) Outside to roadway and find a customs guy checking vehicles. He will have a card around his neck and be wearing a white polo shirt with an emblem. He will quickly look at your bike then stamp the papers. No charge.
6) Go a few steps from there show your papers and pay a $1.00 fumigation fee. They will give you a receipt.
7) Ride your bike to the fumigation a few yards away. Your are free to go.
Whole entry procedure took 90 minutes.

With the info here I do not think you will need a helper. If you do use one, retain your documents at all times let them know that you really do not need them but be polite...they will still try to help in the hope that you give them some money. I have used helpers twice. They saved me time...both cost me a total of $4.50. Fully worth it. Some people have said they were ripped off by a helper...well it is like anything else...be aware at all times. My experience was good.
All in all from Mexico to Panama I have not encountered any bad experiences. The next leg SA.

Be very careful with radar and police they are everywhere on the roads in Panama.They hide and pop out with radar. Here it is not 'if' you see a cop but 'when'. If you speed you will most definitely get a ticket. Fortunately I do not know what the procedure is ...but I have heard they will not take your licence but will hold your bike until the fine is paid. I obeyed the speed limits...usually 80 kmh...made for a long day.
I have a boat booked for Jan.10 to Colombia. I am also looking into some other options will let you know how I ship.
Hope this all helps.

Thank you Fast103 ! Great help!

We decided to split as one of us has to still wait for the spare parts in Acapulco. I am heading south frome here starting tomorrow with a short vist on Yucatan!

We will be looking for some boat around the end of JAN but will update the status of repair.

I contacted a shipping agent. It was was $1300.00 based on my bike without panniers etc. It is possible to ship via a cargo ship. Maybe getting a container for several bikes may be cheaper. Try Panama Port Company for info. They run the port here.
I will check out my boat on Wednesday and let you know.

I' m in Antiqua att the moment. I ' ll be interested
To share container to Colombia fr Panama end of Januari
Check also with Daniel à Sara
Worldwideride.ca

DO NOT TAKE THE INDEPENDENCE SAILBOAT!
I did from Panama to Cartegena...what a horror show. Loading the bike in Carti onto a launch to take it out to the sailboat was scary. The people with the launch and I manhandled the bikes ( 3 other bikes) two at a time onto the launch leaning them precariously on the sides of the launch...a big wave and that would be the end of my bike. The bikes were then winched aboard the Independence...the winch barely looked capable. There were some tie downs most broken or cut and rope to secure the bikes. Micky mouse...too late to change my mind.
No cover for the bikes. I had taken my own sheet of plastic, cord and bungy cords to secure the plastic and cling wrap. I covered the bike in WD 40, wrapped the handlebars and instruments in cling wrap. Wrapped the plastic around it and one of the bikes next to mine. Several times we had to retie the bikes as they kept moving. The other three bikers from Mexico....two women and a man were useless! Little or no help from them even on their own bikes...incredible!
The independence: 27 people, no air conditioning, two showers , two yes two working toilets for 27 people, dirty, full of junk including a useless jet ski on the forward deck. Low grade food, brackish drinking water the list goes on. One person a Canadian had no bed...he was refunded $50.00. For the four nights on board I slept on the rear deck ...some Canadian guys joined me there. Many people slept outside rather than in their extremely hot and putrid cabins. By the second day the toilets were stink! I bathed in the sea and that was also my toilet.There is really nothing good that I can say about this boat. There is also the fact that someone stole $800.00 from my bag...the Captain could not give a damn. Yes my fault for trusting the young Dutch back packer couple that were in my cabin...I never slept in there but just stored my stuff.
The last 30 hours of sailing the seas were rough....people were sick. The bikes got soaked...retied the bikes and the plastic. I could not stop thinking...I should have flown my bike... I should have flown my bike...I should have flown my bike!
Arriving in Cartagena at 10 pm Sunday night we had to spend another night on this horror boat. In the morning the bikes were off loaded into a rubber dingy and taken to shore...then manhandled onto land...no ramps...nothing...another scary procedure!
Michel the owner and captain of the Independece in my opinion does not give a damn about his passengers or the bikes. He took in on this trip about $15,500.00...he nets I believe at least around $11,000 per trip tax free. He puts very little into the boat ...it is old ,dirty and in need of repair. The lifejackets are suitable for a pool or day sailing....no lights or whistles...no visible fire extinguishers. The liferaft is an old piece of junk that a strong wave would most probably destroy.
The San Blas Islands are beautiful but not worth doing this way.
Having off loaded the bike and paid Michel $35.00 to arrange customs clearance... through Manfred...the process took about 2.5 hours. I also bought insurance from someone who Manfred knows. The was 100,000 ($60.00) Colombian pesos for two months. The actual cost is 61,198 pesos...as I found out later so she took a nice commission.
I left customs, and found the first hotel my GPS pulled up. Tired, sweaty, dirty...no shower in two days... I pulled up to Hotel Castel...absolutely beautiful, immaculately clean, a boutique type hotel.Got a room for $70.00 US a night...to me after the nightmare on the boat it is fully worth it. Asked Peter the owner about washing my bike...no problem he got one of his workers to get me soap, pail and hose. Got all the salt off. Then put the bike in his personal garage...could not have been better. So I will be here for at least 6 days in total before heading to Medellin and somewhat less expensive accommodation.
1) Panama. Going into the Kuna Indians park...$6.00 pp plus $3.00 for the bike...get a receipt.
2) Launch to sailboat..$25.00
3) First mate takes your passport and bike Panama import papers and has them stamped for exit at some point.
4)On arrival (Independence) First mate goes to shore and gives papers to Manfred....of course after paying the $35.00.
I strongly suggest that if you cannot get on the Stahlratte, either fly your bike or ship via container.