Agreed 100% - and that is one of the most important things, when we talk about inconveniences regarding freight. Doing your homework and taking your time to find the best contacts can really make a big difference.

On our 6-month trip from Europe to Australia, getting the bike to go to another location without actually riding it, and handling its customs clearances and other related stuff at other than land-borders, was probably the biggest pain_in_the_XXX on the whole trip. But we had never sent by sea or by air before, so if I´d go again, it´d probably be easier now.

Hi, we were in South Africa last year as part of our RTW trip and If I was coming from OZ to ZA I would buy in ZA, we rode down from England so a differant ballgame
there are plenty of bikes for sale in South Africa, use the horizons comunity for more info, we met a lot of great people using the comunity.
If you fly into Durban contact Thomas at www.motozulutours.co.za, I am cetain he would have a bike for sale.
Hope this helps Pete N Brucella, currently in Ecuador and very wet!!!!

Thanks guys, this is all really useful info.

Summing up what I've heard here so far, I'm still thinking flying is the best option rather than shipping, and that if you can find the right person to talk to, it can be cost-effective as well.

Notwithstanding that, I think the advice to keep an eye out in South Africa for a bike is good too - thanks for the various SA website links, I'm keeping an eye out on all of them from now on!

Oh and hey Pumbaa...sending lots of good vibes your way for your wife's first lesson: I really hope she enjoys it, cos if she does - as I now well know - she'll be joining the best club in the world, eh...!?!

Jeanie

Hi PaulD!

Not sure if you're still following this thread.... I did email you about a week or so ago, to see if I could follow up on your offer re your Qantas contact and getting an air freight quote. I think perhaps my email went astray??!

Still keen to get that quote - or indeed contact your contact directly! - if that's possible...

Jeanie

Jeanie
When you get this all figured out I would be most interested in what you have found out. I am shipping two bikes to Australia latter this year and have been toying with the idea of sending at least one on to South Africa some time before my 12 month temp import is up. So if you do all the hard work and come up with the ultimate answer to shipping to Africa I would gladly make use of your hard work and run with it.

Bob

+1. My trip planning is in its absolute infancy.... but one of the first things I'm gonna have to know is cost and possibilities of flying a bike from Oz to RSA. Keep us posted please Jeanie

heya there Paul just wondering if i can get the details off those people you dealt with at Qantas cause i want to ship my KTM over to India early in the year , much appreciated
cheers
Pat

Hi again.... Anybody have an update on airfreight AUS > RSA please? Any contacts @ Qantas? I heard rumour that Qantas were no longer accepting bikes for air freight... please tell me its not true....

Hi Jeanie

i am a customs broker who works for a freight forwarder in Melbourne and have a bike myself

I would suggest you minimise the size of the crate (and thereby reduce the freight/port charges) by taking the front wheel off the bike

I may also be able to provide you with a crate at our depot

Happy to give you a quote (with air & sea comparison) if you like once i work out if you are prepared to take the front wheel off and whether you are prepared to take the time to reassemble at the destination

Please feel free to contact me on 0433 070 059 or on my private email address ismoljko@y7mail.com

Cheers
Ivan

Hey Jeannie,

It is funny but I am too in the process of getting quotes for sending a bike from Australia to South Africa for my tour in August. Living in Sydney I found that shipping a bike from Perth is a lot cheaper so I will do that and add another 4000km of great touring to the trip.
Shipping by air might be better for your finances if it means you can work during the time you would otherwise be sitting around somewhere, waiting for the bike to arrive. Airfreight from Australia seems to only go to Johannesburg though.
I contacted pretty much every single airline flying from Perth to South Africa with max. one in-between stop and none of them accepted the bike any other way than by a cargo forwarder, not a single airline would do it! Even Qantas said, they can't do it directly.

I narrowed down the options to two small cargo forwarding companies, qouting about AU$3500 for air freight sending my DR650 to Africa. Once I've got a more detailed quote I can let you know. I have not decided yet because of two open points: the need for crating and the option to leave panniers and equipment on the bike which both cargo forwarders are about to investigate right at the moment.

Which time around will you start in South Africa?

Cheers,

Marco

__________________
no risk - no fun

Hi Marco....

$3500 .... at that price I'll be buying my DR in South Africa.... (not my preferred option.... I really would like to ride over to Perth and fly me and the bike from there).

$3500???

Flying by Qantas is the way to go!

Go directly (in person) to the cargo desk at the airport from which you intend travelling a few days (2-3) before you leave, and speak with them, trying to sound as if you know what you are doing. Bluff works. It helps to already have a Dangerous Goods Certificate (available close by at most airports through DGM company). Do NOT phone Qantas, as the little desk jockeys will tell you to get an agent. This is incorrect.

Bikes are placed on a pallet and put into the aluminium containers then into the belly of the plane. All loading and strapping down is done by Qantas, using their tiedowns etc etc. Have less than a quarter tank of fuel (less is better) and the battery leads must be disconnected and taped. THAT IS ALL! All of your camping gear etc goes on the bike. My riding clothes (less helmet) go into a bag strapped over the seat, leaving almost nothing as carryon luggage.

I have now flown my bikes 5 times - 2 BMWs x BNE to LAX; 2 BMWs x LAX to BNE; and one WeeStrom from SYD to Frankfurt. It is really SOOOOO easy!! No dramas anywhere. Even in Frankfurt, where I spoke no German at all, it took only about an hour, most of which was spent waiting in queues or wandering off to get a coffee while waiting.

When the current leg ends in South Africa late September, I'll fly the bike home from JoBurg to SYD, a direct flight - with Qantas.

PM me if you need further info.

__________________
Margaret
"twenty grand and twenty miles don't make you a biker"
www.ridingtoextremes.com

Thanks Margaret .

BTW - I followed your South America trip with interest.....

I flew my F800gs Brisbane to Cairo and that cost $1620 My wifes XT 250 was about $1480 + the Egyptians wanted about $400 ea which at least 1/2 that was bribes to get them released. I agree with Margaret !!!!!!

Cheers
Paul

__________________
....rather Die Living.....than Live Dying !
www.globetrekkers.net.au

From memory, I paid $30 document fees each bike in LAX, and about 11 Euro (?) in Frankfurt. That's all. It cost more coming back into Oz! It cost me $2550 to FRA in the middle of the volcanic ash kerfuffle, so prices may have been a little exaggerated, I think. But then, I did actually use a Qantas subsidiary as " agent" to make sure the bike got on the plane I wanted, as cargo space was at a premium just then. Even so, it didn't go until the following day after I left, but I could track it, so knew it had arrived in FRA at 6am the next day, as expected.

__________________
Margaret
"twenty grand and twenty miles don't make you a biker"
www.ridingtoextremes.com