Hi All
I am a uk citizen living and working in the UAE. I would like to fly my bike to the Uk next July for a 4/5 week trip around UK,Germany,France and Spain. I have never frighted a bike before so any information would be appreciated. I have started emailing airlines but nothing back yet.
Do i need a Carnet? Do I need an agent? Who should be the first people to contact?

Peter04

Hi Peter
I'm currently trying to arrange the reverse, but into Doha from the UK. I suspect the airlines will dirrect you to an agent/freight company. You could also try freight companys in your local Yellow Pages. Some advertise UK services. For info on a carnet try emailing the RAC. jlee@rac.co.uk was the person who replied to me. You could also try whoever is the UAE motoring organisation, they may well be the issuers if you need one. You will probably have to crate the bike.
Good luck
John

Hi John
Many thanks for the reply. Priety much as I have thought its just very different from the Uk to try and fin the right people to contact. But ill look at your link. ill keep you posted should I come across any useful info.

Peter

Check with the Automobile & Touring Club Abu Dhabi

Manager: Walid Sarris
P.O. Box 27487
Abu Dhabi

+971 2 6212175

They should be able to tell you what you’ll need. Off the top of my head it’ll be a tourism clearance certificate [siaha] from the police but no carnet required.

I have a friend in Al Ain who took his BMW to Europe recently. If you can send me a phone number by private e-mail I’ll ask him to call you.

Stephan

Hi Stephano

Thank you for your reply, I just need to send a few more posts so I can send a email. speak soon.

Peter

Peter
Expect a call from 'my man in Al Ain' who shipped air freight to Amsterdam and back from Jordan by truck.

Stephan

Stephan

Many thanks spoke to Mike today some very good infor.

Peter

Hi Peter,

I sent my Triumph Daytona back to the UK a couple of years ago so I could use it for the summer there.

I was surprised how easy it was. All I did was go to the Police who gave me a temporary export and clearance certificate (assuming there is no outstanding finance) and I took the bike to Motorcycle City. They put it in a crate which they modified from a Fireblade which had just arrived.

I appointed a freight company who then came and collected it, took a copy my bike documents and the clearance certificate from the Police. The bike left on a Tuesday morning, I flew out on Wednesday night and went to the freight office at Edinburgh airport on Friday morning to advise them that it would be arriving and to make sure they had my contact details.

They told me that the bike had already arrived and that they had sent it to the local Triumph dealer as I had asked! Bythe time I got to the dealer they had already begun servicing it for me and putting all the fluids back in. (The bike needs to travel 'dry' if going by air) I had an alarm fitted as it affected the insurance in a positive way!

I left it on Dubai plates for almost a year in the UK and had no trouble with insurance or the Police. In fact a number of times the Police should have stopped me for the race pipe and my heavily tinted visor but I think the Arabic on the plate put them off!

The bike cost me less to freight back with all the documentation charges than it did for me to fly back myself in economy!

I brought the bike back almost a year later and it was just a reverse of the procedure. Same dealers involved, same freight company and it cost about 10% more.

Be prepared for lots of attention though on the Dubai plates, everyone stops to ask you about them and if you rode all the way back!

Good luck!

Hi Andrew

Many thanks for the reply lots of good info. Do you still have any contact numbers of the shipping agents you used, or is it just a case of going to Cargo Villiage and asking around.

Peter

Hi Peter,

I cant actually remember the name of the company. I think it was Al Rais Cargo as my secretary at the time used to work for them. I have heard good things about Straight Line Cargo as well.

You could ask the guys at Motorcycle City as I know they have sent a few bikes back and forward from the UK and Europe. I wouldn't waste time going to the Cargo Village, too much choice! Better just to hit the Yellow Pages and see who understands what you want!

My friend was actually pulled over by the police in London for an illegal u-turn but they let him off with a gentle warning thanks to his pleasant demeanour and Dubai plate.

I'm still riding mine every summer in the UK on a Sharjah plate (with third party insurance through Stefan Knopf) and I've never been stopped. It's probably my careful riding.

Regarding full insurance, I checked with Carol Nash this summer and they were happy to give me a quote but wanted me to transfer to a UK plate within one week! This is a tightening up of their policy since the above-mentioned friend was allowed a year with Carol Nash in which to reregister in the UK.
Stephan

Many thanks for your replys

Peter