Has anybody got updated information for air cargo of motorcycles from Miami to Bogota? Company name, reliable freight forwarder, cost, length of time needed, crate or no crate?

I can't offer you any specific advice, but you should be able to get very competitive quotes if you shop around various freight forwarders.

There is a HUGE trade in fresh flowers that are flown into Miami every night from Bogata. Often, wide-body aircraft are used for this purpose, and it is easy to fit a motorcycle into the belly cargo of a wide-body without any disassembly or crating of the motorcycle.

I kind of doubt that these aircraft return to Bogata full (either full weight-wise, or full cube-wise). That is why I think you should be able to find a good price.

Once again, shop around the air freight forwarders... they are the folks who will be able to offer you the best deals.

Michael

Centurion Air said about three days to have the motorcycle "customs cleared" for $125, then Centurion Air would palletize it and air cargo it to Bogota for $1.70 per kilo.

Anybody use this air cargo company out of Miami?

Costs don't seem to include freight forwarder at the Miami end and DG form, nor handlers and Customs paperwork and fees on the Bogota side.

Thanks

Still seeking fresh information on air cargo for 450 lb. motorcycle from Miami to Bogota: carrier, freight forwarder, and experiences (good/bad).

__________________
Sun Chaser, or 'Dr.G', Professor of Motorcycle Adventure at SOUND RIDER magazine. Professional Motorcycle Adventurer/Indian Motorcycle Racer/journalist/author/global economist/World's # 1 Motorcycle Adventure Sleeper & Wastrel
Soul Sensual Survivor: www.greataroundtheworldmotorcycleadventurerally.co m

Doctor Greg.

I just got a quote that might help you.

It's from Cartagena on the 24th of September, goes to Miami then to Panama, so you might be able to get the ship down from Miami to Panama then Cartagena and make your way to Bogota. They quoted me 1,000 USD and the trip Colombia-Miami-Panama is 11 days.

the company is Jansmar, contact Alfonso Prieto, alfonso@jansmar.com, +57 310 229 6410

its not air and not to bogota, but when do travel plans work perfectly anyways?

I hope that helps.

Thanks for the reply Mr. Jebb! We'll add it to our list of options.

We're still sniffing around Miami area for a solid lead/information for air cargo carrier if you, or anyone else, hear of one.

Regards

We're still seeking information on Centurion Air from Miami to Bogota, if anybody has recently used them.

And if so, was a freight forwarder required that they suggested, and total costs for all, including handlers and Customs clearance in Bogota.

One Miami based Freight Forwarder quoted $2,350 USD (but did not say which air cargo company they would use), and $200-$300 for a crate to be built. No costs on the Bogota side were quoted.

We've got some leads of unknown freight forwarders, but still seeking a freight forwarder some one can recommend who can deliver the goods (2 motorcycles) in a timely basis and not by canoe or row boat to some island with no Immigration or Customs. Preference is still Miami to Bogota, air cargo, before January 1.

We used Mr. Gaston Etchart, a freight forwarder based in Miami. He was on top of everything we needed and got the job done. Here is the breakdown of the costs for one motorcycle (1983 Honda GL650), with panniers attached, battery disconnected, 1/8th tank of gas. We shipped two motorcycles, same year, make and model, and both arrived at the same time, so were able to share some costs like airport delivery.

Air Cargo (computed using volume, not weight) - $1060.00
UN Fee - $200.00
DG Certification - $50.00
Airport Delivery - $55.00
US Customs Validation - $62.50
AES Filing (USA) - $22.50
Crating - $300.00
Freight Forwarder - $100.00
Miscellaneous costs (Notary POA, Fed Ex delivery, bank transfer of funds) -$85.50

Total Cost per Motorcycle - $1,872.00

The carrier was Lyn Cargo. Included in the "air cargo" cost was the help of a Lyn Cargo employee (Veronica Moscera) who met us at the Lyn Cargo warehouse in Bogota and escorted us through all the paperwork at the Bogota Air Cargo Terminal for nearly seven hours, plus drove he personal car to lead us to an insurance company well away from the airport where we purchased the required third party Colombia insurance (not included in the above costs). There were some minor costs for copying documents in various offices at Bogota air cargo.

We took the motorcycles out of their crates in the warehouse of Lyn Cargo and the broken down wooden crates were hauled away by a recycle company for free. The motorcycles were dead engine rolled out of the warehouse and down a set of stairs to the parking lot where we attached the battery, turned ON the gas and drove through the Customs gate (exit) where they took some of our stamped papers.

One misconception that was dispelled was that we could have done the paperwork and shipping ourselves. Maybe 20 years ago, but not today with all the government requirements. Also, US Customs held the motorcycles for three days to verify the US titles and VINs.

One wrinkle was we physically had to arrive and be stamped in at Bogota Immigration before the motorcycles arrived, some Colombia government rule. We also had some delays due to shipping during the Christmas and New Year holidays when government and airline offices were closed, but that was our choice and no fault of the freight forwarder or air cargo company.

On January 2 we collected the motorcycles, having taken a taxi to the airport. The second stage of The Great Around The World Motorcycle Adventure Rally was off and running. Reportage can be seen here:

www.rtwmotorcycleadventurerally.blogspot.com

Regards,

Dr. Gregory Frazier
Chief, World Adventure Affairs Desk, CITY BIKE Magazine
Adventure Editor-at-Large, MOTORCYCLE USA