Not quite certain how to put this so I'll ask the question first and then explain why. I apologise in advance for spelling and grammatical errors, I tend to get quite upset when on this topic.

I think I'm going to have to seek professional legal advice over the trouble I'm having with a shipping company. The short version of the story is that I haven't received my bike despite various assurances along the lines that I'd get it "next week". This has been going for a couple of months now and I'm starting to realise that I may never see my bike and belongings again. It doesn't help that I may be out of the country for work reasons in the near future.

Has anyone had problems like this in the past? I'm based in the UK, I guess rules and laws are different around the world but if anyone has any advice or suggestions I'd appreciate it. I've tried searching the HUBB but with no success - if this has been dealt with elsewhere then I'd appreciate a pointer in the right direction.

For those who wish to know more, a longer version of the tale of my troubles:

I decided to travel to the US to try and follow the Trans America Trail. Since I couldn't figure out if (and how) I could own and insure a US bike with no fixed address I purchased an F650GS Dakar here in the UK to ship over there and back.

I did some investigations into shipping the bike and ended up going with sea freight with what I thought to be a reputable company. For various reasons I wanted to start my trip in Houston so that was the destination for the bike and I was told I would be able to collect it from a friendly BMW dealer in Houston on the 11th July approximately so I booked my flight to arrive there 16th July.

The first thing to go wrong was presented as a minor difficulty - they'd missed the boat to Texas and my bike would to New York then by truck from New York so not arriving in Houston until the 13th July. No apparent problem.

A day or so before my flight I was contacted and told that my bike was delayed in customs so wouldn't be in Houston until the day after I got there. A minor inconvenience, I thought.

I arrived in Houston. A few days of useless phone calls and faxes followed. My bike was still in customs in New York. The US agent had no intention of shipping my bike to Houston in the near future and wanted extra money to do so.

I flew to New York. One week after I'd arrived in the USA I finally caught sight of my bike. Had to pay out some more cash to get the US agent to release it to me but I was glad to get my bike and start moving.

Time came for me to organise returning to the UK. I chose to use the same UK agents as had let me down on the outward bound for various reasons amongst which was the promise to recompense me for the additional costs I'd incurred getting hold of my bike.

They told me where to drop my bike, so I duly handed it over along with the registration document, original at the insistence of these new US agents. That was 8th October.

I got back into the UK 10th October. I received various emails from the shipping agent (UK side) saying how my bike will be back in four weeks time, etc. but did I have the registration document? No, I left it there (against my wishes). It'd had gotten lost. No problem, they'll sort it all out for me (or so they said).

After the four weeks had passed and then an extra week to be sure I 'phoned them. Bike was still in US.

I left it a bit longer and 'phoned again, (toward end of November). Bike still in US but because it had been delayed so much they'll air freight it back to me at no extra charge (via Paris, apparently). I'd get my bike by the end of the next week.

Late December I rang again. Bike still in US. Air freight deal still on.

Early January (2008). I rang and actually got a call back and a couple of emails. Bike still in Houston but would be trucked to LA and then flown to UK. Promise of some flight details in a few days.

No flight details emerged so I rang again, today. Bike in LA. Might be on a flight late next week... I started to fume at this point but it got worse. I'm not 100% certain of what was said because I was so angry but I think they said an extra week for customs, so I might see my bike end of week after next. Over 6 months since I'd made the enquiry to the shipping agents and 3 months since I dropped it off.

I don't know if this is typical, I'd assumed not. I'm pretty darn angry about the whole affair. I'm not going to say which shipping agent it is because I don't want to create any issues if I do have to take legal action.

If anyone is thinking of shipping their bike anywhere and would like personal advice from me then please contact me by private message and I'll try to help.