In my personal experience, street riding is better in Italy: better pavement, more roads, scenery just as varied. If you want to ride fast on winding roads, Italy's the place. Plus: the food is better.

On the other hand, Colombia's a lot cheaper, friendlier, and--how do you say?--more adventurous. Italy is predictable; Colombia far less so. Plus: better looking women in Colombia, and so far I've caught much better weather there as well. YMMV.

Mark

So... what happened in the end???
who did you frieght with and how much did it cost.
shame to have the topic opened without a conclusion.

I am looking to do the same. Would appreciate it if you would post your experience!!
thanks!!

Hello SPDilley,
I'm sorry (and I apologize to everyone) if I have not posted how it went in Brazil, but I have been very busy in recent months to write the book on my "Around the World in 83 Days" (unfortunately only in Italian).
I answer you now.
1) I flew from Rio to Dakar with Luthansa. The plane flew from Rio to Dakar (direct flight); the same Lufthansa transported the motorcycle with his truck from Rio to Sao Paulo.
2) All cost $ 6,520: $ 3,625 for the flight, $ 285 transportation to the airport (trucks from Rio to Sao Paulo), 1,415 wooden crate, $ 1,195 taxes and fees.

My opinion: bad service.
1) Cash built too large (by a company chosen by the shipper) who then did cost a little more shipping.
2) Behavior of Luthansa and customs Brazilian ignoble. I handed the bike to time in Rio, Luthansa has been slow to carry the bike in Sao Paulo (it seems because there was no space on the truck or delays in customs) and, although there were still two days before the flight from Sao Paulo, Luthansa decided to load my bike on the next flight, a week after!
So I delivered the bike in Rio Monday, December 2, 2013 and I just got over in Dakar Monday, December 16, after 2 weeks!
I have sent many emails of protest and urge you to Luthansa (and have done dozens of motorcyclists my Italian friends), but Luthansa has NEVER responded to NONE! Attention to the customer equal to 0!
3) Brazilian Bureaucracy stupid, dull and slow: they demanded a certified copy of all my documents and a notary idiot even claimed the Portuguese translation of my passport (which, being an Italian passport, has already been translated into all the languages ​​of 'European Union, and Portuguese included).

Throughout my trip around the world, Brazil (and Lufthansa) have proven the worst country (and the worst company) to ship the bike in the air.
Anyway, I completed the Around the World in 83 days, I have seen so many interesting things and it was beautiful

__________________
www.gold-wing.it -"The aim is the road"- RoundTheWorld
Marcello Anglana - Gold Wing 1500 - km 915,000

I reply to an email I received (I ask you to ask me questions here, publicly, on the forum, so that my responses are for the benefit of all).
The forwarder which I addressed in Rio is Bacelar Paulo - paulo.bacelar@rioportaduaneira.com.br - http://www.rioportaduaneira.com.br/
I had no problem with age of my bike (16 years) in Dakar, but I had the Carnet.

__________________
www.gold-wing.it -"The aim is the road"- RoundTheWorld
Marcello Anglana - Gold Wing 1500 - km 915,000

Thanks so much for the information.. it seemed quite an ordeal for you!!

So far I am dealing with a company called MRM Freight recommended to me by James Cargo of the UK who flew my bike from Ireland to Alaska ( a very reputable and professional outfit)

Time will tell if MRM can be relied on. They answered my query very quickly and gave me a quote of $1400. But i have been in Rio for a week now waiting for a response on a date.

I will post my experience here also, maybe someone else might find it useful.

Cheers for the response!!

Good luck with your book!!!!

Sounds like your shipping experience went pretty much like everyone you was arguing with advised it would.
Maybe on your next trip you will listen to well meaning advice then you won't need to be emailing airlines to complain and slag of the procedures in foreign country's?

No.

__________________
www.gold-wing.it -"The aim is the road"- RoundTheWorld
Marcello Anglana - Gold Wing 1500 - km 915,000

Hahaha what a surprise you disagree