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Shipping motorcycle from Germany to Malaysia - Crate needed! Shipping motorcycle from Germany to Malaysia - Crate needed!
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Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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  #1  
Old 24 Nov 2012
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Shipping motorcycle from Germany to Malaysia - Crate needed!
Hey guys,

In January I'll start a road trip from Malaysia all the way back to Germany. Right now my motorcycle (Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS) is still in Germany so I'm looking for a way to ship it to Malaysia.

I already contacted several shipping companies and their offers all sound reasonable but hardly any of them can get me a crate. Do you have any idea how to get a crate in Germany? I thought about building one but the heat treatment regulations are rather rigorous.

Any advice on shipping companies or on how to get (or build) a crate would be highly appreciated!

Thanks a lot!
Steven
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  #2  
Old 24 Nov 2012
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Crate for V Strom
Steven,

get in touch with Suzuki dealers or other ones and ask for one. When you tell them about your plan, you may get one for free. All new bikes are delivered in such crates. Many dealers a happy to give them away.

Good luck

Servus

MR
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  #3  
Old 24 Nov 2012
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Thanks for your reply!

The road trip will be a marketing event for Suzuki and other sponsors (I'll blog about it on HU as well). I'll get the motorcycle directly from Suzuki and obviously asked them first. They didn't have any crates as the bikes are delivered in metal/paper boxes.

Of course I'll contact several Suzuki dealers, but I'm not overly optimistic. So if there's any other way I'll gladly take your advice
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  #4  
Old 24 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thammasat View Post
They didn't have any crates as the bikes are delivered in metal/paper boxes.

Not sure I'm following you? Bikes are delivered in factory crates, which are made out of metal, and usually covered with cardboard. A model-specific factory crate has readymade fixing points for the motorcycle, and optimized dimensions. I actually once got one rather easily from a dealer in Australia, when I had to ship my DL650.
But you still want something else?
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  #5  
Old 25 Nov 2012
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If it's a proper box, I'd gladly take it regardless of the material. However, when I was asking Suzuki, it sounded more like a cover than a crate. On Monday I'll talk to them again and just ask for more details. If it turns out to be a crate designed to ship the bikes, all my problems are solved. If not, I have to find another solution...
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  #6  
Old 25 Nov 2012
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I read thread on here earlier in the year about a couple on a V-Strom 650 who transported their bike in the hold of the Malaysian Airlines flight they were on from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam. It cost 900 euros for the bike plus two flight tickets for the couple. If you can go one way why not the other' All they had to do is disconnect the battery and make sure they had less than a quarter of a tank of petrol. No crate was required. The bike was simply tied to a pallet. It was very secure. They posted pictures. You can find them onn this site. I would be interested if you take this route by plane as I want to fly an XT660R to KL so I can do se Asia for 5 months next year.
Regards, Nick.
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  #7  
Old 26 Nov 2012
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Thanks a lot, Nick!

I'll contact Malaysian Airways this second.
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  #8  
Old 26 Nov 2012
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Packing our DL650 into the factory crate at Sydney City Motorcycles. Front wheel, windscreen, handlebar needs to be taken off. Handlebar mounting holes actually bolt on nicely to the upper beam´s two bolt holes, visible on the picture, keeps the bike very stable:



I also saw from the other photos, that this crate´s dimensions were W: 79cm L: 229cm H: 111cm. It had been used to transport a DL650K8.

Also made and used a wooden crate for this same bike in India, and again in Indonesia, so I think I have a pretty good idea, which one of those three I would choose!

Note, that freight from X to Y does not necessarily cost exactly the same as freight from Y to X.
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  #9  
Old 26 Nov 2012
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How long did it take you to put everything back together? Which tools did you use?

I hardly have any experience so I'm not overly confident with my mechanics skills. Especially when it comes to brakes and other important parts. Before I start the trip I will ask a mechanic to teach me a few basics (how to fix a flat tire or change oil) but I'm not sure if that's gonna do the trick.

Do you think it's doable even with little experience?
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  #10  
Old 27 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thammasat View Post
How long did it take you to put everything back together? Which tools did you use?

I hardly have any experience so I'm not overly confident with my mechanics skills. Especially when it comes to brakes and other important parts. Before I start the trip I will ask a mechanic to teach me a few basics (how to fix a flat tire or change oil) but I'm not sure if that's gonna do the trick.

Do you think it's doable even with little experience?
To be honest, the bike was actually put into that crate by the dealer staff... guess they didn't want us messing around at their workshop!!

But we did basically the same dismantling/putting together with the wooden crates before. Generally quite easy, even though I'm not much of a mechanic... some brake caliper mounting bolts were a bugger to work on, but only because our tool was not the right shape, couldn't reach them properly.

Knowing how to work on the wheel at least, would be good for the trip anyway I think. So maybe do some practice, before you leave? If you feel nervous, I'm sure the Suzuki guys can get you to some workshop, where the mechanics can help if needed. Probably would be good to check out, how to get to the air filter & plugs, how to change oil, etc. at the same time.

Off-topic, but what's your general route plan from Malaysia? And how much time have you got?
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  #11  
Old 29 Nov 2012
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Thammasat, did you get hold of Malaysia Airlines? I'd love to know how you went on? Want to do a similar trip, starting from Amsterdam and flying the XT660R to KL and then Thailand, Laos, Cambodia.
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