Shipping Bike to Eurpope?

I am going to Europe this summer and I want to ship my bike over. Has anyone done this before? Could you share your experiences with me?

I have searched all over and can not get any information that makes me confident that this will be easy and/or cost effective.

I plan on being in Europe every summer for the next 5 years so I'm going to leave my XJ650 there for me to use when I'm there. This year my plan is to fly from Vancouver to Germany and ride my bike to Croatia taking my time the whole way down to sample many beers and local customs.

Any advice would be appreciated

 

As an update I found this page interesting. Although it's a little dated it has provided me with a new branch to research.

http://micapeak.com/~marcl/pages/shipbike.html

Lots of information on insurance needs and some stories people have posted of their experiences.

 

No replies?

I guess I should probably go to the Harley or BMW forums. There's probably not alot of people here that would consider driving their XJ through Europe. I will still report back if I find anything.

I leave at the beginning of August. I think I should blog the whole ordeal for anyone who may be interested in doing the same thing.

 

I would definitely be interested in hearing of your travels and the issues of shipping the bike over and making it legal for traveling in Europe.

 

Gwyndwr - I'd actually suggest a different idea -- leave your XJ here, buy yourself a bike there. Don't forget to get yourself an International Driver's License before you go.

Shipping would be ghastly expensive, and painfully slow. Last I knew (a few years ago) shipping to Europe was in the order of $1500 each way, and took at least 6 weeks - each way.

Buying another bike there would solve any possible problem with the bike not being European spec, license, etc. And you can probably find one much cheaper than the cost of shipping.

Some further reading (on importing & licenses)
Importing a motorcycle to Germany

 

Your best bet would be a military man. Soldiers get their vehicle shipped for free if they're going for a long tour in Europe. Find a soldier who is going, but isn't taking a vehicle.

 

I like the way you think Steve. I should try and work that angle.

I did find a great little blog about another Canadian who did the exact thing I want to do. You can read his posts here:

http://members.shaw.ca/coteesh/motorcyc ... _prep.html

He left his bike there in 2006 and came back to it again in 2007.

As for buying a bike there, I thought of it but decided I would prefer having my bike there set up the way I want for what I want to do. Plus I am going to leave it there and come back year after year. My wife has a house in Croatia so now I have my bike and a homebase to tour eastern europe on a bike that probably won't get stolen.

I've sent out a bunch of quote requests. We'll see how expensive it gets.

May have to cut back on my Bratwurst allowance

 

I have made up my mind. Come hell or highwater I'm air shipping my bike to Germany. If anyone want to track my progress it began this weekend. Here's my official blog:

elvisonthemove.blogspot.com

I will update it regularly and use it to post the trip itself.

 

I would look into what kind of "Road Tax" you need for each country
Remember you can cross several Europen borders in one day and even sometimes you do not know you have travelled from one country into another.

So good reserch before you go is a must. Some countries you are expected to have a spare set of light bulbs others you must have a first aid kit.

Germany has one heck of a big town called "Ausgang" but if you ever find tell me cos I never found it :lol:

 

That is something to keep in mind. When I was driving last year through Austria they made me buy a sticker that went on my windshield. I never figured out what is was for but they made me buy another one when I cam back.

I look into Ausgang tomorrow. I work with a bunch of Germans they'll know where it is.

On a plus side I got an air shipping quote back today that was around $775 Canadian 2-3 days to Frankfurt or Munich. So that is looking good. I'm sure it will go up a little in August but I'm finding that by learning a bit of the shipping lingo there are different rates that you pay for being ignorant.

I say that now. But when my bike does a no show I won't be so cockey.

For anyone who wants to make the trek to Europe one day you should follow my blog at:

elvisonethemove.blogspot.com

I'm updating it often.

 

I recieved two more quotes. One was for air shipping $1556 and that was if I could gaurantee my bike wasn't hazardous cargo (which it is). The guy was a complete tool I emailed back and forth and realized quickly he wasn't a serious option. Never use Global Pack N Ship Plus joke of a company.

A nice young lady gave me ocean shipping. The price was pretty good with inland shipping to Montreal and pick up in Frankfurt. Here is her email to me:

Good afternoon Elvis,

Thank you for your rate request. We are pleased to offer the following
rates for your consideration:

A) Ocean freight from Vancouver terminal to Frankfurt terminal:

US$ 250 per cubic metre or 300 kgs whichever is higher

Minimum: US$470.00 per shipment

The above rates include origin terminal charge, inland move
to Montreal for loading, fuel surcharge and ocean freight to Frankfurt
terminals. This rate does not include destination terminal charges,
customs clearance, duties, taxes and delivery to door.

B) Export documentation & coordination: CAD$ 65.00 per shipment

C) Local pick up charges: additional based on pick up location

D) Approximate transit time is 25 days ex. Vancouver via Montreal


Please make sure your cargo is crated in IPPC wood, fuel has to be emptied
and disconnect battery.

Above vulnerable to third party rate changes 30 days after issuance.
Subject to C.I.F.F.A. standard trading conditions.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions
regarding the above.

Best Regards,
Amy Su
Export Dept., Locher Evers Int'l.
Tel. (604) 523-5100
Fax. (604) 523-5125
Email: amy.su@lei.ca

Of course it's the approximately 25 day thing that makes this a little tough for me. So many things can happen in 25 days. Longshoreman strike, storms, etc.

I am going to pursue this option a little further. I want to find out if my bike can stay there for a couple of weeks without clearing customs until I arrive. Pay a little for storage and ship my bike out 2 months before my trip that way I know it's there.

 

On a different note. I started working on my bike. I emptied the gas tank... OMG you should see the way it's gelled. Actually it kinda cool. I'm posting pics on my blog:

elvisonthemove.blogspot.com

Good lesson as to why we don't just start up our bikes after letting them sit for a year or two.

 

well, about different trafic rules over here in europe...

There are a couple:
- Cary ALLWAYS a retroreflective/bright colored jacked with you. Within most european countries it is the law. (you dont have to put it on, just cary it with your luggage)

- Austria: the sticker: Austria raises extra roadtax for everyone who's traveling on their roads, plus they know Toll-routes. The sticker is a prove of tax-payment. More important: Keep to the speed limits!!! In austria, at some routes riding faster than the speed limit isn't just a offence, but will be titled as a crime. don't know the exact rules, but you should keep it mind.
- Germany, at some highway's there is no speedlimit. those are marked with a recommended speed sign of 130 km/h (blue square sign, with 130)
AUSGANG means Exit. at every exit of the "autobahn" (highway)
- Netherlands: there's allmost no room for speeding. everywhere is trafic. some points have "traject-control" two or more portals over the highway register every vehicle passing, recording time for every vehicle when its passing. with passing the next portal, the exact time is recorded again and your average speed is calculated, more than 10 kmh to fast, they will try to send a ticked to your home.

want to know more, just ask 8)

 

Thanks for all the info Hyperion. Sounds like you have quite a bit of experience. Do you mind if I copy/paste some of your post into my blog?

The highway info is pretty interesting. I noticed last year in Slovenia and Croatia the speed limit signs on the highway were electronic and would change to suit the conditions. Day, night, weather, accidents. I thought that was ingenious. The reflective vest is kinda gay but I have one that folds down to nothing. Of course in Europe no one would look at you strange if you were wearing a bright yellow jacket with orange reflective stripes. Unlike North America where black is pretty much the standard. Kinda like when you go to the beach over there. They stare at you if you wear surfer shorts and you go unnoticed if you wear a Speedo.

I changed the oil/oil filter in the bike last night and put in a new battery and fresh gas. Tried to fire it up with no luck. drained the battery trying. Put the battery on the charger and went and watched survivor. Came back and voila. She's running now. I'm getting excited. I can almost taste the Bratwurst.

 

ofcourse you can use the info...

Experience? well, living in the Netherlands, one of the smallest countries of europe, with way to much people, highways and cars... when you want a nice ride on a bike, you'll have to go foreign... so you need to know some rules out there

The reflective vest is only when you break down standing on the roadside.

some of the speedlimits are indeed electronic adapted. it's not perfect yet but it improves. please keep in mind: the square electronic boards are speed limits... the metal blue square boards are advice. keep to the limit on the electronic signs, the are often coupled with the traject speed control.

Have fun over here, the countries you mention (slovenia croatia) are very nice to do with a bike

 

Gwyndwr,
Well I have to tell ya it seems like you have your mind set on taking your bike across the pond, and I think thats great. But Just a heads up from personal experience it sucks trying to get a veichle into europe with all the different rules and regs, and it's even harder to get it back. Maybe things have changed in the last few years, but when me and my family moved to the UK, it was hell. But maybe its changed and you'll have no problems. I may have missed it in your previous, but have you talked to customs yet? just wondering..but it's your call. I would get another bike for the time your there. Anyway, good luck, and I hope it goes well for you.
Mac

 

That is a very valid argument you have made. I have spent quite a bit of time researching and I know that in the end it would have been less expensive to buy a bike there.

You mentioned customs. I do know that if you were actually importing a bike into the country there are some extra steps that you need to take with inspections and the like and you have to pay some taxes as well. The UK in particular has made it a bit of a bureaucracy out of it.

I don't have to worry about it because I'm not actually importing my bike into the country. I'm keeping it registered in Canada and keeping my British Columbia license plates and insurance. What I'm doing is tantamount to driving across the border. What I will have to do is purchase insurance from an ADAC office in Germany for the time I will be traveling in Europe. That cost about $35 for the month and is easy to pick up. The ADAC offices are everywhere.

You made a comment about shipping the bike back. I'm actually not going to be shipping the bike back. My wife has a house in Croatia so I will be storing the bike there until I return next year. At which time I will purchase insurance and get new tags for my bike back here in Canada and just stick them on my plates there. By some additional European coverage over the net and Voila! So it gets easier for me year after year.

If you want to know more about the process, or if you just want to track my progress I truly encourage you to check out my blog. I go into detail about what I'm doing and I go off on tangents to. I keep it fun!

Some of the things I plan on doing with my bike is a complete disassembly, dip and powdercoat the frame, ceramic coat the exhaust, thermal dispersant coatings on the entire engine, carb rebuild, new paint, and custom luggage. So something for everybody. As well, once I'm in Europe I'll be posting from the road and keeping everyone up-to-date on whats going on over there.

the url is:

Elvis on the Move

http://elvisonthemove.blogspot.com

Check it out!



Elvis

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I've been riding the bike alot lately and she seems to be pretty reliable. With the exception of a battery that won't hold a charge. Man I wish I had a kick start. I'm way to out of shape to be push starting this bike everywhere. That being said, I'm way to out of shape to be riding through Europe. I'm really going to have to start working my CORE big time if I plan to do 500 kms per day through Europe. Otherwise I'll be cripple after day 2.

Well This Sunday I'm going to begin tearing my bike down to the frame. I have a lot of work planned for her. Mostly cosmetic but a top end rebuild as well. I also plan to completely replace the electrical and a few other odds and ends... handlebars, tank, seat, controls. But asides from that not too much work.

I'll take lots of pictures and make sure I post regularly. If anyone wants to come over and help I'll make sure the beers are cold.

 

You may get away with just taking it over to drive as a tourist but if you are going to try and IMPORT it into the EU countries you can't do it because it can't meet the current emissions standards. There's some discussion here about someone who lives in Austria trying to import a Yamaha SR400 from Japan but it doesn't look possible unless he can get it licensed in a non-EU European country first that doesn't have such high standards then take it in from there but that remains to be seen. I think the consensus was he would have to buy an existing older bike that is currently licensed and use the frame from that and move all his parts from the new bike over to it.
http://sr500forum.proboards38.com/index ... hread=1708

 

(Macdbf said.
Maybe things have changed in the last few years, but when me and my family moved to the UK, it was hell.)

Thats strange because loads of S/H bike's are imported into the UK from the US every year, there are companies that specialise in importing them. I'm hoping your wrong because I have still to get my bike a US into UK import registered and legal here in Spain where I now live.

Faighaigh.

 

Is Spain in the EU? If it is you are going to have problems.

 

There are different regulations for each country when it comes to motorbikes. The EU has guidelines, but countries maintain autonomy when it comes to licensing and inspection. I don't know what Spain is like, but I have heard France is one of the easiest. They just want the taxes and they don't look to hard.

The reason I'm bringing my bike over is because I don't want to go through the hassle of finding a bike over there. I plan to leave it in Croatia and just bring over new decals each year I visit and pretend like it has been with me all the time. Although Croatia isn't in the EU they have an inspection bureaucracy that has no rival. It takes them almost a full day to go over your vehicle. Everything from air filters and brakes to exhuast and carb settings. And you have to go through this process yearly.

If you do as I do and just keep your North American registration you'll need to purchase additional insurance for when you travel in Europe. The easiest and best place to do this is in Germany at any ADAC office. There are a few online services that will get it for you and send it to you before you start traveling. Plus, as a general litmus test, if your legal in Germany you're legal anywhere.

If anyone is going to be near Croatia in August PM me. Perhaps we can meet up for a ride.

I arrive in Frankfurt on August 2nd and I my route will be Frankfurt to Prague, Prague to Vienna, Vienna to Bratislava, Bratislava to Budapest, Budapest to Zagreb, Zagreb to Split, Split to Jardtovac where my wife's house is. Then it will be lots of beers as I work on my tan on the Adriatic.

 

Gwyndwr:- You said earlier you put in a new battery but now it appears not tbe holding a charge. Could your alternator not be charging the battery?

Not shure about the bike but I checked my car reacently by putting a volt meter accross the battery terminals with the engine off got 12V. Started her up took a new reading and got 13V so alternator was good. If I got less than 11.5v then alternator would be U/S. I assume bikes would be the same perhaps someone could confirm this.

Spain is part of the EU

 

Actually Kenbo my battery problems are a little more self inflicted. I put my 10Amp charger on the battery one night and went inside and fell asleep. I woke up the next morning to find a very HOT and extremely DRY brand new battery. I have refilled it but I'm not getting the same performance out of it as before. The problem is if I leave my bike for a day or two it loses its charge. Once I'm running I'm fine for the day of stop/starts.

I would make this recommendation to any motorcycle owner:

Buy a good quality trickle charger with automatic shutoff.

 

>I plan to leave it in Croatia and just bring over new decals each year I visit.
Won't they eventually catch on that you imported a bike into the country illegally? I don't know about Croatia but some places make note of everything you bring into the country and if you don't have it all when you leave you could be in trouble.

 

The thought had crossed my mind too. I don't think they could keep track. There are too many people coming through there during the summer. Especially riders. And they arrive by ferry from Italy, from Hungary to the east, Slovenia to the north, Italy to the north, Bosnia from the south, Serbia from the east. I doubt they could track it.

Besides, me getting interrogated by the Croatian customs officers would make a good blog.

 

Don't they check everyone's passport and other papers? In Taiwan they check everything you bring in and take out so Croatian officials could do it too. You might get a chance to blog from prison! Wouldn't that be great?
Or maybe it's like Mexico and you just bribe someone with a $20 and go on your way.

 

Last year I went by train and the officers barely looked at me once they saw the Canadian passport. But we did get pulled over for speeding once in a rental and the cops were trying to get money from us right on the spot. We played stupid and my wife pretended not to speak Croatian and once they realized we had no cash on us they let us go. I do know they take some things seriously and others they don't. Helmets are a suggestion and drinking is zero tolerance.

Like I said I doubt it will be a problem. There are a lot of cars there with New York plates on them. But I guess if it is a problem I'll just say someone stole it. Then I'll get new plates when I come back and bring them with me next year. I dunno. But, you kinda have me paranoid now.

 

Would you not be better off taking it in as a "Grey import" In the UK when the army used to return from Germany on exercise a lot them used to bring bikes back with them cos they could be bought cheeper there.

When buying second hand we have to look for little differences such as speedo in km/h instead of m/ph and the like.

It shuold not be imposible and I think a lot more convient over the long term to do it properly.

I can relate to your language story. My daughter married and lives in Germany (hence my signature.."the grandfather") and once in Dussildorf as we walked near a group of skin heads she told me and the wife to shut up... as we passed them she talked to us in German then explained later that they were "Nazi" and if they heard us talking english would have jumped on us. I said but we are Scottish but apparently they would not wait to find out.

 

It's hard to believe there are still people like that in this day and age.

I will look into doing a proper import and see what the procedure is. I honestly doubt it's necessary. When I go past the beachhouses in Zaton every second car has New York license plates on it.

My wife is getting her Croatian citizenship this year so when we go to the consulate I'll try and find more information.

 

I can't speak for Croatia, but I doubt that you'll have the problems that some posters are expecting. In the UK at least, most requirements only apply depending on the date either or first use or of manufacture - not when it was first registered here, so your exhaust would not need to be BSI stamped if it is after 1984. We don't have emissions requirements for bikes here.

To register it, you'll need your Canadian registration docs, something from customs and excise to show that any necessary duties have been paid and a current MOT test certificate. I guess that will be simlar in Croatia, although some central European countries (don't call them East European) have worse bureaucracies than the UK.....

Lots of people do drive around with foreign plates. We locals suspect that they are unlicensed, uninsured drivers who want to avoid parking and speeding tickets. You won't be the only one, but in a small town I expect the local police will notice you. Whether they bother to do anything I don't know.

 

I have looked into it now. To maintain a good level of insurance I need to purchase what is called Z rated insurance for my bike here in British Columbia. It's insurance for people who have to leave the country for extended stays, typically for kids going to school in the States (but it applies to all foreign countries). Then, for Europe, you need to top up your insurance with private insurance. The best kind you can get, I've been told, is in Germany. It's quite inexpensive if you buy it there but there is a guy who runs motorcycle tours who will but it for you and mail it to you.

His name is Steve Knopf and he runs Knopf Tours. Not only will he take care of your paperwork for you, he rents bikes, and for $200 you can store your bike at his shop for a year. Apparently, what I'm doing is not only common, but completely legal. Registering your motorbike in the country you're visiting is only necessary if you plan to stay there and use it for 6 months plus a day in any calendar year. As long as there is an intention of bringing the bike bike someday then you're well within your rights to keep it registered and insured in your home country.