Bike Transportation

[Caba]

OK, the move to eastern europe is official and I'm now figuring out what to do with stuff.

(And I will say that the reports I recieved of the Eastern Europe Hotties don't even begin to come close!)

I think the plan at the moment is to leave the FJR with relatives in SC :cray: but at least it will be available for EOM Vacations....

And then pick up a New 07 while I'm there :yahoo:

I'm going to try to ship the new one back here when I return if it's worth it.

Does anyone have any experinece with shipping a bike across the pond either from the US to Europe or comming back this way?

If so, PLEASE let me know. I don't even know where to begin looking for this.

Caba

 

[Sid Post]

If it isn't a USA spec model, good luck getting it registered as a grey market model when you get back. You may want to take the transportation costs and the used sales price into consideration and just get a new 2008, or 2009, etc. model when you get back.

Have you considered a Euro-spec motorcycle? A Ducati Multi-Strada or BMW might work out well on those roads and be easier to service.

 

[Mike-H]

Caba....drop teerex51 a pm....Stef lives in Italy & knowing him he can probably point you in the right direction....hope you have a great time....Mike....

 

[pawtracks]

My FJR is in shipment right now. (San Diego to Italy)

The moving company built a crate for the bike at their warehouse.

Looks really close to how yamaha ships the bike to the US except the bike in this case is 100% assembled still (All I took off was the windshield, drained the gas and all the fluids (as far as they know <_< )

I'm pretty sure any moving company can do this.

The FJR went into a crate, protected by blankets, strapped down.

Then that crate was sealed into another crate for uniform size to match my other 6 crates of stuff (household goods)

All 7 crates were then loaded inside a steel shipping container.

Sorry I can't even begin to help you with the cost. (no idea what it runs)

My shipment is paid for by the US government.

Maybe some of the european touring companies have links to bike shipping for those who choose not to ride a rental?

Found a link to start you off

 

[teerex51]

Caba....drop teerex51 a pm....Stef lives in Italy & knowing him he can probably point you in the right direction....hope you have a great time....Mike....

Er...thanks for the confidence vote, Mikey

Caba, if there's anything I can do to help let me know. I tend to agree with Sid, however. Registering a Euro-spec bike

stateside may be as frustrating a project as doing it in reverse.

Stef

 

[tstaff]

Caba,

Good luck with your move to europe.

Hope to see you back at another EOM someday.

Do they sell PHID's in europe? B)

Tom

 

[Oldwin1]

Shipping motorcycles back and forth to Europe has become pretty common but buying one in Europe and shipping it back could bring on lots of problems. I think they are much cheaper in the US anyway. There are a ton of companies listed on this site or just do a google search on motorcycle shipping. If you take one to Europe I believe you have to promise to bring it back or else to sell it you have to pay a big tax. Not sure of the details though.

https://motorcycles.about.com/od/shipping/

 

[Caba]

Wow, the costs to ship are a lot less than I thought.

I may have to look into this, but that would leave me without a bike for EOM vacations. I'll have to think on this.

Anyway I found a place to give me a quote and I'll let you know how it comes back.

Stef,

After I get over there I'll start cruizing the Italian Forum. With luck, we'll be able to hook up some time.

Thanks for the responses (and yeah, I should have googled before I asked) but I was primarily looking for advice like what I got (I didn't consider the problems with registering the eurospec model).

Caba

 

[Doc]

If you bring a NEW bike into the European Union you will have to pay VAT (Value Added Tax) which is just like sales tax. However if you have bought and registered the bike previously in the US then you won't get taxed again.

You can ride on your US plates for about a year before worrying about regestering the bike in your country of residence. Not that "they" know anything. my bike has been in France on UK plates for 5 years.

Although bikes are a bit cheaper in the US so is their resale value lower.

Buy a new FJR in Europe and you'll not loose more in depreciation then you would in the US, so the idea of buying new here may just cancel the cost of shipping.

We are not short of Yam dealers and service in Europe. 25 mins south, 30 mins north or 45 mins west puts me in a Yam main dealer (east puts me in Switzerland).

The FJR is well suited to most roads but it does depend where in Eastern Europe you plan on riding. Poland for instance has some of the worst roads and you'd be better off without too much plastic to shake loose. last time in Poland I lost a vent and a grill off of my Venture.

Don't forget the FJR came to Europe before the US (it wasn't targeted for US release) so you could say it was designed better for our roads. Plus there are less emission constrictions on the EU bike so why bring a strangled US spec FJR over?

A new FJR1300AS (AE to the Atlanticaly Challenged) is 16,000 euro on the road. I can't tell you the re-sale value as I can't find any pre-owned, but that very scarcity will give a good re-sale value.

 

[Caba]

My FJR is an 04 so I shouldn't face the VAT issue. I'll be spending most of my time in Slovakia, the Czech R., and northern Hungary. In the time I've spent there, the roads haven't seemed any worse than what I'm used to so I don't think it will be an issue.

A new FJR1300AS (AE to the Atlanticaly Challenged) is 16,000 euro on the road. I can't tell you the re-sale value as I can't find any pre-owned, but that very scarcity will give a good re-sale value.

16k Euro ! they are a bit pricier over there. I've gotten a quote of $800 to transport the bike from delaware (thier port) to Germany (I'm assuming the port again). I'm going to keep looking at the transportation costs. If I can get the bike there for that, I'll just take it along!

 

[FJRCRAZED]

Don't do it. It's such a pain in the ass. I bought a Guzzi from my cousin in Budapest. It took me nine months to get the bike back home, don't even ask what it cost. Thank god I got it for a very good price

 

[Doc]

My FJR is an 04 so I shouldn't face the VAT issue. I'll be spending most of my time in Slovakia, the Czech R., and northern Hungary. In the time I've spent there, the roads haven't seemed any worse than what I'm used to so I don't think it will be an issue.

A new FJR1300AS (AE to the Atlanticaly Challenged) is 16,000 euro on the road. I can't tell you the re-sale value as I can't find any pre-owned, but that very scarcity will give a good re-sale value.

16k Euro ! they are a bit pricier over there. I've gotten a quote of $800 to transport the bike from delaware (thier port) to Germany (I'm assuming the port again). I'm going to keep looking at the transportation costs. If I can get the bike there for that, I'll just take it along!

OK here's an idea. Bring the 04 over and ride it here in Europe then before you go home sell it. 04 FJR's are going at £6.500 to £8.000 in the UK ATMo (similar prices in Europe) which would be quite a lump to put on a new/er FJR back in the US.

You'd probably face another £300-500 drop for it being an import but it depends how the Pre-owned prices compare in the US.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

OK, the move to eastern europe is official and I'm now figuring out what to do with stuff.(And I will say that the reports I recieved of the Eastern Europe Hotties don't even begin to come close!)

I think the plan at the moment is to leave the FJR with relatives in SC :cray: but at least it will be available for EOM Vacations....

And then pick up a New 07 while I'm there :yahoo:

I'm going to try to ship the new one back here when I return if it's worth it.

Does anyone have any experinece with shipping a bike across the pond either from the US to Europe or comming back this way?

If so, PLEASE let me know. I don't even know where to begin looking for this.

Caba

In the military, you are allowed to ship a bike as part of household baggage in the container.

 

[pawtracks]

In the military, you are allowed to ship a bike as part of household baggage in the container.

How true, 2 more weeks & I get to uncrate my FJR!

I can't think of a better Christmas Present :clapping:

 

[Caba]

Unfortuantely, I'm not in the military (it just feels like I've been drafted sometimes )

Doc - only problem with that idea is that I need to end up with TWO! (one for the wife as well)

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

In the military, you are allowed to ship a bike as part of household baggage in the container.

How true, 2 more weeks & I get to uncrate my FJR!

I can't think of a better Christmas Present :clapping:

I have a friend stationed at La maddalena. He is a Navy Journalist. If you run into him say hello from Andrew

BTW...lucky dog...choice assignment

Unfortuantely, I'm not in the military (it just feels like I've been drafted sometimes )
Doc - only problem with that idea is that I need to end up with TWO! (one for the wife as well)

I was just thinking that your moving company might move it...since the DOD does it this way, many moving companies are used to it.