International bike shipping: It's a long shot but...

[RDJ]

Has anyone ever shipped a bike from New Zealand to Scandinavia - primarily Finland, but Norway or Sweden would do as well?

I have a ride planned there in August this year, and it would be nice to take my own bike. I have previously shipped to the US and from Australia and South Africa, but not to Western Europe...

Thanks for any recommendations.

[Dubble0zero]

Hi, I looked into the opposit back in 09 (shipping from Sweden to NZ), I came to the conclution that it was cheaper to buy a bike there instead of shipping. Then I could also sell it and get some of the money back. I don't know about the prices today, but it might be worth thinking about other alternatives to shipping?

Skickat från min D5503 via Tapatalk

[RDJ]

Thanks DZ for the feedback. You're absolutely right, the sensible thing to do is to (rent or) buy.

But I will only have about 10 days there in total to ride so selling again is not likely to work; I haven't looked into renting yet, because although have rented bikes in the past overseas, the memorable riots have always been on my own bike, even when it was expensively difficult to send it, for example, to the States and back. (Ultimately, of course, the sensible thing was to buy a bike and leave it in the States, but I digress...)

Anyway, I'll keep looking, but Plan A may just not be able to be made to work; in which case, Plan B :-)

[liljegren]

Seems bonkers to ship a bike from here to Scandi for 10 days riding? Have a look at Knopf Tours, he's in Dusseldorf, but only a days ride from Sweden. He has a b&b, pickup from Frankfurt Airport, and bike rental- great bloke. Mainly Beemers, but other stuff available.

[RDJ]

Thanks for the tip, will check that out. And not denying bonkers... although, not that much inherently sensible about motorcycling, one of the (many) reasons it's fun

[Tazz]

If you're willing to ship for only 10 days of riding I would have thought you could buy one over there an just given it away at the end for the same sort of coin loss

[Moi]

Dusseldorf to Helsinki is between 1800km and 2200km depending on which route you take...

If you could rent a bike in either Denmark or Northern Germany, Hamburg?, then Finland is not so far to travel to...

Could be worth trying: http://www.rental-motorcycle.com/eur...ny_rental.html

or: http://qrental.com/search/g/Motorcycle/loc/Hamburg

Just thinking out loud...

[RDJ]

Thanks guys

Quotes I've gotten so far are interesting - twice as much to bring the bike back from Europe to NZ as to ship it over there from here; and uncertainty as to ETA with ship movements. Hate to do the sensible thing which would be to rent locally in Finland - there are a couple of places who do that near Helsinki apparently!

[Tazz]

If you like, after your 10 days, you could leave it in Finland with a slab of double browns and then I could ride it as far south as I can for you to make your shipping bill cheaper..

[RDJ]

That's what so nice about this site, the selflessness and willingness to help that abounds

[Tazz]

I'm all heart mate haha

Keep us posted on the trip, at the very least with some awesome Kodak moments when you get back. The rains they're all whinging about at the moment should be well gone by the time you strut over

[Dubble0zero]

Depending on how much time you have it might be worth shipping to northen germany or possibly the UK also, there are allot more cargo going there, so it could be cheaper. It will ofcourse take some time to drive up to Sweden depending on how far north you are planning to go, but not much more than shipping it to the Stockholm area. The drive from Stockholm to northen germany takes around 10 hours depending on which port you end up in, so it can definatley be done in a day.

When I think about it it is probably better to aim for Gothenburg if you are looking to ship directly to Sweden, it is a big port and should be cheaper since it is on the West Coast.

[RDJ]

Thanks again DZ

Indeed I got a very reasonable quote to ship to Southampton and back again. that would mean a 1500 mile trip to Helsinki but could be fun... although 3 days up, 3 days back... I;m gonna need a bigger holiday (70s' movie reference)...