Warning...if you are importing from the UK

**Ninja51** · 17th February 2005, 07:35

I guess this thread is really aimed at any Pom bikers registered here who are thinking about shipping their bike(s) to NZ. But fellow KBers may be interested in this tale or indeed amused at the attached photograph. I used a shipping agent in the UK called Frontier Forwarding - I had found a link to their website having typed " international motorcycle shippers" into Google. They seemed ideal. As I was here in NZ, all initial communication was by phone or email. They picked the bike up from my old man's place and did all the necessary paperwork before I had paid a single penny of my £680. I was really impressed with progress. I was given all the relevant container number, bill of lading, vessel and voyage numbers etc. and the bike left Southampton in November. I was particularly anal (according to Mrs Ninja51) and checked most days on the net to track the container. Silly me to think that it was on a ship bound for Wellington via Singapore as originally informed. Oh no! First stop Le Havre in France, then Singapore, then change ship and go to Oz, then to Tauranga, then (six weeks after leaving the UK) put on a truck to Wellington. I had to attend its arrival because I was to meet up with MAF at the depot in Wellington. I took the camera "just in case" I needed evidence for an insurance claim. Imagine my horror as they pulled it off the truck!!
Miraculously the bike was OK... not a scratch. But as for the crate! Customs said it was the worst example they had ever seen. So my advice to any Brits is to avoid Frontier Forwarding like the plague. Efficient, friendly, and helpful they may have been, but their carpentry and joinery expertise is crap!....

**ManDownUnder** · 17th February 2005, 07:40

I'm sorry dude - I haven't laughed so hard in a while!

Glad to hear your bike is ok - I am amased it's ok, but I'm glad. I guess they must have had a tot (aka BOTTLE) of rum and nailed that thing up while at sea in a major storm or something.

Looks like they were thoroughly pissed when they built that thing (and I guess you should be grateful the nail gun didn't hit your bike while they built it).

You might want to pass that picture back to them and let them know they're not up to scratch !!!!

Nice one, and enjoy the ride now that it's finally here!
MDU

**Ninja51** · 17th February 2005, 07:53

[QUOTE=ManDownUnder]I'm sorry dude - I haven't laughed so hard in a while!
You might want to pass that picture back to them and let them know they're not up to scratch !!!!

Hehe...yeah MDU, Even I laugh at it now too but there was a minute or so of terror in my eyes when they pulled the side panels back on the truck.
Ive already done what you suggest...naturally they expressed horror and concern and said they would "look into it" - blaming all but themselves and claiming that they have never had a complaint before!

**Biff** · 17th February 2005, 07:55

I bet your arse flapped in tune to Ravel's Bolero in D minor when you saw the state of that crate!!

Thankfully no damage was done. If you don’t mind I'm going to steal your story and send it off to a UK forum I sometimes frequent as the topic of transportation companies to OZ and NZ often arises.

**bugjuice** · 17th February 2005, 07:57

geeezz... lucky the create held up and didn't get to the bike. I thought things like that were put in metal creates..? Or is that just how manufacturers send their bikes around?

**Ninja51** · 17th February 2005, 07:59

Originally Posted by Biff Baff

I bet your arse flapped in tune to Ravel's Bolero in D minor when you saw the state of that crate!!

Thankfully no damage was done. If you don’t mind I'm going to steal your story and send it off to a UK forum I sometimes frequent as the topic of transportation companies to OZ and NZ often arises.

Be my guest BB :-) Which forum is that then? Arse flapping?? Yep! Good job I had bicycle clips on!!

**Ninja51** · 17th February 2005, 08:01

Originally Posted by bugjuice

geeezz... lucky the create held up and didn't get to the bike. I thought things like that were put in metal creates..? Or is that just how manufacturers send their bikes around?

Metal or wood... it should have been a sealed box construction. I even had soft luggage etc stowed in there lol.

**Biff** · 17th February 2005, 08:04

Originally Posted by Ninja51

Which forum is that then?

Thanks.

I'm a member of a few other forums, and active to varying degrees in all:

SuperBlackbird
GBBikers
Welsh Rideout
UKBikeForum

**Blakamin** · 17th February 2005, 08:43

I've never seen a bike fully boxed in... and the freight forwaders are just that.. the pick it up, pack it, do the paperwork and give it to someone else.... when it was trucked to you it wasn't by PBT was it? or Mainfreight? Mainfreight wont ship our jukeboxex coz they broke so many their insurance wouldn't cover them anymore.... anyone that continually wrecks $14,000 worth of equipment shouldn't be in business
PBT are an ongoing concern I cant explain for legal reasons...

**Ninja51** · 17th February 2005, 08:55

Originally Posted by Blakamin

I've never seen a bike fully boxed in... and the freight forwaders are just that.. the pick it up, pack it, do the paperwork and give it to someone else.... when it was trucked to you it wasn't by PBT was it? or Mainfreight? Mainfreight wont ship our jukeboxex coz they broke so many their insurance wouldn't cover them anymore.... anyone that continually wrecks $14,000 worth of equipment shouldn't be in business
PBT are an ongoing concern I cant explain for legal reasons...

I cant remember mate. Just looked at my other pics and I can just make out "???? and O'Brien Ltd" on the back of the truck. I guess the crate could have fallen apart anywhere en route. It clearly wasnt made to withstand the rigours of containerisation, port handling and road transportation! Gilco International were the handlers in Auckland(Tauranga) and to be honest, there werent many complimentary words said about them here at the depot in Seaview.

**Sniper** · 17th February 2005, 08:58

Bloody hell, no wonder they seemed cheapish (680Pounds??)

But lucky the bikes ok

**Ninja51** · 17th February 2005, 09:02

Originally Posted by Sniper_CBR

Bloody hell, no wonder they seemed cheapish (680Pounds??)

But lucky the bikes ok

Hi Snipe!

I didnt get too many quotes so I didnt really compare. Is that cheap then?
I did have the option of air freight... it would have been here in four days from Heathrow. Cost? £2400 I decided to wait. Cant think why...

**crashe** · 17th February 2005, 09:12

Just as well you had so much bubble wrap around your bike....
Hells teeth even the kids at kindy have better carpentry skills than that..lol
The reason it collapsed is that there was no bracing on the sides.. Angle bracing to hold it firm.

But its a miracle that it arrived in one piece...
I hope you are now enjoying being back out on her....