Does anyone have experience about shipping your own motorcycle to Europe for a road trip and back?

Any input about prices for shipping, insurance, the do's and don'ts when riding through Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Serbia, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, and back to Germany, will be greatly appreciated.

Please post anything you can think of. Biker friendly hotels/motels, the must see motorcycle roads, etc.
I can imagine that not only I am interested in collecting these kind of information, but it can be helpful for more folks interested in riding in Europe.

So feel free to knock yourself out.

Isabel

 

I am toying with the same idea, possibly in 2011. I just talked to a rider from England, here Jasper, Canada, who rode his bike around Europe, Russia, made his way to Japan then shipped it to Vancouver, Canada. He said it cost him 1200 pounds to ship his bike from Japan to Canada. When we were riding back to our town (Hinton, Canada) I thought of all sorts of other questions I would liked to have asked him. It'll be interesting to see what answers you get. If you wind up going, ride safe and enjoy.

 

I thought you'd get some feedback. I guess the air lines or a travel agent would be a place to start asking questions. They should be able to give you some info on bike shipping, bike insurance, health insurance and driver license, and what ever else you would need. There is a book written by "John Hermann, Popular Motorcycle Journeys Through The Alps And Beyond 4th edition", that I have come across on the net that may be help full on what to see and how to get there. I haven't got ( or gone looking for ) the book yet so I'm not 100% sure what's in it, but I think it may be of some help.

 

A far better resource than this site is Horizons Unlimited http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ That is a very international site for people who ride their motorcycles all over the world. Lots of good info on shipping, visas, carnets, etc.

And this one thread on ADVriders.com of a guy who is riding a '62 panhead around the world. (He rode to Toronto and shipped it to Europe from there, cheaper and much less red tape.) http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=462017

I don't have your answers, but those two links will. Share what you find out here.

 

I live in the UK and usually do a trip to Europe at least once a year. I also shipped my Road Glide from Texas to the UK because HD Europe don't import Road Glides. How long are you thinking of spending in Europe, if it's like two weeks I'd rent, that way you have no worries about insurance breakdowns etc. Full insurance for a bagger in England is about $500 and I'd guess your going to pay somewhere near that for a month. One way from houston to England with the bike in a container with insurance was about $700 and takes about two weeks.
your going to find Europe expensive, gas is around $9 a gallon. Wife and I toured Germany Switzerland and the top of Italy in Sept. 2 pizzas and coffees was $50 in Italy. Switzerland you need a pass for the freeways around $50, in Austria the pass is about $10 for a week.
France & Italy most freeways are toll roads, 400 miles across France Sept. 08 cost me $50 .

You might find this site helpful http://www.edelweissbike.com/4DACTIO...E&webCurrency=

Switzerland Austria and northern Italy have some great roads and passes, try Googleing
Grossglockner
Stelvio pass
Passo Di Fedaia
Timmelsjoch
The time of year plays a big part in where you can go in 08 a friend and I rode over the Gothard pass in Switzerland on our way home from the HOG rally in lake garda, the year before the wife and I drove over the pass through fog and a snow storm . July Aug and early Sept are safest.

Anything else just ask
Stelvio pass



innsbruck Austria


Dolomites in Italy


Grossglockner

 

good info, great pics 88b

 

Holy Ch***t man! I'd have pucker marks on the seat after that.

How about renting a bike? Maybe less worry.

Walt MI/USA

 

I don't know what rental in Europe is, but I know it wasn't cheap in Ireland. For a Road King, the weekly rate is around 120 Euro/day.

 

Renting a bike in Europe is not cheap. Much cheaper to rent a car.

Probably the best rental deal is the one through HOG.

 

I'd say that's about right for Europe, but shipping a bike in a containers is likely to be $2000 then you need insurance probably another $1000, plus you would lose your bike for a minimum of 4 weeks for shipping. Rent from a Harley dealer join HOG for a discount before you do, get a different credit card with like a $500 limit to leave as security just in case **** happens so they can't rip you off and pay cash for the rental.
Hertz just stole $350 off me for excess mileage in Switzerland, none of the paperwork I have says there is a limit and they admit it but still charged me about 50 cents a mile. Credit card co say they can't do anything.