Does anyone know if you would be able to "mail" a motorcycle through Fedex.
Shipping is pretty expensive and I'm not sure how big an item can be for FedEx to crate in a plane.

Dear CB,

Intriguing question. Why do you have to bring your own bike?

FedEx will be more expensive than surface freight.

Unless you are moving to Europe, is there some other reason you need to ship your own motorcycle? For a vacation you can rent one, or for a several month stay you can lease one.

Shipping would be a the only practical way to get your own bike over, tho'

Why don't you call FedEx and ask them?

I'm curious if there is a plan or if it is possible for a Canadian (or US citizen) to buy a motorcycle in Europe and be exempt from the vat tax? And if so, couldn't you then sell that used bike to a native without the vat tax? This is like the tax-free car leases. Does the same thing exist for motorcycles? This might be worth checking out. Even if you do it on your own, buying a motorcycle to use for a month or two and then selling it to someone there who is already saving about 20% on tax -- sounds like a good opportunity for everyone.

Saw a guy offloading a Harley from our Princess cruise in Naples last year. Perhaps you could contact the cruise lines.

Cruise ships...never thought of that.

My intention is to buy a bike in Europe and have it brought back to Canada to sell. I think trying to sell a motorcycle while always being on the move might be difficult. I just thought it might be easier to just sell it when I got home.

The most economical cruise to catch with a bike would be a repositioning cruise (at the end of a season). We got on in Venice and sailed to New York.

I concur with txrangerterry, cruise ship best alternative. example - princess cruise from Venice-Ft. Lauderdale departs venice next Oct.7...but then you have to get from Ft L. to Canada. Hmmm. Check Princess (call, they don't have all repositioning cruises posted for 2004 yet.)www.princesscruises.com will get you going.
Last year, we cruised Venice to NYC (and went through a very cool hurricane in mid atlantic, by the way) Same ship re-loaded and cruised immediately from NYC to Nova Scotia...if you can find a similar itinerary, might be worth buying bike in UK or Hamburg, riding to wherever, then on to Venice for departure to NYC and Nova. At least in Nova...you're almost home, right?

Fedex has size restrictions which you'd have to call them to make sure they would take the package. The way you figure the size of your package is to take the longest measurement and add that to the two shortest measurements doubled. So if you have a box that is 12"x5"x6" then your box size is 32" (12"+5+5+6+6) You'll have to find an Ocean Freight Carrier or an air freight company that will allow such a large crate. You might also try moving companies or freight consolidaters that would be able to help you find a one time deal.

Why don't you ask the company you're buying it from? Is it a European brand like BMW or something? I've heard that some of the European car companies lease and sell/buy back cars, so they might do the same for bikes.

Another thought...
In 1965 my folks bought a VW bug from a dealership in Hamburg, from home in Boston area, by phone. They flew into Hamburg, picked up the car, toured for eight weeks, dropped the car off at the dealership...and the dealer arranged the trans-ocean shipment back to the Boston. Shipment took about six weeks to arrive (ship blew an engine in mid atlantic and was delayed). All said and done, my parents actually saved money on the car purchase, even with the freight. And they were able to get a fire engine red bug with a white convertible top...colors not available to US consumers. Of course, that was 35 years ago, and before emission standards limited euro-built for euro-markets imports. But, what the heck! Contact BMW, Motto Guzzi,Ducati(or whomever) abroad and let them do the planning and legwork! I don't think bikes are subject to emission hardware modification limitations.

Good luck

one more thought...
In planning my Jan. 04 italy trip, I thought, "wouldn't it be great to ship the used warm climate clothing back home from venice, before picking up the rental car and touring the Dolomites with all the winter-weight stuff?"

To ship two forty-pound suitcases I was quoted:

$300 by Fedex
$275 by UPS (and they gotta be in boxes)
"Gee...I don't think we can ship luggage" by Airborne.

I doubt the contents of the two cases would be worth $275...so we're gonna lug it with us through the Alps.

Go to a site like cruisesonly.com or mytravel.com and search for "transatlantic cruises" then you will be able to see many of the lines (cruise ships) doing these types of runs and when they go. There are many...they you can call the specific cruise line direct for more info ....Good Luck !