You are all busy and should not have to read every little detail about a shipment before knowing whether it's suitable for you. OBO provides a practical hierarchy of Onboarding Steps whereby the rider can quickly identify suitability. This staged onboarding process is the foundation for OBO's rider-focused model whereby one-to-one conversations can focus on cream information for each rider's niche intended journey. Please trust in the process and continue reading!
Depot Network
The network is timed around riding seasons, connected overland journeys and practical entry-to-exit windows. View the Depot Network on the home page for illustration of this concept. The magenta lines are the typical overlander trunk lines, and the blue lines are the shipping lanes used to link overland journeys. Primary shipments between primary depots form the foundation of the OBO network timetable. Other shipments connect secondary depots and are timed to link overland journeys to/from primary shipments. Demand-led shipments are timed to link with all of the above.
Shipment Timing
The two estimated dates shown for a shipment are the container pack date at Origin and the date motorcycles will be ready for collection at Destination. An 'operating buffer period' dependent on the intricacies of the specific shipment is also added to the time at destination. OBO aligns the dates with the up-to-date shipping-line schedule three months before the vessel's Estimated Time of Departure (ETD).
For example, the 68-day Melbourne to Valparaíso duration is calculated as follows:
8 days at Origin + 45 days port-to-port sea freight + 3 business days at Destination + 12 days operating buffer = 68 days.
No buffer days were required for the most recent Valparaíso shipment. Even so, OBO always recommends that riders use the buffer period rather than relying on earlier availability. Two weeks of free storage is provided at Valparaíso for that contingency.
Aligning Demand
Aligning demand is primarily a question of timing across different riders and their respective journeys. The Register Route Interest form and Shipment Portals capture two critical details: what a rider's preferred date relates to and how flexible that date can be before and after.
- When shipping at the end of a journey, the preferred date will normally relate to the container packing date at the Origin Depot.
- When shipping to begin a journey, the preferred date will normally relate to when the motorcycle needs to be available at the Destination Depot.
For example, an Aussie rider shipping to Chandigarh to begin a journey from the Himalayas to Southeast Asia via Tibet will be less concerned about the Origin Depot packing date, provided the motorcycle is where it needs to be in Chandigarh when required.
At the other end of the journey, when the rider wants to ship their motorcycle home from Malaysia, their timing will likely relate to the Origin Depot packing date. They may be less concerned about when the motorcycle becomes available back in Australia.
Good-value secure storage in Chandigarh and Malaysia provides OBO with the flexibility to align this rider's timing with other compatible riders, even allowing a three-month journey plan to align with a seven-month plan.
Shipment States
Shipment Portal Open
This is operations where OBO uses specialised software to create a Shipment Portal for each individual shipment. Specific shipment information is communicated via the portal's Overview and Payment pages. A Personal Portal is created for each individual motorcycle owner registered for the shipment. The portal is the single source of truth for all data and documents.
Brochure Mode is used when the shipment is still some time away and OBO is not yet accepting Deposits. Riders can register and preserve their priority for space when the portal moves to Booking Mode.
Booking Mode is used when OBO opens bookings and begins accepting Deposits. Riders who registered in Brochure Mode retain their priority, and payment of the Deposit secures their space.
Riders can register in either mode. Deposit payment becomes available only in Booking Mode.
Building Demand
Building Demand covers every route that does not yet have a Shipment Portal open. Register Route Interest so OBO can group compatible riders, assess the best-fit timing and develop a workable shipment. When enough demand and a practical plan are in place, OBO opens a dedicated Shipment Portal and the shipment proceeds to operations.
Onboarding Steps
Steps 1 to 4 must be completed before paying your Deposit. Step 5 is optional. Paying your Deposit at Step 6 completes onboarding and secures your space.
1. Read the Motorcycle Shipping Page
Select the relevant country direction from the Motorcycle Shipping page. Review the overland routes and timings supported by the shipment/s to determine suitability for you.
If suitable, select View Portal for the shipment that suits your journey.
2. Read the Overview and Payment Pages
Read the Shipment Portal's Overview Page to understand the operational details of that specific shipment, including timing, storage, packing, export and import processes.
Read the Payment Page to understand the depot-to-depot price and any additional charges that may apply.
3. Register to Query and Book
Select Register to Query and Book and complete the Profile and Registration Form. Provide some context about you and the journey you are planning. Note your preliminary big-picture queries. Indicate whether you would like a call with OBO and select either Google Meet or Phone Call.
After registering, you will receive an automated email providing access to your Personal Portal.
4. Read the Tasks Page and Terms and Conditions
Use your Personal Portal to read the Tasks Page and understand what will be required from you throughout the shipment process. You will now also be able to see your Uploads Page. You are not required to complete any Tasks before paying your Deposit; you only need to be aware of what your Tasks are. After booking, complete your Tasks according to their due dates.
Read the Terms and Conditions so you understand how the Service operates. OBO does not bury critical information in legal mumbo-jumbo; the Terms and Conditions are written to provide genuine transparency about how the operation works.
5. Communicate With OBO — Optional
Submitting your registration creates your customer record in OBO's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. This allows OBO to respond to your preliminary queries and keep the conversation connected to your shipment record. If you requested a call, OBO will arrange a Google Meet or Phone Call.
If you are comfortable proceeding, you do not need to wait for a call or response before paying your Deposit.
6. Pay Your Deposit
Paying your Deposit completes onboarding and secures your space in the shipment. By paying your Deposit, you agree to the Terms and Conditions.
OBO shipments use Full Container Load processes with finite capacity. Once all available spaces have been secured by riders who have paid their Deposits, the shipment closes.
Preparing for Vessel Departure
Once your Deposit has been paid, onboarding is complete and your shipment space is secured. The shipment then moves into operational preparation.
1. Complete Your Tasks by Their Due Dates
Your Personal Portal contains the Tasks that guide you through the shipment process. These include providing required information, uploading documents and photographs, preparing your motorcycle, and completing shipment-specific requirements.
Tasks become due at different stages. You do not need to complete everything immediately, but each Task must be completed by its displayed due date.
2. Receive the Major Timings Update
Three months before the vessel's Estimated Time of Departure, OBO reviews the current shipping-line schedule and confirms the shipment's major timings. The shipping-line services used tend to operate weekly, so the overall timing is unlikely to move significantly. The update mainly accounts for how the exact sailing dates fall around weekends and allows OBO to define the precise container pack date and, therefore, the motorcycle delivery cut-off date.
3. Shipping-Line Booking and Balance Payment
OBO will notify you when the booking has been made with the shipping line. Your Balance must then be paid within seven days, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.
Shipping lines generally open bookings between 6 and 12 weeks before the vessel's Estimated Time of Departure (ETD), with 8 to 10 weeks being the practical expectation.
4. Deliver Your Motorcycle and Complete Origin Handover
Complete your remaining origin Tasks and deliver your motorcycle, keys, expedition materials and required documentation by the advised cut-off date. OBO and its Origin Agent take care of the rest.
5. Vessel Departure Confirmed
OBO will notify you when the vessel carrying the container has departed and keep you well informed throughout the sea-freight journey.