This years moroccan dash is going to Istanbul

Less than three weeks to go.

Bikes serviced, ferry's booked, stickers ordered, MP3's loaded.

Nothing else to do now but wait :bounce1
 
You will go easy on Floyd wont you. He's not aloud out on his own very often and is a bit nervy on his GSA :rob
 
Sir James Burton said:
Kevs son has done a first draft
But i think the Mk2 version is going to have Steptoes Turkish Trot on it
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will i get a sticker if i meet you in Turkey ? :augie

Barnzee said:
The road from Igoumenitsa to Turkey is mostly immaculate and i was able to cruise at 100+mph. It's the Ignatia Highway, not fully complete yet but you'll see what i mean.
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from Igoumenitsa to Thessaloniki is not fully constructed yet and it will take around 4-5 hrs. From Thessaloniki to Turkey is much better and you will be able to cruise at 100+ mph..
When you are in Turkey, between Malkara and Tekirdag (E84) you will get a lot of sidewind, so be careful especially if it is raining.

Igoumenitsa to Istanbul will be around 10-11 hrs
 
byker_tr said:
will i get a sticker if i meet you in Turkey ? :augie

from Igoumenitsa to Thessaloniki is not fully constructed yet and it will take around 4-5 hrs. From Thessaloniki to Turkey is much better and you will be able to cruise at 100+ mph..
When you are in Turkey, between Malkara and Tekirdag (E84) you will get a lot of sidewind, so be careful especially if it is raining.

Igoumenitsa to Istanbul will be around 10-11 hrs
Click to expand...

You'll get a sticker and a badge if you can find the pub we're in :beerjug:
 
Steptoe.

Have you got my email address/mobile?? drop me a line of where you are staying... and I'll come and find you - I may even be able to blag a bike and ride out to meet you en-route! :)

Its also the Istanbul Bike show from the 20th-23rd in case you're interested!

L
 
Hey Steptoe,

I'm a friend of L's (which he might well deny), and am also a Brit expat in Istanbul. I don't appear to be able to PM you to give you my contact details but L should be able to send them to you if you are in contact with him. As he says, the Istanbul Bike show is on between the 20th and 23rd, so if you all fancy a look round.....

I'd be happy to be a guide for while you're here so let me know if this is of use. (L, we might be able to blag a bike from Borusan, or perhaps the Microsoft Mickey might be away and be ok to lend you his).

Let me know if can be of any help at all.

David
 
The easiest way to get through the Turkish border crossing from Greece....


Exit Greece.
Ride across border - wave to Greek soldiers, then wave at Turkish soldiers
Bypass any traffic queues if poss. First border control point will need passports and will note your reg numbers (won't need v5 though)
Ride on to main checkpoint which looks like a big petrol station - several channels with kiosks, large canopy etc.
Ride past everything and park up somewhere out of the way/in the shade/out of the rain.
Walk to the main building on the left. There is a tiny visa office in the corridor to the left. Buy visa for each passport. Visas cost £10 (or 15Euro) and will be stuck in your passport
Walk back to the first kiosk and get your visa stamped.
Walk to the second kiosk where you buy some insurance. They'll need your V5. Its probably about £15, but if you look on the piece of paper, it will say the cost is 10Lire. If you want to argue... :)
Walk to the third kiosk where they will take your Passport and V5 and record the details on the computer.
Now you're ready to get back on the bikes.
Ride through to final checkpoint, show them completed paperwork and go straight through.
You should be able to get through in about 30 mins all in...

Ride on and be amazed how the road goes from perfect smooth EU sponsored motorway to shoestring budget Turkish dual carriageway with horses and carts, cars on the wrong side of the road, bumps, potholes, no lines etc. etc.

Hope that helps! Don;t blame me if they've changed it since August!! :)

Coming back - passports get stamped by the Turks. Greek control usually happy with the sight of a burgundy passport! :)


:beerjug:
 
Thats great info thanks:thumb

I'm on the Steptoeless Turkey Trot, so I might see you the end of next week:thumb

Bike show eh! We'll have to see what time we get there, is it mormally any good?

Shep
 
not ben to the Istanbul show before, but I have high expectations! :)


From a letching perspective if nothing else :augie
 
The Istanbul bike show has grown quite a bit since the first one, and has increased visitor numbers year on year. It's not on the scale of the big European shows but is still a good one. The best bit is that us foreigners get in for free, no idea why but I don't argue too much about it. I don't know how long you all intend to be here for but it'd be a good way of spending half a day, if you're up to it after your ride down. I'll see if I can get a photographer to take some pics of you all to put in a Turkish bike mag I help publish.

Should have said, if you can get in contact with me (let me know how to send you my details) when you are near Istanbul, I can come out and guide you in to wherever your staying
 
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Don't trust him... he'll lead you down a dark alley and take advantage of each and every one of you!!!

:eek:

IN TURN!!!!
 
Any takers?

For this limited edition 'Midnight Express' beak modification?

Courtesy of the miraculously precipitate escape of boundless from Sağmalcılar prison back in '74.

(As Michael Portillo once said " That's all behind me now".)

(Others users experiences may vary.)
 

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A few waypoints

which might come in handy.:)
BMW = blue diamonds
camping = tents
and so on
Have a good 1 :thumb2
suggestion- route via Meteora - a'must see' and stop-over
As you land in Igoumenitsa, fill up with fuel in 'high street' , head north and you're in the mountain roads within a mile- fab views
Route via Meteora - you'll be glad you did
Take your tents! camp15 very good BBQ and welcome (if open!!)
Camp55 nice and quiet - hot showers
TyreAthens :thumb2 great place
Camp5 at Alexandropouli (last bit of civilized shopping before not-a-lot-in-turkey :thumb2 right on edge of beach

OOps forgot BMW Istanbul here N41 07.203 E29 02.815
and Otogararea..somewhere to give a very wide miss - v.dodgy.N41 01.281 E28 56.845
and if you are headed south- don't miss visiting the fantastic ruins of the city of Troy here N39 56.012 E26 13.721
and come back to the D550 via ferry at Canakkale here N40 09.097 E26 24.141
 

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Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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