Hi Dave
Regarding your Queries
I will send you the contact of the ferry office in Sharjah and
You must have a bike insurance to enter Iran which you can buy it
On your arrival (can be checked with the book office) I will contact them
On Saturday to have the ferry depart dates
I never been to Iran but based on travelers experiances it's
Better to have an agent to help you otherwise it's will
Take the hole day running between offices. (Johnnyoneye) is 100% right
I can give you emails address for travelers did Iran route and they can recomanded some great roads and cities to visit (they don't have hubb account)

Please advice if you need any additional help
Happy new year to all
Regards
Saleh from Dubai

Strangely enough, i was so relieved to get out of the port of Bander Abbas after all the delays, that i didn't realise that i didn't have insurance, until i was well on the way to Shiraz and i had no idea about how to get any, so i just carried on.
I was stopped in the centre of Shiraz by the Iranain Black Coats, who are apparently a bit feared, but they were very pleasant and after checking the bikes documents like C de P and my passport, waved me on my way, with no mention of insurance.
The same applied in Iraq, with no one asking or offering me it, but the same could not be said when i entered Turkey, where they would not let me leave the border crossing until i had taken out extortionate insurance cover for 15 days, but it was late on a Sunday evening and to be honest, i was just glad to be away from there and back on the road.
Bottom line is, you should legally have it in Iran and probably Iraq, together with the C de P for Iran and obviously a visa for there as well. Turkey you need a visa also, but you buy that at the border, the Iranian one you need to organise well before you travel.
Sharjah ferry details areas follows:
AL HILI MARINE SERVICES LLC
Ground Floor
Al Ikhias Tower
PO Box 27522
Sharjah

Tel: +97165288575
Fax: +97165288574
E-mail: info@alhili.com

Website (Iran): www.valfajr.ir
E-mail (Iran): catamaran@valfajr.ir

Other details at: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ae-ferry-63508

david welcome to iran
in that time of the year weather is getting warmer and totally you will not have a problem with that,except a bit rains in north west
Also dont forget to pick up your carnet its important

In my mind you can follow this route in iran
bandar-e-abbas,kerman,shiraz,yazd,isfahan,sanandaj,urmia,an d finaly turkish border which is easy to cross

any help and question are welcome

Hossein

I'm joining Dave on this journey. Has anyone had any problems importing a bike to UAE with clothes in the panniers? E.G. helmet,boots,jacket and trousers etc?

You and Dave are more than welcome to UAE
Based on our experiance it's fine just inform the shipper and do
A list of the parts and gear which will be in the panniers
Take care
Glad to help you out any time
Regards
Saleh

Hi John
Hope you are well.
Things are going okay at my end re trip. I've read a blog that you are coming back to civilisation sometime February! I would like to catch up via the phone if possible has I've got a few questions I would like to ask you.
Cheers for now,
Dave

try this route

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zylXFpwBaIN0.k3e7ci-EpHcE


then take a ferry to italy then continue your trip to uk

I thought it wasn't possible to get a motorcycle transit visa for Saudi as a non-GCC resident?

You'd miss all the fun on that route. Honestly, there is nothing to see in SA! Iranian borders might be a pain in the neck but the scenery is outstanding. My 2cts contribution.

I totally agree. Iran and it's people are both superb in my opinion. Well worth a visit by any means, but on the road you seem to meet such ordinary and different people than those you might encounter at an airport.

I can also vouch for Iraq and it's people ..... well, the ones that I met anyway. Interesting country and very friendly people, with the only real hold ups at checkpoints (many), being that all the guards wanted to see, touch and rev the bike, once or twice well into the red line, which I had to put a stop to, because an R1 engine re-build in the mountains of either Iran or Iraq was never really going to be possible methinks and I wasn't carrying a spare :-)