Turkey, 3rd-4th week of July
 

Hi,

I'll be leaving for Turkey somewhere around the 3rd-4th week of July. My basic plan is to ride roughly through Germany, Austria, along the Croatian coast, through Albania, Greece to Turkey.

In Turkey I want to ride the Black Sea coast to the east, avoid the heavily touristed areas.

Return-trip is open, either through Bulgaria-Rumania, or ferry from Greece to Italy.

I speak Dutch, English, German and a bit of French.

It'll be camping, sleeping under the stars, or low-budget places (at least en route to Turkey) as most of my budget will be spend on fluids for the bike and fluids for the rider :innocent:


Anybody got similar plans around that time...... welcome to join!!!!

I ride a Transalp and I've got about 6-7 weeks time.



Cheers,


:funmeteryes:

hi xander2 i had the same plan around the same time.only problem is im replaceing the output shaft on my africa twin.got the parts ordered just got to get her back togather again.should be right in a few weeks.ill keep an eye on your posts,if i can get things sorted ill let ya know...:thumbup1:

OK Camnz, thanks for the reply, we'll keep in touch.... and good luck on the repairs..

:mchappy:

no worries,if i cant get it going there ill be a cheap africa twin for sale!:thumbdown:

going too
 

Hello boys heading towards Turkey myself, but not till the first weekend of Aug, on a more Northely route, Poland, Cz etc. Only got 3 weeks though may or may not get to Istanbul, but headin that way on a 12gs campin/budget. Done a trip to Croatia in 06 so north this time, If theres any interest to join me let me know here to start.

Hi Bikenav, sorry mate but I defenitely want to ride the Croatian coast and Albania. Considering your route for the return-trip though.
My time-table's quite tight, I'll be sipping cay and playing bakgammon around that time :thumbup1:

Keep an eye on the thread, maybe we can meet up somewhere or do the return-trip :mchappy:


Ride safe.....

cheers

OK XANDER2
No probs, enjoyed a little of Croatia, Dolomites and Slovenia too in 06, N Croatian coast busy but inland better, if you enjoy the water think about taking a snorkel and mask. Once I have a route/timetable I'll post, we may perhaps pick the same tar somewhere.
Enjoy your trip.

Turkey
 

Hi Xander2,

Will be in turkey 1st 2 weeks in August hopefully, coming from Cyprus, so will be going North from the Med coast, central then West to Agean and back along Med coast to Cyprus. Have fun :thumbup1:

Hi Guys

I want to try and get to Istanbul and back in August. My starting point is Bath, UK and I am on a R1100GS. I always take a tent but don't mind doing hotels, hostels, B&Bs, whatever. I usually do 500km a day, take a day off every 4 or 5 days and generally avoid motorways (but I am flexible about all this!) My only problem is, my dates are a fixed. I cannot set off until 9 August, and then I have 3 weeks.

I am seriously considering taking the motorail Dusseldorf-Villach (Austria) and then another (new) motorail Villach-Edirne (Turkey) then riding home, especially if this will save me time & line me up with some other travellers' itineraries. I would like to dip into Bulgaria, northern Greece, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and Croatia at some stage, & I don't mind whether it's on the way there or the way back.

As an alternative I would be up for doing Ukraine, Romania, & Moldova. I have biked around Romania, western Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovakia, & the Baltic States before, I just want to "extend the boundaries" a bit this year.

Nigel

Hi, you will enjoy the Croatia route, I did some of it last summer, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro.

This year I might see you guys in Turkey? I am leaving UK on my R1200 RT on July 24th.

July 25th on the overnight Ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa in Greece. Then 2 day ride to Istanbul. Stay there for 2 nights.

Then take 2 days following the coast south stopping at Gallipoli and the site of Troy, through Izmir, then overnight ferry to Athens through Delphi then overnight boat from Patras to Ancona getting home late Sat 2nd Aug.

UK to Istanbul Motorcycle trip 2008

Hi guys,

I'll be leaving the lowlands early on sunday 20th of July (no heavy traffic on the German autobahn)
First stop Munich. Expect to reach the Croatian coast around the 22nd.
From there slowly make my way south and east. No fixed route or plan, just want to get to Turkey somehow... not in a hurry though...


Anybody wants to meet up or join.... :welcome:


@Camnz: how's the repairs going???


@everybody else: have safe and inspiring rides..

howzit zander2,repairs are all go:clap:
just waiting to hear back from the bike shop doing my MOT.got bad 'rim rot' on front wheel,hoping it will pass.will find out tuesday so fingers crossed.
if all good ill leave uk on the 15th/16th and stay in belguim with a family i met on couchsurfing.com i can put my tent on their lawn for free,will try and use the site a bit on my travels and camping etc.my plans are open and am keen to get to croatia or further down.will keep an eye on the thread and try and catch you guys along the way...peace:thumbup1:

sorry
 

i ment xander2:nono:

Join up?
 

I´d like to join up for a streach or two. I am heading for Turkey, leaving from lake Balaton in Hungary, on the 23-24 of July. I´ve got a lot of time but not so much money. Your route along the coast is about the same as the one i had envisioned, but I am 100% flexible. If you´d like to stop by Balaton maybe on the 21 or 22 I am sure we would could find a bed for you. And a nice volleyball match and some beers:thumbup1:

Hi XT600,

I'm leaving Holland the 20th of July. First stop Munich, second stop Croatian coast (around Rijeka somewhere).
I'll slowly make my way down, want to ride Bosnia (Sarajevo) and Albania.
After that somehow get to Turkey.

I'm not riding through Hungary, but if you like to meet up somewhere...let me know....

...some beers sounds nice...:thumbup1:


enjoy..:mchappy:

Hi xander2,

Maybe we could meet up somewere close to Rijeka on the 22 or 23 then? I am glad to hear you mention Sarajevo and Albania. Both are on my list of places I really would like to go.

"On the road again, just can´t wait to get on the road again":clap:

Sounds good to me.....

Are you coming directly from Norway?? If so, we could meet up around Munich or something....
if not, Rijeka will be fine.

Anyways........ I'll send you a PM so we can discuss details...

cheers...


xander

Good
 

Hi All,

It is a good choice with very nice places and views. Not too hot, kind people.

Do not stick to main road only. Go up to road mountains which we call Yayla (plateau).
Some can be: Ayder (Camlihemsin-Rize) try hot springs there, Uzungol (Trabzon), Hemsin (Rize again).

Sumela Monastery is a must definitely through Macka at Trabzon.

Eat freshly cooked corn, fresh and cheap fish, Akcaabat Kofte, Fresh hazelnut when you are there..

Enjoy

Hi Samy,

Had the monastery on my list allready...

Eating the local dishes will not be a problem I guess, Turkish cuisine... :thumbup1:

thanks for the info....can't wait to :mchappy: hit the road..



cheers...

Turkey in August
 

Hi All

Well, our plan is coming together, and I offer it up for anyone who wants to meet up. We are going to cheat a bit by getting the Optima motorail train from Villach (Austria) to Edirne (Turkey), which means we will be in Istanbul late pm Thursday 14 August. From there it will be a ride around the Sea of Marmara to Gallipoli, across into Greece & towards Thessalonika, then up into Macedonia, Kosovo, across into Albania, up into Montenegro and Croatia, probalby turning up near Dubrovnik around 21 August. Route back to UK from there is very flexible & not yet decided, but we have to be back at the latest pm 30 August.

There will be 2 of us, on a black R1100GS and an R1150R, both on UK plates but I will be flying a small Spanish flag!

Turkey in july
 

Hi there just read your message about Turkey, iam in the process of planning a trip myself it would be from the 1st to the 22nd of August.The reason for going is that my daughter is getting married on the 10th,the location is Olu Deniz its on the south coast.My route would be via Italy, ferry from Brindisi to Igoumenitsa northern Greece cross into Turkey at Ipsala then follow the coast. I would be very gratefull for any information about the route,in particular entry into Turkey,do i need insurance pre arranged? or can you leave it and buy on the border? :funmeteryes:

Insurance
 

Hi Trooper
I don't know if you can buy insurance at the Turkish border. However; I am insured with Carole Nash in UK. They have given me a green card (a proper green card, coloured green, not just a letter saying the policy covers you for all sorts of countries etc) but I had to specifically ask them for it. The green card will cover me for just about every country in SE Europe including Turkey. It didn't cost me any extra either.

you can get your insurance at the border for less than 10 quid. They didnt like my Carol Nash Green Card so I ended up having to pay anyway.

Cheers,

Andy

Hi there

I have a travel agency in Sultanahmet area (the old city), most of people stay around here, that means you guys will be around here, It will be my pleasure to have beer with biker friends, and also for any information or help you need feel free to write me.

Hi Metin,

Any info on nice (and cheap of course :cool4:) places to stay with possibility to park my bike would be welcome.....

I have no exact date of arrival, so booking in advance is no option..


cheers...

Hi

There are hostels for 20 euros per person, or a bit nicer hotels for around 40-50 euros per person.
Let me know when you will be arriving, even a day before so we can meet up at sultanahmet square and I can escort you. my mobile is 05333220085

Will do.....

cheers...........

happy :mchappy:

Metin,
That's very kind of you. We will arrive Istanbul on the evening of 14 August, will try to get to Sultanahmet square and look you up.
Nigel