OK Leo, so in what stage of planning are you and when do you plan on leaving? What is your timing, driving pace, hostels/camping, heavy off roading with ultra light bike or moderate, unsurfaced/gravel type of roads? The Trans-Siberia Express sounds like a good idea, always wanted to do that trip too!


Cheers,
Noel

My 'on a fag packet' route is going to be.

UK - France - Germany - Visit a friend in Munich for a couple of days.

Through Eastern Europe (Undecided route) into Turkey.

Then maybe into Azerbaijan to get the Ferry from Baku to Aktau if I want to avoid Iran...

I haven't considered Iran. Carnet puts me off if I'm honest. Did all that in Africa and it's expensive and a stressful document to carry.

Then I guess it's through the Stans into Mongolia to Ulan bator..

After that, find some people who want to Magadan. July seems to be the 'Window' for Magadan meaning I need to be in Ulan batar for June.... If I don't make it in time then I'll just head to Vladivostok. I'm flexible and don't have 'in stone' goals for a trip.

I'd really like to meet people and travel with them after Turkey. I like travelling with others anyway. I always find it more fun. I have no problem riding alone also but I do like 'The Craic' of a wolf pack

Ted

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1994 Honda XR650L. Fully restored and rebuilt by yours truly.

Nice, simple bike with good off road capability. I only use softbags too.

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I didn't think about the CdP issue yet. Seems you only need it for Iran. I know about the CdP hassle all to well from Africa too. Iran however seems to be an extraordinary country with extra ordinary people, in a very positive way. And places like Isfahan are of world class level. I don't know if I want to miss out on that because of the CdP hassle. I believe you can apply relatively easy via internet now with ADAC in Germany. Don't know how it is in the UK though. Also don't know the details about the bond yet for Iran.

I'm also considering riding to UB or Mag/Vlad now in stead of making the loop back, then take the Trans Siberia/Mongolia to Moscou, provided they can take the bike as cargo.

As for the Wolf Pack...yes definitely preferred over riding solo!



Cheers,
Noel

Thanks so much for putting my troubled mind at rest Walter. I can sleep easy now without worrying about what people might taunt me with.

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Iran does look fantastic. I'd love to travel there.. I'm trying to find out carnet costs for it.

However, It would be hard for me to justify spending hundreds of pounds on a carnet that I just need for one country.

Read this thread at the end... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...4-3#post434310

It seems the carnet for Iran is VERY expensive. I don't think I can afford it on my budget..

There is a cost calculator on the Canadian Automobile Assosiation. It does seem quite high but Iran is one of the most expensive carnet countries it seems

http://www.caa.ca/travel-documents/c...st-calculator/

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Ted,

You probably know this as you have been in Africa as well but if I summarize what i remember from Africa is the actual CdP costs about Euro 200/250,- for a 25 page CdP. Maybe a 10 pager (or less if available) may be cheaper. That is out of pocket money you wont get back.
What we did for Africa is actually transfer the bond ($6000,- or so for Egypt) into the acount of the automobile club, which we received back without ado after sending in the completed CdP upon our return. That was all straigh forward.

The cash bond however that you have to put up for Iran is very high. To avoid transferring cash money into the automibile clubs acount you can provide a guarantee or letter of credit from an insurer or bank. From the link you referred to, I make out that the bond for Iran is some 250% of the bike + gear vallue. Your Honda should be valued no more than $1000,- albeit a 'as good as new' bike due to the rebuilt but the age works in your favor, plus (max) $1000,- worth of gear. The bank/insurers bond/guarantee typically costs 1.5 to 2% of the bond! If the bond is set at 2.5 x $2000,- for your bike you would be looking at total cost of some Euro 300,- for CdP + bond cost!

Then again, you would save that money again in Iran because everybody seems to wanna invite you for diner over there

The amount stated at the CAA site seems a bit over the top to me! If that is what it is then I agree, $ 750,- carnet cost for a $1000,- bike is not acceptable!


Anyway, i think it's worth investigating possibilities to combine at least part of the trip and possibly join up after Iran again, or indeed skip Iran altogether. I'm waiting for a reply from Leonardo.

Cheers,
Noel

Yeah.. The Canadian one seems very excessive. My Africa carnet cost me 800 in total. I got a bank guarantee that time. However, my finances were a lot better then :/

More research required...

www.touringted.com

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800 for the Africa CdP is very high as well compared to what I paid. Because we didn't do the guarantee thing, we only spent the purchase value of the CdP with the Dutch automobile club which was Euro 225,- in 2005! The cash bond was returned 100%. Unfortunately they don't issue them anymore so we have to turn to the ADAC in Germany now but they are not much more expensive! Will do some research too with ADAC.
Cheers.

ADAC charges Euro 295,- for the CdP (195,- for members) and requires a
Deposit or Bank guarantee value of Euro 3000,-for Motorbikes upto a value of Euro 15.000,- for Iran. Should work out a lot less than the CAA site specifies.

Don't know if Brits can apply at ADAC as well but the T&C's don't say you can't. For Dutch it's the only option as far as I know.

We depending on the situation in Syria, Iran might not be possible at all

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That is what I was thinking yesterday while watching the 20.00h news!



Time will tell!

Just an idea guys,I think I heard some time people are getting into Iran without a carnet but need to go in and out by the same border. If this can still be done you could just back track into turkey and take a ferry to Ukraine then onwards to Russia .

For British.... I think it's definitely bad.

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Hi guys,

I planned to ride the western BAM and OSR this year from Ulan Bator (shipping the bike from Germany), but because of my work had to cancel everything. So I will be up for the same project for 2014, most probably during starting mid july in Ulan Bator and meeting in Irkutsk with HUBB member Bubbla who will ride from Sweden.

I also plan, if possible to sell my bike in Magadan around first or second week of August. Otherwise, I will be looking to share a container for Germany, but ideally I will sell my bike there. I will have only 4 weeks for my trip. We will both be riding KTM Adventure 640.


I read in this post that someone wants to make it with a R80 BMW. I would strongly not recommend this bike. I rod in 2011 from Switzerland to Mongolia with a R100Gs, and had some troubles in Mongolia in the river crossing, although there were not deep (30-40cm), because the air intake is much too low compare to other bikes. For the BAM, this will not work for sure.

I initially planned to ride from UB to Magadan with a new set of K60 Heidenau tires. What do you think about it? I have good experience on paved road with them, last +10'000km, and on dirt road the back one gave up after only 5000km, but I have a heavy bike (R100GS PD) compare to the 640 ADV.

My concern is, if I can't sell the bike in Magadan, will need to ride back to some major city like irkutsk or Ulan Bator, and I will not be able to do this with the same set of tires. I don't like so much the idea of having to carry a set of tire all the way with me, but I doubt I can find new tires in Magadan....