Bike storage in Istanbul

[jezrussell]

Hi all, I'm riding down to Turkey from the UK in late March and looking to store my bike and gear in Isatanbul for the month of April while I join my wife in Cambodia where we'll be doing some treking on foot. We'll be returning at the end of April where I'd like to pick up my bike and do some touring around Turkey and take a slow meander back across Europe.

Is anyone able to suggest anywhere I can store my bike for April? In needs to be secure as I want to leave all my riding gear with the bike. Thanks

Jerry

[ozhanu]

hi,
you cant leave your bike somewhere and get out of the country.
what you need to do is, you have to leave your bike in costoms parking place near Atatürk airport, stemped you passport and then leave. you haveto collect your bike back within 6 months. here is a small fee for parking.

drop me a line when you are in türkiye if you need help.

ps: i'll be in loughborough in xmas time. we can have a coffee while i explain the prosedure.

[jezrussell]

Thanks for that Ozhanu, I suspected they might not like me leaving the country without the bike.

It would be great to meet up near Christmas, drop me a line when your in Loughborough, I'm just down the road in Leicester.

Thanks again

Jerry

[WarthogARJ]

Ozhan,
I had a similar question, thanks for your reply.
That's a good option.

But how does Customs at airport know if you fly out and leave your bike?
Sure you entered by road, but that's no big deal: you might have hitch hiked in or by bus or something.

If you have a Carnet, then they stamp that for sure, altho I don't think you actually need a Carnet for Turkey (maybe I'm wrong, but I have a Carnet so can use it so it's not an issue).

But unless your bike is actually stamped into your passport, how does airport Customs know you are leaving a bike? Or that you have Carnet even?

And if they do know somehow, your Carnet is your guarantee that you haven't sold the bike to avoid paying duty. Maybe you need to arrange permission ahead of time, but I'd think it could be done.

In any event, lots of times guys ship their bikes out and travel separately.
The bike might leave before or after you do.

But the parking place you described sounds great, but I was wondering.

I was thinking of leaving my bike in India while I took a break, maybe I need to ask if there's a special storage there like the one you describe.

Alan

[ozhanu]

hi again

you dont need carne to enter türkiye. they stamp your passport and write a note on your passport saying that you have entered with your own vehicle. so when the customs officer check you passport, it's there. i dont know how they handle if you stamped your carned at the border. i have never seen someone who used carne for türkiye. hope this helps.

ps to jezrussell: will drop you a line when i'm in lboro. thanks