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Europe Topics specific to Western and Eastern Europe, from UK to the Russian border, and south-east to Turkey.
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 14 Oct 2012
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Location: UK and Australia
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My wife and I toured Turkey a few months ago. See my blog www.oldfartsonabike.blogspot.com.au. There's lots of info that you might find useful.

We didn't book any accommodation in advance and meandered along minor roads through tiny villages as much as possible so a sat nav would have been useless to us as it would have taken us from point to point on the bigger roads. At several hotels I was able to negotiate the price down as much 25%, which wouldn't have been possible if we had pre-booked, and some hotels we walked away from after inspecting the rooms.

I gave no real consideration to bike security, leaving the bike in hotel carparks or in the street overnight with a disc lock on it and a bright yellow plastic coil from the lock up to the bars to bring attention to the fact that it was there. We did take a bike cover with us but it was stolen from the bike a month before in Marseille, France. We saw very few large bikes in Turkey outside the major cities, so our Honda ST1100 would have been almost useless to any thief.

We loved Turkey and had a great time.
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  #2  
Old 14 Oct 2012
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Doh, I missed the fact you were based in Australia. A major supplier in the UK for maps is: Maps, Travel Books, Guides and Travel Information - Stanfords who will no doubt deliver to you at home or wherever you are starting your journey.
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  #3  
Old 14 Oct 2012
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Mapworld at www.mapworld.com.au have the Hema map of Turkey which is one of the best. Another supplier I have used in the past is www.travellersbookstore.com.au.

Cheers

John
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  #4  
Old 15 Oct 2012
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turkey
Posts: 59
Hi Clive & Agi,

Except Istanbul, your bike would be pretty safe in front of the hotel. I usually use secured parking lots in Istanbul. In most cities, it is okay to park your bike in front of the hotel onto pavement (and even sometimes encouraged by hotel staff) if pavement is large enough. In small cities, your problem would not be bike theft but curiosity. R1200s, DL1000s, Tenere 1200s are not common in small cities so people are curious about those bikes.

As for gps, for offline coverage, garmin and magellan are both offering routable and topo maps of the turkey. (Baytekin for garmin and Geomatics Group for magellan). If you have a Nokia phone with gps and Nokia's own maps application works offline has good coverage of Turkey. You can rely on online map apps like iphone or android ones for the most part but cell coverage at dirt roads etc. is not good.

Btw, if your route passes through Ankara, send us a message when you are near. I would like to buy you and meal.

Cheers,
Ozgur
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  #5  
Old 16 Oct 2012
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Thanks everyone for your invaluable advice.It all ads to the picture. I an feeling happier about bike security now.Also had planned to use a Nokia gps phone together with Hema maps so that sounds like a good combination from the advice given.Sorry we won't be in Ankara area so will not be able to take up your offer of a drink, Ozgur, next time OK. Would like to meet some bike enthusiasts while riding so let me know if interested can give you my itinerary. Clive
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  #6  
Old 16 Oct 2012
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Location: Kas,Antalya
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clivehalls View Post
Thanks everyone for your invaluable advice.It all ads to the picture. I an feeling happier about bike security now.Also had planned to use a Nokia gps phone together with Hema maps so that sounds like a good combination from the advice given.Sorry we won't be in Ankara area so will not be able to take up your offer of a drink, Ozgur, next time OK. Would like to meet some bike enthusiasts while riding so let me know if interested can give you my itinerary. Clive
Hi Clive,

Give me a shout if you plan on coming anywhere near Kas on the Med coast.

Cheers,

Dickyb

DickyB's Turkish Delights - ADVrider
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  #7  
Old 16 Oct 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deolali View Post

We didn't book any accommodation in advance and meandered along minor roads through tiny villages as much as possible so a sat nav would have been useless to us as it would have taken us from point to point on the bigger roads. At several hotels I was able to negotiate the price down as much 25%, which wouldn't have been possible if we had pre-booked, and some hotels we walked away from after inspecting the rooms.

We did take a bike cover with us but it was stolen from the bike a month before in Marseille, France. .
I have empathy with this way of travelling, with or without a bike.
I am still experimenting with GPS which I have found to be useful when the wandering comes toward an end and it is time to get back onto the beaten track, find a hotel or a particular address in a strange city or in similar circumstances. So, it doesn't have to be used as a point to point device

I have also visited Istanbul and cash is king when negotiating with hotel staff; even more so in a "hard" currency, especially the Euro, which is favoured, but UK £ and US$ can be used quite freely - you just have to be aware of what exchange rates are being used by hotel staff, but there are lots of exchange kiosks in the main streets which give a good idea of the current going rates.

That is funny! Fancy stealing the anti-theft device!!
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Dave
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  #8  
Old 20 Oct 2012
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Hello Clive,
Şooks like you will see a large part of the country. I suggest you take a lonely planet or rough guides for Turkey with you. They will contain lots of good information about the locations food etc..

I prefer to call the advised hotels before arrival checj prices and availability. Usually it works. A practical tent may be nice and may give you even more freedom.

A gps would be nice to have. Samsung phınes which can access to the google maps could be even better. Download the maps to your phone and you will see lots of paths. I am not sure what type of bike you have but it could be ineteresting.
I see you mention Gallipoli, Med, Blacksea, İstanbul. Blacksea is beatifull fewer tourist and lots of green hills mountains plateus etc.. Blacksea alone can take 2 weeks easy. You need to plan in order to make the best of it.

When in Istanbul let us know via community pages of the HUBB. We meet every thursday at EMOK. EMOK :: Enduro Motosiklet Kulübü

Regards

Burak
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  #9  
Old 22 Oct 2012
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Hi Burack we are planning 9 days for the black Sea not enough but where do you find enough time? Your info much valued thanks for the reply we value all input. Have hired a Honda transalp which I think will be a good all rounder. Ride a Suzuki V Strom here in Oz but have now changed to a Bonneville for a change even though we will miss the off road ability a bit, always fun to swap around.
Thanks again Clive
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