check our webpage: http://www.homestead.com/shanghaibikers for updates regarding biking / travelling by Motorbike in China. Currently it's getting more and more difficult.
BUTCH
RDMC Shanghai

Sean Kelly,
one month in Oz won't even scratch the surface, in all seriousness, if you want to see a reasonable chunk of the country give yourself at least six months.

Goose

Hi Goose

Point taken, unfortunately I can only get away for 6 months in total. Given this limitation, it would be a dream come true just to make it to Aus and spend a month riding the coast from Darwin to Sydney.

If your offer for sending info. is open, I would really appreciate anything you could email.

Cheers


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Sean

The biggest problem is your starting time : in november it's possible to find snow either in Romania and Bulgaria ...also Eastern Turkey in december will be very hard ...my advice is to take a ferry from Italy to Turkey ...should be possible from Venice or Ancona

Hi

Yes, the weather is a major concern to us, I believe it can reach -5C in the east of Turkey!!!! I think our best bet will be to set off as early as possible in November and sprint east as quick as possible. At least we should get reasonable weather during our stay in India.

Paolo Volpara has sent some very useful and detailed info on the ferry from Trieste to Istanbul if anyone is interested, I can forward it. Also he says that starting April 4th, there will be a ferry from Venice to Izmir every Saturday night. This is operated by Turkish Cargo Lines. Their phone numbers are below. They have no Venice agent yet, closer to the 4th Venice agent name can be obtained from these numbers.

Istanbul 0212 244 02 07
Izmir 0232 464 88 64



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Sean

I haven't looked here for some time, but glad I did as there's some really good comments.
Sean (or anyone), have you found out anymore about getting from Nepal to Thailand, as I've heard this is quite difficult! It may be easier to fly from India, which is what we're thinking about at the moment!
As for the trip from Singapore to Darwin, I've spoken to Perkins and it seems they're happy to take bikes and know what they're doing, as they do the trip a couple of times per month - David & Cheryl were happy with them. I was quoted US$275 for a bike and the trip takes 7 days (just enough time for a stopover in Bali)!!
Sean, I understand your time schedule and 1 month is easily enough to get from Darwin to Sydney - it just means you won't be doing alot of sight seeing.
All the best......Mark

Hi Mark

Paul Ackland got through Turkey into Iran the last week in October, whilst there was cold and snow, the roads were good and the hostels/hotels warm. It shouldn't be much worse by the time we get there.

Also, I got some really helpful, detailed stuff from Ken and Carol Duval. They shipped Aeroflot, Delhi to Bangkok. It was less hassle than Nepal, cheaper and they got to go on the same plane. I'll forward you the email that they sent and maybe ask Grant to put it up on the site.

Geoff Lock at perkins seems very helpful and we'll certainly be using him for the leg to Darwin.

Otherwise, I'm just trying to pin down the final departure date with work so I can start addressing the visa problem.

Roll on summer



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Sean

Amazing amount of information flowing in this thread! We are working at improving the trip p lanning section, so as you are planning, please send us any solid information you come up with, whether it's lists of gear, contacts for shipping, weather information or whatever, if you think it's useful, we can use it and will post it asap for all to use.

Have a look at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tri...shipping.shtml for all sorts of shipping info. You can get there via the home page, Trip Planning / Shipping. Should be everything that's discussed above. If not, PLEASE FORWARD IT TO US!

Thanks,

------------------
Grant Johnson

Share the Dream!
at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Sean

Can you send me the details you have for the Delhi to Bangkok air freight, Cheers.
I picked up my BMW 1100GS last week and am just arranging the Panniers,GPS, etc so we're still on target to leave around Aug/Sep, how are your plans?

Hi Goose

Good to hear you're plans are going well and a nice new bike to boot! We're stalled at the moment over whether to commit to November or not. Ideally I think we'd go the same time as you, but it's just not possible.

Anyway, Grant has posted the Delhi/Bangkok details on the shipping page. It certainly looks like a good option, if you can face riding to Delhi after being in Nepal for a while! Being paranoid, I particularly like the idea of being on the same plane as the bike.

Good luck with the final preparations.



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Sean

Hi guys

Not much action in this thread for a while. How's everyone getting on? Anybody set off or about to set off yet?



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Sean

Had qoutes for panniers, GPS, etc from CW Motorcycles in Dorset, David Lambeth and Bracken, all of whom came over as very professional outfits.Bracken are winning the race for my dosh so far, this is purely based on talking to them on the phone. I'm going to visit their workshops on Friday to play with some toys and will let you know the outcome.
Goose.

Hi

Am new to this website, having read the AMH book.

Am also planning an expedition from London to Singapore, hoping to head off in the next 12 months. Taking an F650 Dakar.

Proposed modifications:
Remove currrent exhaust with catalytic converter and install staintune exhaust (lighter and I understand may help performance);
install extended Toratech fuel tanks for total capaiacity of 39L (expensive but can't see any other option) - will also need to change the front forks I believe to cope with the additional weight;
[have yet to work out a luggage system];
[possible GPS - but then again I might just take a book];
[need to be able to switch the ehadlight on/off - at the moment it comes on automatically];
sealed battery;
[thinking about tyres and rims]

I've divided my proposed route into three parts:

Stage 1
London to Istanbul [no particular views as to which way to go]

Stage 2
Istanbul to Delhi

Istanbul, to Syria to Jordan to Syria to Eastern Turkey to Iran to Pakistan (trip up the Karakoram highway)and onwards to Delhi.

Stage 3
Delhi to Bagladesh (possibly with a jaunt into Nepal) to Burma to Thailand to mAlaysia to Singapore.

I note that Burma may prove difficult for a visa. Have found the following website which I will follow up on www.burma-travels.com

Interested in any comments others might have on my proposal.

Richard

Hello All,
I am a Canadian currently planning the same trip.
My idea is to arrive in england in may 2002 and purchase a late 80's or early 90's BMW ( k100lt-k75-r80 or equivelent) and travel twoup through Europe in the summer.I would be in Turkey by September, Iran in October and Pakistan by November, then India.Fly the bike to Bangkok,travel to singapore with maybe a side trip to Vietnam , then fly to Australia. Sounds easy on paper doesnt it guys.
Sean, I to am concerned about weather in Iran in the fall. Has anyone done this at this time of year?
I am also having difficulty finding out about registering a UK bike by a foreigner( canadian buying a UK bike)the Government vehicle regitration site will not accept my email, seems locals only.Regular mail and telephone only gets me the run around.Bike dealers say its not a problem but don't know the specifics about registering and VAT. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.
thanx

Cameron,

No worries buying a bike, registering and VAT. As Canadians, we registered our foreign bike and had no trouble.

They're happy to take your money, so no worries on _paying_ the VAT. You may be able to get it back when you leave the EU, as travellers are able to claim for VAT refunds. There are caveats, like time in the EU etc., so check with UK customs.

Registering is easy, all you need is an address, and you can get that easily at a "Mailboxes etc." There's one in Windsor on St. Leonards Road. You MIGHT be able to get away with a Canadian address, worth trying.

For more info, see the post "Can a UK citizen answer my registration?'s" in Trip Paperwork at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000084.html

I would suggest not getting a K100LT, a little big and fragile (read - expensive) for the inevitable fall in Turkey - Australia section.

Iran in October is getting cold. See the newsletter around last October-December for travellers accounts of the area through to the KKH and Kathmandu.

Also note that many travellers are now going through Indonesia enroute to Oz and giving good reports.

------------------
Grant Johnson

Share the Dream!
at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com