Help! in Istanbul
 

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, I am trying to fly from Istanbul back home to the States, but I don't have a good storage option for my bike, also I don't know what customs will say when I eventually leave Turkey with a long overstayed bike.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Please email me dshuken@gmail.com with any advice

Thank you everyone!
Daniel

First step is to contact Turkish Customs and explain what you want to do. Under the current situation you should have no trouble working something out.
For storage contact one of the HU Communities for help, bound to be someone.

Hi Daniel:

During normal times, when I want to store my (foreign) motorcycle in an overseas country, I go looking for large motorcycle dealers. They generally have lots of indoor storage space for their new, unsold bikes, and they are familiar with the need to occasionally plug the motorcycle in to trickle-charge the battery.

Typically, storage costs me about one Euro a day - that has been pretty consistent throughout Western Europe over the past 5 years.

During these difficult times, with new motorcycle sales falling off due to concerns about coronavirus, etc., I think you will have no difficulty finding a dealer willing to store your motorcycle for you.

If your motorcycle has obvious value, you won't need to pre-pay. If it is an older bike of dubious value, you might be asked to pre-pay, one month at a time - you can set this up via a credit card or PayPal.

Michael

Thanks for the advice, guys. A Dutch biker got me sorted on the customs process which seems pretty easily done at the airport, and I found a shop in Antalya where I can store the bike. So the logistics seem to be solved, now the question is do I want to go back to my locked-down hometown in California, or take my chances in Turkey?

The question is, where do you have better social security, health care and help if it comes to a medical problem?

I've decided to wait it out in Turkey. Between the logistical difficulties of getting back to the States, and the situation there as I hear it from family and friends, I think I am better off here. So, I'll take all of the precautions I can to stay healthy, try to be smart about where I go, and wait for things to get better, because eventually, they will.

Thanks to everyone for your help, and stay safe wherever you are.

Good luck, keep us posted!

Hi Again Daniel:

What you have written sounds logical, for sure, so far as the practicalities of where to be are concerned, but you might want to also consider whatever benefit you might gain from being back home in the same community as your family and friends. In other words, if you had to choose between New York City or Chicago or Rabbithash, Kansas and Turkey, Turkey probably makes the most sense, but if you have a choice between your home town and Turkey, then it might be different.

I don't know if airports are still operating in Turkey, or if Turkish Airlines is still flying international routes that might enable you to connect with a flight to America (or even fly direct to America on Turkish Airlines or an American carrier) - but my guess is that flights out of Turkey won't be operating for much longer. Here in Tunisia, everything is shut down, the airports are closed.

So, if you have any doubts about staying in Turkey vs. making a dash for home, don't dawdle, because the opportunity to get home will not last for long.

Feel free to send me a private message if you want, I'm stuck in the same situation you are in, the only difference being that I'm in Tunisia.

Michael