Buying a Motorcycle in Turkey

[George Sanos]

Greetings all,

I have recently arrived in Istanbul, Turkey and would like to buy a motorcycle. I have tax number, a job and resident's permit.

I realize there are posts on this topic, but the ones I could find are very old and contain information which is not definitive.

I'd be very grateful for a concise rundown on what the situation is regarding:

. foreign ownership
. insurances
. registration
. use of notary
. taxes
. etc

If I buy second hand, say from Sahinbinden, is the process relatively straight forward or would I need to run around from tax office, to notary, to plate issuer, to etc.

I am leaning towards a new bike, and I understand there is a tax free option for foreigners. Any views on how difficult this might be for later should I need to on-sell the bike? New bikes without taking up the tax free option seem quite expensive here.

Additionally, any tips on riding around Istanbul would be appreciated. I have noticed the road surfaces can get quite shiny where the aggregate in the mix is not great quality. I've noticed bikes wheel spin occasionally.

Would be happy to hear from anyone who has something for sale also in Istanbul. 800cc+, low kms, touring or naked style, late model.

Any other thoughts?

Many thanks in advance,

George