A new page entry has been added:

Turkey, Travellers information

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Riding is a Way of Thinking

In January 2011 the speed limits changes for larger bikes in Turkey. Cannot find out where the break comes but all bikes that are classified as L3 Motorcycles are now allowed to go at 80kmh on single lane roads + 10% and then 90kmh on dual carriageways, ones with a dividing barrier and then 100kmh on 'Autobahns' as the police call them. I have been pulled over 3 times because of radar traps but when they see the bike they let me go, although obviously disappointed. The local police chief was not aware of the changes so a fax was requested from Antalya Police. I keep that fax with the printed speed limits on it with my bike papers just in case.The extra 10kmh may not sound a lot but, boy does it make a difference to the stresses of riding as the bike is more comfortable at that speed.

Thanks for posting this, OnaCrusier!

I'll ride the fabulous Turkey this summer for the 5th time and these news are very good.

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Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré

Pop in if you're passing through

DickyB's Turkish Delights - ADVrider

Kas-Antalya, Turkey - Horizons Unlimited

Cheers,

Dicky

Dicky, thanks for your invitation!

Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to ride across your area because I will keep the direction Istanbul - Ankara - Erzurum (I will be bound to Iran then Samarkand and back to Italy thru Russia and Ukraine), but with pleasure I'll store your datas in my computer for a future visit, perhaps for next year's ride to Lebanon.

Thanks again, cheers,
Nick

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Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré

i was stopped by the cops two days ago on the main road i was going only 78km/h and they told me to go slower... i just looked at them:confused1: at least i didnt have to pay.

There is a lot of really good information at the link posted at the top of this thread.

I just finished about a week of riding around the Eastern (European) end of Turkey, including Istanbul, and I enjoyed my time there immensely. I posted some comments about my experience in this thread: Notes from a September 2011 ride through Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece.

I was unaware of the different speed limits for motorcycles (lower than the posted speed limit), and I rode at the posted speed limit everywhere. Although I saw police by the side of the road from time to time, no-one ever stopped me.

Be aware that the toll motorway system requires that you buy a 'toll pass' (an electronic thing) BEFORE attempting to enter the toll road system. It is not always possible to buy this pass at the entrance to the toll roads.

I also found that the other drivers in Turkey were very aggressive, very selfish, and, to be honest, downright dangerous. You have to be fully alert at all times, expect the unexpected (translation = expect to be killed) from other motorists, and not assume that pedestrians will wait until you pass before walking out in front of you to cross the road.

Although the country is great - certainly one of the nicest countries I have ever visited - I think I can safely say is is easily the most dangerous country to ride a motorcycle in that I have ever visited. Turkish drivers make the Italians look like Germans by comparison.

Michael

Does anyone have any advice on speeding fines in Turkey.

My wife and I both got stopped earlier this year by the police in Turkey. They were very polite as they gave us both tickets and told us they could be paid in any bank or post office. To cut a long story short we ended up in the central post office in Istanbul and were told they could not take our money at the registration number on the ticket was not Turkish!

I have tried to email the Turkish embassy in the UK but got no reply.

I am now concerned about going back as I would rather not get stopped at customs with outstanding fines!

Any thoughts?

I usually save the bill until out of the country but do not pay.
Did so two times so far in Turkey without any trouble at borders (been allowed out of the country and next time no problems getting in again).

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I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood ...

Very useful information about the new speed limits. The police used to set up the radar traps in a normal car/without any signs/, stopped by the road and after a few klms. is the official police check point, where they stop you.Never argue with the turkish policeman. It seems that they do not have a centrelized police computer system, so there is no problem if you not pay the bill, leave the country and come back again.

WRT speed limits:

I received a 140 Turkish Lire fine for doing 96kmph in an 88kmph zone. This is straight from the cop and written on my ticket. The road was a two line bidirectional highway, straight and flat, not a town or anything else on the roadside but trees.

I was not shown a speed gun or any sort of electronic confirmation, but if he just guessed, I think he was right on the money.

I rode around western Turkey in 2009 and got pulled for allegedly speeding about half a dozen times [i lost count]. All of them i don't think i was and received a ticket for about 140 lira on the last one which pissed me off so went to Greece instead [Kos]. I was all for not paying it but the wife worried too much. No checks made when leaving on the ferry, and no doubt no checks made on re entering Tukey. Great country/people, shite police.

I have heard of this, but where then can you buy these Toll Passes if not at the entrance ?
How will one know if you can get one at the entrance or not ?
J

Hi all,
We are currently in SE Asia and our next plan is to ship the bike to Turkey from where we will (sloooowly!) make our way back to the UK .
I was browsing through the Turkey, Traveller Information page and noticed this -

Roadblocks managed by "Gendarma" (military police) or by the army are frequent at the entrance or exit of urban areas. In these blocks the control is on personal and vehicle documents. For foreigner riders is mandatory to have (always) Passport or Identity Car, Green Card Insurance and Carnet de Passage and Bikes Registration documents. You cannot leave the country if a vehicle has been registered on your passport unless you are ready to go through the difficult procedure of bonding your bike in custom.

A couple of questions if I may.
1. Being a UK Passport holder travelling on a UK registered bike, am I required to have a valid UK insurance policy (we have been out of the UK for 3 years so far and have no insurance) or can I purchase insurance locally in Turkey?
2. Regarding the CDP .. Where is this information from? The UK issuer of the CDP (Royal Automobile Club) has no mention of a requirement for UK registered vehicles to have a CDP for travel in Turkey and so far I have not found anything on the web either.

Thanks in advance for your help, I hope we aren't going to be having any more bureaucratic flies in the ointment!! :-)

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RTW Jan 2009 - Aug 2012. Currently in Europe waiting for the next ride
www.takingthelongwayhome.co.uk

Hi there Mehmet thankyou all for contributing to this thread I will be travelling around Turkey in September October of this year and will be flying out to Austrailia for a three month trip. I have heard that it's possible to leave your bike in the shed at customs (storage area) in Istanbul do you have any idea of the cost of this as I am wondering if it will be cheaper to leave my bike fly to Oz and hire one or if the cheapest option is to ship my bike?
Any advice you (and others ) can give will be much appreciated.
Keep Upright Bill