I've just lodged my visa application for a Saudi visa in a second attempt to do the around-the-Gulf trip. There was no refusal last time, just no visa. If all goes well, I should depart Abu Dhabi on 30 October for Saudi, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran, and sail across back to the UAE. In all likelihood, I will never get to visit Saudi.

If I get the visa I will be sure to circulate the name of the approver to all who care - perhaps we should start a "HUBB Visa Official of the Year" award.

cheers
Brett

i am really jealous Hope to complete my Middle East Tour soon with a brand new bike and a Saudi visa.

Hope you get it Bratt.. see you somewhere..

ozhan u.

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ozhan u.
website under construction

Hello Ozhan,
As far as I know your bike was a 96-98 F 650.
Do you mean R 1200 GS by brand new bike?
Do we have to have a new bike to do that trip?
Sometimes we should know the value of what we have in hand. I know many people doing RTW with a smaller and older bike.
Sorry, may be you sold it and don't have a bike now.
Selamlar,

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"where the traveller goes, nobody knows ! "

Hi Sami,

I didn't write the whole story to you because of my time problem. I went to Turkey from the UK by my 97' F650. In Istanbul I went to a garage for servicing. We realize that there was only 1/2 liter of oil in my engine. We have investigated the problem and there was a leaking where the front sprockets linked to engine. We took out the engine and brake it up. We have realized that the garage where I got service in the UK put the front sprocket wrong way round. The bearing inside the engine had been broken and also the seal of the bearing. This caused oil leaking. Anyway. We have changed the bearings and assembled the engine again. After a week later I headed to Iran. Just after the Istanbul (near Izmit) the oil indicator has been flashed and the engine stopped suddenly and never worked again. We took the bike back to Istanbul. Again we brook up the engine and saw that the cylinder was blocked. The small chip of the broken bearing caused this problem. We have found a used cylinder from the police bikes repair center in Istanbul and replaced it. However, all these took a month in Istanbul and spend over 1000 pounds (Almost 1/3 of my travel budget or half the price of the bike). I decided to postpone my tour and go back to England. 3 days later I headed to England again by my bike. In Greece, near Xanti on the motorway again the oil indicator has been on and again the engine has stopped. It was Easter day in Greece and everywhere was closed. After 3 hours wait I achieved to find a pick-up which took me to Xanti. Spent there 3 days in a hotel. I tried to sell the bike there in Greece. However, the bureaucracy didn’t allow me to do it. I've found another pick-up, put the bike on it and head to Turkey again. At the border, another pick-up has been found to take me to Istanbul. I left the bike there and went back to UK. Now the bike is in Istanbul in a garage. They will fix it again and I'll come there on August to take it back to England.
This is the brief history of my trip. I am emphasizing that the trip is not cancelled, just postponed.
I know, I was a bit unlucky. If the sprocket was put properly by the mechanic in the UK none of them would be happened. OR if I had a new bike I wouldn’t service it, etc… etc… etc… After all of this, I only can say that it is the finger of God and he didn’t let me to do it in my first attempt. However, biking, especially going places by bike is a passion and in the future –I hope in the near future- I’ll try it again. Time to save some money now!!

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ozhan u.
website under construction

Hi Ozhan,

I can only feel sorry for you. Unlucky situation.
I hope you had useful contacts and know people in Ist. I wish I had given my GSM number to you, in any case I could help.
Anyhow whenever you need help just drop a message to me.
If you need I can mail my number.
Can you tell me more about your ME tour plans please.

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"where the traveller goes, nobody knows ! "

Ozhan which bike do you plan to buy?
In the HUBB there was somebody selling his R 80 GS Basic very love mileage.
I think it was something like 7000 St.

Probably you will go to a new bike. Think twice again. Do you need a new bike with electronics or one which can be fix easily on the road?

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"where the traveller goes, nobody knows ! "

Hi Sami

Thank you for your good wishes. I've received your e-mail. I got relative in Istanbul and he is also a biker.

My new bike... Actually, I don’t want to buy an electronic toy. I am also 172 cm and 65kg. I've tried to ride 1150GS ADV in Istanbul. It was really hard to ride for me and at the end of the day I've dropped it and there was no way to lift it by my self. Anyway. My aim is to buy a Honda Transalp or a Yamaha XT. They are everywhere and relatively cheap to maintain comparing to BMW. (Experienced in Jamaica, and Greece - two different part of the earth However, this choice is only valid if I travel alone. If my wife wants to come with me then the bike must be something powerful (I know she never will). I always want to ride a 1150GS (not adv, they are higher than standard 1150GS). In this case for 2-up the best option might be 1150GS.

I've also experienced Suzuki DL650 V-Strom in Istanbul. Good bike. But it is more road oriented comparing to TA, XT and GS. Also finding Suzuki service is difficult comparing to Honda or Yamaha.

My updated Middle East route a bit expanded. I'll also see Yemen and Oman. Most probably it will like that: Turkey-Iran-Bahrain-UAE-Oman-Yemen-Djibuti-Ethiopia-Sudan-Egypt-Jorda-Syria-Lebanon-Syria-Turkey. However, I am not sure if I could do it in one holiday time. I'll get a proper job soon hopefully and I may split this route into 2-3 different legs. We'll see. First of all I have to get a new bike, save money, get a permission from wife, etc

Are you planing to do a tour? If yes we can discuss it.

ozhan u.
www.ozhanu.com
www.ortadoguturu.com

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ozhan u.
website under construction

Hello Ozhan,
I have no problem with my wife. After the accident I decided to wait a bit, until drivers are more serious with the force of new laws and through the preparation to go in to the EU!
So, I think I will start riding next spring. I am not talking about daily riding, but going long distance. This is totally depends on the decision to my work. May be I give up and change the work. Then the new work will be important, if I go back to my former work which is very tight, I can't behave very relaxed and can't spend more than 10 days in a year for my tours.

Sure I have some plans but can't say anything at the moment. Must wait and see.
The first one will be Greece-Albania-Bosnia-Croatia-Slovenia-Italy-Greece.
Second: Iran-Pakistan-China (Karakurum HW)-Turkmenistan-Iran.

You are enought to ride a BM GS. I am 178 and only 56 kgs. Riding a R 80 GS.
You need some time to get acquainted (I hope written it correct) with the bike.
We think to buy a 400 Yamaha for my brother and will switch to XT afterwords. Not sure if we can find a good used one in TR.

Good luck for the new bike. Everything depends on the new work snd situatins. Who knows we go together someday.

Selam

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"where the traveller goes, nobody knows ! "

I've just been told by the Saudi Embassy that my route looks better this time. Unsure of what that meant I went back to the map to see what the problem was last time (and why they just shut up shop on me).

(Looking at map...)...then into Riyadh, then to Buraydah, then to Al Madinah, and then...hang on...Al Madinah! Bloody idiot! I put the banned-to-all-non-Muslims holy city of Medina down on my route.

It would have been nice if the Saudis told me. But then again they probably thought I was too stupid to let loose in the backblocks of Arabia. Can't say I blame them.

Just wondering why you'd choose that route in the first place unless you really want to visit Madinah (which you can't). Also, like Makkah, there's probably a 'non-muslim' route bypassing the city.

If you want the shortest route to Jordan, (don't have my map here) go to Riyadh, take a right from Al-Majmah (towards Kuwait).

From there on, there's a short-cut that's not apparent when coming from Riyadh although it's well marked coming the other way, go figure. It's maybe 80-100km before getting to the pipeline road (just before a huge 'secret' airbase on the west side of the road, should show up on your GPS). Anyhow, even if you miss the shortcut, just go to the pipeline road and take a left.

If you want to get some Hijaz scenery (which is quite nice), I'd suggest going north from Buraydah towards Al-Hail and from there to the Madinah-Tabuk road, or cross over the road and go to Al-Ula (Mada'in Saleh).

If you're heading to Egypt, you can catch a ferry from Duba to Safaga or Sharm El-Sheikh.

you were lucky brett. here, in london embassy of KSA they did not even discuss about my route (My route http://www.ortadoguturu.com/maps/ksa.jpg ). They only said that, there is no tourist and transit visa for KSA. As I am stated that I am muslim then they offer me the Umra visa which is only done by plane.
At the end of the day I only achieve to go to Turkey. Then the bike has been broken there and cost me alot money and time. The next will be from Turkey to BAE. Hope you meet you there and get some more advice.

thanks
www.ozhanu.com
www.ortadoguturu.com

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ozhan u.
website under construction