they will be SOL with me. I learned from Ukrainian police.
I'll just waste their time til they tell me to take off, so they can get to YOU

Doug

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www.motosapiens.org

My Motorcycle Hotel/Cafe in Bulgaria

Hi Guys,

We've just dropped our bikes off in customs down at the port in Baku as our 72 hours are up later this afternoon and we don't get our Turkmen visa til the morning.
A few people have tried to write instructions on how to find the customs area as it's not well signed (ie. it's not signed at all!) so I thought I might try and upload a couple of photos of what you're looking for once you get down to the Bulvar (the promenade on the sea front), those with SatNav 'might' be ok, but then again maybe not, but those of us replying on good old fashioned maps it's a pain in the ass to find. So...

Once you've hit the sea front turn left and head towards Port Baku, you'll ride over a couple of rail lines that will look like they're no longer in use, but they are! If you've crossed these you're really close and you should see the small unmarked entrance on the right

Once you've made the turn (try not to pass it as it's a one way system) follow the alley and on the right you should see the 'ticket office' door on your right with 'kassa' written above it in very faded paint.

The customs area is down at the very end of the alley so whether you're ready to board or just having to leave your vehicle there, here's where you want to be.

Hope that's of help to someone. Just got to pray that the bike's still there in the morning!.....

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www.motoventurers.com

Hello you all!

I and my girlfriend have returned back to Italy from Georgia and Armenia some days ago... 10,055 km (about 6300 miles) in about 21 days, our motorcycle life's record!
It was a fantastic trip: the scenery was great, people were super-super-friendly and helpful (especially when we got stuck in the mud at sunset in north-eastern Turkey) and food tasted very good.

We did not make it in entering Azerbaijan at Krasny Most border line: after 1 and 1/2 hours in line, the Azeri officers told us that even though our visas were ok, we could not enter the Country if we did not leave a deposit of USD 1520 refundable at exit.
I told them that the Tourism Office in Baku made me sure that there was no need of a deposit in case we remained in Azerbaijan within the famous 72 hours but they did not care and told us quite rudely that if we wanted to go back to Georgia we were free to do it . And we did it, cause nobody forces us to visit Azerbaiajan.
So, we used the three days we had to spend in Azerbaijan going to Kazbegi in the north on the Georgian Military Road that put us in the middle of stunning sceneries and great experiences.
Armenia was also a nice surprise, with its monasteries set in great landscapes.
Turkey was the same fantastic Country full of fantastic people I visited already way back in 2008.

I also thank Rtwdoug of the HUBB for the wonderful three days we spent together riding in Georgia and Armenia, really a perfect travel mate that I and my girl really hope to meet again.


Georgia and Armenia: a big plus for the sceneries and for the people (FANTASTIC folks), but a big minus for the lack of road signs and for the road conditions (especially in Armenia, but we rode very bad roads also in Georgia and Turkey).
Just to give you an idea, this YouTube - Offroad harley shovelhead in Georgia (the one in Asia) is a video shot by my girlfriend that was riding pillion, showing Doug and us on a Georgian gravel road alongside the border with Azerbaijan, a road that we took by mistake.

Azerbaijan: a big minus for the customs officers (really not a pleasant experience), but the Azeri people we met in line were veeery friendly and kind.

Our Harley has reported some damage due to the road conditions in eastern Turkey, Georgia and Armenia, but took us home with no problems and this is the most important thing.


Georgia and Armenia are two Countries that I suggest to visit, they can offer much to everybody.

I will post a small report and pics as soon as possible.

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Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré

Good info, thanks.: )I started to gather information for Armenia, Georgia and Azerbajan but as I see Azerbajdjan is not easy to enter. And what about this Georgian Military road? I couldn't find more info about it so far... Do you have some ride report from this adventure?

Hey, Damon!
Well, I can tell you that the Georgian Military Road was the highlight of our trip.
In order to get it, you must take the connection to "Stepantsminda" on the highway Gori-Tbilisi.

The first km are quite ordinary, but as the road begins to climb on the mountains, the landscape becomes stunning!!
The first thing not to be missed is the Ananuri fortress, set on top of a hill with an outstanding view of the green waters of the below-standing lake.
The road conditions on the entire road from Tbilisi to Kazbegi (the old name of Stepantsminda) are OK, except for a 12.5-km gravel part with potholes (not deep, anyway) that you'll find between Gudauri and Kobi. In Kobi, it becomes asphalted again up to Kazbegi.
I don't know what motorcycle you ride, but I rode the gravel part on my big Harley-Davidson Electra Glide with my girlfriend as pillion and our luggage, so if we made it OK, it means there's no problem for any motorcycle!

I don't know how big is your gas tank: in case, just gas up in Tbilisi, because there's a stretch of about 60 km with NO gas stations (there's a couple of them just before Kazbegi at the end of the Georgian Military Road, but not before for about those 60 km.).

Kazbegi is full of restaurants with own bar, hotels and B&B, also Gudauri has some hotels but no "official" accomodation between the two towns.

When in Kazbegi, don't miss the tour to Tsminda Sameba (fantastic monastry with mount Kazbegi behind) and a visit to a monastry under construction that you'll run across on the gravel road to the Russian border.
The monk that is the boss of the construction works is a wonderful person and speaks a fluent English, he'll lead you to a visit to the monastry to let you see how works proceed. I and my girl had a fantastic half an hour with him, this "guided" tour was a great experience.

In case of emergency, there's small Police stations in Gudauri and Kobi (I don't remember the other villages but for sure there's some).

Just ask if you want to know something more.

Greetz,
Nick from north Italy

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Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré

Hi all:

Was wondering if you can get a transit visa in Baku for Azerbaijan? Will be heading west from Turkmenistan via the ferry. Or will I need to get the transit visa from a Consulate before getting on the ferry?

Steve

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www.AdventureVagabond.com Mongolia & Siberia 2012: Adventure Moto Madness

Steve, you can't get a visa on arrival.
At least not when you arrive by sea (you can at the airport I believe).

-Wanderer

Can someone explain about this 72 hour limit please ?

What is that exactly ?

Thanks

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"where the traveller goes, nobody knows ! "

The 72 hour limit to which KP refers was for the importation of the vehicle, even though our passport visas were good for 30 days. The limit for the bikes was determined in a rather arbitrary manner at the Georgia-Azer border. They asked where we were going, we replied that we were heading eventually for Baku to catch the ferry.

So the border official decided that we were not really tourists in Azer, and declared us to be 'in transit'. We, personally, could be in Azerbaijan for 30 days but the motos had to be in the customs lot at the ferry terminal within 72 hours. No amount of talk could change their minds.

.........shu

That's what I've learnt... No longer at airport either. They also don't do a transit visa anymore.

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www.AdventureVagabond.com Mongolia & Siberia 2012: Adventure Moto Madness

Hi mate - planning on going to Azerbaijan this summer on bike, from Georgia. Any chance you have got some information on whether or not this 72 hour rule is still in effect? Been reading on caravanistan as well, and there is a debate raging on about it....

Seems that 72 hour rule is off, but required for a big fat deposit on the border? Anyone know if this is verifiable?

Did Aserbaidschan this year.

very easy.

Evisa within 4 days online.
At the border they get your bike to your name in the computer and you can stay as long as your visa is valid.

No police stopping us for bribe.
it was even the other way around, when we asked for a ATM, they showed us one and waited at our bikes that nothing happens.

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www.klausmotorreise.com

I'm planning a trip for the summer (June/July) where I plan to ride with a group of friends from the UK through northern Ukraine into Russia and then down through Russia into Azerbaijan, crossing at the Yarag-Kazmalyarski – Samur border crossing.

We only plan to be in Azerbaijan briefly- just over 2 days (ride down to Baku, then up to Georgia leaving at the Balakan-Matsimi border crossing) so we are within the 72 hour transit visa time.

What can I expect at the border? The bikes we will be riding (there are four of us) will include a couple of R1100GS, an R1150GS and a modern triumph; not sure if it makes any difference how old the vehicles are.

Has anyone passed the border in from Russia in the last year or so?

Thank you!

My understanding of the Azerbaijan customs law is that you can import (temporarily or other) a vehicle only if it's Euro 3 or higher. For cars that means 2001 or newer and for bikes 2006 or newer. Indeed I had a friend touring Azerbaijan for a couple weeks in 2017 without any problem, but he was driving a euro-5 camper. Any older vehicle is allowed to stay in transit only for 72h.

This said, a customs officer is allowed to bully you for no reason at all, no matter what the law says.

Laurent

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2- and 4-wheeled explorer and photographer
Overland Aventure

Not quite sure what you're asking after here.

There is some confusion over who qualifies for the 72 hour rule and who doesn't. Personally I think it has now been scrapped, but I am not certain.

But you say you're only staying there for 2 days, so it doesn't really matter to you.

Yes, I have crossed the Samur - Yarag-Kazmalyar border crossing, shortly after it opened to 'foreigners' in 2015.

What to expect there..? They will check your passport and vehicle documents, check your luggage and let you through, like any other border. Why would it be different?

Make sure you check out Derbent on the way down there, one of the coolest cities in Russia. The mountains above are even more interesting; have a look here: https://eurasiaoverland.com/2010/06/03/20ii/

Hope this helps

EO

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EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.