I am ın Istanbul. I thought it would be easy to get stuff for my bıke, as a last servıce and stock up before the push accross Russıa.

It seems I was wrong.

Can anyone gıve me any tıps on a solutıon?
I see a few optıons;

1- Get the stuff that I can fınd here, but very lımıted choıce and VERY expensıve.

2- Get stuff shıpped from England. Cheap prıces, but not sure about shıppıng and ımport problems here (quote value as 50 dollars on packages?)

3- Wıng ıt. Get nothıng and see what happens. Maybe able to get somethıng ın Russıa or Mongolia?

Many thanks
Gabe

Could you not dab back into Greece and try getting stuff in Thesaloniki?

I'm taking everything I need spares wise with me for a similar route to yours. I figure the inconvenience of carrying tyres on the bike is made up for by having exactly what I want - Tyres with agressive tread for off-road but which should also last well on the tarmac - without having to pay a premium for it.

__________________
UK to Mongolia 2009, on a DR350

With a name like Gabriel... I'd wing it!! ( just kidding Gabe)

Which tyres? sizes?

CONTINENTAL Tyres in Istanbul 00-90- 21.65.87.00.15

If you have a beemer - there is a big BMW dealership in Istanbul (tyres/service etc)
here -N41.12006 E29.04691 (accurate)

There is also Genc Moto in Istanbul - the Coords are approx and given to me so unsure N41.05590 E29.01327
web site here G e n ç M o t o / Hoþ Geldiniz

DHL but that can come out very expensive for tyres etc + import duties etc -

Tyres-on-line can send tyres to you Tyres Online at discount price by PNEUS ONLINE: order new tyres, car tyres, all brands online
0033-478645519 in France

AVON Tyres- nearest I can find is in Greece Agripan email the@agripan.gr, Tel 0030 2103485184
Michelin Tyres - nearest I can find is in Greece
correction 27/4/09 at 11am
International subsidiary
357-9 Ave. Messogion, Halandri, Athens, GR-152 31, Greece
+30 210 659 8430, fax +30 210 659 8490
Contact Mr Petris

failing that, I suggest you contact a member of the Turkish community via this site and if all fails - go back to Greece- zippidiboo eastwards for a long time.

good luck

If can be more clear,about what you need.... i will try to help ...

cheers,

Cheers for the support guys.

I would, ın an ideal world, lıke to get the followıng tyres;

Rear - MEFO 18 Inch 140/80 SUPER Explorer MFE99

Front - MEFO 21 Inch 90/90 Explorer MFE99

And a good qualıty chaın and sprocket set. Must be steel sprockets and O or X rıng chaın. 520 pıtch 110 lınks I thınk. 14t front and 45t rear

I have contacted many people here, and they have been extremely generous and helpful to me. Special thanks ın partıcular to Bahadir of 'MotoPlus' bıke shop.
But there seems to be lıttle choıce, and hıgh prıces. I found two possıble tyre choıces. Traıl Wıngs (not a tyre I would choose ıf at all possıble) at sensıble prıce of 113 Euro for paır. Apparently half usual prıce. Or Metzl 6 Day Enduro, at somethıng lıke 250 Euros. Good for the mud, but not an overland tyre ın my opınon.

Sprocket I can fınd rear only, and ın alumınıum only!

Just for ınfo. I`m rıdıng a Honda XR650L 2008. Sımılar to the domınator.

I just thıs mınute bumped ınto a greek chap ın my hostel who ıs on the case wıth some Greek contacts. May be able to post to Greek border and I could rıde and collect.

Bert - Thanks for the leads. I wıll try and check them all tomorrow ıf I can. I have contacted the Istanbul communıty, and found great generosıty but few tyres.

Nath - I thınk you`ve hıt the preverbıal naıl on the head. I would take thıs approach ın the future for sure.

Ahmet Demitres, owner of ATA Moto in Istanbul. He's the KTM dealer and has the right attitude to motorcycles. We were offered his shop and tools to use as we pleased. He can get parts for all makes and tires of all sizes. Those riding through can contact him on 02122433554 or GSM: 05323752211 for directions. He's located in Findikli, right below Taksim.

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http://www.nohorizons.net

Thanks again everyone..
I talked to Ahmet at ATA MOTO already, and although he was extremely kind, and offered free use of his workshop (which I will be taking him up on next week), he could not source tyres quicker than 3 weeks. Nice collection of bikes he has there.

I have ben round a dozen or so recommended places around Istabul, and found only a few, fairly ill suited options.
I weighed up a list of options, and have ended up getting a load of stuff from the UK, and someone will be flying here on Tuesday with everything I need.
Surprisingly it seems that my 18 and 21 inch wheels are pretty exotic here, with most bikes taking a 17 rear. Few dealers seem to keep stock of tyres.

Prices in the UK were much much less than here, and I have much greater choice.

So if there is anyone in this area that needs stuff from the UK (ideally not too heavy) then d let me know ASAP and I may be able to help..

Bert - Thanks for all the research you must have done on my behalf, and I don`t mean to be rude in not being able to make use of it. I have found the local HUBB (and general) community to be extremely kind and helpful.

No worries Gab- info always willingly provided

I got a metzler tourance for my r100gs just today from Baydar, a yamaha dealer ın Ullus, ankara. Arranged ıt no problems at all. Address; cankırı caddesı yıba, carsısı No. 45/142 Dıskapı. Tel (0.312) 310 16 49. Web; Mototr (Online)

Hope thıs helps

Accurate co ordinates for genc moto are N 4105773 E 02901042. I spent the afternoon here getting new tyres and been fed. Very helpful and access to pirelli and metzelers but no continentals yet.

Be carefull before you commit to shipping tires to Turkey with limited time on your hands. Last year I had tires shipped to Turkey by means of I believe it is called TNT. The tires got stuck in customs in Istanbul for weeks before they finally forwarded them to Trabzon. What should have been a 10 days shipment turned into a 5 week shipment. As it worked out we got them just in time, but that was only because we ordered them early, before we left.

YMMV

KP