Hi Bruce!
We did it without issues. Not the most fun section of our trip as we had to ride all day long. We even managed to cross the tricky section without using additional fuel containers. I had 3 liters in containers. Between refuels I had 403 kilometers and topped up exactly 12 liters. Honda NC700 took 3 liters for 100 km (cca 78 mpg). I had tempo of 90-100 km/h.
There are two new petrol stations that are still being constructed (one looks like complete but still no fuel) so it will be 300 km and when the second station becomes functional, less than 200 km between petrol stations. So this section will not be an issue anymore.
We stayed in Uralsk, Aktobe, Aralsk, Turkestan and Talas. Many places to have coffee (in fact, tea brakes along the way. The road is pretty straight, good and boring. On our way back we will try to change places so we will try to find accommodation in Shymkent, somewhere between Kyzylorda and Baikonur, then Karabutak and leave Kazakhstan after Aktobe (direction Orenburg).
The open street maps that I have on my Garmin worked perfectly except the border crossing Taraz-Talas. It took me to some old border crossing that is not in function anymore. We had to go back to Taraz and find a new route. Not a single sign to direct you to Kyrgyzstan or Talas so we had to ask local people few times. Besides that, all worked perfectly. Thanks HU for Asia waypoints. Very accuarate.
Where are you at the moment?

Back in Europe. Germany now. Drifting home.

I'm interested in what the roads are like going east from Talas. We crossed by Merki as we were trying to look after the bikes.

I forgot to mention the gas station 277km north of Aral. But it is not always open and according to locals does not often have fuel

The other two under construction would appear to have been like that for two years :-)

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From Talas we went to Song Kol. Do not remember all the details, but to get to the lake from this side, the roads were bad. From Talas we went to Chaek and than next to the coal mine to Song Kol. Most of it was bad or no asphalt. The only puncture I had so far was here. The worst were 'wave' gravel roads wich did strange vibrations to my motorcycle. I thought it will brake apart. The section from Chaek to the coal mine had broken bridge so we had to cross the stream deep to my seat. when you approach Song Kol and later to Naryn it was gravel but very nice and comfortable ride. All the way the view are stunning so I do not remember bad roads anymore

The Meji border is asphalt, and can be done until near Song Kul. I know about the rough roads. Our bikes suffered. But the memories of Kyrgyzstan were worth it.

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