I must add that I felt an air of arrogance within the original post. Almost demanding by right, based on "highly experienced", ages, wealth?, etc.
Possibly the Customs guys did too and, human nature being what it is anywhere, decided to respond in the only way they can.
Although more elderly than his group, and riding alone, I have not had their troubles in entering Russia 3 times by bike in the last 15 months. Nor in riding over 10,000 miles while there, including the same Black Sea coastal areas.
Sure I get stopped for documents checks regularly, but that is just a frustrating fact of everyday life in Russia. It happens just as much when I drive a locally registered car.
Make sure your documents are in order and valid, and be polite, then no problem - even if you speak no Russian, like myself.
Odd that one of them was happy to try to travel without the correct stamp on his IDP. Did he check first? -
-if not, more fool the traveller.
-if so, what a swaggering arrogance that he did not bother to get it corrected before departing and thereby was quite happy to jeopardise his own journey and that of his companions.
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