2011 / 11

entry / visa
carnet / vehicules taxes
road condition
hotels / camping
embassies and consulates
bike parts and services
crossing into Irak / Kurdistan

entry / visa

easy process to enter the border. Nice officers, no problems to re-enter again (for europeens at least) if turned back at the borders of Irak or Syria.

carnet / vehicules taxes

If your green card doesnt cover Turkey, you ll have to buy a rather expensive insurance at the border.
Fuel is here is probably one of the most expensive in the world

road condition

good, but very abrasive asphalt that use tires and increase fuel consumption

hotels / camping

some wild camping possibilities

Goreme, Capadoccia : Big range of cheap choices, camping and hotels
Istanbul, Mardin, Urfa : no real cheap parking option in the center / old towns
Antep : private parkings available

embassies and consulates

Syria consulate in Antep : dont relie on them

bike parts and services

most big motorbike shops can order tires within a week from Istanbul
Nice service in Avanos (Yurekli motor) , and Antep (Honda official dealer, Mucahitler Mah. gazimuhtar pasa Bul. No 65/A, gaziantep, tel 03423252244, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

crossing into Irak / Kurdistan

there can be a lot of truck queueing at the border. private vehicules will overtake.
the 2 last cities on the way (Cizre and Silopi) are not really hospitable
visa is obtainable at the border for some nationalities (at the embassy in Ankara for other nationalities)
rather deep check of luggages on the way back to Turkey