Robert: Yes, Christian, we are an independent company but official solution touring partner of BMW Turkey. We specialise in providing adventure motorcycle tours on the latest BMW bikes, the most popular being the BMW R1200 GS. We cater for intermediate to experienced riders who want to explore this fabulous country by motorcycle. Everyone in the company is an experienced rider and we pride ourselves in understanding the needs of the touring/adventure motorcyclist.
Cristian: How did you started? You are an Englishman but co-founded a motorcycle touring business in Turkey. I bet there is an interesting story behind this.
Robert: Yes, I was formerly a TV Director in the UK, it was a very stressful occupation and one day, after 27 years, I decided enough was enough. I packed up on an adventure and arrived in Turkey. Some called it a mid-life crisis, I call it mid-life heaven. I thought this was the best-kept secret in motorcycling. The riding here is something special and I wanted to share it with other bikers, hence the birth of Bike Turkey.
Cristian: You have quite a big team of guides. How did the team come together?
Robert: What might surprise a lot of people, is that Turkey has a huge 'adventure biking fraternity'. There is also an advanced rider training programme that is second only to what is offered in the UK. As far I'm aware it's the only place outside of the UK that you can take the IAM advanced riding exam and our group regularly run advanced courses from intermediate to instructor level. Over the years, through contact with other like-minded riders, we've built up a team of professionals who have become specialists in both touring and training. I believe we have one of the largest and most experienced teams of any bike touring company in the world.
Cristian: When thinking about motorcycle touring, most people think about touring in Europe. But from the pictures I saw on your site, Turkey might just be a lifetime experience. How would you describe touring in rural Turkey?
Robert: Turkey is the only country that spans two continents – Europe And Asia. Here there is complete freedom on a motorcycle. It's a very bike-friendly country and wherever you go, you are greeted with warmth and hospitality. Combine that with wonderful weather, unbelievable scenery and amazing historical sites and you have a place that is like nowhere else on earth. True, at times the road surfaces might not be perfect, but we find that most riders don't want the sterility of perfect asphalt and it's the challenging days that they remember most. Also we ride here all-year round, so as you visit the same place during the different seasons, it's never the same.
Cristian: What is the most spectacular tour you have?
Robert: Well I would say our tour to Cappadocia is the one that guests enjoy the most. The route to Cappadocia winds through miles of mountains and takes us along the beautiful coastal route of the Turquoise Mediterranean to turn inland and finally reach Cappadocia. The moonscape landscape there always leaves riders in awe. Sleeping in cave hotels, visiting the multi-storey underground cities where five or six thousand early settlers lived thousands of years ago and the opportunity to take a balloon ride and see the landscape from above is something really special and guests often vow to come back for longer.
Cristian: And how many tours in total?
Robert: We run a regular tour programme comprising of three different six-day tours for riders in need of a 'weeks fix' and three different ten-day tour programmes. Add to this weekend tours, special four day training tours and tailor made tours and it adds up to quite a lot. Next year we are introducing some longer expedition tours taking in Eastern and North Eastern Turkey. These are extreme places in the winter and so can only be accessed during the milder months. They will run around 21 days and will be for the more experienced adventure rider.
Cristian: You are also providing the rental bikes for the tour. What bikes do you provide?
Robert: We provide four main models from the BMW range. The workhorse being the R1200GS, if ever a bike was designed for a country it's the GS for Turkey. During any single day of our tours, riders use every aspect of the GS's capability. Whether it be fast road riding, comfort touring or some light off-road, the versatility of the bike, combined with the press button electronic suspension, is the perfect tool for these parts. We also offer the 650GS, 800GS and the adventure model for self-guide rentals.
Cristian: How does the touring go, let's say from booking the tour? What are the main steps?
Robert: Guests normally have a few questions about a specific tour which we do our best to answer. Once they have decided to make a booking, they simply fill out the booking form, receive initial confirmation that the bikes/tour is reserved for them and then send a small deposit to secure the booking. If guests are self-guiding, we provide a suggested itinerary depending on there preferences. Guests then notify us of flight details and we arrange the rest, including airport transfers, hotels, etc. We normally provide an on-road support vehicle that can carry luggage, spares and a non-riding guest if they so choose.
Cristian: From what part of the World do most of your customers come?
Robert: The riders come from many places including, Australia, North and South America, South Africa, Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, UK and of course many Turkish riders join us.
Cristian: Any great stories from the tours?
Robert: There was one group of five sports-bike riders that had only ever ridden on perfect, European asphalt. In fact they want to rent sports bikes, which we don't supply. I think they were thinking that the GS might be a bit tame for them. However, they arrived and took the GS's – all with the new 110HP boxer engine. After seeing and experiencing what the bikes could do in the right hands, on every type of road or terrain, they left with huge smiles on the faces and as converts to the GS. Back home four of them sold their sports bikes and now ride GS's. They are returning next year!
Cristian: I know the Turkish cuisine is really mouth watering, so I'm sure the evenings are reserved to try different foods. What do you recommend?
Robert: Well we had a journalist from the USA visit us and this is what he wrote, do I need to say more?
"Dinner was a sumptuous blend of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes, and we feasted on fried zucchini in garlic and yoghourt, grape leaves stuffed with rice and walnut and red pepper dip served with fresh, oven baked, flat bread. For the main course I had to go for the şiş kebab – skewered lamb cooked on charcoal with onions, peppers and herbs. With my taste buds buzzing and my willpower shot, I opted for the dessert of roasted sesame halva followed by Turkish coffee."
Cristian: And to have an idea of how many of these spectacular dishes I could have, how many days is a typical tour?
Robert: Well all these dishes were just one meal, so one day might be enough! Seriously though, a 10 day tour covers the best locations and the best food.
Cristian: The riding season is about to start in Europe, so I guess bikers are already making plans for the next great tour they are going to have. What tour shouldn't they miss this year from yours?
Robert: Well as I said, the Cappadocia tour is a 'must' for a first time visit to Turkey. I go there several times a year and I never tire of the wonderful landscape. Have a look at the pictures on our website:www.bike-turkey.com they say it all. And just on that point of the riding season, as I mentioned, with the climate here, we're able to bike all year round, so there is no real set season for the biker. In the UK, I used to winter my bike for three months, but not here. We have riders visiting throughout the year and it's worth mentioning we are only two and a half hours flying time from central Europe.
Cristian: Finally what would you say to riders considering Turkey as a touring vacation.
Robert: Of course I would say 'come to Turkey'. But seriously, as our website slogan says – 'it's a bikers paradise', and it really is. We can assure riders they will have an adventure of a lifetime that will have them wanting to return hopefully, time and time again.
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