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**spawn** · #1 5 May 2006

Hello all, I know this is a tough question to answer, but would a budget of $20g Canadian to ride through Mexico, CA and SA be enough? Realistically, what is a rough ballpark figure of costs to do a trip like this? I wish I could spend more than 3 months, but I have to be back home within that time.

Thanks in advance,
John

**Sjoerd Bakker** · #2 5 May 2006

I can tell you from recent personal experience what a reasonable cost for such a trip would be .
This past winter 2006 I spent two months touring , 62 day total , from Ontario through Mexico Guatemala and Belize with a return swing through Florida for the races. .
All added up and divided by 62 it came out to $70 CDN or $60 and change US$ PER DAY. This covers EVERYTHING, gas , a new rear tire and brake pads from official BMW dealer , two oil changes, food ,toll bridges , allways hotels in Mex and CA , some camping in the USA, travel insurance, Mexico insurance , Daytona etc.. during a total of 25000km.
This is in the same cost range as every trip to Mex/CA that I have been making for many years including such long trips to Panama and back. I know my tatstes and stay in the low cost small local hotels , a great time every time. Your costs may vary ,depending on where you choose to eat or stay, how many maintenance items you need to take care of, and the price of gasoline and the additional side excursions , sights , museums, etc. which charge admission. This will help you figure out your range of budget. . I was never going hungry , gained a bit of weight.

**spawn** · #3 5 May 2006

Wow, $70 a day is not bad at all. I will want to keep to the cheaper end of things too. Stay in places that are not dumps, but not extravagant either. I will have to factor in the flight from Panama to either Ecuador or Colombia, and the flight for myself and bike back to Canada from Argentina so that will bump my total a bit. The thing that worries me the most about the trip is finding places that have tires. I would be riding my 650 Vstrom.

John

**PatOnTrip** · #4 5 May 2006

Hi Spawn!

You want to ride from Canada to Buenos Aires Argentina in 3 months??? It is not a lot of time. I took 6 months and I whish I would have taken a year. Maybe look for passing more time in Mexico and Central America and delaying South America for another time.

Shipping your bike and yourself back to canada cost a lot. If you ship the bike by boat it will not be less then 1100$US (crate+shipping+port fee+paper) and the air plane ticket for yourself (one way) will not be less then 800$US. Transport from Panama to Colombia will cost you at least 650$US. for you and the bike (more for Ecuador). That's a lot of money for not much travelling time.
Maybe money is not an issue for you!

Patrick

**Ekke** · #5 6 May 2006

Hi John,

We're planning to ride to Ushuaia from Calgary in 2007, taking about 6 months. We're on two bikes and budgeting $30,000 for twice as long. We had a quick look at Lonely Planet for accommodation and food costs and thought we were allowing plenty. Should have enough left over for Galapigos and Machu Picchu Trail but probably not for the Antarctic cruise though we might if we scrimp. I would say the $20,000 for a solo person in 3 months would be plenty. (Unless you still needed to buy that R1200GS Adventure!)

As others have mentioned, 3 months is fairly short (though the record is something like 39 days from Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia), but the beauty of the plan is that you can go as fast or slow as you want. At the end of 3 months you just fly home from wherever you are. Who cares if you only made it to Acapulco or Costa Rica or Colombia?

Have fun!

**spawn** · #6 7 May 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatOnTrip

Hi Spawn!

You want to ride from Canada to Buenos Aires Argentina in 3 months??? It is not a lot of time. I took 6 months and I whish I would have taken a year. Maybe look for passing more time in Mexico and Central America and delaying South America for another time.

Shipping your bike and yourself back to canada cost a lot. If you ship the bike by boat it will not be less then 1100$US (crate+shipping+port fee+paper) and the air plane ticket for yourself (one way) will not be less then 800$US. Transport from Panama to Colombia will cost you at least 650$US. for you and the bike (more for Ecuador). That's a lot of money for not much travelling time.
Maybe money is not an issue for you!

Patrick

I know 3 months is not alot of time for CA and SA thats why I was thinking of blasting through Mexico and CA as quickly as possible, 3 weeks max and spending the the remaining 9 weeks in SA. I want to see it all, but Chile and Argentina are on the top of the list. Colombia would be too, but I'm not sure if I'm willing to risk it. Another option would be to ship directly to Argentina and spend the entire 3 months in SA. If money wasn't an issue for me, I would take 6 months to a year to do the ride, but that is life.

John

**spawn** · #7 7 May 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying Gringo

This is more than enough. I did Ohio to Ushuaia in 62 days. It was nice and scenic, and I saw a couple of ruins and a chicken.

Having done the trip, what I would recommend is buying a cheap but reliable motorcycle for less than $2000, like Pat's famous KLR650, and just dumping it in Argentina. Your bike will be beat up, and it's about $1500 to ship it home. Do you really want to invest that much money in a thrashed motorcycle?

I got a MZ Baghira for US $1700, and it worked out pretty good. I never had a single problem with it. It is in Buenos Aires right now. If you have a bike you can leave, you can always fly back later and complete the trip. There are a lot of guys in the HU Communities who will keep it for you. I can help you find a disposable bike in the US and equip it too. I just found a Suzuki GS500 for $1200 that I would put Hepco Becker bags on and take off with tomorrow if I didn't have to work.

When you did it in 62 days, did you feel rushed at all? How many miles a day were you averaging? I might be interested in seeing the odd ruin, but definitely Machu Picchu, and I'd like to goto Copper Canyon too. I thought about the old bike way for travelling, but my greatest fear would be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a mechanical problem. I can do some basic mechanical things, but anything engine related and electrical and I'm screwed!

**spawn** · #8 7 May 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekke

Hi John,

We're planning to ride to Ushuaia from Calgary in 2007, taking about 6 months. We're on two bikes and budgeting $30,000 for twice as long. We had a quick look at Lonely Planet for accommodation and food costs and thought we were allowing plenty. Should have enough left over for Galapigos and Machu Picchu Trail but probably not for the Antarctic cruise though we might if we scrimp. I would say the $20,000 for a solo person in 3 months would be plenty. (Unless you still needed to buy that R1200GS Adventure!)

As others have mentioned, 3 months is fairly short (though the record is something like 39 days from Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia), but the beauty of the plan is that you can go as fast or slow as you want. At the end of 3 months you just fly home from wherever you are. Who cares if you only made it to Acapulco or Costa Rica or Colombia?

Have fun!

Hi Ekke, I have all the Lonely Planet books too for MEX, CA and SA and have been researching this for about 8 months. The new GS Adventure is a nice bike, but I saw it in person and that thing looks huge and heavy! Yes 3 months is not long, thats why I'm thinking of maybe just riding SA only, like I mentioned previously, Chile and Argentina are on the top of the list, I would hate not making it that far. Sounds like a great trip you have upcoming, have fun and ride safe!

John

**Mr. Ron** · #9 7 May 2006

Welcome to the HUBB Spawn! Wow, i wish i had your budget, i think you should have no problem at all with over $200/day, although i haven't done the exact route your planning. When i travelled through Mexico, my budget was $40USD per day, including gas. I rode on average every second day, and never had to spend much more than $20 on a hotel, the average being about $16. I met a few friends and stayed for free which helped save money, and i ate regularely from street vendors and markets. Your most expensive expense will be gas if you plan on doing lots of miles in a short time, but with this budget, i think you'll be okay, even when the price of gas doubles

**razmataz** · #10 8 May 2006

Hey John,
if you have only the 3 Months and Chile (Carretera Austral) and Argentina are on our top list, I would fly into BA, organize a bike just like George mentioned and then do a quick check-up at Javiers place, then move up in a circle to Bolivia, Alti Plano and the Saltlakes and then see, what time is left. Travels in Argentina is cheap, you can live with a budget of 20 to 30 $, Chile is expensive en European niveau, but still overs plenty areas for safe camping. Bolivia is the poorest country in SA and therefore cheap, but at the moments unsafe. As is also right now Peru, I am currently in Lima and the locals here more than once tell me the increasing numbers of kidnappings of richer people... Just record the kidnapping of the 2 Austrians in Jan 06 in La Paz. I have never experienced and problems and if you speak the language, it will work out.
Then I would drop the bike and fly home from the nearest bigger city, its easy.
So have fun and take your time travelling, you will meet lots of great people...

Rasmus
www.panamericana.info

**FREEFLOW** · #11 8 May 2006

FWIW....2 of us rode to KLR650s from Wisconsin to Roatan Honduras in 8 days in November 04. We were in it for the ride and felt the pace was just fine..long riding days and still had some down time...no night riding....

cost...well I am guessing....but I;d say $100 US a day for 2 of us was ballpark...+ some

...LOL

hotel every night....

get gone...

**spawn** · #12 10 May 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by FREEFLOW

FWIW....2 of us rode to KLR650s from Wisconsin to Roatan Honduras in 8 days in November 04. We were in it for the ride and felt the pace was just fine..long riding days and still had some down time...no night riding....

cost...well I am guessing....but I;d say $100 US a day for 2 of us was ballpark...+ some

...LOL

hotel every night....

get gone...

This is looking more and more promising in terms of the costs and how far I can really go in my timeframe. I definitely feel a lot more confident now that I can keep well within my budget and reach my destination in my timeframe!

**Lone Rider** · #13 11 May 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by FREEFLOW

............+ some

...LOL

..........

Good qualifier.

**brclarke** · #14 11 May 2006

I haven't done any touring in Central America for a while, but in Mexico I can get by very nicely on about $60 to $80 per day. As a single I can rent a pretty decent 2-star room in most places for say $30. Add in another $10-$20 for food and drink, and that leaves me a little bit of money for fuel and entertainment.