Hi El Penguino....

I'm a Kiwi presently in Bolivia on a Black and White F650 Dakar, heading Northwards with the lofty goal of Alaska before it turns Brass Monkey on me. I had to laugh when I saw your Username, as I was seriously considering calling my bike Hoiho due to its black and white livery - probably still will.

Right now Ì'm in Uyuni after having completed a 4 day 4WD tour starting from Tupiza anding here, taking in the most wicked scenery you could imagine. I left the bike in Tupiza after the advice from Chris and Erin Ratay (www.ultimatejourney.com). They have two Swiss biker friends who gave up on that route , and ended up putting the bikes on a train. I'll e-mail you that seperately.

The unpaved roads here are real suspension destroyers, and if you try the likes of Tupiza to Uyuni, from Villazon to Tupiza when it's raining - that's would no doubt be Mission Impossible 4. Luckily it doesn't seem to rain much at this time of year.

I had a pillion on from Tilcara to Tupiza, and those roads had my arms shaking much worse than the Ruta 40 or Carretera Austral ever did...

Yesterday I met a German and Chilean guy here in Uyuni who travelled South here, and the Chileans KLR 650 had blown a fork seal.

I guess it's all worth it, but make sure you are travelling light, and don't make the mistake of travelling too fast, as there are bottom out holes and ditches when just when you think the roads are getting better.

Have fun, and I'll let you know how the roads are from Tupiza to Potosi and Sucre etc

Cheers

Jeremy
ps, on the subject of tires, for these kind of roads I think the TKC 80's are just the berries, especially if it gets muddy.

[This message has been edited by Jeremy Andrews (edited 06 April 2002).]