BR -230 Humaita To BR -163 Santarem .. Any Info
 

Anyone travelled this road through and up or down?

Be interested to know, much easier than BR 319?

Anyone with info please chime in.

Cheers Andi

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Hello MotoKiwi's,the BR 319 is much more challenging then the BR 230, but the 230 (Transamazonica) is a track that we enjoyed very much. I wrote about it, so look at www.adventuresidecar.co.uk
In 2006 we took our BMW sidecar trough the mud of the BR 319, in 2009 the Triumph Bonneville with the sidecar followed the Transamazonica. This is a good time to do it, but if you get rain.....have fun!
Andy and Maya.

Hi Kiwis,

Haven't done the 230 but the 319 so I feel qualified to say: avoid the wet season at all costs!!!

This is (part of) the Transamazonica highway in case you didn't know.
It is very remote and all dirt according to my reading. Also many trucks kicking up dust making overtakes blind and very dangerous.

(I've been told that there is 600-800Km of reserva indigena in there that you should/may not stop in. Also that it's a zone of narcotraffic and illegal mining which doesn't want attention. I.e. dangerous. But if we heeded all warnings we might not go anywhere and do crazy shit... you decide. )

Either way be prepared and take care - it's a jungle out there. ;)

There is a great advrider report from CUSTEWY (also a hubb member) which covers their successful crossing. Have a read (it's a long thread but it's in there somewhere).
Travelin' Light - Riding 2up through the Americas - Page 15 - ADVrider

All the best.

2fortheroad is on point - wet season can make this stretch rowdy, too. We saw rain for an afternoon and that red mud was scary slick. The dusty dry season makes passing exciting, and near some of the small towns there are a surprising amount of other vehicles. Big construction on our way into Santarem may mean more asphalt on that stretch now.

While I believe strongly in asking the locals for up to date information, in this area, many locals did not know there was a road connecting Maraba to Manaus (or even Santarem). So ask for conditions, but be sure to ask truck drivers and other transportistas that will actually know.

Here's a link to the start of our BR-230 ride (East to West): Travelin' Light - Riding 2up through the Americas - Page 14 - ADVrider

Enjoy!

Thanks for all the info guys, yes getting it very wet is our biggest fear as far as traction goes, not much fun two up on a heavy bike if it is gonna be completely greasy and puggy, will see closer to the time.

Assuming rain season is normal (as normal as it gets) is it likelier to be softer and boggier near the end of the season?

Hi Kiwis,

Transamazonica is very different from BR-319 (I did both), because its much longer, here is more traffic between Maraba and Itaituba (and more dust), and it is hilly (BR-319 is straight road). Bridges are ok. Less traffic between Itaituba-Humaita.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j...-no/BR-230.JPG
Larger Map

I made Transamazonica from Maraba to Humaita, 2008 km.
It took 6 days, 25-30 nov, 2013
Day 1, 191 km, Maraba - Novo Repartimento
Day 2, 402 km, Novo Repartimento – Pacaja - Anapu - Altamira - Medicilandia
Day 3, 316 km, Medicilandia – Uruara – Placas – Ruropolis – Divinopolis
Day 4, 267 km, Divinopolis - Itaituba and another hundred km
Day 5, 410 km, ... - Jacaneranga and further
Day 6, 422 km. ... - Apui - Humaita

No deep mud, but very slippery after rain, got some short rain almost every day. Less rainy season should be in september-october.

Here is the story and more pictures:
Tarmo RTW: Transamazonica, Day 1 and 2
Tarmo RTW: Transamazonica, Day 3 and 4
Tarmo RTW: Transamazonica, Day 5 and 6

http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7oXWzhqsLos/Uo...jpg?imgmax=800
It's a really long road ...

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BbFdOo1pgs8/Uo...jpg?imgmax=800
First half, Maraba to Itaituba, lots of roadworks, and red dust ...

http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1Dc8nmpsoWg/Uo...jpg?imgmax=800
Some parts are slippery after rain ...

http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YnTg8E4hNCg/Uo...jpg?imgmax=800
After Itaituba the road takes through the Amazonia National Park ...

http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nHZI8MH54xU/Uo...jpg?imgmax=800
The most typical picture. A red road through the greenery.

I liked that road.