Enough Gas for Touring South America?
 

This is a question for all you experienced South American travellers. I have a Suzuki DR650 with a standard tank, I will be leaving mid December for Buenos Aires to start a South to North trip. If you take it that I will be doing the regular 'Gringo route'and my bike can do about 120 miles(200km) on a tank full would this be enough under normal circumstances?

Bob West
Dubai

hi
even in patagonia, the least populated part of south america, petrol stations are at the most about 100 km apart. i would however very strongly suggest you buy a 5 or 10 litre plastic petrol cannister and carry this with you. it makes things easier and hassle free should the next petrol station be closed (as they were, of example, occasionally last year in argentina during the height of their economic crisis).

travelling along the gringo trail in south america is very unchallenging. i wouldn't worry too much about things.

enjoy,
ChrisB

Westy

I will be shipping my bike (Yamaha TT600) into BA mid November and following the same sort of route. Perhaps we should meet up. You can tell me all about how DXB has changed since I left in '95.

With Pleasure, if you are ex Dubai we may have met before. I will be in Terra Del Feugo (still can't spell it) for New Year, any chance you will be around there at the time?
Bob West
Dubai

I have about 200-300 (depending on my speed :-) km range on my standard 650GS. Just wwo times in NA/SA so far I´ve needed extra gas. Once in alaska where I bought a 10 litre container then gave it away after I got back to the main roads, and once in bolivia - where I needed not 2 10 l containers in the salar/southwest portion of the country. (I gave those two away as well.)

generally when you are in a region where you are about to need a spare gasoline container you will be able to buy one - and they are very cheap ($2 each in bolivia). Carrying a full container everywhere is a pain and potentially dangerous.

Hi ,

200 kms range will give you some problems on some of the more "interesting" mountain passes e.g. from Salta to San Pedro de Atacama , remembering that you won't carburate as efficiently at 3000m as at sea level and so you will use more gas for the same journey .

But some plastic containers strapped on will do just grand .

Good luck,
Chris

Hi Bob,

if you want to travel the "Routa 40" it will be a problem. There is a part with 400 K's without any gas.
A bigger tank will give you a much better "feeling" on other roads too.
It is easy in Germany to get used and cheap tanks.
Maybe not in Dubai.
Acerbis has also new and bigger tanks for the DR 650!!
But anyway, take the gas when you can get it!! Sometimes there is no electricity or no gas or some other problem at the gas stations!!

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Best wishes RalEva

http://www.Die-Motorradnomaden.de

[This message has been edited by RalEva (edited 18 October 2002).]

just met a Japanese guy today (we crossed Cusco - Puno) with an 8 liter tank on his 350. needless to say he carried a (metal) gas container....

Don't know if I will be going as far south as TdF. My plan is to go south west to Bariloche and then north through Chile, Bolivia and Peru.

Still, drop me an e mail (see my profile for the address) and maybe we can touch base when we are both on the road to see if we happen to be in the same neck of the woods.