Riding in Colombia any tips?
 

Heading out in next couple of days to ride Colombia sola. Would love to hear from those of you who've spent some time there. What's a 'must ride' or 'must see' and what's an 'avoid at all costs'.
cheers!

travel colombia
 

hi dirtgirl, if you need anything in colombia i´ll be glad to help you with, also i´ll be travelling to peru in december. let me know how to contact you.by mail or msg o blackberry.
tonny

when are you plannig to be here,

Hello Dirtgirl. Bienvenidos a Colombia! Where are you starting from? Deffinately spend a few days in the Santander region, like Buchamaranga and San Gill. There's lots of roads through the mountains there that are just awesome! The most important thing is to talk to the people at the military and police outposts and find out what the situation is like in the areas your planning. I wish i still had my maps, i could spend hours talking about Colombia!

san augustin
 

It's a great ride either down from Bogota or go through Cali and to Popayan and then east...even better
Cali is a little sketchy but Mike is there at Casa Blanca Hostel...great place to stop, great family
When you get to San Augustin (it's worth the ride)say hi to Miller Bravo, owner of Miler Motos 3 blocks from the plaza, tell him James from USA (Tornado rider) sent you...I stayed with him and family a week !

ASAP (next couple of days) Im working on a ticket now. Also bike has sat in Colombia too long any idea how much the fine will be or if there is a way around it.
Thanks!
Tonny I sent you a PM with my email.

fines
 

if you can get someone to photoshop your documents and change dates that will work especially if you take it out say to ecuador (recommended) and back in again
I did that to a bike and no police stops had internet access to aduana records they just passed me and at ecuador border they were happy to see me go...and Ecuador didnt care about dates

or you can just 'fess up,cry and pay a little fine probably....cry a lot I think it helps there....not for men, but should work in your case

make sure you get insurance Seguros del Estado will give you per day rates but you have to INSIST that they can, otherwise they want you to pay 6 mos or 1 year...there is one office of theirs in Bogota - I left a post about them on here awhile ago....search for it

Zig

amazing colombia
 

my bike was well overdue by a year and i had no problem at all ,when i left i went into venezuala ,they did not bat an eyelid ,i dont speak spanish and that helps ,so no espaneol ,if they ask you anything ,i also got pulled up by plenty of cops while still in colombia ,no problem at all ,just wanted to see my passport and look at my bike
dave

Medellin
 

I,ve got a bar here in Medellin The Barking Spider! anything you need to know,feel free to get in touch.
Al

Hi Dirtgirl
Two weeks ago we spent two weeks travelling north to south in colombia two up on a BMW 1150gs... it was a spectacular country. From north to south.. cartagena.. yeah okay... Medellin just great.. loved it and great group of bikers there....down to Popayan and pasto.. the roads are just superb - we had no hassles from police or military and it was a beautiful country. We didnt venture much off the main PAN am... but there was plenty more to see, we just didnt choose to see it. San Agustin was a must from what we had read and heard but we couldnt do the rode from Popayan to San Agustin as it was not recommended two up or because of safety...

Take care and good luck
Jules

Hi, I don't want to hijack this thread, but can you help with a chain and sprocket kit please? I have a post here

Cheers
TravellingStrom

The barking spider ??? Wasnt it called something else ??

Quito
 

You,re thinking of "The Turtles Head'' my old place in Quito.

To Dirtgirl, I spent 5 months in Colombia recently, and toured around by bike, and one route I'd absolutely recommend is South of Cali, Popayán - San Agustín - Tierradentro - Popayán, it is absolutely the most beautiful part of a beautiful country, should not be missed. It's nearly all dirt roads, the part from Popayán to San Agustín is terrible (but beautiful and great fun), took me 6 hours to go 120km's, and it's an amazing route.
When you take the route from San Agustín to Tierradentro, just before you reach San Andrés de Pisimbala, there is a choice between a bamboo suspension bridge over the river or a one hour detour. As it was getting dark I decided to take the bridge as locals were walking their bikes over. Their bikes weigh a lot less... It's the closest I've come to losing my bike, I recommend you take the detour!
Anyway, if you have the time this is the best route I found in the whole of Colombia, so enjoy!