LD Hack-I am hearing more and more suggestions about taking a smaller bike, and they make perfect sense for south america. I don't think I could go as small as 250cc, but the DR650 seems to get a lot of recommendations for this type of trip and is starting to look appealing in some ways. One of my concerns going for a smaller or more dirt oriented bike is that I plan on getting across Canada and America quite quickly (2-3 weeks with some social stops) as I have seen most of it already and have plans to meet a friend in Mexico. After years of larger street bikes I am not sure that I would be satisfied with a smaller thumper "enduro/dirt" bike for the times when I will be spending days eating up the miles. But I also want the freedom to go "off the beaten path" lol. I want my cake and would like to eat it too, but maybe just not possible. To your point a lot of Gringos take much much bigger bikes (ex R2100GS), some of which I find insane, and while I am sure they have complaints and might do it differently next time, a lot of them make it.

I was hoping the Vstrom 650 would be a good compromise and allow some versatility while recognizing its limits (I am looking at suspension upgrade to assist with slightly more rougher stuff capabilities). I am definitely not planning on staying on the Pan AM the whole time, but also not planning on doing any serious single track type stuff that I know the Vstrom would not make it on. Anyone done it on this bike and agree/disagree? My other concern with something smaller is that weighed down with even a moderate amount of luggage it would negatively affect not only the "power" availability and fuel economy, but also the weight and offroad advantages that type of bike may have over a Vstrom?

I know there are a ton of other threads out there, but if anyone has an opinion (or even better an experience!) I would love to hear

Taking a bigger, heavier bike because you're, worried about the first two weeks of the trip isn't great planning. If you're worried about the first section only then trailer it to MX. In my opinion, vstrom is the wrong bike for south of the gap, plain and simple.

Yes others "make it" on Gs1200. As do many many more people make it on XR150... It's always a compromise, everything is, but if you're already dead set on the vstrom please don't ask us to talk you out of it, only for you to take it anyway. Just take the Strom.

To answer the main question you had there though which was regarding being weighed down with luggage. You aren't taking camping gear, so how many KG of clothes are you taking?? Haha! But seriously, for 18 months, with full camping gear which I used a lot, I was nearly tipping 25kg... Which is like having a toddler on the back of the bike. I started on a KLR650 and sold it for an XRE300 because the KLR was just too big to enjoy the trip properly on.

Either way, enjoy it man.

The issue is not the main roads, but the last few kilometers to get to places to visit. The question is, "What are your limits on the Strom?" In Peru, which is the majority of my SA experience, most of the ruins I enjoyed were on gravel switchback roads. In the Cusco area, the difference is choosing to explore Machu Picchu or Huchuy Qusco, or visiting ruins/sights in the northern Peru highlands route (access more challenging), vs not. If you're not super dedicated to road challenges on the Strom, you might start to bypass those places because of the challenges. Detours: they happen, and they are tough on a 650cc moto; mud, steep hills, narrow roadways. Off the PanAm, where you experience the local culture, there will be unexpected issues; stream crossing, mud for sure, bumpy rock filled road, narrow pedestrian bridge or landslide detour vs turning back. Sometimes available overnight parking for a bigger moto can be a challenge to access. Narrow blacktop roads: You will meet a bus or truck in a hairpin turn on a one track wide mountain road, and being nimble is paramount, even when traveling at 25 kph. These are the main roads, off the PanAm. They are blacktop or good gravel. Unless you do not plan to explore off the PanAm, these issues are part of the choice to leave the PanAm.

It all depends on what you're looking for, your passion level to explore unknown places, and what you want in a moto. Some folks like to make miles and spend time in cities at backpacker hostels, drink cerveza, and such. They stop at sights that are easy to access. Others (obviously my bias) look to get away from the tourist track, which now and then involves road challenges. In SA, the condition of the PanAm is like the State highways in North America, and the well used secondary roads are like township and county roads. The Strom will be a challenge now and then off the PanAm, but it will easily shine on the better roads.

Buen viaje a tu!

As an edit, "a picture is worth 1000 words" Peru highlands route:

Muddy tires from ascending switchback access to ruins at Chachapoyas


Road construction on Highland Route in Peru:


Wait 6 hours in the rain until evening or take this detour:


And this is some of the great riding:


And of course, plenty of this:


And this:


Plus this:

Watch Pedro moto on a trans alp.
Doing a lot of of road in South America.

A RE HImalayan works perfect.
But 400 cc, not 650cc.

I will use a 650 for Ruta 4 and Carretera Austral.

Bikes are always a compromise.
And we are lucky that not everyone have the same taste.

My friend and I are also riding south this fall on our GSA's. Has anyone called ahead to bike shops in some of the cities and had specific tires shipped down so you can have the ones you want?

I'm ok with picking up whatever is available but if I can ship some and know they are there waiting on me that might be nice. I know some people do that on the way to Alaska in the summer.

Any experience with that?

Unfortunately not a good idea - customs will skin you. And, you won't make the dealer happy - he has lots of tires he wants to sell. He's not in the business of being a post office.

Do contact the dealers ahead and see what they have, and try to order what you want so it's waiting for you. Expect to pay in advance. Work with them and you'll find they're great people.

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

You sound like a road rider. No disrespect there. I'm an 80% road rider. I come from Sportsbikes and I love fast road riding. I do love off-roading too though.

You can ride pretty much all over South America on tar. The gravel roads are disappearing fast. And you can still ride gravel roads on road tyres. Just not as fast. That's true for pretty much all over-landing all over the world. Your life is mostly on tarmac. You just want to be able to cope if the tar runs out one day.

You're going to be on a V-strom 650. That is NOT an off-road bike. It's heavy and it has street/touring suspension. I had one for years. It's a good bike.

For me, there is little point putting aggressive off-road biased tyres on a bike that isn't going to go off-road. They will wear really quickly, feel sketchy in the wet, they're noisy and stop a fast road rider enjoying amazing tar roads. ESPECIALLY on a very heavy touring bike.

For my first trip in South America I took an XT600E. And I had Michelin Anakee tyres. They were fine for everything but sand.


TKC80's are really over-rated. They get so much press because they're been around a long time and BMW fit them to their bikes to make them look aggressive outside of Starbucks. Everyone just says "TKC80, TKC80,TKC80 because everyone else says it. Most don't even know why they're saying it. They're not a bad tyre but there are lots of other choices.


I really suggest you pick a 70/30 tyre. 70% Tarmac.

Look at TKC70. Mitas E07 etc. Heindenau K60 (Not the Scouts as they're horrible in the wet)

If you don't like them. Just change them. Or just ride what you've got. You will be fine.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Is the v-Strom a tubed tyre, if so I’d give the K60s a miss. For me they are the best tyre but the walls are so hard I don’t think you’d be able to change a tube on the road - they’re even hard with machines. If you’re tubeless though......
I think Ted is right about TKC80s - they wear out too quickly
TKC70s are a great long lasting tyre and good enough for dry rocky trails, farm tracks etc.. My wife uses them and we hit snow and landslides going over the high atlas and they were fine.
Motoz are a newish tyre in the UK (Australian) with great reviews - wear very well, they’re a tire I’d like to try.
As for the wee strom - We were on a big bike off road event in Spain and a guy turned up on one With upgraded suspension, knobby tires, bash plate etc.... and it went everywhere the KTMs, GSs ATs etc went - obviously he was a very capable rider.
Enjoy the trip.

That's pretty much what I expected, just wondering if anyone had first hand info.