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**Hecate** · #1 9 Apr 2008

Hi,
I need some advice on a trip I would like to do from the extreme south of America to Canada with a motorcycle. The trip would start from Patagonia, Argentina and end in Quebec, Canada.

First of all I'm a novice in motorcycle. I don't know anything about mechanic too.

I would like to buy a new bike (http://www.usmotos.com/usm%20eng/cruiser200.html) which is a chinese USM cruiser model. The motor is only 200cc. The main reason I'm buying that model is because it's cheap.

The closest similar example I've seen is the guy on this website who did the the US from west to east with a 50cc scooter. He did fine actually. If you have other examples let me know.

So I have three questions
- do you think it's realistic?
- how much time do you think it would take approximately?
- how can I get the motorcycle back in Canada in one piece?

I met a guy who had a 400cc moto and tried to do Brazil-Peru. His moto just fell apart. In my case the moto will be brand new, so maybe it's different

Thanks for any help!

**gpothoven** · #2 9 Apr 2008

It's about the trip, not the bike. The trip can de done on ANY bike. It's more a question of can YOU do it? Can you endure a trip with a bike that may be unreliable? Can you cope and deal with what that entails? Are you resourceful, even if you can't fix it yourself? Everyone has done it on all sorts of bikes. It's more about the rider than the bike. Every bike is a compromise. A BMW may be reliable, but once something breaks, where do you find parts or tires? A chinese bike may be unreliable, but parts and tires are cheap and easily found or repaired. It's ultimately up to you.

**Walkabout** · #3 9 Apr 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpothoven

It's about the trip, not the bike. The trip can de done on ANY bike. It's more a question of can YOU do it? Can you endure a trip with a bike that may be unreliable? Can you cope and deal with what that entails? Are you resourceful, even if you can't fix it yourself? Everyone has done it on all sorts of bikes. It's more about the rider than the bike. Every bike is a compromise. A BMW may be reliable, but once something breaks, where do you find parts or tires? A chinese bike may be unreliable, but parts and tires are cheap and easily found or repaired. It's ultimately up to you.

Very, very well put gpothoven.

Hecate,
For reassurance about small engined bikes take a look through the "Which Bike" forum; there are examples/discussions of bikes much smaller, and even a bit bigger!, than 200cc. The latest one with a posting is here:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...a-250cc-4929-4

Time: it will take as long as you want it to take.

**Tony P** · #4 9 Apr 2008

I fully agree with gpotheven. It is more YOU than a bike.

Any bike will do anything, eventually and possibly after some 'encouragement'. I think preparation priorities, in order, should be - Self - Bike - Equipment/Spares - Route.

A thoroughly good read is "Lois on the Loose" by Lois Pryce (available through Amazon.co.uk - excuse the plug!). She rode from Alaska to Argentina on a 225cc Yamaha Serow. You may find her small bike pertinent. It's size was not really a problem, but she had thought things out well and was travelling light.

**charapashanperu** · #5 10 Apr 2008

The others are right, but I STILL wouldn't do it on one of those Chinese machines. I know the models, I've lived with them in Peru. As a teacher of Motorcycle Mechanics in a Peruvian vo-tech school in a city with 175,000 motorcycles, I know these bikes. They sell for 1/3 the price of the Honda that they are copying, but they only last 1/10th the time.. and you are doing a "long haul" trip........

Do you really want to spend half your time fixing or replacing half the machine every time you stop (not to mention breaking down in the middle of no-where)? Me, I'd rather ride a Honda 90 than ANYTHING Chinese!

Toby (charapa) Around the Block 2007 |

**gpothoven** · #6 10 Apr 2008

Yes, very good advice. Try to go for something like a Honda CG125. The're found in very country in SA. I met 3 guys in Calafate that had ridden them from there to Venezuela and back. A little more $$$ up front, but you'll be on a more reliable bike.

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**Patagoniax** · #7 8 Feb 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpothoven

A chinese bike may be unreliable, but parts and tires are cheap and easily found or repaired. It's ultimately up to you.

We occasionally see chinese motorbikes down here. Some of them are running but rarely outside of the towns. Many are not running at all. Cheap, unreliable, easy to break, nobody around here has parts. If you wish to spend your time challenged by such things, that is certainly an option. Or you could spend a little more and get a decent Honda XL250 variant if you insist on a small displacement bike.

Another thing to consider is the wind, esp the wind in southern Patagonia. We have winds down here that reach 120 km/hr or more. If you wish to ride a 250cc bike into a 120km/hr headwind, you must have a lot of patience and extra fuel.

**Laser Jock** · #8 12 May 2008

Back to the subject at hand.

Forget the Chinese bike unless you just love breaking down. Even a good bike will do that for you now and then.

If you want to ride something small but cheap go with a used but mechanically sound Japanese bike.

I recently bought an 1986 XT600 for $600 and would far rather ride that than a new Chinese machine.

Sounds like a fun ride. A smaller machine will shine on the backroads.

**peter-denmark** · #9 12 May 2008

I don't think you are right laserjock

I presume that it is your trip rapport I read then and I must say that your trip seemed ill planned and unlucky as well. If you had done more research you would have brought spare alternators as these are known to break down.
You also spanked the bike alot more than you were supposed to.
The upgraded urals from the states would have served you alot better.

Talk to the locals and find out what breaks and bring spares. Dont ride over the capacity of the bike.

The chinese are not great and many are crap, but a few are actually getting decent.
And if you just plan a little ahead you will be fine.

I the plan is to get as fast as possible from one place to another then by all means save your money and fly instead!

**Laser Jock** · #10 13 May 2008

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