Lushy,

I have many contacts in the USA who grew up in South America on motorcycles and would be glad to help you! Take your pick of Maine, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Michigan, or California. The Michigan and the Texas chaps just bought used KLRs and rode them down to Peru (where I am) and gave them to me!

I live in Huanuco, Peru and run an adventure moto tour company in which I employ some KLRs. Honestly, I prefer my XR650Ls, but then I started in enduro and the KLR is just too 'cushy' (and heavy) for me. Plus the XRL has alot of parts that are interchangeable with the miriad of smaller Hondas troughout CA and SA.

If you are a DR and TTR rider, I suggest you go 'minimalist'. I do it all the time for weeks and weeks on end!

Forget the camping and cooking gear and all the electronic crap! Maps and the ability to ask questions are all you need if you stay out of big cities. There are cheap hostels all the way to Patagonia and great people and GREAT food! Stay away from the big cities and it is safe and people are honest and VERY hospitable! You'll likely find yourself invited into people's home who just met you!

Passport, Moto papers, 3 changes of clothes, 2 spare tubes (and a pump), a few basic tools, a set of tie-downs, and your ATM card is all you need to travel the length of Central and South America!

Forget the 'trunks' on the sides of the moto! They just get in your way every time you have to take them off to get thru a narrow doorway in a hostel or where ever! . Then you can ENJOY riding, not just plugging along like a 2-wheeled truck!

Note: Spanish will be a much more important tool than mechanics lessons!

Cheers! Toby