January 2016 SouthAmerica
 

Hi all;

My name is Daniel, a Spanish 30yo bike lover, I have decided to make a life trip in Jan 2016 for about 3-4 months. I'm not really sure about how to do it but that's where your expertise and tips could help me.

I'm looking as well for people who want to join me, Spanish is my mother tongue so that's an advantage!

The motorbike? A second hand Yamaha XT from at least 2004, lots of questions about it, actually I ride a triumph Bonneville and I do not know what to do; buy it in uk and send it or buy it there (more economic and less papers?) Then I would sell it getting some money back.

I read that best country paperwise is Chile, then cross the countries is easier if the motorbike is from that country, I got friends in Santiago so that would help as well.

Regarding the spending I rackon about 30 pounds a day which should be enough for food and decent hostels-guest houses- petrol. A tent is other option.

It would be summer there so that would be the ideal time for doing the trip.

Well guys looking forward your comments.

Thanks a lot.

D

South America
 

Hi Daniel,

I am London based and have been preparing a years long trip to Canada/Alaska/USA the South America. Unfortunately I cannot leave the UK before April/May 2016.

I am flying myself and my bike out to Halifax and start from there.

If I can help in anyway regards the experience I have had planning the trip I am happy to share my thoughts on this.

You can e-mail me on graham@yatesestate.co.uk if you think I can be of help.

Like you I am also using a Yamaha , but mine is a TT600RE.

Best wishes

Yes, Chile is the place to buy for sure.....Dec 2013 I flew to Santiago and purchased a Chinese Euromot 200cc......you will need to do some paper work to get permission to purchase and take out of country....as you are fluent in Spanish this can be done in a day.....you will need a local address which can be your hotel/hostel........the offices you go to must be in your residency district, a mistake we initially made.....the district of Providencia is an up scaled area which I would recommend....more info on my blog at

hickeryonthemove

Bob :scooter:

South America
 

I just purchased a Suzuki DR650 and will be prepping it to ship to Chile in October or November. I am planning a 6 month ride through Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, etc. I am looking for travel partners also as well as advice. Looking for a shipper right now.

My itinerary is flexible and can probably meet up with some of you guys at some point. I have a lot of friends in Santiago so plan to make that my starting point if I can find an affordable shipper. If not I may have to ride all the way down. I hear Air Canada has inexpensive air freight now. I will have to check that out. Who knows, I may ride up to Vancouver to ship my bike from there. I also have friends in southern Chile who want me to visit. They won't be there until January sometime so if I get there in October or November I may head north first; Bolivia and Peru then back south. I am talking with a couple other guys who wants to start in Santiago and head to Ushuaia. We should all definitely get a group chat going so we can figure out how to connect.

Daniel here is a website in Chile where you can buy bikes: www2.chileautos.cl There are also many people on Horizons Unlimited selling motorcycles there also.

a couple tips
 

if your buying in Santiago, try visiting Juan Machuca at Pro Circuit on Manaquehue Sur. Nice little shop and we bought 3 Honda GL150's from him a year ago, did 5000 kms on them. He is excellent at getting you out and on the road quickly. Also, shop in only a 3 minute walk from the Manequehue subway station, so its easy to get too. Im thinking of returning in a year or so and buying a Honda CB1 Tuff. A little 125 dual sport, sells new for $1600 or so.

As far as camping goes... in Chile if you are doing the careterra austral, camping can be free.... just find a river or under a bridge. We also camped for free on the ocean beaches heading south. Nobody seemed to care once we where outside of the towns. Hotels/hostels are expensive in Chile so camping is a total plus. We even found a campground in Pucon, which otherwise would be really expensive. Actual campgrounds aren't too hard to find either... and they usually charge $3000 to $6000 pesos per person to camp.

South America 2016
 

Hi Daniel and Taos Traveler

I am a swiss-born Kiwi and I will start my trip after Christmas. I will ship my bike about Okt. or Nov.

I have an address of a firm from Auckland, that friends have used and where very happy with. I dont know if they operate in europe.

Freight Forwarders Auckland | Customs Brokers - Door to Door Freight

I think the place to contact in Valparadiso is

villa kunterbunt valparaiso chile

They come highly recomandet.


I plan to ride for about 3 months, go all the way south first and then back up north. Not sure where exactly yet. Probably Bolivia, Peru. I plan to leave the bike in Uruguay for a wile. Go back to NZ and work a bit and then keep going north.

I will be looking for travel partners. I like camping, bud on rainy days I will be looking for a Backpacker or cheap hotel.

You can contact me on my e-mail. I think you can see it if you are logged in.
Not sure about it though.

2016 South America
 

Daniel
First post for me. US Citizen. I too am targeting South America for 2016. Have considered riding south via Mexico and Central America, then shipping from Panama to South America. Keep me posted on your plans and schedule if you are looking for someone to ride the route with you. I have late model XT250 I would probably use.

DreamRide
 

Hi,
I am also planning this kinda trip for 2016. I am from Turkey Antalya, and 44 year old eye doctor, I am now in 'reading and reading and reading' phase of my tour and started private spanish lessons. Here I drive KTM 1190 adv, but in this trip, i think 650gs or a Vstorm (my last one before ktm) is a good idea. But any recommendation or idea is welcome.
I hope, anyway we fulfill our dreams and enjoy the time given to us at this beautiful planet.

South America 2016
 

It looks like we going to have a few guys going the same way next year. We have to make contact, when we have dates for a start.
I think its going to be a lot of fun.
Hope to meet up with you all over there.

Hi I'm Stgo for now, if we can not find, I want to start my trip to Asia in September 2015 or January 2016, I leave my email faspillagar@gmail.com
slds.,
Fdo.

Heading South Fall, 2015. Partners Wanted
 

I live in El Paso, Texas, and own both a GS1200 and KLX250. I am presently in Xela, Guatemala, studying Spanish for a motorcycle trip south. I am interested in hooking up with another rider(s).

I figured I would leave El Paso sometime in the fall and ride to Panama. I may stop in Guatemala again to brush up on my Spanish. I have been told there is now a ferry operating from Panama to Columbia. I have not finalized any form of this plan and figure I have the whole summer to get specific.

I am 62 and retired so totally flexible. I have ridden from El Paso to Copper Canyon several times (only 400 miles) and have ridden to Alaska from Texas a couple times.

I am thinking the KLX250 so I can keep it in the hotel with me. I can easily purchase a 650 if needed. If anyone know Alex Chacon, he is a good friend. My email is ktmrider2@live.com or call 915 588 5054 after the first week of April.

Thirty quid a day is a pretty good budget and would be well for both Chile and Argentina and plenty for Peru and especially Bolivia. Yet as I have found out it is best to budget in for new tires, sprockets, etc. As for camping, depends really. Hostels in Chile are expensive, probably average 20 USD per night for a dorm. You can find dorms in Argentina for half this, and in Bolivia or Peru your own (basic) room for between 10 and 15 USD. So not exactly cheap over a few months.

As for camping, South America is pretty awesome for it. Wildcamping is a skill like any other and the more you do it the more confidence and experience you gain in it, thus the easier and more enjoyable it becomes. Of course you have to weigh this against the cost of the tent, sleeping bag, etc, and the hassle and weight of carrying these around. I'd really recommend some decent gear if you want to camp a lot, especially with the extreme temps of Bolivia and the winds of Patagonia!

As mentioned elsewhere, for me, wildcamping as been the best part of the trip and I simply wouldn't want to travel any other way. No comparison waking up to sunrise over the Salar to a stagnant backpacker dorm or filthy motel room. If you intend to do a lot of wildcamping, I'd highly recommend some sort of waterfilter (I've used Microworks MSR and it's been FANTASTIC), I also brought a stove and some pans, etc. Well worth it.

http://i.imgur.com/2to3b4wl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7yzS8Cgl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vBRr0gpl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HTvx16Al.jpg

South America meetup
 

Daniel and others,
It it looking like I will be hooking up with 2-3 others and riding all the way down from the US starting in October. If you plan to go about the same time and want to join us, let me know. If you plan to ship a bike there let me know when and where and perhaps we can meet up with you down there. Santiago in December or January may work well. Lets coordinate our schedules and itineraries.
Kelly
bier

i will be leaving las vegas end of january heading south two up on a S10, it will be my third time in south america in the last four years...if you have any questions let me know

i also have a book on border crossings in central america here - Central America Border Crossing Guide by rtwPaul: Travel | Blurb Books - they are not difficult just confusing, this is why i wrote it...it will save you a lot of time and hassle.

we are in no rush at all, may take us six months to get to panama, so may meet a few of you along the way...

in 2013 riding solo i was averaging $47 a day all in to give you an idea of (almost) current costs. In central america i stayed in hotels/ hostels everyday...south america some camping

Bogota in January
 

I am yet another rider planning a South American adventure for January of 2016. I will likely fly my bike, a V Strom 1000, from Toronto to Bogota, and then I plan on spending January and February in Columbia and Ecuador. This is a sort of exploratory adventure for me as I plan on retiring to SA by 2020. I have never been, so this 2 month trip should serve to answer the "is this the right decision for me?" question.
I have been on month long solo adventures before - but never outside of Canada. I am not necessarily naive, but I am certainly inexperienced with travel in SA. That being said, any advice offered is welcomed - and if anyone figures to be in Bogota in early January, 2016 that would like to share some of the adventure please feel free to touch base. I am not sure if my email is visible or not - maybe someone could let me know if it is accessible in my profile.
I will be at HU Ontario in June - looking forward to meeting some of you there:thumbup1:

Joe

i may want to join you too!!!
 

I'm a 66 year old, soon to be retired, Mechanical Engineer planning the SA trip for late this year. However I'm kind of confused what should I do. First, I'm fluent in spanish (born in Bolivia) and currently living in Arkansas ,USA. Riding a BMW F650 GS twin, ready to go. I have a potential partner also interested to join me on this trip starting from upstate NY.

I'm confused as if I should go through Central America to Panama and then ferry the bike to Cartagena Colombia to continue the journey, OR; ship the bike directly to Cartagena avoiding all together central america. Many people have issues with safety, lately I've been reading that the ferry service across the Darien Gap is no longer available, the sailboat services are getting more expensive an unreliable, etc., etc... I surely like to know is all of those things are true before I take off.

Once in Colombia there is no problem. Following closely the Pan-American highway should be the beacon. Side trips should be planned as to bring you back to the main Pan-American HW. I have a complete pre-trip plan, send me a PM if interested.

I have a house in Bolivia that could easily accommodate a few of the riders with no problem, food and bedding (sheets, blankets, etc..) are all yours. Likewise I have relatives and acquitances in Colombia, Chile & Argentina....

I live in Arkansas, if you are near by lets go riding around this area, it has gorgeous dirt roads, river crossing, old towns and cemeteries... :welcome:

Herre is a sail boat contact to get across the Darien Gap.

Welcome

I am currently riding in USA for 6 months and may well be interested in joining up with someone to do South America.
If I can not get a visa extension I will be back home by August.

Joe,
If you are looking for a place to retire you should check out Chile. It is an awesome country, safe, stable and beautiful.

I might be up for this, got a bit of ground to cover first. Currently in Saltillo Mexico and will head to Texas then Florida, then up to New York. Then the Southern decent starts.


So early next year should be somewhere near it, I'll subscribed to this page so I'll keep up to date with who is where


I'm a rider not a writer so there's no Blog to follow


Glen

This is GREAT!
 

Hello my name is Tim and I have posted up only a few times here but now see that there are many that are having similar thoughts about this winter 2015 and heading south. I am in Kentucky and would like to plan travelling south when it starts to get cold here. I will be riding my trusty old airhead and would be happy to entertain any and all ideas on how to connect with you all.
?c?

Lots of PMs sent beer

Replied to PM

A Contact in Bolivia
 

I'm an American living in Santa Cruz Bolivia, and do a lot of riding in the area. If anyone is rolling through here, I'm always willing to lend assistance where needed. email or PM.

That's very nice of you gR, I will file that away in hopes that I get down your way before too long!

Hi,

I'm doing Alaska to Argentina from this July, so we might meet when I get south. I'm based in London but I'm from Argentina, so if I can be of any help just ask me.

I plan to get there by December, but then travel around for 2 or 3 more months.

Cheers!
Leo

Hi

I was looking at doing SA from Jan 2016. I have no time frame and around $4-5000.

I'll PM you.

Ive just been around US (Nevada, Cali, Oregon and Utah) by motorbike and was thinking of taking my DR650 (which i bought and left in the States).

Im 34 from london (ex london rollergirl, now just loving to ride

sounds great! :mchappy:

Yet another headed for SA, departing Texas next month heading south. Planning to be in Panama around first of October, Peru around Christmas. Interested in joining up with others along the way.

Another traveller from Alberta (Canada) going South
 

Have been planning this trip for a while.
I ride a KTM 2007 990 ADV.
I am flexible with departure dates but would prefer leaving Canada before the winter (before November 1st) or shipping the bike south in January 2016.
I have done some long trips in Alaska, Canada and USA but never been south.
I would prefer a slow pace with tons of photos, camping and backroads adventures.
Also would like to keep the budget reasonable given the fact that I am currently unemployed and I am not sure when we will get jobs back here in Alberta...

Hey Tingavert, where in Alberta are you? I'm in Alaska now, but will be back there in a couple of weeks. It would be nice to meet to share routes.

Cheers!
Leo

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I'm currently riding North out of New Jersey and have booked flights later this year to visit Oz for Christmas. I'll be ready to ride South out of Houston Texas about January 13, 2016


I also want a slow relaxing trip, looking forward to the trip South and meeting other riders


Glen

Hi all. My name is Harald and I'm 29 yo from Norway.

I have toyed with the idea of buying a motorcycle somewhere and having an epic adventure, but day-to-day life have always come in the way. It's now time to stop playing and start doing. So I have decided to go to spend 3 months South America this winter. My rough plan is to leave home in late November / early December (dates are very flexible).

I have a set my heart on a few destinations (mainly in Bolivia), but as for the rest my route is very flexible. My working plan is to start in Santiago de Chile and buying a bike there.

As am quite new to motorcycle traveling, it would be nice to team up with some else doing the same.

I'm heading south with 3 others in October. Two of the guys going live in Canada, Vancouver and Alberta. PM me for more information.

Perhaps I'll bump into some of you guys.

I will leaving in September and heading north, then start heading south in November. South America: Laying tracks - Defylife

I always heard Chile was the place to buy a bike, but now I read somewhere that you can't take it out of the country of a month which needs to be factored into your planning. Plus it will take some time to find a bike you are happy with and kit it out to meet your needs.

Hi Daniel, I am planning a trip to South America in the next couple months. I would like to leave by october 2015 because where I live in Michigan it already starts getting cold out.
I purchased a Suzuki Vstrom 650 a couple months ago and have already put a bunch of miles on it.
I don't know much about what I need to bring, am thinking about getting panniers.
I was born in the U.S. but my family is from Brazil and I speak fluent Portuguese.
If you or anyone else woupd like to contact me regarding setting up a trip email me at mococaman@yahoo.com
I would like to ride from the US to panama take a boat to Colombia and head down to argentina, Brazil, ect. but also am flexible.

Hey man,

I've been travelling South America for about 6 months now and plan on buying a bike in Chile around mid December. I plan on going down through patagonia, mainly the Chilean side and camping out a lot as by then I will be on a big budget. Let me know if this could work with you.

Chile in December
 

Contact Franz Morganthaler. He is shipping his bike from New Zealand to Santiago in December and is looking for other riders to hook up with. mthaler@clear.net.nz

Dec 2013 purchased in Santiago Chile.......spent 2 weeks but that was errors on our part........you can be on the road in a few days...
blog spot:hickeryonthemove

South America January 2016
 

Hi Daniel.
I am from Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Currently I am looking for a shipper to send my bike (DR650) to Santiago, Chile.
I am planning to leave there towards the end of January 2016 and make my way back to Vancouver. Would like to be back by mid or end of April, 2016.
Also looking to connect with people to ride with.
I speak some Spanish, but not fluent.
Andy

Hi Andy,
I'm currently in Nicaragua headed towards South America. I plan to be in the Santiago area around the end of January. If I can be of any help while there, feel free to contact me. We're headed opposite directions but perhaps we could meet up and/or ride together for a few days.

Cheers,
Pat Williams
2 Ride the Globe - If Not Now, When?

Hi Andy,
My plans for starting the trip are more towards the end of the year. Ship to Chile and drive back. I am not planning the route much but my two key points in planning are: raining season in central america and low temp. in Ushuaia and on the Andes mountain passes.
Please keep in touch regarding shipping costs and options and way to save $$$.
My budget is about 4-5000$ for 4-5 months plus the shipping and flight.

trip to SA
 

I am also planning on a trip to South America the first part of 2016. Iam looking for some traveling partners, if interested let me know. Thanks, David

dgbedford1127@aol.com

Toronto to Boa Vista Oct.2017 looking for company
 

I am planning to ride from Toronto to Boa Vista Brazil in October of 2017, if your ride is delayed and would like to join me that would be great.

Demoes

So where is everyone now?????


My riding partner has proved to be a "Challenge" and I need to move on, anyone keen to join up for a while? or just catch up for a few beers


I'm in Monterrico Guatemala and will cross in to El Salvador tomorrow. El Tunco El Salvador seems like the 1st stop

Baja-Mexico-Cent. Am-South Am.
 

Hey all, Name's Noah. I'm 24 and been riding/living off my KLR-650 since i was 19. Currently working in Northern California doing a wildland fire gig until approximately beginning of october, then i plan to bomb south to Baja, intentions to mosey around mexico and central america two months or so before catching a sail from panama to Ecuador or Columbia.... Ideally would be camping as much as possible, and couchsurfing/blending/hosteling up when necessary or when the fancy so strikes.

A little about me: Wildland Firefighter, Wilderness EMT, Licensed Boat Captain, experienced Backpacker, Backcountry hiker, and am pretty handy with troubleshooting mechanical issues on motorcycles, as i have done most of the work on my own klr over the years (still getting my tube/tire changing skills down to a science, damn you snake bite!!!) I'm an amateur spanish speaker but working on it in advance of the trip, hoping to be conversational in the following months.

While it sounds as if the many commenting here have different timelines and plans, I'm interested in a RZ or trip partner for sure!

cheers!

Take your time and enjoy the trip Noah. The KLR is a great choice for the trip

I board the Stahlratte tomorrow for Columbia, life's good mate

How much is the Stahlratte? It wasn't runing last year when I did my trip. Flew the bike from Panama city to Bogota.

Sent from my LG-K330 using Tapatalk

Cost was $1150 USD add a little damage while being loaded....

Aside from the minor damage I had a great time, highly recommended

That's a fun experience. I am glad I flew the bike. It was a little less.

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