Hi all,
My friend (also a girl) and I are planning a year long motorcycle trip a few years from now through Central and South America. Taking only one bike would be loads cheaper and in ways safer (one bike to buy, one set of parts/tools, one shipment between continents, one gas tank, one to park, and if we had two bikes and one broke it takes two to push so we would be screwed) but we have heard from a female with motorcycle experience that one would be impossible. We are currently both inexperienced and have not attempted to take the other pillion yet, but would appreciate the advice early in the game. We have the time to build strength if that is the main issue.
Related issues: - We are fairly short. I am 5'4" and she is 5'2".
- We will pack light, but a year is a year and our bike/s will be loaded.
- Our trip includes some time offroads
- Stopping every time it rained would be inconvenient.
There are lots of questions within this! Any advice or stories you can add to the discussion would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Katia

In Cambodia and Vietnam I saw entire families loaded up on
C90's and 125's.

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Having two small, light-weight bikes is much better than having one big heavy bike. If one of two is broken, you still can ride and find some help or continue the journey as a pillion. Also, about pushing one big heavy bike is harder than pushing two small, light-weight bikes. (I know because my better half would be happier to push her own small bike than our BMW R1200.)

2-up in a small light-weight bike for long distances could be hard sometimes. (at least for me) Especially, when you need speed and accelaration like when overtaking trucks etc.

Cheers,
Ozgur

Same as the others - I would have thought it better if you both had a bike each.
If you have identical bikes then its easier to carry spares, if a bike breaks down you have another to seek help etc.

Off-road (depending on what you actually mean by that) two-up is difficult. One of you will do a lot of walking. See here for an example: The Golden Triangle Rider :: Chiang Mai to Mae Sot the direct route - NOT

On sealed and good dirt roads it depends on you and your bums only. You can try that out at home.

__________________
Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

Can it done? Yes and more than likely already has been. I dont like it but some do. 2 up RTW has been done I dont see why 2 females cant do it.

Try not to ask the "average" person if something can or can not be done. I once asked a self proclaimed grate world traveler if I can ride to northern California in a day he said no no bike can go that far that long and certainly not me (I did) then I asked if it possible to ride all the to TDF he said yes the trans american highway runs all the way (it dosnt it stops in the darien gap) As far as world travel when asked about where he has been its been within 20miles of the US border he will not drive his car in Mexico because his car will be be stolen he will robed and killed and Mexico has no parking lots (hay his words not mine) He thinks having a passport is big deal even if its 8 years old and dose not have a stamp in it. (funny he got to go to Hawaii hes a US citizen)

People like to think there somehow there better than you and if they cant do something there is no way you can do it. Call it human nature or ego, your friends and family are not going to be any better. Just go and call them a week or so before you go tell them your going and wish them well. This is what I do. Stops the "you cant do that no one can" and the non stop "its too dangerous" my personal most hated "you realy think you can do it" said as a statement not a question.

My advice (dont know where you are coming from mayby USA as your using feet and inches)
Take a few riding workshops. most show how to ride slow working on skills and keeping the bike up (more valuble than it sounds) and a off road course
Get some kit road gear, offroad armor and a helmit rain gear, no use getting hurt get some good stuff not cheap junk, it your skin.
Get 1 bike used and beat up and cheap as you can and get some miles on. Flog that poor bike beat up on road and off your looking to increase your skill and know what you can and can not do on a bike. Ride in heat, cold, rain test your self your gear and skills. Half way around the world alone 100s of miles from anything is no place to find out you need more water in the heat than most people.

Now I cant see why you cant go 2 up and many bikes have been used to do gust that. My short list BMW R1200GS big heavy expensive versatile more and more people use this to RTW every year. Suzuki DL line the 1000 or better the 650 cheaper than the BMW and gust as versatile it may be a bit tight on the 650 and will not have the power of the 1000 but for most of the trip it will do just fine.
2up on a overloaded bike is going to hell in the dirt any off road and your gust asking for a fall. If you must go 2 up off road work on this before you go.

If you can try to get 2 bikes that are the same and gust ride that way. tools and parts will be the same and If there is problem you alwas have the other bike to fall back on. Then you can go with much lighter cheaper bikes like the DR650 and drz400 from Suzuki the KLR650 from Kawasaki or the RX by Honda. Or if you want to try something different gust get a bike down there and ride that. (may have problems crossing borders with a bike from down there so look out for that)

I realize this thread is more than a year old, but in case people are still reading it... two on a bike in developing countries can work. My husband and I toured Eastern Europe in September 2008 on one bike (Honda Africa Twin). We camped half the time (we would have the entire time, but it got too wet). Traffic all over -- when there was traffic -- was crazy, secondary roads in Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia were not good, and in Albania, sometimes the use of the term "road" was questionable. And it worked out fine -- mostly because my husband is an amazing motorcyclist.

Photos of the Eastern Europe trip.

-- Jayne

__________________
Jayne Cravens
CoyoteBroad

Hello,

Ken Duval saw your post & sent me this. We, my gf & I, travelled through Chili, Argentina, Boliva & Peru, during 6 months on a BMW F650gs (20.000 km) and to answer your question...perfectly doable. Organisation is important, luggage, who does what, etc. Only thing is that I was limited on weight & roads to handle when you are that heavy & somebody on the back. Am not a tall person. I don't know how much expierence you have, or both have, but if not too much, start with the easiest part of the trip and you will gradually grow into it. You learn a lot on the road, it is a fantastic experience. My partner had never (only 2x) been on the back of a motorbike, never been on a motorbike holiday & she loved it, scared from time to time off course because there are not always 'roads'.

In 2003, during 9 months, I rode alone through Australia & New Zealand (40.000 km), (where I met Ken & Carol Duval :-), so I can compare...alone on a motorbike or with the partner on the back. Both situations do have, off course, positif & negatif issues. The fun of riding is higher when you do have your own bike, with a pillion you are limited, have more responsability, etc.

My partner doesn't ride a motorbike, but if she would, i would choose to take 2 motorbikes ; has disadvantages but also advantages.

Any more questions, don't hesitate to contact me,
Cheers,
Pascale

__________________
New Zealand, Australia & Tasmania - 2003 - 40.000 km on my own
Next: South America - sept 2008-march 2009

this was first posted 2008!
Did you make it or done it?
any ride reports welcome?

__________________
We are the Pilgrims, Master, we shall go Always a little further: it may be beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow, Across that angry or that glimmering sea.

keep misreading this thread as 'two women one cup'. Wrong wrong wrong.

__________________
https://fernsforays.wordpress.com/