car-less - commute, ride, South America...

[timmy]

Hi all,

It's been a while since i last posted here.

i'm in a conundrum, i need a bike to do all things.

* It's gotta commute to work in the city.
* It's gotta get me round S America next year,
* it's gotta be light - relative, of course,
* it's gotta be a joy to own
* it does not have to be a looker ie not 'form over function'.

here is my choice in no particular order:

Honda Transalp, GS1200, next year's rumoured GS800



I have transport to be getting on with, i'd love the GS12 but is it too heavy when loaded and overkill? The Transalp has less weight and legendary reliability, the GS800 is bang in the middle but does not yet exist.

I dont wanna keep changing bikes to suit a purpose and dont want two in the garage. Weight is an issue. Is the GS too big and should i wait for the Rumour or just buy the transalp?

I have owned the GS1150 and the Dakar - one was too heavy when loaded, one was not exciting enough.

help please!

timmy

 

[fcasado]

Hi Timmy,

Where in South America and how long for?

 

[timmy]

Hi Fernando,

Starting at Buenos Aires, ride down to the Tip, then up East side through Chile, Peru and in to Central America avoiding Columbia finishing in Houston Texas. About 4 months.

What do you think? Any idea about the bike to ride?

 

[fcasado]

Timmy,

I, personally, wouldn't ride a brand new BMW (800GS) in South/Central America, due to:

- Parts availability;
- New bike (teething troubles);

Hondas, Suzukis and Yamahas are the most common bikes over there, parts are easily found (especially Honda and Yamaha), and any bike mechanic could fix one if needed.

Yamaha XT 660, Honda TA, Suzuki 650DR are good options IMHO, not too heavy, not too bad on the motorway, good commuters, cheap (ish) bikes (you'll spend the cash doing some mod's)...

If you're not in a hurry to get a bike, test ride all of them as that probably helps (or confuse even more )

Cheers

 

[Ronaldo]

Timmy, Fernando,

Great 'thinking' thread.

I did a tour of Argentina a couple of months back. Down in Ushuaia there is a bike hire place, about 10 Transalps, 2 Africa Twins and one BMW GS. Kinda speaks for itself.

I saw 3 or 4 BM GS's on the roads, clearly people touring but at the same time also saw small road bikes down in Patagonia on Brazilian plates (Honda Falcon, Bros etc..) which to a european would be way too small/underpowered but here are affordable. To put it into perspective, I also met a guy with his wife who drove from Belo Horizonte in Brazil to Ushuaia in an old VW Beetle - whats that 4,000kms at least? I agree with Fernando the XT660 with large tank would be a great choice for all the mentioned reasons and you'll be able to get it serviced everywhere you go. A Beemer here in Brazil and no doubt in Argentina is simply too expensive to make them popular so any problem could be both frustrating and expensive. Additionally whilst the main roads in both Argentina and Chile are good, over the distances you are talking about, a BM would be pretty tiring to ride hundreds of kms on gravel roads. So my recommendation, Transalp or XT660.

By zee way, Tierra del Fuego to Houston in 4 months? Can you talk me through your schedule because it sounds as though you'd be pushed to complete it within that time, its not just the distance but the terrain?? I bought all the maps many years ago to do the same trip...... however its still on the back burner until the kids are bigger. A man can but dream....

R

 

[timmy]

Ronaldo, Fernando,

Thanks for your input. Yes i went home from the dealer, worried last night that i was heading down the desirable GS1200 ownership route knowing that i'd be shipping it abroad with all the implications of cost, damage, carnets.

I'm going for the ride and experience and not wholly the bike. Sounds like the Transalp could be for me then.

Can i still enter the GSer site please?

Points taken about Transalps and XTs being common and fixable as well as cheaper to own and run in S America.

I will happily let you in on the schedule and route when i know more!

So you think the time may not be long enough Ronaldo? It sounds like i need to have a chat with the other half of the group to discuss this and perhaps learn what you and Fernando have to tell us if you are willing.

timmy

 

[Ronaldo]

I would be more than happy to give any advice ref the route, as I'm sure Fernando would as well. I also have contacts in most of the countries who you could contact should you need assistance once en-route.

 

[fcasado]

as I'm sure Fernando would as well.

The first one would be GO TO Brazil

Seriously, you COULD think about going for a week or so to Brazil (Not Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro...), it'd be very different from the rest of South/Central America I reckon.

 

[(RIP) Yosi]

In my opinion, a nice 1100GS will be perfect. The trouble with the old XT's is that they are old, tired and far from reliable as the legend describe them.
An Africa Twin will be my second option, but again, only S/H available and who knows how long it will last.
Or a 650 GS. Light, reliable, but under powered. (good for Dan Walsh, good for me)
From my experiences after traveling extensively on those parts of the world, you can take anything there, Is a question of how confortable you want to be and how much stuff you take with you...
Regarding routes and places to go, feel free to ask

Yosi

 

[fcasado]

The trouble with the old XT's is that they are old, tired and far from reliable as the legend describe them.

Yosi

But you can get them BRAND NEW, with warranty

 

[Butler]

If it were me it would be a Transalp.

 

[timmy]

Thank you for offers of contacts and route stuff folks.

I'll keep you lot informed.

I chatted to my trip partner today about this. He has ordered the GSA12 but also has an Africa Twin.

Well, i cant make up my mind about the bike but i sure am enjoying the cogitating and choice.
I dont think i can bring myself to spend £10K on a GS12 and still having to pay for the mods, kit and the trip and mortgage whilst away.

Cheaper may be the way and possibly the TransSlap. Have you owned one Butler?

 

[ROKKET71]

It seems to me that you're more concerned about the cost than actually getting the right bike for the trip.
Where are the "Transalp World-Tour Websites"??
If you want a bike that can Do-Anything-Go-Anywhere then you know the answer 'cos your on the GS forum!
You don't have to buy a new one(we all know that they're not cheap) buy a used one with a few miles up,put a few more miles on it,then flog-it when you get back!
NOTHING holds it's value like a GS,you don't have to tell the next owner where you've been on it,Hell,he'll probably just be relieved to have found one!
Honda??...Pah! Good luck fixing your liquid-cooled v-twin at the Arse-End of Nowhere.