What bike for S.America?

[RickG]

I hope to get to S. America in a couple of years and travel top to bottom. If anyone out there has any advice on the ideal bike for the job, or at least the best compromise (hmmm... BMW maybe??) I'd welcome their words of wisdom on the subject and top tips. I'm currently thinking of shipping a bike out there as I'd be planning on taking at least 3 months.

A few pertinent points:

I'll be riding two-up.

By then I should still have my 1200GS but it'll be 3 years old and will maybe have done ~60,000miles (yes, I know, but I live in hope)

Given I'm not loaded with cash would I, for example, be better off swapping it for a second hand lower milage 1150GSA given the bigger range, suspension and proven reliability. I've done ~250,000miles on 1100 and 1150's so I know them well and what they are up for.

Or, perish the thought , not a BMW at all??!!

It's a bit of dream at the moment, but it's winter and I guess all great trips have to start somewhere, even if it is with this post...

 

[The Foolish Fellow]

bike

buy yourself an xt and a jerrycan

 

[Devon]

kawasaki klr 650 is regularly recommended. Don't know what it's like for a pillion though .

 

[Fanum]

As they've hinted, don't get fixated by the marque of the bike.......people have gone round the world on anything from a C90 to an R1, and everything inbetween.

I've got a GSA, but haven't enjoyed long distance travelling more on that than as I did on the C90's that we rode to Gambia.....on a 10k bike, you seperate yourself from people somehow...on a more humble machine, you're greeted as a friend and nutter....plus a cruising speed of 40mph top whack is a great way of actually experiencing the country

 

[Mick O'Malley]

Read all about it. Lots more here . Or you could go on one of these .

Regards, Mick

 

[Trooper]

As they've hinted, don't get fixated by the marque of the bike.......people have gone round the world on anything from a C90 to an R1, and everything inbetween.

I've got a GSA, but haven't enjoyed long distance travelling more on that than as I did on the C90's that we rode to Gambia.....on a 10k bike, you seperate yourself from people somehow...on a more humble machine, you're greeted as a friend and nutter....plus a cruising speed of 40mph top whack is a great way of actually experiencing the country

This guy drove from Ontario to Alaska and back on a 50cc Moped

Link to site

 

[Roly]

Honda Africa Twin

Try a Honda Africa Twin its lower, lighter and cheaper. I plan to go about November 2007 for 3 or 4 months starting Buenos Aeries go south and then up the west coast. Why not travel together but two up will be hard work.

 

[Mick O'Malley]

I plan to go about November 2007 for 3 or 4 months starting Buenos Aires go south and then up the west coast.

Hi Roly

That coincides with my plans. Give me a ring on 01452 424545 if you would like to chew it over.

Regards, Mick

 

[Loiq]

three norwegians (junior doctors) have just been round the world on 3 honda happy shoppers i'll try and find the website looks really funny!

 

[al128]

if you talk about "a couple of years" and "2up", I would advise going BIG.

1100 or 1150ADV, - as the initial investment in a bike will only be a very small portion of your overall spendings - but you will benefit for many months from the extra space, compared to a DR650/KLR650/etc...


what is your idea? haul the bike from the UK in or buy used but locally? - both alternatives aint really cheap.


cheers and best of luck
al

 

[Yank This...]

Try a Honda Africa Twin its lower, lighter and cheaper. I plan to go about November 2007 for 3 or 4 months starting Buenos Aeries go south and then up the west coast. Why not travel together but two up will be hard work.

My apologies, just noticed the date, hope your trip was successful..


I saw one Africa Twin in 5 months on my trip from California to Tierra Del Fuego earlier this year. I also saw about 40 BMW GS's. BMW parts will be easier to get rather than japanese parts in this part of the world in my opinion.

 

[Tsiklonaut]

You always hear two opposite opinions:

- those who think always better to have a small CC light bike (usually less riding experienced or physically weaker or older persons, or female)

- those who recommend bigger CC comfort i.e. R11xxGS (usually people with good strenght and/or riding experiences)

Personally I prefer the later. Riden small bikes and for me they are overcramped and too stressed for long distances. They are better (not by far, as many people think, btw) for techncal offroad (that's the real off road I'm taling about, not the UK definition which covers gravel and trail roads etc) sections, but going for a big trip these conditions make up a very minor part if you want to get far, while big trailie bikes like GS are on par if not better for gravel and dirt roads or just bad tar roads. More mass makes the bike stable and comfortible ride, less revs and easier control of bigger intertia. It's not tiring riding like on small bikes, smaller bikes have mostly less space for you and especially for pillon, small bikes that pick up every pothole with the whole bike's mass is tiring per long distances, having revs all the way to the moon on highway travelling making you think at some point you'll seize the engine and you're strictly raping the bike.

Just met a guy from German who was riding around South-Am over 1.5 years on his R1150GS two up and rated the bike the best for such a trip.

If you haven't got any offroad experiences with big bikes and your physical isn't sufficent for bigger bikes then you could have a nightmare with bigger bike such as big GS tho. Then it's better to get some Suzuki DRZ 400 or an XT as a payoff of comfort.

Different strokes for different folks was my point here.

The choice is yours anyways.

Be safe, Margus