Looking for a little input on which bike to take on a journey through Mexico, Central, and South America. I have 2 bikes that are built up and would be capable of making such a trip. I have 2 years to kill so I will not be in any type of hurry to make mileage. I'm not trying to set any speed records and I dont even have a destination. I am simply going to ride in the general direction of south, and see where it takes me. If i can make it to Ushuaia, fine, if not, thats fine too. For me its not about a destination, its simply about the travel.

I like to stay off pavement as much as possible, do interesting side trips and see where they go. I have quite a few Mexico trips under my belt but I have never attempted anything of this scale.

I'm not in the position to buy a new bike and do a complete build up of it so its going to be one or the other of these bikes. I know many folks take a 650 something or other and that seems to be the preferred bike for many people, but, this is what I have. I know these bikes well, I can ride them, I can wrench on them. FWIW the 990 IMO is far more dirt capable than a KLR or F650 GS, both of which I consider big bikes.

I havent posted here yet as I usually hang out over on adv but there is a weath of information here that I dont want to leave untapped, so any thoughts you have are appreciated.

The big bike......................



KTM 990 Adventure. About 10K on the clock, mostly dirt road or off road miles. A complex bike and can be tough to handle in the rough stuff but very comfortable on the road.

Advantages:
plenty of power
comfort

Disadvantages:
a complex bike ECU and EFI systems
An electrical puzzle
harder to find tires
harder to handle in mud and off road
lots more things can shut you down completely if they break


The small bike..........




A Suzuki DRZ 400. I dont know how many miles are on it but I put around 5,000 to 6,000 Baja off road miles on it and if it goes on this trip will get a new top end and a 7.4 gallon tank, some taller gearing and a Rekluse clutch.

At this point I'm leaning toward the DRZ for the following reasons.

Easy to field patch anything short of a gearbox or engine failure
Carburetor
No complex electronics
Easy to get parts
Easy to find tires
Bulletproof platform
Easy to ride in the dirt
Draws less attention than a big expensive bike (but that may not matter anyway)
I can set it on fire and walk away from it without a care in the world

Disadvantages:
Not much comfort
cant load it up with tons of crap (well that may be an advantage)

Any thoughts that you Latin American veterans have would be appreciated. I realize that there will be days I wish I had a small bulletproof bike, and days I wish I had a big powerful comfortable bike. I want to be happy with my bike choice more days than not.

thanks.

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http://www.southontwowheels.com

I'd take the DRZ in a heartbeat, it's a no brainer. Simple to work on, cheap available tyres, better fuel economy. It's easier to pick up off the ground and if it does break down it light enough for two guys to put in the back of a pick up.

The expensive KTM will stick out like a sore thumb in those poor countries but small dirt bikes are everywhere.

It's a nice dilemma to have though, either one will do the job.

Sounds to me like you've already decided. But the question I'd have is: which one will likely survive the two year trip? If you're thinking the DRZ will go belly up within what'll maybe be 20-40,000 miles of bashing and thrashing, that means you'll be buying another bike enroute. Or am I wrong about that?

If you're prepared to buy another bike enroute, maybe you'll be better served by making that purchase now, rather than waiting. Whatever prep and expense are necessary, it's going to be worse in all respects if you find yourself doing it somewhere in southern Chile. Or am I wrong about that, too?

Just a thought.

Mark

Well I havent really decided, just tossing some thoughts around.

About the DRZ motor, some have been known to let go with under 50K miles. There are plenty of Z's around with 50K+ on the clock and still ticking, its a pretty bulletproof motor and gearbox, akin to the DR 650 or KLR 650 motor. I just figured why not start with a fresh top end. Mine probably has less than 8K on it.

But yes, the LC8 on the KTM is a proven long distance motor. Their ECU and EFI however is not and tends to produce some headaches that can result in some very expensive repair bills.

I understand what you are saying about having a bike go tits up and having to split the cases, do full engine rebuild or secure a new bike, it makes sense, but thats the risk with any bike.

I'm thinking more along the lines of smaller bike v. bigger bike and the advantages or disadvantages of each on such a trip.

And the advantage of taking a bike that I can field repair most any problem quite easily without having to find a dealer or a computer to plug into it.

I agree that Southern Chile or Argentina would be a really bad place for bad things to happen to a bike.

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http://www.southontwowheels.com

Based on the models alone and personal experience of how a very heavy and a very light bike feel off road, I would have said take the 400.

Then the pictures.
One look at the saddle and screen of the Katoom, and then one look at the razor blade and plastic fore-flap of the 400 and I have to say take the 990!

Some might shake the heads, tut-tut, and roll their eyes, but, even if you want to stick to the dirt roads, you will still do plenty of tarmac miles. You will be sitting on the bike for hours at a time, you will be buffeted by the wind for days at a time.

One constantly repeated mistake made on here, IMHO, is that bike choice advice is almost always given based on how it might perform in a bog, sand dune or deepest forest. Truth is, although there are some on here who do, the vast majority of travellers I have met or read about do not ride non-stop over the most demanding terrain. Truth is, once I got used to it, a ripio (gravel) road two up on a fatty GS was perfect manageable despite no off-road experience.

You, on the other hand, appear to have experience off-road and you will be alone on a far more off-road orientated bike than the GS which ever you choose.

If you are confident in the KTM's reliaibility and don't mind planning ahead for tyres and spares when needed, I think that it will be more comfortable and practical for the majority of the trip even if, at times, it's more of a handful than the nimble DZR.

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

Thanks Warthog, thats good stuff amigo. I want to be stoked about the bike choice I make more days than not. Truth is, Over the last year I have been getting fairly skilled off road on the big orange beast, sand washes, rock gardens with loose basket ball sized rocks etc. Its hard work though, but managable as long as you stay on the pegs and not get too cocky. It still surprises me what its capable of handling, and how capable it is of inflicting major pain when I disrespect its size and power. I guess after all, it is based on a Dakar race bike platform.

I go back and forth so often its driving me nuts. My biggest fear of the Katoom is all the stuff that can go wrong and literally shut you down. Solo, in a remote jungle track or desert sand wash is not the place for that to happen. I've got that T-shirt and its not fun at all.

I may actually talk myself into getting a carb'd 950 super enduro and doing a complete build up of it.

__________________
http://www.southontwowheels.com

What ever you buy/use will be a compromise in one way or another. As for things that go wrong, you could split a carb diagragm on the DRZ and be just as screwed than another fault on the KTM.

You say you've been there yet now you're here not a dried stain next to a bike in the middle of nowhere, so obviously a solution presented itself!! Something always turns when you least expect it, when you have a problem.

If you do have a problem, other than Murphy's Law, there is nothing to suggest that it will be in the sticks any more than it might be in a city, in front of a KTM main dealer...

If you have fact-based concerns about the KTM, fair enough, but if they are just fears about the unknowns of the road ahead, then you may choose your bike based on things that may never and probably will never happen. Thereby, you will also compromise large swathes of the rest of the trip as a result of that bias.

I'm no techie but there are those who can reassure you about F.I. reliability forexample and if that were to go,, there is always the limp home failsafe mode on fuel injection systems. If a carb fails, then it fails, unless you have the various bits to repair it....

Whichever one you choose, I'm sure you'll have a blast!

__________________
Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

Hi,

if you have time, take the small bike...it more fun!

I just did a trip in the Andes on a 125ccm Suzuki, great fun!

Check it out on Amazon:

Jens Ruprecht, Maximo 80

sorry - only in German...

Good luck - Jens

heh, managed to chime in on the way to Alaska from my phone.

Don't forget, in those two years you're not unlikely to acquire a gf for long stretches. Take the 990 and bring an extra helmet

(the sheer ability of the katoom to get you laid must not be disregarded!)

Jeff

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SF to Panama and back
How I Nearly Killed My Friends In Baja

Hey Jeff! Yeah, I need all the help I can get in that department anyway. After a lot of deliberation and ass scratching, The 990 is now getting torn down for the prepwork. I'll probably change my mind next week.

Have a great trip man!

__________________
http://www.southontwowheels.com

My main concern with the KTM would be for repairs (complicated bike to work on?) and spares.
Suzuki is everywhere and the DRZ is an easy bike to maintain and work on it.
When I had my crash in Chile (riding my F650GS) it was a nightmare to find a company that would be interested in helping me importing parts from germany. And no, BMW Santiago was NOT interested.
When I broke down (pretty much everywhere, all the time) we were most of the time lucky we could fix it ourselves, but when problems are electric or eletronic, it turns into a nightmare and you do end up cursing Bavarian technology.
Also, I don't know the big KTM, but the BMWs need to be plugged into a computer fro diagnostic! Not easy to find in South America.

Personally for my next big trip I will go with a Jap bike, simple and tough. I can't chose the DRZ as it is way too tall for me. Otherwise it would be my choice.

Carrying stuff: travel light. Most of what you may need can be bought on the way and sent to you by friends or family at some point.
The more you carry, the more you worry about it and the more it weighs you down when the road get very tough. But then , I have never been that good on the dirt, so it is only my personal opinion.

Enjoy your trip in any case!

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com