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

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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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Tartantwist

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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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

Joe