I didn't get any sense of how Australians are perceived in South America. While it's true that certain nationalities (including mine) are widely viewed through prejudicial lenses, it's also true that the overwhelming majority of motorbike travelers, regardless of origins, appeared to be having a blast in every region of every country I visited...which is to say all countries and most regions.

The exceptions were mainly people who had recently crashed, been victims of crimes, or insisted on acting like....ummmm....jackasses. I'd suggest that key contributors to having a good trip are avoiding crashing, being stolen from, or behaving badly.

In (very abbreviated) response to your questions: you probably already know the best time of year, which is summer. Four weeks is not long enough to justify buying or shipping unless you're either lucky or highly skilled. That leaves renting, which will almost certainly be expensive if you insist on high-quality 650-700cc adv bikes. This is not meant to discourage you; merely to point out the obvious.

In the end, no one can answer your questions with any certainty, because we don't know what's important to you or what sorts of limits apply. You might think about extending your trip in order to change the financials, or splitting a longer trip into sections separated by periods back home, which would do the same, or buying or renting lesser bikes. There are also upgraded Chinese bikes available in Peru which might suit your purposes. Or: maybe having just the right bike is of key importance, so shipping your own would be worth the added costs. You decide.

I'll add only that you're asking questions which have been asked by a whole slew of travelers before you. Doing some research on this site (and ADVriders, if you like) will offer a limitless store of firsthand information and advice.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Yeah, I guess the answer more properly depends on *where* in Argentina and Chile. In the south (Patagonia and southern Andes), summer and shoulder seasons are more or less the only times to go. Farther north, rainy season can be problematic, especially in the mountains. I rode through 6 inches of fresh snow over one pass in Bolivia.

With only 4 weeks, I would look for something organized.

Where you buy a package. MC rent, guide, accommodations ...

Shipping or buying bikes will not work for such a short period.(with decent budget)

And some thoughts about your preferred type of bikes.
That is not commonly used in SA. You will have very hard to find them.But tour organizers often provide large bikes.
The normal is much smaller bikes.
125-250 cc. Maybe up to 400 cc.

Thanks Mark, I'm going to research all options, but I think you are right that renting will be the best alternative.

I've heard early Summer is the preferred time, I'm thinking of October now after speaking to a few others.

Thanks Mark, your response was very helpful. Yes, I have been searching through the forums, and I've been pulling out nuggets of useful information, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to get some dialog going as well.
BP