Hey guys,

As the name suggests, I'll be spending the next year in South America traveling extensively. I now have the opportunity to buy a 250cc motorcycle here (in Peru), and the idea sounds amazing to me. I can't think of a more intimate way to connect with the people and the land. The thing is, I've never even ridden one before - am I way over my head?

In general, I'm a very defensive driver when I drive a car, but I understand that a motorcycle is totally different. I'm definitely willing to take things slowly at first, and I am also definitely aware of the risks involved. What do you guys think?

Beg, borrow or steal a 125cc motocross bike & go learn on the dirt first.

1, You will learn how to fall off correctly, or safer.

2. You will learn balance, brake & clutch control.

3. You will learn how fit you are going to need to be & how unfit your are now.

Try doing some small jumps, again its all about balance and getting confident on a bike.

Mezo.

Motocross training is great but I think our guy is ALEADY there, yes? Bit late for doing motocross and with a first timer I'd not jump straight on a Moto bike ... too early. Got to learn basics FIRST. (I taught many kids to ride and taught old guys to ride off road) Riding round S. America is not a Motocross race anyway ... about 70% paved roads and passable all weather dirt roads. Not really that tough unless you go LOOKING for trouble following Cow Trails (Llama trails?)

Can you ride a bicycle? Are you in decent shape? Decent balance? Good, then you can ride a 250. Get a GOOD ONE.
Enduro style preferable for travel.

City Traffic will be biggest challenge/danger (in a car as well). So your defensive driving (riding) skills will pay huge dividends. You get no 2nd chances on a bike. One good shot ... your dead or ruined. As long as you know that fact. Equipment helps but won't always save you. Boots, helmet, gloves at a minimum. RAIN GEAR!

Get the bike then get out and practice some basic moves. A must do.
1. emergency braking. Braking should be 2nd nature, something you don't have to think about. Use BOTH brakes together ... but the front is the important one for stopping fast. Go light on the rear on paved roads and don't use it in the wet.

2. learn to swerve and avoid rather than locking up brakes and sliding into a car or obstacle. Remember! On a bike you WILL GO WHERE YOU LOOK!
So ... LOOK around the obstacle DO NOT target fixate on it like MOST do.
Look for a path around the obstacle. This can save your life.

3. Learn to start and shift the bike properly. Do NOT abuse the clutch.
4. Learn to and get comfortable with leaning the bike WAY over in a corner. Once again LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO ... and you will go there! Do not be afraid to LEAN the bike over ... way further than you feel comfortable with.
Look through and around the corner, look towards the exit of the corner. Always maintain proper tire pressure. Very important on a motorcycle!!!

5. Learn the limits of your low powered bike. DO NOT make stupid passes. This can be a dangerous game. So start nice and easy until you really learn the bike and develop some skills. Skills will save your life.

6. Learn the limits of the bike, learn what it can do and what it won't do. Ride within your and the bikes limits. Push yourself to PRACTICE the basics outlined above. You may survive.

All good stuff as above, but seriously, no you are not mad or crazy or over your head, embrace the idea and do it the right way. Find a good training school and take some lessons. Most of us here have many years practice, and we do what we know best for the situations that we get into. Your style of riding and what you want to do, may be entirely different from what we do and where we go. It's worth investing serious time and money in getting the basics right, you will enjoy the future a whole lot more and be a lot safer when you are completely at ease in the saddle.

Good luck, and go for it!

__________________
-''It is better to walk alone than with a crowd going in the wrong direction''. ( Herman Siu)
-'' Live life then give life '' (www.lltgl.org.uk)

Do you intend to pass a test? Without a licence to ride a motorcycle any insurances to have will be invalid which will be bad news for yourself and anyone you injure.

The OP is in Peru' NOW. Test? You worry too much.
Have you ridden or driven throughout S. America? Any license will do, mostly what authorities want to see is your passport. They don't care about licenses. But a car license is fine, valid for car or bike in most places.

Insurance is a good idea and often required upon entry to most countries. So if it's issued to you, it's valid regardless of license status ... which they can't check or decipher in any case.

First, I don't know whether Peru has a specific motorcycle license. Apparently, no one else here does either, or I assume they'd have said so. The OP can check that out, since it'll have some applicability should he, for example, wish to buy insurance. It might also be important should he get in any sort of accident.

Second, I do know that some countries in South America do indeed check that you've got a motorcycle license (or endorsement) when they admit you at borders. I've been through all of them, and most more than once. I can't remember which ones did or did not, since it had no relevance to me (as an endorsed rider).

Last, the majority of countries in South America did not require insurance at borders last I was riding down there (±5 years ago). However, it's widely assumed that even if you do buy insurance it will be considered invalid if you are not licensed to ride a motorcycle at the time of an accident. I can't confirm this, but I'd not blithely assume it's untrue.

The original question was about learning to ride, rather than obtaining the right documentation. I think those of us who've been riding for a long time might tend to forget how long it took when we first learned...and how dangerous this really was at times. I'd suggest the OP be really, really careful for at least the first days, weeks and months. Practice basic skills a lot, and do it far from the chaotic traffic of the cities and the suicide derbies of the main highways. If there are riding schools in Peru, take advantage. If there are not, figure out another way to get some instruction in the basics. Plus read some of the ridiculous number of blogs by people whose South American trips and entire lives were altered by accidents.

Hope that's helpful to the OP or others.

Mark

Wow thanks for the input so far guys. Yes, I am already in Peru and I have found myself a safety course here that I am definitely going to take. I also am DEFINITELY going to take things as slow as possible. I'll push myself, but I'm never going to want to find myself in a situation where I feel way over my head (willing to drive like a grandma).

I know I shouldn't worry too much about all the bad things that probably won't happen, but there's still that little voice in the back of my head warning me of all the potential dangers. Is this natural?

Is it natural to see potential dangers? well yes! Just keep it in mind and you will be fine. I would be more concerned if you didn't see any danger!

As to being Crazy, what's wrong with that anyway. My family think I'm crazy I'm proud of that

You will have the time of your life.

__________________
Regards Tim

Learning my craft for the big stuff, it won't be long now and it's not that far anyway

Already where? he said "I've never even ridden one before" so the quickest way of gaining all the skills are moto-x, simples.

Mezo.

If your wife/son/daughter get hit and crippled or killed by an un-licenced foreign motorcyclist in California can we all have a good together?

I'll ask again since you don't seem to want to answer the question ...
have you ridden a motorcycle anywhere in mexico, Cent. Am or S. America?
Have you ever ridden a bike outside the UK? How many accidents have you been in or been witness to in Latin America ... or have even read about here or on other forums?

Don't assume everything works the same as the UK ... it doesn't. Cross that border and you're in a Foreign country!

OK, you have the advantage that you have ridden in South America, I have not. I have ridden extensively in Europe and am a member of the oldest touring club in the world. Several of my fellow members have ridden a lot in South America and some have had accidents or have first hand knowledge of incidents that have occurred.
My point, that your Gung-Ho attitude seems to miss, is the having a licence means you have a proven ability to handle the motorcycle in a safe and legal manner and do not pose a threat to other road users, it's not just a piece of paper. What most of the travelling community seem to miss is that it's not all about you, it's about respecting the right to safety of every person.

One thing that takes some getting used to in Bolivia is that no one in a car thinks a motorcycle deserves a full lane. They WILL pass you on the left and right oncoming traffic or no. Oncoming traffic will go into your lane to pass fully expecting you to move over). On the plus side of things, we don't pay tolls on toll roads, and no one expects us to stay in line for redlights (centerlining/shouldering/passing to the front of the line seems to be generally acceptable).

Cant speak for Peru, but in Bolivia a motorcycle specific license is required. It requires a written and riding test (but there are ways and there are ways). You also have to have insurance (SOAT). riding around without these two things would get pricey as you will encounter police checkpoints ... some mobile and some fixed.

Are you crazy? I don't think so. Are you taking a higher normal level of risk? absolutely. Mitigate your risk as much as possible. Learning to ride and gaining experience first on a dirt bike in the country is a great idea. If you have to learn in an urban area, do your learning early weekend mornings when all the drunks are passed out and traffic has not picked up yet.

I assume you've driven a car in Peru for awhile?

Is this you Corey??

To all the others: YES, in Peru you DO need a car driver license from your home country (while you are on a tourist visa). That is good for all cars and pickups, PLUS all motorcycles 250cc and OVER. Why you would need a separate license for smaller bikes is BEYOND ME!!

Here in Peru we help people get Peruvian registered bikes, sort everything out and prep them (the bike and/or the rider! ) for the long haul.

Toby