South American Tour
 

I did the trip 2 years later. When Covid was over.
But I dit not ship my bike. I went to Colombia and bought a bike.
The RE Himalayan in the picture.

I will send you a PM about the trip.

/Erik

Cool I read you ride report over on ABR. Got loads of info from there, had a great adventure by the sounds of it. Great pictures too!

Brazil
 

Hey DeeGee,

The PanAm through northern Peru to Lima is flat-dead boring. You are close to the coast but can't see the ocean. It's filled with trucks that are screaming along and making wind that will push your bike around. I read about how ugly the road is and ended up on it anyway due to schedule pressure. Friends have gone off the PanAm in the particular stretch and enjoyed it.

The PanAm through Colombia and Ecuador isn't bad, but do make time to take side trips or detours as often as possible.

I think 12 months is a good length to go one way. Shipping your bike home is supposed to be easier from Uruguay than Argentina, but ask around for advice from those who have done it.

You would be remiss to not visit Brazil. The people are super friendly, there is a lot to see and your money will go a long way here. Ex. 1 USD buys 5 reais. Imported products are expensive, otherwise, you'll live like a king & queen here. If you enter Brazil to see Iguazu Falls, go a little further, maybe ride few days and go to the beach. You won't regret it.
PS: The Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls is better in general. On the Brazil side, you get close to a set of falls from a viewing platform, which is cool too.

Pan Am
 

I agree what is already said.
One more observation from me and another traveler. I spent many weeks in both Ecuador. Peru and Bolivia, without seeing one single foreign bike.

But as soon as you get on Pan Am, there is heavy traffic of big bikes that wants to reach Ushuaia as fast as possible.

So the selection of route depends on how you want your travel o look like.
Going with the gringo flow. and try to reach the destination. Take your picture and tick of the box.
Or zia-sag in the real countries. Interact with locals. Take car of your self. Se wonderful places and enjoy the trip. Spending weeks several times without seeing another no local traveler.
And the destination is where the fun ends. Not the goal to archive.

And yes, I have done both. Due to limitations in time and $ I used the coast route through Peru and Chile to Ososrna for travelling South. And I took my time to travel slow and of the standard routes along Carretera Austral and when going north. Carretera Austral, Ruta 40, Boliva on the way north. El Oriente in Ecuador....

When travelling small roads in Ecuador and Colombia, there are a lot of small villages. With nice cafes and restaurant. Often direct at the street. On Pan Am and parts of routa 40 there is nothing for 250-350 km. No town, no cafe, no gasstation... Flat and dead landscape. Wonderful first day. But then....


Some pictures from the rest places in Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia

Pictures from the big roads
 

Here are pictures from
1) Peru
2) Chile
3) Chile
4) Argentina
5 Peru again. When There were road blcoks. And I was the only one that were allowed to pass from ICA to the highway. 100 km of highway for myself !!!