Hey all. I had another account here from a long time ago, but I'm restarting afresh...

I'm starting to plot a 1-3 month trip with my wife and two barely-adult kids in 2025 or 2026. The options are:

1. Ride from WI to Chile.
2. Fly to South America (Colombia?), ride around South America, sell the bikes (back in Colombia or ???), fly home.
3. Ride and camp from WI to Alaska (likely sell bikes once we arrive and fly home).
4. Ride from WI and camp in national parks of the Rockies and West Coast.

My kids (daughter is 20, son is 18) just did the rider course and got their licences. I found them a local, private XT250 I found (2018 with 1300 miles, very clean, for 4K). They're both into it, riding and learning. They're safe, thoughtful drivers and now riders.

He's 5'10", 150lbs, and plenty strong. Sizewise, he looks and feels fine on a DR650, the latest Transalp, and the CRF300L Rally.

She, however, is smaller (5'7"?) and light (120lb?), though she's strong (also athletic). She's comfortable on the XT250 and the Versys 300, can barely touch on the standard CRF300L...

Then today, I picked up a local dealer 2017 Versys 300 with ONLY 300 MILES for 3500 plus tax, title, etc., 4100 OTD. Apparently the only owner is a chronic bike buyer who then eventually trades bikes in for the next toy. Crazy.

My wife and I have ridden thousands of miles, mostly in South Africa when we lived there. (XR125, CTX200--you can see this trend of small dual sports/mini adventure bikes...).

She's 5'8", 135lbs, fit. She would be happy on the Versys 300. The DR650 was a little bit of a stretch (heels were up a bit but not totally tiptoe), but I bet she could do it fine with a bit of practice.

I grew up on an XR80 on a farm, and had a KZ750 as my first road bike. I used to have a Concours in the US, too. Then I got sponsored by Honda for a hot second (I'm a writer and photographer), and they lent me a had a Transalp 650 in South Africa for a trip I called "8 in 8: Eight Countries in Eight Days" (South Africa, eSwatini, Mozambique, Zim, Zam, Namibia, Bots, and Lesotho)! If memory serves, it was about 3600 miles in those eight days, with some sketchy border crossings and back alley gas purchases in Zim. Oh, and I'm 6' and 190 but dropping some pounds, should be 180 shortly.

So I guess I'm here to say howdy, and also to ask for some tips on where to find some threads/tips on the following...

• Forums/threads/people doing long trips on the XT250, Versys 300, or CRF300L(S)...or other candidates you'd recommend!
• Mods and gear lists for these bikes (especially luggage systems/ideas...)
• People doing long group trips, all on the same bikes or at most two models (maybe my son and I step up to something in the 400-800 range and my wife and daughter each take one of the aforementioned bikes. (Or is it silly to all try for the same bike or similar, like 2x CRF300LS and 2x CRF200L Rally?)
• Threads or experts on buying bikes in South America (e.g. Honda XRE300)
• Ride reports and perspective on WI to Colombia to Chile (yes I know about the Gap)

Thanks so much! It'll be good to connect with y'all. Happy, too, to offer my perspective for others.

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