TBH this is a bit of an odd question. It feels like you're putting up barriers which aren't really there. This is a good site to research people's trips, I suggest you look through some blogs and threads on here and see if a RTW trip is really what you want to do.

Unless you're really strapped for cash and want to go RTW on a shoestring, I would take a vehicle.

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EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.

I believe the answer to your question is 'yes'.

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Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

Thanks, EurasiaOverland! You're right. It probably does seem like an odd question, especially for this forum of international riders. It's coming from someone who's preparing for his own RTW trip and wants to make sure he does it right.

I've viewed the HU video set, attended an HU Meeting in Ontario, trolled the HUBB site (though not for a while), and exchanged personal emails with some RTW riders.

I was ready to start my RTW ride last year when my boss offered me the opportunity to work while traveling. I got to ride across the US/Canada, spend a couple months in Alaska, before selling my DR650 and flying to Chiang Mai where I spent 6 months as a digital nomad, renting bikes there, and visiting neighboring countries along the way. I also lived/worked in Europe for 5 years. So I'm not going in completely blind.

When I reached out to Boomerang Carnets to obtain a CPD, I was told the deposit could range from the value of my bike to 8 times that amount for Egypt, and I'd get about 80% of that amount back if the bike left the country with me. For a new $25k fully equipped R1200GS that seems like a $200k deposit with $40k not getting returned to me. Hopefully I've got these numbers wrong. Because $40k could cover my first year of RTW travel and the $200k could cover the rest of my multi-year RTW trip.

Hope you now know what's got me reconsidering my bike for this trip. Thanks for any advice you can provide!

If you start your trip travelling in North and South America you will not need a CDP and by the time you need one your bike will of lost at least some of that value bringing the price down. It is possible to travel up through West Africa where a lower value carnet is enough, I am not sure but 400% springs to mind. If you have your heart set on doing it on a 1200GS then that is the bike for you but something smaller such as a DR or KLR650 is perfectly capable and if you are buying new require nothing more than some luggage and perhaps a bigger tank, that will bring the price of a carnet right down.

Mark Manley,

Re: bike selection. Yeah - it's the R1200GS for me. I originally bought a DR650 for this trip. I had a buddy from Touratech strip the bike and rebuild it from scratch for the trip. But after riding the bike from Seattle to Boston and then up to Alaska, I missed my R1200GS and bought another.

No doubt you're right about the bike losing value with wear. It should have 30k miles by the time I get to Tierra del Fuego. Not much by RTW standards but perhaps enough to reduce its value for the carnet. Wonder if I can wait 'til then to get the carnet? Thought I might need to take care of the CDP paperwork while still in the States?

A carnet is only valid for a year, you can specify a start date for its validity but on a long trip like that plans can change and departure/arrival dates can vary by months, I would suggest keeping the money in your bank account and getting one when you know you will need it.

Hello

If you like travelling by bike, go for it.

RTW, where do you want to go, how long can you manage to get off the grid?
RTW, that's from 3-4 month the "Ewan and Charley Way" up to 3-5 years if you want every continent in the right season.
Has it to be a RTW in one trip or can you manage to go every year on 3-4 month trips?

For the US/CND roads, I understand the upgrade.
Did it on a XT660Z and whished I had bought the 1200.
BUT, once I crossed the border to Mexico, I was glad I didn't.

The CDP is a pain in the ass, only get one when you have to.
(The only accurate info if you need it or not, you'll find here on the HUBB, gouverment and automobile club info is often outdated)
For the actual value at time, get a quote from the dealer/insurace based on miles/age, not craigslist.


have fun planning
sushi

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My RTW:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrXt660ztenere

Thanks, Sushi!

This is to be a multi-year trip. Retirement. I sold my home last July to start my RTW trip. It changed at the 11th hour to a digital nomad stint. Figured it would be easier to sustain a traveling lifestyle with a steady income. After a year, I'm ready to get back to the original RTW concept.

Expect I'll take my bike from Boston to Tierra del Fuego and then decide what to do from there. I went on a trip w/Motodiscovery to Copper Canyon and Baja California on a DR650. There was a mix of 650cc and 1200cc bikes on the trip. On pavement the big bikes ruled. On dirt it was the opposite.

Thanks for the advice on the CDP! I'd much prefer to keep the money in my investment accounts where it can grow as long as possible. Figure I'll deal with it on my way to Africa or back to Asia. Thanks for your suggestion about getting the appraisal from a dealer. That should drop the original price down by half.

Cheers!

Backpacking is a bit of an extreme. There are definitely advantages to traveling without your own vehicle, if the place you're going accommodates it. One big advantage is that while you are on public transit, you can relax and sleep or get other things done (like reading the guidebook and planning). In a new city, you can quickly dump your luggage in a hostel and go exploring - no messing about with finding secure parking, changing out of riding gear, or walking about in less-than-comfortable clothing. Luggage itself is easier - a big suitcase that's simpler to pack, you're not encumbered by things like camping gear which is only intermittently needed.

I've been around Europe on a Eurail pass, around Japan on a JR pass a couple of times, specific extended trips around Italy and Spain using local buses, trains and cheap flights - there are absolutely situations where this is the better option. In Brazil I got an Air Pass and saw more of the country in three weeks than many Brazilians who'd lived there all their lives.

I think the two main factors to consider are:

1) Are you strapped for time? A motorcycle allows you to trade off time for money. It's always pitiful to see someone hanging around a hostel all day, catching up on sleep or working through a hangover, or just killing time until their next public transport opportunity arrives, or the next batch of money. On a bike, you might still be stuck for a week waiting for the Stahlratte, but it is much easier for you to take that time to go camp in a national park, or just do a daytrip in the mountains outside the city without being dependent on that one particular bus that leaves at an inconvenient time. If you are time-rich, having already made the investment of a bike up front can save you money while improving your experience.

2) Is your destination set up for public transport? I spent 120 euros on a Eurolines Pass that let me just show and get on any long-distance coach in Italy for three weeks. Excellent value. For pretty much every destination I wanted - be it big cities like Florence or Rome or Naples, or small villages like the Cinque Terre, or spontaneous decisions like Siracusa - there was an affordable, convenient public transport option. If the locals consistently live on public transport, so can you.

The combination of the two principles means that if you are taking your one big holiday for the year and have to get back to your job, then public transport will let you check off more of the must-have sights and experiences.

For my big holiday this year, I had two parts... two weeks in New Zealand, then two weeks in Japan. Planning ahead, I got overnight bus tickets in NZ for literally a dollar (okay, four dollars with tax and the credit card processing fee) - not the best night's sleep, but it saved me time on travel, and money on hotel costs! Then on the South Island I rented a motorcycle and crossed the Southern Alps three times over, 2500 km over eight days, enjoyed it tremendously and got more done than I could have with buses, especially since some places like the Caitlins did not have reasonable bus connections at all. But in Japan? Forget about motorcycles or rental cars, even if they would accept my EU driver's license! JR Pass all the way. Even the animal park I desperately wanted to visit had a free shuttle from the train station.

So the answer is... both have their advantages, use common sense and reason, and be open to using either option when they are appropriate.

Antyx,

Good insights! That's quite a nice trip combo between New Zealand and Japan. Both are on my bucket list. Must've been a blast.

I won't be strapped for time and expect most places will be accessible by some sort of public transport. Will see.

One of the advantages of being a digital nomad has been a sustained income. It's allowed me to indulge in certain travel luxuries. For instance, while working out of Chiang Mai I was able to fly to nearby countries for a long weekend or a couple weeks, then hire a driver or private tour guide to take me to the cool places I wanted to see. They also helped me get tickets and navigate through crowds. In Alaska I was able to take flights out to meet Inuit people, brown bears, and polar bears. Very cool.

Will need to be more thrifty in the near future if I'm going to be traveling on my retirement savings rather than a sustained income.

Ed