Is RTW travel by motorcycle worth it?
 

Hi Folks,

Realize this posting might draw a variety of responses/reactions. Will try to clarify my question.

Background: I like motorcycling. I've ridden across/around North America several times, Western Europe, and Northern Thailand.

However, a RTW trip by motorcycle seems to add complexity and expense. Am thinking mainly of the extra paperwork (carnet) in the planning phase and border crossings during execution. Motorcycle travel limits when I can visit certain areas based on weather/temperature/road conditions. Also the risk of breakdowns, accidents, and theft.

Am curious to know how folks who've done RTW trips by motorcycle have dealt with these issues, particularly the additional paperwork and expense.

BTW - the alternative would be for me to fly to each continent and travel between towns via bus, train, etc.

I have never met anyone who has done it and regretted it, I do know a couple of people who with the glories of hindsight think they would of prefered to of travelled every motorable continent over several shorter trips of a year or so rather than one lasting several years.
Your route and when you travel will be controlled to a certain extent by the seasons but that is all part of the trip as are border crossings which can sometimes be very stressful and other times involve interesting and pleasant encounters with customs and immigration officers.
Accidents and theft can happen however you travel but with caution, situational and cultural awareness can be kept to a minimum or avoided completely, breakdowns you just have to deal with and keep to a minimum with good bike maintenance and by not abusing it too much.
To answer your original question most definitely worth it.

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.

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

Mark,

Thanks for your thoughtful response!

Maybe I'll give it a shot to Tierra del Fuego and up to Buenos Aires to see how that works out.

Taking the bike does offer the possibility of taking more camera equipment. If I was just going to throw a pack over my shoulder and hop a plane, I'd probably bring just my smartphone and tablet to keep things light. No DSLR, lenses, tripod, and laptop. 8-0

Ed

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

:welcome:
MC travel does add complexity/expense, especially travel to continents that require CDP. Some insist shipping their $25K R1200GS from one continent to the next. $$$$ Huge money wasted, IMO, but some still do it.... But fewer now than 10-15 years ago.

But you can't overlook the HUGE plusses of MC travel that counter many of the negatives (see comments from earlier posts). Nothing can match travel on a bike, IMHO. (preaching to choir here! :D)

Weather is a factor; on bike, a car, bus or bicycle. Deal with it. My solution? Settle down, stay somewhere nice until weather is best where you want to go. Bad weather? Stop, settle down again. Leave bike if you have to.

Many travelers have approached RTW travel in different ways and ones I like best don't ship their bikes RTW anymore.

Dr. Greg Frasier keep bikes in various places, done this 20 years. IIRC, at one time he kept bike(s) in EU, USA, Thailand. No Carnet issues, no border hassles.

For me, if doing African continent, maybe buy/rent in S. Africa? Go from there. A hassle to find a good bike, but if you rode a LOOP you may be able to RE-SELL your bike in S. Africa after traveling the continent.

Yes, all good:thumbup1: As mentioned above, many alternatives. For a EU trip, bought a bike in UK, rode it round 2 months, stored it, came back a year later, did another ride all round EU 2 months. Not RTW, but covered quite a bit. Re-sold bike ... lost just 600 UKP on the deal after 18K miles and 3 years. Not bad.

For Asia, importing personal bike is, IMO, madness. :nono: IMO, foolish to put up with this major PITA to get your own bike imported. Many stories here on this. doh Headache!

Solution? Buy or Rent locally as needed. :D You can rent/buy bikes all over Asia, some pretty nice ones for not too much money. You can buy if you figure out how to fill in the forms and have a local address. Local help recommended.

I rented bikes several times in Thailand & Vietnam. Fantastic. No, it's not a R12GS, but fact is, in Asia little bikes are easier, safer ... and MORE FUN on those roads, easier in traffic madness, easier in MUD! :smartass:

For USA, Canada, Mex, Cent. America, S. America, best (IMO) have your own bike. Some here on HUBB ship bikes to USA (from EU or Aus) cost several Thousand $$$$.

Many want to be able to prep their bike at home, then take their special stuff with them. Fact is, that's all good, but will cost you and IMO, a wasteful and expensive move, still, many do exactly this.

More experienced (and sane?) travelers buy locally. So they buy USA bike locally, register it, prep it and GO, having saved a bundle on shipping, bike cost and gear. $$$$$ ... and when if they come back to UsA they can sell off the old travel bike, thus re-coupling some of their initial outlay. bier

Plus Points:
Bikes are: #1 cheaper in USA than UK, Aus, or EU #2 easy to buy, insure and Prep #3 Can be re-sold legally at trips end in ANY US state. #4 Every sort of rack or luggage available here and many good speciality shops if you need help doing custom prep ... and likely cheaper than "at home". :D

Some even ship their bikes out from Australia. doh
(They must love to waste money? :oops2: ... then some want to PAY AGAIN ... and ship that worn out,, nearly worthless bike back home, having some crazy sentimental attachment to the loyal Old Nail. We see all kinds and of course, to each his own in this case. bier

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!

Mollydog,

Haha! Humorous and solid advice! Thanks much!

I've heard of folks keeping bikes in different parts of the world. Places they visit annually, for instance. Never considered how much money it could save. I rented an R12 in Switzerland for an Alps trip, and it certainly wasn't cheap.

By comparison I rented a scooter for $1USD/day in Chiang Mai for 6 months last year. You're right. It was just the right size for that area. Anything bigger seemed out of place. I occasionally rented 300-650cc bikes for longer weekend trips. They were considerably more expensive though not by Europe or US standards.

I'll give some serious thought to buying a bike abroad rather than transporting mine across the ocean. Would love to have one stored in Thailand. A second home. Hmm...

Many thanks to you, Mark Manley, Sushi2831, EurAsiaOverland, and BRClarke! You've been very generous with your experience and advice. Much appreciated.

Only if you ship your own bike arond the world. Thats stupid, expensive and complex. If you just fly and rent/buy local bikes motorcycles give you a lot more freedom and make you independent from public transport who only stopps inside of citys. Wild camping is not possible if you travel by public transport so a motorcycle also saves hotel costs :)
http://adventure-travel-experience.de/?report=en_mumbai


So true. You can waste a lot of money while traveling but dont have to ;)

I have never regret something if done or a destination if traveled too...just regret the chances i have not taken. Travelling makes addiktiv to and motorcycles are just cheap tools to get around with ;)

http://afrikamotorrad.de

6Strings, sound to me like you've a lot of travel experience and a good plan! bier

I'm guessing you'll have no problem on the road ... and your R12GS should be fine for a Latin America trip.

Common situation I found was many other travelers much younger than myself. It's mostly kids out there traveling ... and good for them!

But they kind of bunch together ... don't always want "the old guy" hanging around. So for me, when I would come across someone over 40, it was a nice change.

I did the same as the kids when I was young and traveling (1970's) ... but the old guys always had the best stories! bier

I like your idea of living somewhere a while. I did this in a few places during my
7 years in Latin America. Settle in for a while, then move on when things felt right. Only thing that brought me home was a good job offer ... which involved travel. :D

Good luck, hope you can post up dates and ride reports when on the road!
bier

Mollydog,

Thanks again for the great advice! Am really looking forward to this trip of a lifetime.

You're lucky to have spent 7 years in Latin America. That must've been quite an experience. Expect you got very familiar with the cultures, geography, and language during that time. No doubt made some good friends.

Landing a job with international travel must've been great. Combining two passions while getting paid. What's not to like? I've been lucky in that way as well.

I'll be going in with eyes wide open. It'll be my first time south of Mexico. Will probably take a Spanish class along the way (Guatemala?) so I'm not entirely dependent on Google Translate and body language.

No worries here about hanging with a crowd. I generally travel solo. Seems to make me more accessible to the locals. Have met a lot of folks that way, some of whom have become close friends.

Mostly I share travel photos (lots) with friends on Facebook. A couple sample albums below from this past year. Sorry if they're in the wrong forum. Will try to smarten up and post a ride report or two on HUBB during this upcoming trip.

Boston to Alaska
https://goo.gl/ssf1YF

Chiang Mai
https://goo.gl/eVyJU8

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. ;)

I've never done the infamous 'RTW' but I've done a few extended (over six month) bike trips.

The risk with any extended travel is that you can become immune to what you're actually doing.

The novelty can wear off. The things that you should be in awe of start to become a little bit 'meh'. You ride past things that would have blown your mind months earlier. You stop taking pictures and it all becomes a bit 'routine'

So the longer you travel, the more of a norm it becomes, and in the end you're just paying to maintain a lifestyle rather than making the most out of every day.

I can't see myself doing anything longer than 2-3 months at a time now. Because the facts of life don't change just because you're hiding from them in a Sub Saharan dive bar.

You will get tired.
You will get bored
You will get homesick

I also found the longer I spend away, the harder it is to re-adjust back into work and home life. And that leads to depression and anxiety.


Saying that. Everyday I still fantasise about selling everything I own, locking up the workshop and heading off for a RTW trip.

Couldn't agree more. 2-3 months away is good for all sorts of other very legitimate, pragmatic and logistical reasons too. Well, for my circumstances (and mind-set) anyway.

The longest I've been away from home 'on the road' was 4½ months way back at the end of 2006 / beginning of 2007. In New Zealand, during the southern hemisphere's summer - our (the UK's) mid-winter / very early springtime months.

After three months of riding around NZ, in often spectacular scenery; going through the daily routines of taken the obligatory photos, sorting-out lodgings, dealing with the laundry, the bike's maintenance and other daily obligations .. I suddenly thought, 'I'm bored with all this .. and I am ready to go home.'
:frown:
The last six weeks were a bit of a chore if I'm honest. All finished-off, with just a few days remaining before I was due to return to England .. by crashing in the middle of no-where, South Island. I just lost concentration on gravel, which booked me an ambulance ride, plenty of free morphine :thumbup1:, and a bed for the best part of a week (plus orthopaedic surgery!) in Southland Hospital, Invercargill.

I've never been away from home, on a m/c trip, for more than three months since .. and probably never will.

Hey! but we're all different.

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

TouringTed,

I admire anyone who does long-distance bicycle touring. You must take packing efficiency to a whole new level. Where cyclists find the stamina to ride up and down hills all day long is a mystery to me. All the power to you.

You bring a new perspective on travel. I hadn't really thought about chunking up the trip or having the novelty wear off. That said I did feel a bit homesick and returned after a couple multi-year stints working abroad. This time I've been away for a year and am anxious to keep moving. Wonder if it depends on the person and the time. Grant and Susan's RTW trip lasted 10 years, right? Same with Helge Pedersen and Emilio Scotto. Jeffrey Polnaja rode for 9 years. Vladimir Yarets, Lisa and Simon Thomas are still at it after 14+ years. Wow!!!

Keith1954,

Bummer about the travel novelty wearing off and especially about the accident. Glad you found a riding style/duration that's more to your liking.

Ed

Bicycle !!!! No chance. I was on a Motorcycle :)

Grant and Susan's RTW wasn't 10 years on the road (As far as I know). They flew home to work in between to have a break from travelling.

Everyone's trip is different. It depends on so many things. And people are travelling for so many different reasons. You will meet so many people on the road with these stories.

Many of the extended RTW riders have left behind a grievance or bad relationship. They're looking for new lives.
Many have slaved behind a desk for 40 years, had a moment of clarity and decided to attack the bucket list before it's too late.
Some are taking the opportunity for travel before they settle down with a family etc etc etc.

Point is, you never know how long you will want to be away until you're away. If you're lucky enough to have the time and money then keep your options open but don't be so rigid with how long you go or where you go.

Get on the bike, point it to the sunshine, be prepared for all eventualities and just see how it goes.

bier

Another alternative;

Catch trains, buses, pushbike, hitchhike, jump in with a group, buy a beater MC, buy a beater old van etc. Or these;

:scooter: :wheelchair: :tank:

You can sell the bike or van before you leave that country to fund the next one. If its winter a van is much better than a bike. Spring Autumn a bike is fantastic. As long as you can set your luggage up for all modes you are fine.

My partner and I have been planning our 'R-bit-TW' and though we both love travelling on our GS I really dont think the size/weight of it would be great for some of the more off the way places as I am not a spring chicken anymore.

So we will most probably head off and pick the most suitable mode for the place we are in.

I am in awe of the trips people do on this forum. If I could get 1/4 of that I would be happy.

bier

Maybe one continent depends on situation
 

depends on the situation
I am new to this sort of travel but have Back packed, hitchhiked ,chicken bused ,
traveled by train and canoed in south america in the early 80s
now i have a 650 decked out for travel and I live and work for a foreign contractor in Colombia and will be here for years because of the inefficiency of the political system to get the job done, wow! problems no hay!
Well i am ok with that and i don't care about the politics for job security
bottom line i am paid good and have lots of leisure time to explore
So getting back to RTW i don't know how a normal person with a normal income
can do this unless you have a shitload of money
I have turned down jobs in Africa Indonesia and Papua because the money was not so great for the conditions you had to put up with
example Juba South Sudan FTP
Now i have changed my mind it would be awesome to work in these places with a bike and see the continent or country
I work in the Airborne geophysics industry and see a lot of airports and terrain
Colombia is by far the most interesting place i have ever seen by air and motto
its fun Here:funmeterno:

Update: have reached Lima
 

Hi Folks,

An update to this thread. Just letting you know that I’ve ridden my R1200GS from Boston>Philly>Denver>Mexico>Central America>Lima, Peru. Will continue down to Ushuaia, Argentina and Valparaiso before shipping my bike and deciding where/how to do my next RTW segment.

The R1200GS has worked fine for the most part. There have been times, when it would’ve been easier to have a lighter bike. I’ve never needed the power of this bike. But I do like its comfort and refinement.

Might seem sacrilegious - especially on this forum - but I’m still wrestling with the question of best mode of travel for different parts of the world. Personally I feel a lot lighter once I’ve reached a town to ditch the bike and walk around on foot or take mass transit. It seems lighter and more flexible. The bike is used to get me between towns.

Here’s a link to my travel album on Facebook: https://goo.gl/XbmeX2

There is no perfect one form of travel. It's always a compromise.

Community
 

One thing I enjoy about riding around on my motorcycle is the folks I’ve met along the way. Recently I ran into a German guy on an Africa Twin in Cajamarca. We ended up hanging out in the city during Carneval and riding around the surrounding area.

I’d also been corresponding with an American guy who’s in the area and just picked up a 300cc Honda bike locally.

Today the three of us will get together at TouraTech Peru here in Lima. Idea is to ride together around southern Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.

Funny how these things work out. Nice community.

If it is mostly the travelling, I can't help thinking buying an expendible old diesel car or van might be a better solution than a bike.

Oldbmw has a good point.

If you want to enjoy the destination. A more comfortable and practical way of travel does make a lot of sense. Such as a van.

But if you want to enjoy the journey. It's hard to get closer to the road and environment than on a motorcycle unless you're on a bicycle or walking.

Those tin boxes really do shield you from a lot. Good and bad.

Sweet! Can you tell us how you got across the Darien Gap and how much it ended up costing you?

That makes all the sense in the world. (The bike also lets you choose which town to go to, choose to go to places with bad accessibility on public transit, easily change your mind, etc.) Remember, you're on an adventure, not on a motorcycle rally - the bike is the tool, not the main purpose. ;)

Depends on where you're traveling. (And sometimes diesel is not an option. E.g. in Brazil, there are - or used to be, at least - no private cars with diesel engines, only trucks and buses. Something to do with promoting local biofuel use.)

I was on a Honda XR150 in the mountains of northern Vietnam over Christmas, and what struck me was that passenger cars - even pickups/SUVs - are an ostentatious luxury there. The quality of the roads and the traffic inside the cities is such that travel by car is really slow. Scooters are by far the faster, more convenient way to get around (and anything too big to go on a scooter, goes onto a five-ton truck). In a place like that, even if you could buy a cheap old car, your travel would be a lot slower and more infuriating in a car than on a bike.

But in other places, for sure.

EDIT: It's also worth considering one's ability to do long distances on a bike or in a car. Personally for me, I know that on a long-distance drive, I am likely to get bored and uncomfortable, even with audiobooks etc. Yes I have a heater, air conditioner, all that stuff, but I still get out of the car stiff and cranky. On a bike, you would think it is a much more physically demanding activity, and you're likely to be exposed to bad weather, but even after a cold or wet or too hot ride over an entire day, I somehow feel a lot more fresh and ready for action. Maybe it's the constant mental activity and having to pay attention, maybe it's different for other people, but I know that given otherwise equivalent circumstances - nice weather (or proper gear), decent road quality - I always much prefer doing long distances on a bike than behind the wheel of a car.

?Quizas?
But "Traveling" on a bike trumps Van or car in all but worst weather, IMO. You just can't replicate magic motorcycle sensations riding in a cage.
Plus the sporting aspect when riding a good bike on a good road! :D

But a nicely set up Van or camper can work on some level ... it worked for me doing a couple Mex/Cent.America trips in the 1970's. VW Camper Van.

Later, Chevy Pick-up with big Cab-over Camper sat in it's bed. Honda 50 on front carry rack. 4 guys, 4 surfboards = totally isolated from locals, less Spanish learned :thumbdown:

Get to a town, find camping spot or safe place to park, then explore around on the Honda (mostly in shorts and flip flops doh).

Or an Airplane!
Many gear head types enjoy being attached to their bike. That bike becomes a lifeline. Many here would rather fiddle with their bike than roam around local markets, museums or see pyramids.

Some riders seem to spend LOTS of time fixing and searching out parts or mechanics to fix their bike. Read Lois On The Loose with her troublesome Yamaha XT225 Sero. A great experience nonetheless. I think some travelers prefer this over struggling to learn another language or doing full cultural immersion. :helpsmilie:

I always wondered whatever happened to Lois's hurt girlfriend who crashed in Bolivia??

THIS! :D

Its unbeleavable that i would say that but traveling Southern Africa with a rented Hyosung i10 car wasnt very different then traveling by bike two up only we could talk to each other while driving.

We drove most of the time with windows open, the local kids came running to wards us asking for money, touching us through the window, we did hard offroad, got covered in dust (also inside) and got stuck in the mud, wild camped behind some bushes on a field...just as i use to do with a motorcycle but renting a car was cheaper then renting a bike or even two and we were allowed into the game parks and we got the local price because we had a local plate :)

http://adventure-travel-experience.d...afrika_101.jpg

Individual journey with the car through South Africa to Kruger Park

I now have three modes of travel.
Alone bike and tent is my preferred mode UNLESS I get more than two days of being wet, putting away and deploying wet tents quickly loses its appeal. Cold is ok, but I don't like the wet.
Wife and I used a car, the boot was our kitchen with a couple of folding chairs and a table. We used the back seat to store all the gear including a bigger more comfy tent, big comfy sleeping bags etc. At a push we could sleep in the car if it was wet or nowhere to pitch a tent. Trick is to fill footwell so your lower legs are not hanging down but same height as the rest of you. At 70+mpg it is about the same cost as your average bike. Have heater, air con and windows to open. 47 litre tank range is about 660 miles and I carry a spare 10 litres behind the drivers seat (just in case) another 140 miles.

A couple of years ago I bought an old camper van. It is very comfy, very convenient. It is a three season model so extends our travelling time by about three months each year.

Like the man says "Horses for courses".