A 200 would be nice, but i'm not sure it will be safe for highway travel? So maybe a 400? Us and our gear will weigh about 160 kg. I'm a fast learner sometimes and we are young and naive (21) so will probably give it a go anyway. We have a tent and plan to camp most nights. Definitely not planning on wearing a pack. I have done a bit of riding but that was on a 2 wheel drive rokon which is a whole different thing to ride. Thanks Tiffany - I've been told I couldn't do things before and it hasn't stopped me yet.

That's the way.

"You can't leave Vietnam on this and you'll never make it to Sumatra nor Oz" was what I heard about 100 times, but allas here I am almost in Java.

Hit the road and don't worry. People are helpful and will almost always get you out of it if the shit hits the fan.

Have a great time. My tip would be to get a grip on the mechanics and rather take the smaller bike if spare parts are more widely available, cause reliable and big might be a nice thing, but if reliable ****s up your in big trouble. If unreliable dies the next road side shop has the complete bike in spares and will sort you out for next to nothing

Tim

Hi Chad,

I arrived in Lima 2 days ago.

1) I'm not sure what the legalities of buying a bike here on a tourist visa are (i'm on a work visa) but if you google 'expat peru' or 'living in Peru' there are legal FAQs on one of those that cover it.
The general advice on here is that Santiago de Chile is the place to buy a bike - search 'RUT' on here
2) Bikes are expensive here and bigger ones don't seem to depreciate much - check 'mercado libre' 'olx peru' websites.
In view of this i stumbled across a Suzuki dealer and a Honda dealer while out looking for a flat.
Suzuki DR200s and Honda XR250 Tornados are between 5 and 6 thousand US dollars new.
I swiftly moved on to the 125s.
Suzuki GN125s are about $1350, seem well regarded and some venezuelans recently completed Caracas - Ushaia - Caracas on a couple without any problems (no pillions) Look a bit like a 125 chopper, though.
Honda CGL 125 Todo Terreno- is about 100 dollars more expensive. It's a bog standard cg 125 with an enclosed chain, racks front and rear, crash bars, handguards, a high front mudguard and semi knobblies (they also throw in street tyres and a low front guard)
The Honda has 9.66 HP while the Suzuki has a whole 12.5 angry horses choking at the bit.
Pillions - i wouldn't be happy putting anyone i cared about on the back here but then i'm 40 and worry too much.
I haven't looked at the Chinese options yet.
Hope this is of some help and good luck
Ian

Thanks for the info, really helpfull. I would be interested if you look at any of the chinese bikes so let me know. And Thanks Tim for the encouragement.

Hola Chad,

From what I have read, Chile seems easier to buy a bike than Peru. I will be heading down to Santiago, Chile in a couple months to buy a bike and hit the backroads, so thought I would chime in with what I have found around the internet.

There are loads of new and used bikes available for sale in Santiago north of where you are now at. The best site for checking what's available is:

Chileautos: miles de autos y veh�culos nuevos y usados

For people reading this who don't speak Spanish, under vehiculos (Vehicles) you need to press the tipo (type) drop down menu to get to moto (motorcycle). Then press marca (make) drop down menu to get to the brand of motorcycle you are interested in. Then lower on the screen hit the buscar (search) button to see hundreds of choices for the major brands.

In case you haven't read it, a good rundown on buying a new bike in Santiago is at:

BUYING MOTORBIKE - CHILE (2009/2010)

These Polish travelers bought Chinese 150s for about 1500 dollars plus registration and insurance.

Elsewhere on this site I have read positive reviews of the Euromot GXT 200. This bike sells new in Santiago for 999,000 pesos, or about 2000 dollars.

A useful place elsewhere on HU for more info on buying a used bike in Santiago is at:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...santiago-45637

I am not travelling two up so am leaning towards buying the Honda CGL125 for 699,000 pesos new, or about 1400.00.
Hondas are easier to sell and have greater resale value than a Chinese bike when you are at the end of your travels in a few months. Here is a link to a young couple of Brits travelling from London to Capetown on a Honda CG125:

London to Cape Town on a 1982 Honda CGL125 | Honda South Africa

People think I'm nuts for riding around the world on small bikes. Let them think what they want. It is better than a bus, hitch-hiking or a bicycle which is all I could afford when I was younger.And many people travel two-up, three-up and even four-up with the little one on the gas tank on little Chinese 125s in third world countries. Is it safe? Of course not. Would a bigger bike be better for travel two up in South America? Sure it would. But I don't have 5000 dollars to buy a used Honda 400 Falcon, much less 10,000 for a new Kawasaki KLR 650, and it doesn't sound like you do either. Bikes are mucho dinero in South America. So I must settle for what I can afford in the 1500 dollar range.

Is riding a bicycle cheaper? Sure it is. But riding a small thumper is way faster. ( Not that it will be fast two up mind you.) But for exploring the backroads and byways and the roads less traveled it will work.

Lucky you are a Kiwi. I believe the national motto when I was travelling down there was, "Like hell I can't". (just kidding)

Hope to see you down the road.

Kindest regards,
John Downs

__________________
South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076

Thanks John I think i'll lean towards a 200/250 just not sure if it will have enough grunt on the highways to stay out of trouble but I think we'll give it a go anyway. I'm looking in the US $1500 range. Santiago does sound like the place but by the time my contract ends my visa is up so i had to book a flight to Lima already. I'm getting to Lima in 3 weeks and Flying out of Rio after carnival in march without anything planned for the middle. Will just go and see what happens. Just got to figure out how it is to register/insure on a tourist visa in Peru and if I could onsell it in Rio. Thats not too far off the motto..

Edit: Just read your last post and saw you're not planning on buying in Chile.... but I will leave this here for anyone who does a search.

Just something to be aware of, if you're buying second hand in Chile and the previous owner refuses to give you a 'power of attorney' document (this document can leave them legally liable for some things apparently) then you could be stuck there for a month before your papers arrive and Chile isn't a cheap country to be stuck in, average hostel cost there is like $15-$20 for a dorm bed and also food is rather expensive unless you're shopping at the market all the time or living on hotdogs.

Alternatively you could buy a new GXT200 like previously mentioned and receive the papers in a couple of days or perhaps travel Chile during that month and have the papers sent to you wherever you are though when I did this the hostel said they never received them, they had like 20 people working there so nobody knew anything, thankfully I had power of attorney.