Although I've been riding motorcycles for the past 20 years (mainly sport bikes) this was my first experience of an extended long range motorbike trip. In 18 days we covered about 6000 kms of paved, gravel and dirt roads. Below are some tips and lessons learned. I hope that someone benefits from our experiences.
Safety
- the lead rider should always keep an eye on the riders behind in his mirror, in case they run into trouble
- riders should stay in tight formation in crowded towns, to avoid getting separated or having cars squeezing in
- agree on a common signal for a need to pull over (hazard lights worked for us)
- watch out for dogs that chase motorcycles, although mostly harmless they create a hazard for the rider behind
- when separated, the rider left behind should stop and wait for the lead to return (safer than other way around)
- stand up when riding through soft ground (e.g. sand), this transfers center of gravity lower to the ground
Comfort
Having a bandanna (or some other fabric) that you can wrap around your face is priceless when riding on dirt roads. Especially when behind someone else (other rider or cars) cause you end up in a lot of dust. We rode through parts of Ruta 40 for hours and no pavement. Two bikes could ride side by side and mostly avoid getting dusted but with more riders it's inevitable that someone will have to ride behind.
After riding 5 to 6 hours daily, for 18 days straight, our backs started to feel it. I wish I knew this before but I think a throttle lock (motorcycle cruise control) would help significantly. While I was able to relax my left hand at times, and take it off the handle bar, the right arm had to remain in position ALL THE TIME. My right side of the back was hurting so much towards the end that I learned how to drive with my left hand on the throttle (very dangerous and I don't recommend it). Having a cruise control you could alternate with each arm and slightly change your sitting position, thus relax some of the muscles.
I also found that having my huge duffel bag on the back seat created a nice back rest. If only the bike had some extended foot pegs in the front, those long stretches of highway would be much pleasant to ride. This of course doesn't apply to riding in the dirt or through switchbacks LOL.
One last point. I brought a second pair of sunglasses just in case I lost one and for a good reason. This happened in the middle of Patagonia when we were looking for a campground. I was so glad to have a second pair. It would've been hard riding into the sun in the morning without any eye protection. Not to mention the hassle of having to find some later on.
Bikes
We rented our machines from Motocare in Buenos Aires. Very satisfied with the bikes and the support of the staff. Something very useful that each bike had was an automatic oiler for the chain. It was attached just beside of the license plate and it would drip oil at one minute intervals onto the chain (only when the bike was running). Seeing how dusty the bikes were getting on some of these roads this was definitely a must!
Something that can't be avoided though is screws or bolts getting loose. The vibrations your bike will go through on some of these roads are hard to describe. The only issue we had though was a nut coming off a signal light. That's when a roll of duct tape came in handy. Some other items that are worth bringing along:
- duct tape
- boost cables (you can get really small ones for bikes)
- lots of bungee cords or straps
- tow rope (I brought a 10 foot anchor line that I use on my boat)
- tire pressure gauge
- cans of compressed air (for inflating repaired tires)
- zip lock bags
- lock for the bike (one of those heavy duty chains) to straps 2 or more bikes together
These are items that I either thought of bringing or wish I had. Of course we brought much more stuff like tools and spare tubes. Most of it was given to us by the rental shop. They even supplied each bike with extra brake pads and throttle and clutch lines.
I did bring a tank bag but was not able to use it on the tank since it was covered in plastic and mine uses magnets. Since we all had 3 panniers I was able to just put it inside. However, having a tank bag is a little frustrating for two reasons. Every time you fill up you have to unstrap it and every time you park you have to bring it with you. Having everything locked up in the panniers definitely made life easier. On the other hand, if you do use one, it's very convenient for stashing things away when you park (like your sunglasses or gloves) or, the most obvious, for having a map in front of you.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Back in Argentina
We are back in Argentina! Day before yesterday was quite a long drive from
Valparaiso, Chile, all the way through the Andes until Mendoza. It was
nice to be back to a city we knew. Naturally we stayed at the same hotel
as last time :)
Passing the Andes was quite spectacular. Climbing to a maximum altitude of 12,500 feet took quite some time. I think we were going uphill for more than two hours. At the summit I could feel the reduced levels of oxygen. My breathing rate increased and my fingers started tingling. Not to mention it was also very cold. The best part of this pass is the number of switchbacks (that's when the road zigzags back and forth). We counted over 20!!
Yesterday we left Mendoza for Villa de Merlo, a tourist town south of Cordoba. We decided to take a short cut and take an unpaved route through the mountains. It was one of the most challenging parts of the trip. The road was covered in crashed stone, the type with sharp edges which could easily puncture a tire. It was over 1 hour long and with some surprises along the way, like a big puddle of cow waste right in the middle. Even though none of us wiped out crossing it we all got sprayed with it, including our bikes. Now every time we start up in the morning and the bikes warm up we have a nice reminder of that little adventure lol.
Today we continued from Merlo through "Altas Cumbres" south of Cordoba until Villa Maria, our stop for the night. This route was quite amazing. Another set of dangerous switchbacks going up into the hills and then driving at high alititudes where there is barely any vegetation nor human presence. Unfortunately it rained and was quite cold up there so we didn't stop to take any photos.
Two more days left of riding. Wed and Thur will be pretty boring as we are getting closer to Buenos Aires and the land is pretty flat, mostly farm lands. The plan is to arrive in Baires on Thursday and return the bikes on the same day. My relatives will meet us on the outskirts of the city and guide us to the rental shop.
Passing the Andes was quite spectacular. Climbing to a maximum altitude of 12,500 feet took quite some time. I think we were going uphill for more than two hours. At the summit I could feel the reduced levels of oxygen. My breathing rate increased and my fingers started tingling. Not to mention it was also very cold. The best part of this pass is the number of switchbacks (that's when the road zigzags back and forth). We counted over 20!!
Yesterday we left Mendoza for Villa de Merlo, a tourist town south of Cordoba. We decided to take a short cut and take an unpaved route through the mountains. It was one of the most challenging parts of the trip. The road was covered in crashed stone, the type with sharp edges which could easily puncture a tire. It was over 1 hour long and with some surprises along the way, like a big puddle of cow waste right in the middle. Even though none of us wiped out crossing it we all got sprayed with it, including our bikes. Now every time we start up in the morning and the bikes warm up we have a nice reminder of that little adventure lol.
Today we continued from Merlo through "Altas Cumbres" south of Cordoba until Villa Maria, our stop for the night. This route was quite amazing. Another set of dangerous switchbacks going up into the hills and then driving at high alititudes where there is barely any vegetation nor human presence. Unfortunately it rained and was quite cold up there so we didn't stop to take any photos.
Two more days left of riding. Wed and Thur will be pretty boring as we are getting closer to Buenos Aires and the land is pretty flat, mostly farm lands. The plan is to arrive in Baires on Thursday and return the bikes on the same day. My relatives will meet us on the outskirts of the city and guide us to the rental shop.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
4 Days in Chile
Four days ago we’ve crossed over the Andes into Chile and continued North towards Santiago.
Crossing from Argentina to Chile was very interesting. Leaving San Carlos de Bariloche has you ride along the edge of a grand lake. The views are incredible but riding a 2008 Transalp does not leave much room for viewing the scenery. Passing the lake, the road climbs into the mountains. This part of the road leads to only one place, towards the Chilean border. The pavement is excellent and there is not much traffic. Another wonderful racetrack, climbing the Andes through a forest of pine trees. This time it's all grey and dusty. A recent eruption of the Puyehue volcano has left the area covered in grey sand. A service truck just plowed the sand and now another one is spraying water to prevent dusting.
We finally arrive at the first border stop, the Argentinian customs. Just before though, we must wait 10 minutes or so at a road block. Some kind of a protest. Very peacful, the guys just held a chain accross the road and told us it will be another 5 minutes.
Going through the customs was quite straight forward. After seeing two officials we were produced with a slip that was to be handed on the way out to a guy in the shack blocking the road. After that we were in no man's land for about 20 minutes, driving through the mountains until we got to the Chilean customs. There it seemed like the officials were on strike. Nevertheless, we were attended to and after a quick check of the luggage quickly ended up back on the road. The crossing runs along the base of Puyehue volcano. The area seemed like a scene from Mars. Cold, dark and grey. However, as we descended into Chile the temperature increased and the green forests emerged. Due to the westerly winds the volcano ash never hit this area, everything got blown over to Argentina. That day we made it all the way to Pucon, a tourist center known for good hiking and thermals. We were hoping to find a campground close to a thermal resort but since it was late we settled for a 6 dollar campground in the city. This included 2 chickens and a rooster guarding our bikes.
Next day in the morning we decided to drive up to the currently active volcano Villaricca. The road going up the mountain however got very rough and after getting stuck we decided to turn back.
On the second day in Chile we pushed further north, mostly along the main national highway 5. After Tucon we diverted West and followed the cost to a town called Buchupureo. The route along the cost was full of surprises. Sometimes paved, sometimes gravel. Ocean view or driving through a logging area. And whenever we weren't sure which way to turn we elected for heading towards the cost. When we finally saw the ocean everyone of us had a huge grin on their face. The beaches on this side of the ocean are huge and undeveloped. The ocean front properties are mostly farm lands and the sand is grey. Once in Buchupureo it was hard to find a place to stay. We found a campground but no one was there so after backtracking for a few minutes we finally spotted a "hotel" with someone inside. The owner turned out to be a very interesting person. Arthuro has been around the world and now settled down here and opened a bed and breakfast. He was very accomodating and gave us 2 rooms for the price of one. His house seems newly built and everything inside was of high quality, especially the mattresses which we appreciated hugly after a night of camping. We woke up to the sound of a rooster which was a perfect time to roll out of bed, have a breakfast and get back on the road. After solf boiled eggs mixed in with crutons and a pleasant chat with Arthuro we set out on our journey. Here is where we stayed
We continued along the cost, our destination - Pichilemu, a town known for good surfing. Somewhere along the way we stopped for lunch at a sea shore restaurant called El Pescador. We were the only customers there and the owners were happy to see us. The lady suggested today's catch, Lisa and Ramenos fish. She ended up serving us 3 pieces each, all for only 20 dollars (for 3 of us)!! After this hearty feast we continued along the cost in search of the surf town. The road was full of surprises again. There were long stretches of beautifuly paved surface of windy road but every now and then we would be back on a dirt road, climbing 45 degree slopes through pine forests or empty fields of stumps. Logging is a huge industry here and we'd be passing a truck full of lumber at least every 2 minutes. Coming down one of these roads we felt quite comfortable and kept a good speed. I was leading, with Charlie right behind me and Travis at the end. When the dirt suddenly turned into soft sand I stopped quickly feering loosing control. Charlie didn't have enough time to slow down and ended up wiping out. Fortunately nothing happened to him and the bike sufffered only minor cosmetic damage. After a quick photo shoot of the first "accident" we continued towards our target. We finally arrived and found a nice "cabana" right beside of a surfing school, ocean front. Cost: $20 each per night!
Today we are in Valparaiso, a very scenic town on the edge of the Pacific. Tomorrow crossing back to Argentina!
We finally arrive at the first border stop, the Argentinian customs. Just before though, we must wait 10 minutes or so at a road block. Some kind of a protest. Very peacful, the guys just held a chain accross the road and told us it will be another 5 minutes.
Going through the customs was quite straight forward. After seeing two officials we were produced with a slip that was to be handed on the way out to a guy in the shack blocking the road. After that we were in no man's land for about 20 minutes, driving through the mountains until we got to the Chilean customs. There it seemed like the officials were on strike. Nevertheless, we were attended to and after a quick check of the luggage quickly ended up back on the road. The crossing runs along the base of Puyehue volcano. The area seemed like a scene from Mars. Cold, dark and grey. However, as we descended into Chile the temperature increased and the green forests emerged. Due to the westerly winds the volcano ash never hit this area, everything got blown over to Argentina. That day we made it all the way to Pucon, a tourist center known for good hiking and thermals. We were hoping to find a campground close to a thermal resort but since it was late we settled for a 6 dollar campground in the city. This included 2 chickens and a rooster guarding our bikes.
Next day in the morning we decided to drive up to the currently active volcano Villaricca. The road going up the mountain however got very rough and after getting stuck we decided to turn back.
On the second day in Chile we pushed further north, mostly along the main national highway 5. After Tucon we diverted West and followed the cost to a town called Buchupureo. The route along the cost was full of surprises. Sometimes paved, sometimes gravel. Ocean view or driving through a logging area. And whenever we weren't sure which way to turn we elected for heading towards the cost. When we finally saw the ocean everyone of us had a huge grin on their face. The beaches on this side of the ocean are huge and undeveloped. The ocean front properties are mostly farm lands and the sand is grey. Once in Buchupureo it was hard to find a place to stay. We found a campground but no one was there so after backtracking for a few minutes we finally spotted a "hotel" with someone inside. The owner turned out to be a very interesting person. Arthuro has been around the world and now settled down here and opened a bed and breakfast. He was very accomodating and gave us 2 rooms for the price of one. His house seems newly built and everything inside was of high quality, especially the mattresses which we appreciated hugly after a night of camping. We woke up to the sound of a rooster which was a perfect time to roll out of bed, have a breakfast and get back on the road. After solf boiled eggs mixed in with crutons and a pleasant chat with Arthuro we set out on our journey. Here is where we stayed
We continued along the cost, our destination - Pichilemu, a town known for good surfing. Somewhere along the way we stopped for lunch at a sea shore restaurant called El Pescador. We were the only customers there and the owners were happy to see us. The lady suggested today's catch, Lisa and Ramenos fish. She ended up serving us 3 pieces each, all for only 20 dollars (for 3 of us)!! After this hearty feast we continued along the cost in search of the surf town. The road was full of surprises again. There were long stretches of beautifuly paved surface of windy road but every now and then we would be back on a dirt road, climbing 45 degree slopes through pine forests or empty fields of stumps. Logging is a huge industry here and we'd be passing a truck full of lumber at least every 2 minutes. Coming down one of these roads we felt quite comfortable and kept a good speed. I was leading, with Charlie right behind me and Travis at the end. When the dirt suddenly turned into soft sand I stopped quickly feering loosing control. Charlie didn't have enough time to slow down and ended up wiping out. Fortunately nothing happened to him and the bike sufffered only minor cosmetic damage. After a quick photo shoot of the first "accident" we continued towards our target. We finally arrived and found a nice "cabana" right beside of a surfing school, ocean front. Cost: $20 each per night!
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