Motorcycle journey from San Fran to South America- "Generally South"

MichiganMike · MichiganMike's Garage

Hey Pelicans -

I thought I'd share my friends website on here as my two buddies are headed on their trip to South America from San Francisco. They left the other week and are going to Miami first. All along the way, they are taking photos and documenting all the fun stuff. If you ever wanted to do this with your sports car, here is a quick look at what it'd be like! Enjoy:
Generally South | "Because we're going generally from the top to the bottom"

BeyGon · 11-16-2011, 04:03 PM

That will be a cool trip, I did it in a truck with a friend, SoCal to Panama. Farther south is a little scary.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

South of Panama is Scary? Have you looked at Mexico lately?

vash · vash's Garage

i have two buddies. they both grew up in Juarez mexico. great guys. they both ride BMW motorbikes. they are waiting for me to get one so we can ride into south america.

honestly, i dont know if it will ever happen. even going with them i wont feel safe.

MichiganMike · MichiganMike's Garage

Haha, yeah this is why they are going to Miami first, then shipping their bikes to Cancun or Costa Rica. Friends and parents said going through Mexico isnt the best idea. So they wanted to just ship/fly from San Diego but the bikes had to go to Miami first to be clear for export, then to Cancun. So they thought, why the hell not just ride to Miami and enjoy the states one last time!

Under the "Bikes" section, they explain why they chose KLRs instead of BMWs, basically $. Supposedly they will may sell their bikes in Brazil when they are done with the trip and recoup a lot of costs. Anyone know if they can sell their bikes for a good chunk of money down there?

BeyGon · 11-17-2011, 06:38 AM

I shipped two cars out of San Pedro to Costa Rica, it worked out well, but when we drove we went down the east coast of Mexico to VeraCruz, then across the mountains through Chiapas and to the west coast of Guatamala. Good roads down the east coast of Mexico, but a lot of road blocks, we got stopped 10 times from border to border. I made money selling all three vehicles in Costa Rica but I don't know what to expect now.
The worst part of our trip was driving through El Salvador, I would now drive through eastern Guatamala and bypass El Salvador totally. No reason to be there.
Before we went we got visas for every country, many copies of everything, pink slips for the truck, copies of everything, BC, whatever, copies of the first two pages of the passport. Every border is different but they all want MONEY. and copies. Having the visa really helps, saves time and money in border crossings.
DON'T drive at night, DO, always, get a hotel where you can lock your car or bike up inside the corutyard. DON'T sleep at a gas station or anyplace else, get a good safe looking hotel. Don't spend the night at a border crossing and ALWAYS hit the border crossings in the early morning, 8:00 or when they open, they don't like to work in the afternoon and it will hurt you.

911pcars · 11-17-2011, 10:14 AM

Film: "Motorcycle Diaries".

Sherwood

MichiganMike · MichiganMike's Garage

Thanks BeyGon! I also let my buddies know of your take on it and they already have plans around all that, mostly. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy the journey once they get started in Central America! Ill update this thread again once they make it there.

MichiganMike · MichiganMike's Garage

UPDATE!

Looks like they made it to Mexico after a few problems in transporting the bikes from Florida. What looked like a disaster and a swift end to the trip, bounced back with help from local bike shop down there! They got he bikes shipped and are now awaiting them in Mexico! Its gonna be an interesting Christmas for them but my hat is off to them!

Feliz Navidad!

Generally South | "Because we're going generally from the top to the bottom"

Hugo930 · 12-14-2011, 02:10 PM

Have a great trip, South America will be a blast...I've lived in Buenos Aires and Bogota and driven around the continent several times...

I stopped posting in the Religion and Politics forum because of morons like the one below...don't listen, it is only racism, lots of fear and ignorance speaking...

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeyGon

That will be a cool trip, I did it in a truck with a friend, SoCal to Panama. Farther south is a little scary.

MichiganMike · MichiganMike's Garage

UPDATE!

After a heck of a time to get through customs, they got their bikes and have started their journey. Some great photos have started to show the essence of being in Central America during the Christmas season! I can wait to see what they will stumble on to next.

http://generallysouth.com/