u/Glum-Background-9172

I was thinking of getting a tent but I've thought about it again and maybe I'll just get a warm sleeping bag I can put inside the hammock I own and do that instead. It has a rain cover but maybe i need a tarp?

I have no experience doing these kind of these all advice/help is much appreciated

I was thinking of getting a tent but I've thought about it again and maybe I'll just get a warm sleeping bag I can put inside the hammock I own and do that instead. It has a rain cover but maybe i need a tarp?

I have no experience doing these kind of these all advice/help is much appreciated

I was thinking to get a tent but I've though again and maybe I'll just get a warm sleeping bag I can put inside a hammock and do that instead. I have no experience doing these kind of these all advice/help is much appreciated

I haven't got a license back home. If I did I'd be able to use it as an international license and bike with that. However I don't. So I'm trying to get a license in any country in south America in order to ride this continent on a motorbike. I'm having trouble with that currently. Does anyone have any tips/advice/solutions? Your help is greatly appreciated

Planning a long-term motorcycle trip through South America and looking for advice from people who’ve ACTUALLY done similar routes.

Current rough plan:

Buy a bike in Colombia around June

Ride Colombia briefly first to build experience

Ecuador for 3-4 weeks

Peru July-October

Bolivia in October

Northern Chile/Argentina in November

Patagonia/Ushuaia around Feb or early March

Then head back north toward Paraguay

I’m currently looking at smaller dual sport/adventure bikes around 190-250cc because I want:

lightweight

manageable for a newer rider

reliable

easy to repair in Latin America

capable on rough roads/gravel

Likely mix of:

paved roads

Andes mountain riding

some gravel/off-road

camping occasionally

hostels/campsites mixed in

A few things I’d love advice on:

BIKE / RIDING

Which bikes worked best long-term in South America?

Which bikes became uncomfortable or frustrating after months?

Any bikes/models you’d avoid?

How much power loss did you notice at altitude?

What average riding hours/day felt sustainable long-term?

What ended up being harder than expected: wind, cold, altitude, road conditions, etc?

PATAGONIA

How bad are the winds REALLY on smaller bikes?

What fuel range felt safe?

Did you find camping realistic down there?

Were there stretches where accommodation/camping was difficult?

How often did weather force you to stop riding?

CAMPING / GEAR

What camping gear ended up being essential vs unnecessary?

Any tents that handled Patagonia winds well?

How compact did your camping setup realistically need to be?

Was a motorcycle cover or tarp worth carrying?

How often did you actually wild camp vs campsites/hostels?

Any gear you regretted bringing because of size/weight?

GENERAL

What repeatedly slowed your trip down unexpectedly?

Any mistakes you made early that you’d avoid now?

Anything you wish you knew before starting?

Appreciate any honest advice — especially from riders who’ve done long-distance South America routes on smaller bikes.

Planning a long-term motorcycle trip through South America and looking for advice from people who’ve ACTUALLY done similar routes.

Current rough plan:

Buy a bike in Colombia around June

Ride Colombia briefly first to build experience

Ecuador for 3-4 weeks

Peru July-October

Bolivia in October

Northern Chile/Argentina in November

Patagonia/Ushuaia around Feb or early March

Then head back north toward Paraguay

I’m currently looking at smaller dual sport/adventure bikes around 190-250cc because I want:

lightweight

manageable for a newer rider

reliable

easy to repair in Latin America

capable on rough roads/gravel

Likely mix of:

paved roads

Andes mountain riding

some gravel/off-road

camping occasionally

hostels/campsites mixed in

A few things I’d love advice on:

BIKE / RIDING

Which bikes worked best long-term in South America?

Which bikes became uncomfortable or frustrating after months?

Any bikes/models you’d avoid?

How much power loss did you notice at altitude?

What average riding hours/day felt sustainable long-term?

What ended up being harder than expected: wind, cold, altitude, road conditions, etc?

PATAGONIA

How bad are the winds REALLY on smaller bikes?

What fuel range felt safe?

Did you find camping realistic down there?

Were there stretches where accommodation/camping was difficult?

How often did weather force you to stop riding?

CAMPING / GEAR

What camping gear ended up being essential vs unnecessary?

Any tents that handled Patagonia winds well?

How compact did your camping setup realistically need to be?

Was a motorcycle cover or tarp worth carrying?

How often did you actually wild camp vs campsites/hostels?

Any gear you regretted bringing because of size/weight?

GENERAL

What repeatedly slowed your trip down unexpectedly?

Any mistakes you made early that you’d avoid now?

Anything you wish you knew before starting?

Appreciate any honest advice — especially from riders who’ve done long-distance South America routes on smaller bikes.

What ended up being harder than expected:

wind?

fuel range?

cold?

gravel?

luggage weight?

camping?

Also realistically, how many km/day felt sustainable down there?