The first and most important thing for a trip is to prepare the motorcycle in advance. I recommend making several trips of 2 to 7 days with the same equipment that will be used during the adventure, trying suitcases with the same weight that they will carry, cell phone holders, power intakes, screens, tires, etc., everything that the motorcycle has as an accessory that did not come standard must be tested because if we install it and start the trip there is a high probability that everything with the weight, the vibration, the weather could leave function, not function correctly or worse yet cause damage to other components. Using original accessories from our motorcycle brand will surely minimize problems on the road, especially if these are electrical, such as auxiliary lights, whistle, 12 V or USB sockets, among others.
Before the trip, a complete service that includes oil, brakes and new tires at a minimum.
Downloading the PDF manual of our motorcycle on our mobile phone can help us in many situations where we are alone and far from the media, carrying the contact of our mechanic or service center at hand can be useful in case of a breakdown.
The second thing is to have the motorcycle in the name of the traveler, of the motorcycle rider, if you do not have it, the headaches for crossing borders can begin. It is not impossible but the procedure will be accompanied by more interrogations and obstacles due to part of the customs police of almost all countries, if this is your case and for some reason your motorcycle is in the name of a third party (bank, family member or friend) you must have an authorization permit for the use of the motorcycle and crossing of borders by the holder of the motorcycle ownership card, this permit must be APOSTILLED, to be valid at all borders, it is advisable to carry color photocopies of all personal documents and the motorcycle.
If you are Colombian and it is true that you can enter almost all South American countries with only your ID, the recommendation is to carry your passport because this way you will be able to have the entry and exit stamp of each country, this will serve as support. of legal procedures in case of any problem in the future.
When you arrive at any border you must make sure to complete 4 procedures in each of them, departure of the person or persons if you are with a companion and departure of the motorcycle from the country you are leaving, entry of the motorcycle and entry of the person in the new country where you arrive, it is very important not to forget the entry to the new country because when you arrive to the next country they will ask you, if you do the personal one but not the motorcycle one, you will have entered merchandise illegally and this can lead to anything from fines to crimes in some countries.
Make sure at the border if you must purchase vehicle insurance, when necessary you can buy it at the same point of entry at the border.
Calculate the kilometers to be traveled carefully so that your motorcycle's maintenance intervals coincide with visits to the main cities or capitals of each country, where it will be easier to find spare parts and qualified service workshops (if possible, take their addresses, telephone numbers, etc.) and even schedule appointments before you arrive) this way you will save time and money because stays in large cities are the most expensive.
It is important to have a travel plan, although this can change due to the weather, our mood, the people we meet along the way or the activities we do, it is good to locate the points of interest to take into account on our journey, This will help us determine the clothing, the suitcases, the type of motorcycle and accessories, the tires and even the budget necessary for our trip. A trip along the entire Pan-American Highway visiting the capitals is not the same as a trip that includes natural parks and dirt road detours.
Sleeping in small towns on the outskirts of big cities will keep your budget low. Camping equipment is essential if you like to enjoy nature, there are many natural parks where you can camp and thus save a little money.
Driving at cruising speeds between 100 and 120 km/h will keep gas consumption low, conserve our tires and brakes, and allow us to enjoy the road and the landscape.
Using applications that work without data such as maps.me or a GPS will be very useful for navigation since the continent is very extensive, there are many places without network coverage, it is advisable to carry a satellite communication device such as Spot or Garmin Inreach.
The must-sees of the trip: Eastern Plains and Santander in Colombia, Baños and Chimborazo in Ecuador, Huascaran and Huacachina in Peru, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, Atacama Desert and Torres del Paine in Chile, Los Libertadores border crossing between Chile and Argentina, Route 40 and Ushuaia in Argentina. There are many beautiful places in each country and we could spend months in just one of them exploring, the above are just some of the most popular places recognized by many motorcyclists.
