South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure

[Up&Downer]

Hello John, just want to say that your trip is inspiring. Your attitude and courage is just amazing. When I started reading your posts I was sort of thinking of getting another bike after years of not having one, your images of freedom that it brings made up my mind. In a few years when the kids are on their own I might just follow you. Keep going and don't look back.

[donniemac]

Originally Posted by JDowns

I absolutely love how you guys keep this ride report going while I'm goofing off. Kudos!

The power went out last night in Riohacha. Bummer. No internet.

Left this morning thinking I would ride like a banshee and head up into the hills. The weather looked threatening down south in the mountains.

After 100 miles I reached Santa Marta and realized I needed some pesos so headed over to Taganga where I knew the place. Oh my God! I couldn't leave. Checked the internet weather and it looked crappy south of here. That's all I needed to check in to the Techo Azul hostel. Yes it has a blue roof.

I'm the only one here in the men's dormitory cell. Once again 30,000 pesos (17.00) for the night. Yes, I'm heading to Venezuela. And yes, I will get in somehow. I'm just taking my time.

more later...

Hey Johnny Boy! It's Donnie Mac! How the heck are you? Boy you really made an impression on me regarding two major things. A lighter bike and 10th of the gear I took! I am back in the states now, but only plan on being here for 8 months (enough to save up $$) and then my plan is to buy a used Honda 450 dirt bike and ship it to Colombia and ride all of South America. I'm excited to get back out there. Kind of gets in your blood. I may end up for my short work break in Colorado. In any event stay in touch and love your blog! Take care Big Guy!

[ONandOFF]

Hey Donnie Mac! That's a great idea. I was thinking myself that a 400 / 450 ought to be about the ticket for South America. That would provide most of the advantage of greater agility and manipulation in tight or challenging quarters with the advantage of being able to outperform most if not all other vehicles on the back roads and dirt roads, and could carry a passenger without drastic performance degradation. The drawback over a 250 would be the additional fuel consumption which is likely to increase on the order of 30% as a guess.

But I would expect you'd need more than a dirt bike - and probably a street legal registered motor vehilce - to operate under the law in South America.

[kwakbiker]

Good to see the beast is still going well with the new front end

[SchizzMan]

Originally Posted by ONandOFF

Hey Donnie Mac! That's a great idea. I was thinking myself that a 400 / 450 ought to be about the ticket for South America. That would provide most of the advantage of greater agility and manipulation in tight or challenging quarters with the advantage of being able to outperform most if not all other vehicles on the back roads and dirt roads, and could carry a passenger without drastic performance degradation. The drawback over a 250 would be the additional fuel consumption which is likely to increase on the order of 30% as a guess.

But I would expect you'd need more than a dirt bike - and probably a street legal registered motor vehilce - to operate under the law in South America.

I'm looking to move up from the WR250R to the WR450F now that it's FI. Still has the small sump issue, however.

[ONandOFF]

Originally Posted by SchizzMan

I'm looking to move up from the WR250R to the WR450F now that it's FI. Still has the small sump issue, however.

I can imagine it's killer but haven't had the pleasure. I like the performance of the CRF450X, and would have to be plated. It may need more wrench time or so I've heard. Been thinnking the DRZ400 could be a good machine for the task, but haven't researched this world yet. By "small sump", do you mean external oil reservoir capacity (works like the Honda XR650L?)

[SchizzMan]

Originally Posted by ONandOFF

I can imagine it's killer but haven't had the pleasure. I like the performance of the CRF450X, and would have to be plated. It may need more wrench time or so I've heard. Been thinnking the DRZ400 could be a good machine for the task, but haven't researched this world yet. By "small sump", do you mean external oil reservoir capacity (works like the Honda XR650L?)

WR450F engine case holds about 1.1-1.3 liters. The Jagg oil cooler adds about 8oz. to that. Some riders are rigging "catch cans" to increase oil capacity on these smaller bikes.

I'm still researching this. Check rtwpaul's KTM bike build thread. I think he's adding a catch can.

[Clem Kevin]

Technically, a catch can does not imply the return of oil or fuel back into the system, I think a reservoir might be the better term. I only butt in because I'm building catch cans for my supermoto bike, it's quite annoying

[SchizzMan]

Originally Posted by Clem Kevin

Technically, a catch can does not imply the return of oil or fuel back into the system, I think a reservoir might be the better term. I only butt in because I'm building catch cans for my supermoto bike, it's quite annoying

I'm not up on all the lingo yet. Adding an oil cooler might be enough for my kinda riding. That'll get it closer to 2 liters.

[Adv Grifter]

Veering wildly off topic with all the 450 dirt bike talk ... but what the hey. IMO, you guys should take a lesson from this ride report ... remember just how well "Juan de la Larga Distancia" has done on his wee Sherpa. Low cost, high reliability, packs up like a Mule and never quits.

I don't see anything in the 450 Dirt bike Class being a good choice for RTW or all S. America tour. The Suzuki DRZ400S is a different class bike ... and yes many have already done this ride on that bike. As reliable as the WR Yam is ... it ain't no travel bike. PM me for details if you want to know specifics.

[JDowns]

Been off the grid for a couple days. Day before yesterday I left Taganga around noonish and rode like hell until dark. It was mostly straight line riding on a major truck route up carretera 45. I passed literally hundreds of trucks and buses in the next 500 kilometers or so heading up to the cutoff to Cucuta and the Venezuelan border.

Reached the cutoff at dusk and there was thunder and lightening up in the mountains to the east, so I doubled back and just as the deluge started, stopped at a hole in the wall hospedaje with a covered awning to park under. Whew!

I didn´t imagine that the Sherpa somehow magically had healed itself of it´s problem with cutting out in the rain, and narrow mountain roads with limited population didn´t seem like a wise path to take. So I spent the night in the lovely hospedaje. Mostly truckers staying at this establishment. I didn´t get any photos since I put the camera in the topbox to keep it out of the wet.

Spent 69500 pesos [39.71] mostly on gas. The hospedaje was 20,000 pesos [11.43]. Pretty bare bones. TV with 3 channels and a bathroom with a shower that consisted of a pipe sticking out of the wall.
more later.....

[JDowns]

Got up yesterday and left early at 7AM. Realized it was Sunday, so figured I would try for Bucaramanga instead of Cucuta and head for the border of Venezuela on a Monday. It started drizzling and was pouring down rain by 8. The bike cut out at about 8:15.

Woe is me! There I was on a major truck route with no shoulders. Pulled off the highway and droppped down and parked the bike in the rain filled ditch under the trees and got out the tent rain fly and sat under it beneath the trees for an hour until the deluge let up a bit. Decided to push the bike a couple kilometers down the road until I found a palapa to park under.

It´s important to keep a sense of humor while you´re pushing your bike down a rain filled ditch with semi trucks flying by two feet away spraying you with runoff.

I like going on adventurous rides. It´s what I do. This is all part of it. It´s what makes you smile when you´re back home sitting in front of the fireplace remembering back on all the outrageous situations you´ve found yourself in on these rides. I´m not sure, but I think it builds character knowing that you have made it out of some seriously dire looking situations.

I finally came to a thatched palapa and parked the bike underneath it out of the rain and waited another hour or so until the rain let up a bit. A man came by and said there was a truck stop just down the way with rooms for rent. I got the bike started and rode down and tried to decide what to do. It was dark and ominous south and east. Hmmmmmmm. So I decided to rent a room at the truck stop for 20,000 pesos [11.43]. This truck stop had cable so more than three channels. Nice enough place to wait out the rainstorms.

I left this morning. My current thinking is to head to Medellin and fix this cutting out in the rain problem. I don´t mind riding in the pouring rain at all. I grew up in Oregon. But the bike dying is not good. I think it´s the spark plug cap.I´m going to get to the bottom of this before heading to Venezuela. And what better place to get to the bottom of things than Medellin?

So Medellin it is. I made it as far as Puerto Berrios this afternoon and will head over the mountains tomorrow. I´m at a cybercafe in Puerto Berrios as I type this. Will head out and see about finding a cheap hotel.

more later....

[SchizzMan]

LOL. Still beats a tent, eh?

Got the WR250R home yesterday.

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by SchizzMan

LOL. Still beats a tent, eh?

Got the WR250R home yesterday.

Hi JD,

Nice WRR!

I think I see where you used to park the Harley.

Have fun!

Your pal,
Juanito

[JDowns]

Originally Posted by kwakbiker

Good to see the beast is still going well with the new front end

Hi kwakbiker,

Indeed the Sherpa is a trooper. I haven't had to do much other than change the oil 5 times and replace the busted front end. It's an amazing bike considering the pounding it has taken for the last 35,000 miles.

I just got a PM from gibbo-56 who has a Sherpa with over 100,000 miles on it. He says it is definitely the spark plug cap that is causing my rain soaked cut-out problems. So I'll head to Medellin and get that sorted out.

Glad to have you along for the ride amigo,
Juan Sparko