my bike

Considering motorbiking has been a big part of my travels, and unlike other biker blogs I don't talk about it a whole lot on my blog, I thought instead I'd introduce you properly to my lil 200cc gem, and also the life of travelling on 2 motored wheels!

Why I love my bike?

• It's little. Yes it's 200cc only which many bikers roll their eyes at, but it carries me and all my luggage pretty comfortably. Yes it's even carried 2 up with luggage, but that probably wasn't the best for it's frame.
• It's got awesome petrol consumption - 220kms per 9L tank. Bring that on! Does mean my range is rather short though... I usually carry 4L extra fuel. (packed in my pannier next to my precious computer. Clever huh!)
• It's like a BMX with a motor. Because it is little, it is light. It goes on all terrain - sand, mud, gravel, asphalt. And that makes it FUN!
• Parts are easy to find, and also mechanics all over do not get overly confused about how it works.
• It gets me to places I'd never have bothered to go to by a bus. Imagine looking at a map, closing your eyes and randomly pointing to your next destination! Cool huh:)
• It's red, and beautiful, and makes a beautiful taka taka sound like (as Diego once said) an old sewing machine. 

About motorbike traveling...
Traveling on a motorbike is not so much about bikes (of course to an extent it is - like knowing how to maintain/fix your trusty steed) but more about the style of travel. I say this as a normal reaction to a girl without riding experience saying she's going to ride a motorcycle around South America is usually not so positive, but in response I would say traveling on a motorbike is about being ready for anything like being stranded 100kms from the next town, being adaptable to changing weather/road conditions, happy to be alone, ready to camp anywhere and just up for adventure. You don't have to be a master rider with yonkers years experience, just ready and able and willing to take on an adventure!

Traveling on a bike though means, that often the first thing you do rolling into a town is to look for the closest  mechanics / spare parts / petrol station, a hostel that where you can securely store your bike, being ready for the possibility that you might end up getting stuck in a shithole for a week waiting for a part/fixing something, worrying about the security of your bike, hunting around for empty plastic containers to do an oil change .... yes the list can go on.

Why it's awesome!
BUT the advantages far outweigh any of these little grips - the feeling of hitting the open road, making tracks on dirt that have no other markings, being alone out for the sunset in the mountains, the comradeship of other riders, knowing that it's you and your bike ready to take on the world!

The other wonderful thing of motorbike traveling are the other bikers. It is an automatic family of people you generally like! Withing minutes of meeting, you're swapping routes, stories, resolving problems with the bike, knowing which spots to avoid and which to explore, hearing about good hotels to stay at, where other travelers are. Just very awesome.

There's a great community in the world of bikers - and also connected online. If you are ever thinking of traveling or getting in touch with other bikers, then check out 2 sites: HUBB and ADVrider.

Yes. Clean. Lasts anywhere from .5 km to 50km looking like this depending on the roads

So.. get on ya bike! get exploring and have fun:)