pan american highway
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6th Gear
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: london
pan american highway
I am hoping to do the Pan Am Highway from California to Argentina, on an Ultra Classic electra glide, anyone done this trip on a harley? I have such a load of conflicting information about road surfaces etc.....please help
lowlifedan@hotmail.com
lowlifedan@hotmail.com
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,112
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I,ve talked to two men who did it,not on a Harley.One did it on a bmw,the other on a honda,both set up like the Paris -Dakar riders.According to them,high clearence is a must,probably 80% of the roads are poorly maintained dirt and gravel,deep mud.One rock in a drive belt and you just toasted the belt and likely both sprockets,and no help for maybe hundreds of miles[kilometeres].Possible,oh yeah,but you have to be able to fix everything that could break.imho,wrong tool for the job.
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Miami
Pan American Highway
Hey Lowlifedan:
I am doing the same on a 2008 Street Glide. I will be leaving the first week of January. Check out advrider.com the folks there ride anything but Harleys but can offer you lots of valuable information. Also check out the HUBB forum horizonsunlimited.com, you can find a couple who rode two-up, around the entire world on a Harley Bagger. It too has really helpful information.
There is lots of talk about which bike is the "best" bike, and maybe the HD bagger aint the "best" bike but its a damn good one. We just wont be able to take a few of the back roads but we will be ridin a hell of alot more comfortably. As to the road, its paved all the way to Punta Arenas and there is then a 75 mile stretch of hard packed dirt to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego. There have been many HD baggers who have made it before us!
In January of this year, I rode through all of Baja, crossed over the gulf by ferry to the mainland, and rode to the border of Guatemala before heading back to the States, straight through the heart of Mexico. No muggers, banditos, or any of that bullship. Dont believe all the naysayers, they simply are not comfortable getting out of their box!
As in any long tour, even in the States and Alaska, you just need to be prepared and be smart. You wouldnt ride through the ghetto's of NYC at midnight would you? There are lots of places I wouldnt ride in the States, so I dont. Its the same in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Do your research, prepare accordingly, and go for it! I know I am! Dont let fear stop you. I pity the poor sob's who do but then again, they leave more room on the road for me!
I am doing the same on a 2008 Street Glide. I will be leaving the first week of January. Check out advrider.com the folks there ride anything but Harleys but can offer you lots of valuable information. Also check out the HUBB forum horizonsunlimited.com, you can find a couple who rode two-up, around the entire world on a Harley Bagger. It too has really helpful information.
There is lots of talk about which bike is the "best" bike, and maybe the HD bagger aint the "best" bike but its a damn good one. We just wont be able to take a few of the back roads but we will be ridin a hell of alot more comfortably. As to the road, its paved all the way to Punta Arenas and there is then a 75 mile stretch of hard packed dirt to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego. There have been many HD baggers who have made it before us!
In January of this year, I rode through all of Baja, crossed over the gulf by ferry to the mainland, and rode to the border of Guatemala before heading back to the States, straight through the heart of Mexico. No muggers, banditos, or any of that bullship. Dont believe all the naysayers, they simply are not comfortable getting out of their box!
As in any long tour, even in the States and Alaska, you just need to be prepared and be smart. You wouldnt ride through the ghetto's of NYC at midnight would you? There are lots of places I wouldnt ride in the States, so I dont. Its the same in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Do your research, prepare accordingly, and go for it! I know I am! Dont let fear stop you. I pity the poor sob's who do but then again, they leave more room on the road for me!
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Likes: 0
From: Southern Califas
Hey Lowlifedan:
I am doing the same on a 2008 Street Glide. I will be leaving the first week of January. Check out advrider.com the folks there ride anything but Harleys but can offer you lots of valuable information. Also check out the HUBB forum horizonsunlimited.com, you can find a couple who rode two-up, around the entire world on a Harley Bagger. It too has really helpful information.
There is lots of talk about which bike is the "best" bike, and maybe the HD bagger aint the "best" bike but its a damn good one. We just wont be able to take a few of the back roads but we will be ridin a hell of alot more comfortably. As to the road, its paved all the way to Punta Arenas and there is then a 75 mile stretch of hard packed dirt to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego. There have been many HD baggers who have made it before us!
In January of this year, I rode through all of Baja, crossed over the gulf by ferry to the mainland, and rode to the border of Guatemala before heading back to the States, straight through the heart of Mexico. No muggers, banditos, or any of that bullship. Dont believe all the naysayers, they simply are not comfortable getting out of their box!
As in any long tour, even in the States and Alaska, you just need to be prepared and be smart. You wouldnt ride through the ghetto's of NYC at midnight would you? There are lots of places I wouldnt ride in the States, so I dont. Its the same in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Do your research, prepare accordingly, and go for it! I know I am! Dont let fear stop you. I pity the poor sob's who do but then again, they leave more room on the road for me!
I am doing the same on a 2008 Street Glide. I will be leaving the first week of January. Check out advrider.com the folks there ride anything but Harleys but can offer you lots of valuable information. Also check out the HUBB forum horizonsunlimited.com, you can find a couple who rode two-up, around the entire world on a Harley Bagger. It too has really helpful information.
There is lots of talk about which bike is the "best" bike, and maybe the HD bagger aint the "best" bike but its a damn good one. We just wont be able to take a few of the back roads but we will be ridin a hell of alot more comfortably. As to the road, its paved all the way to Punta Arenas and there is then a 75 mile stretch of hard packed dirt to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego. There have been many HD baggers who have made it before us!
In January of this year, I rode through all of Baja, crossed over the gulf by ferry to the mainland, and rode to the border of Guatemala before heading back to the States, straight through the heart of Mexico. No muggers, banditos, or any of that bullship. Dont believe all the naysayers, they simply are not comfortable getting out of their box!
As in any long tour, even in the States and Alaska, you just need to be prepared and be smart. You wouldnt ride through the ghetto's of NYC at midnight would you? There are lots of places I wouldnt ride in the States, so I dont. Its the same in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Do your research, prepare accordingly, and go for it! I know I am! Dont let fear stop you. I pity the poor sob's who do but then again, they leave more room on the road for me!
Best advice so far bro. I Am riding down south in Feb. 09. Not on my Harley though. Not because of Bandidos or drug thugs or all that BullShiat. I am riding a KLR 650 because it's great on gas milage, easy to work on and dual purpose for riding on the beach.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 552
Likes: 1
From: las vegas nv
PanAm
Hey Dreamcatcher 2007 what do you know about the quality of gas in Mexico? Always wanted to take a trip to Mexico but "heard" the gas was poor and might have problems with the HD. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,702
Likes: 38
From: Houston area
+1with BikeBob...if you do go I hope we are proved to be be wusses and alarmists and you have a great adventure. BUT..can I have your wristwatch? John
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6th Gear
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From: london
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From: Ontario East
Just in case you didn't know.
You have to ship, air or boat, your scoot from Panama to South America. You can't, although a couple of brave souls have done it, drive through darrien's Gap. It's solid jungle and swamp land.
Doing the Americas trip is my dream, but as it looks right now, that's all it will be.
You have to ship, air or boat, your scoot from Panama to South America. You can't, although a couple of brave souls have done it, drive through darrien's Gap. It's solid jungle and swamp land.
Doing the Americas trip is my dream, but as it looks right now, that's all it will be.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: Florida
I am hoping to do the Pan Am Highway from California to Argentina, on an Ultra Classic electra glide, anyone done this trip on a harley? I have such a load of conflicting information about road surfaces etc.....please help
lowlifedan@hotmail.com
lowlifedan@hotmail.com