For months I have been staring at Google Maps trying to comprehend the scope of this adventure. I would tell people that I was going to be riding to Argentina and they would say "oh so you're going to ship your motorcycle there." Not exactly. I wanted to come up with a unique way to share what this journey would be like so friends (and myself) could see the scope of it. I decided this project was the perfect excuse to take a break from researching on my computer and working on the … [Read more...]
The Dream of Adventure
I can remember the moment I wanted to have an adventure like this. I was in Uganda for the second time visiting a friend and helping out at Krochet Kids International, a non- profit friends of mine from college had started. I was there for 3 weeks and met a group of American guys who were living and working at different organizations there. Since they were there for a while they had dirt bikes to take advantage of the beautiful land surrounding them. Nothing sounded better than getting on a dirt … [Read more...]
Shipping Out
A few days before I was scheduled to fly out of Buenos Aires I went to Ezeiza International Airport to ship my motorcycle back to California. For those interested in the details I will write a post about the shipping process. This is more the narrative of the event. The day had finally arrived. About 3 weeks after arriving in Buenos Aires it was time to take my last ride in South America. While my friend Kelli shopped around San Telmo for tango shoes and dresses, I loaded up my bike and … [Read more...]
Shipping a Motorcycle from Buenos Aires to Los Angeles
This is my experience shipping my US registered motorcycle by air freight from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Los Angeles, California. If you are just looking for information about how to import a motorcycle into Los Angeles (LAX) read the post here. After unsuccessfully searching for information on shipping out of Buenos Aires without using the popular middleman, Dakar Motors, I decided their $90 USD fee would be worth it. This post describes the process of shipping through Dakar Motors. I … [Read more...]
Importing a Motorcycle into Los Angeles
This is my experience shipping my US registered motorcycle into Los Angeles (LAX). I air freighted my 2007 BMW G650X Challenge from Buenos Aires on LAN Cargo. You can read about that process here. My motorcycle arrived three days after I crated it in Buenos Aires. LAN Cargo called to notify me that it would take an additional day to clear customs. Step 1: Go to Cargo Office and pay import fee Step 2: Take paperwork to US Customs and Border Office Step 3: Collect Motorcycle at Cargo Office I … [Read more...]
California to Argentina: Breakdowns and Maintenance
Here’s the rundown of what my 2007 BMW G650X Challenge motorcycle needed over the course of 8 months and 20,000 miles from California to Argentina. Regular Maintenance 3 Rear Tires (Heidenau K60, TKC-80, Conti-Escape) 1 Front Tire (Heidenau K60 - entire trip) Rear Brake Pads: 1 set Chain: 2 (installed in Ecuador) Front and Rear Sprockets: 1 set Rear Wheel Bearings: 1 set Oil Changes: 5 Breakdowns/Replacements Flat Tires: 4 (rear) Mirror mounts: 3 Rear Rack bolts … [Read more...]
