ADV Riders in Chile

[porkandcorn]

thanks. once at oilague, are you suggesting i should i go west into bolivia? or continue back to to the coast, arica, and then into boliva via lauca national park? i know some of this is subjective, but i'm trying to get a sense of which roads are more moto-friendly. my offroad skills are not fully developed, but i do have gravel, dirt experience. sounds like the pass from san pedro de atacama (52) to jujuy might be a bit much for me, and i have heard that the roads from atacama heading north into uyuni are very, very difficult roads with a lot of sand, something i would like to avoid.

thanks again for your input. your travel blog is very inspiring.

[Malindi]

Originally Posted by porkandcorn

thanks. once at oilague, are you suggesting i should i go west into bolivia? or continue back to to the coast, arica, and then into boliva via lauca national park? i know some of this is subjective, but i'm trying to get a sense of which roads are more moto-friendly. my offroad skills are not fully developed, but i do have gravel, dirt experience. sounds like the pass from san pedro de atacama (52) to jujuy might be a bit much for me, and i have heard that the roads from atacama heading north into uyuni are very, very difficult roads with a lot of sand, something i would like to avoid.

thanks again for your input. your travel blog is very inspiring.

If you have gravel and dirt experience, you won't have a problem with Oilague to Uyuni or Calama to Oilague. It's gravel, and mostly you can go 30-40 mph. There are a few soft spots, but very short, a few hundred yards here and there and well marked. Yes, unless you are a good off-road rider, you don't want to take the San Pedro road. From San Pedro to Calama is all pavement, then about 40 kms of pavement towards Oilague, then dirt. At the border it gets much better and Bolivia border to Uyuni is all hard-packed smooth dirt. Note that there is no wifi in Uyuni at all, except for one (expensive) hotel (400 Bolivianos/night). I stayed at Hotel Avenida (something starting with an A... lat/lon S20 27.772 W66 49.381). They have bike parking. 100 Bolivianos for a room with private bathroom.

Take Tunupa Tours (a few doors down from the hostel) for a 3 day tour through the Salar de Uyuni. Not worth wrecking your bike with the salt. All-in tour was 680 Bolivianos (nice Lexus 470 offroad machine).

Btw, Uyuni to Oruro is all perfectly new asphalt if you go Uyuni, Potosi, Challapata, Oruro.

[studioe6]

Hello

Is "ride-chile" a reliable place to rent a motorcycle?

Thanks

[Horton]

A not-bike-relavant question to the Chilenos here. The german cousin of a friend invite us, when we are back in Santiago, for a BBQ. He is married with a Chilena.

Now the Question, what present for the host, the wife? In germany you can take some nice flowers for this reason. . .


We are staying in Antofagasta for the year changing. Hope, you all have a good party to night. . .


Mr.&Mrs.Horton

[Salva]

Flowers will be more than OK.
Enjoy your BBQ!

[Horton]

Txs.

[Redhed]

Happy New Year to All
I am currently in Huasco, and heading south towards Valipriso. I am very interested in cheering on Don Hatton and Simon Pavey in the upcoming Dakar. Does anyone have any hints as how to best view the race, with emphasis on the moto sections?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Horton]

Originally Posted by porkandcorn

need some more specific info about which of these 2 possible routes to take if anyone could provide some input. if i have it all wrong and need to do something else, let me know!

OPTION 1: paso san francisco - bahia englesa - antofagasta - atacama desert - san salvador de jujuy via paso de jama to villazon - uyuni - potosi - sucre - santa cruz, bolivia

OPTION 2: paso san francisco - bahia englesa - antofagasta - atacama desert - iquique - arica - lauca national park - oruru - uyuni - sucre - santa cruz, bolivia

google map of options 2: http://goo.gl/maps/z46Oc

thanks. fritz.

On your way from Antofagasta to Calama, first Routa 5, then 25. Take a look to your right, when you searching for place to stay for a night. Half way to Calama, they are some ruins. Only a little bit away from the road. Good, to see a hell lot of stars during the night. . .

When you want to camp near the sea. You need tent nails for a hard ground. And forget the „Playa del xyz". They didn't habe services. Look out for your own beach place.

[porkandcorn]

thanks horton. and thank you everyone else for you input. i don't want to hijack your thread, so if anyone has any other thoughts or is interested in a beer or wine along the way, PM me.

fritz

[Steelybeast]

Originally Posted by studioe6

Hello

Is "ride-chile" a reliable place to rent a motorcycle?

Thanks

I would be interested to know too as looking at them for apossible rental in early 2014.

[gummikuh]

Hi guy's!

Finally we're back in Chile and on our way ( more or less) to the caretera Austral.
At the moment we're in Puntas Arenas and in need of a spezial BMW bearing.

Anyone has a good idea ( appart from BMW Santiago and Motoaventura) where to get BMW parts?
It's the bearing between Finaldrive and swingarm the BMW no. is 33172311091

Any help is much apreciated!!!! THX!!!!


Werner + Claudia

[COBob]

I heard that the pass between Santiago and Mendoza, Paso Internacional Los Libertadores, is under some sort of construction and we should not use the pass as there are long delays. We planned on taking the pass the first of next month. Anyone have any local information?

[porkandcorn]

Originally Posted by COBob

I heard that the pass between Santiago and Mendoza, Paso Internacional Los Libertadores, is under some sort of construction and we should not use the pass as there are long delays. We planned on taking the pass the first of next month. Anyone have any local information?

i was planning on taking this pass on january 15. i would also be interested to know if anyone has any information or knows where it can be found.

also, somewhat related, but found this nice summary of highway-border-crossings-between-chile-and-argentina.

[BjoernTheH]

Hey COBob and porkandcorn
you are right about the delay, here the original text from the official government Homepage
http://www.pasosfronterizos.gov.cl/n924_21-12-2012.html

Debido a obras de repavimentación en el Sector Los Caracoles, desde el 7 de enero y por cinco meses regirá un nuevo cronograma para atravesar la cordillera:
* De Argentina a Chile el horario será de 08:00 hrs. hasta las 19:00 Hrs,
* De Chile a Argentina el horario será 20:00 hrs. a 07:00 Hrs de la mañana.
Esta modalidad permitirá aprovechar las 14 casillas instaladas en el Sector Siberia del complejo Los Libertadores, que durante la época estival estarán abiertas en la franja horaria propuesta por la provincia.
Además se informa que pueden utilizar sin problemas el Paso Fronterizo Pehuenche en la Provincia de Talca, cuyo horario de funcionamiento será desde las 08:00 hrs a las 18:00 Hrs.

in english that means:
starting from the 7th of january for five month they are fixing the pavement at the area of "Los Caracoles"
so the road is opened from Argentina to Chile from 08:00 am to 07:00pm
and from Chile to Argentina from 08:00 pm to 07:00 am

as alternative you can use Paso Fronterizo Pehuenche in the Talca area thats open from 08:00am to 06:00pm

hope I could be of any help for you.
Cheers
B.

Originally Posted by COBob

I heard that the pass between Santiago and Mendoza, Paso Internacional Los
Libertadores, is under some sort of construction and we should not use the pass as there are long delays. We planned on taking the pass the first of next month. Anyone have any local information?

[porkandcorn]

Originally Posted by BjoernTheH

in english that means:
starting from the 7th of january for five month they are fixing the pavement at the area of "Los Caracoles"
so the road is opened from Argentina to Chile from 08:00 am to 07:00pm
and from Chile to Argentina from 08:00 pm to 07:00 am

as alternative you can use Paso Fronterizo Pehuenche in the Talca area thats open from 08:00am to 06:00pm

hope I could be of any help for you.
Cheers
B.

hey thanks for that info. if i am passing from chile to argentina, would it work to ride the chile side up to the frontera (arriving before 7am), then wait the hour for the switch and come down the argentina side after it opens at 8am???