South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure

[81cr450]

I''m still on page 5 of this event & just wanted to say, Thank you for the inspiration, doing this on the cheap is what it will require for me to ever make this happen. Hope you realize your living the dream, no matter the travails. I do have an actual question though, have you noticed 2 stroke oil on your gas stops? I bought a XR650l, but 2 stroke oil is required for me. I just HURT 4 strokes. 1 gal/4qts Every 500 miles would fit the bill. It may be a dumb question or one that gets covered in the next 95 pages that I haven't read. Or you mayn't have noticed something you don't need. Anyway well wishes & God's Speed, Scott

[VooDooDaddy]

Originally Posted by 81cr450

I bought a XR650l, but 2 stroke oil is required for me.

No, a HONDA XR650L has a four-stroke engine. It doesn't require 2 stroke oil.

[81cr450]

UHHH I dont put 4 stroke oil in a 2 stroke, sounded bad but I'm not quite that SLowww

I picked up an RMX to replace the XRL & hope a real trip is still possible with the RMX. Oil is my only concern , not a Vag about vibrators. just curious about oil.

& ubber thankful for such a great ride report . SWEET

[trespalacios]

Just talked to John and he's with my dad hard at work taking apart the bike.

[mario33]

Originally Posted by trespalacios

Just talked to John and he's with my dad hard at work taking apart the bike.

Any news on availbility of parts ? Forks especially ?

[Hawk62cj5]

Originally Posted by trespalacios

Just talked to John and he's with my dad hard at work taking apart the bike.

ADV never fails to amaze me on community support .

[VooDooDaddy]

Originally Posted by trespalacios

Just talked to John and he's with my dad hard at work taking apart the bike.

Good news all around. Thank you for the update.

[trespalacios]

Originally Posted by mario33

Any news on availbility of parts ? Forks especially ?

He got there early in the morning. My dad seems to think that the forks and axle are beyond repair. They'll go out this morning to look for parts. I'll update as needed but I don't want to hack his RR. Epic trip!

[SS in Vzla.]

Originally Posted by 81cr450

UHHH I dont put 4 stroke oil in a 2 stroke, sounded bad but I'm not quite that SLowww

I picked up an RMX to replace the XRL & hope a real trip is still possible with the RMX. Oil is my only concern , not a Vag about vibrators. just curious about oil.

& ubber thankful for such a great ride report . SWEET

It's easier to find two stroke oil in Latin America than in the US as a LOT of the little motorcycles people use as daily transportation are two stroke. You can basically find it in (almost) every fuel station.

[jjmalone]

Originally Posted by JDowns

It's Wednesday morning 9AM and I'm still watching the world go by in Turbo waiting for a truck to take the Sherpa to Medellin. I'm getting very good at people watching. Along with improving my Spanish mechanical vocabulary.

Mis botellas de escopias se quebradas= my fork lowers are broken

mi eje es mierda= my axle is shit

¿Cuánto cuesta un frontal usado?= how much for a used front end?

I don't really care when I get to Medellin, so the truck will probably come shortly. If I really was pressed for time it would take two weeks. In Latin America there seems to be an inverse relationship on how long things take. It has to do with the square root of the time you have available divided by your expectations. I'm still working on the formula.

more later…..

I love that. For a lifetime I have tried to use logic on human motives and events and developing axiomatic formulas. So far none has worked except one; the second you have it figured out, solidifying the concept in your mind somehow nullifies it!

I’ve been enjoying your report. Thanks.
JJ

[trespalacios]

It looks like things are working out favorably for John according to my dad. It seems he's already a pretty popular guy . I've been told he's preparing a status update that includes a funny story Colombian style.

[TengaiJohn]

Originally Posted by trespalacios

I've been told he's preparing a status update that includes a funny story Colombian style.

Dos tipos estan sentados en un bar, uno le dice al otro.....

[JDowns]

Just a quick update. Left Turbo on a truck last night at 5 and drove through the night. Got to Medellin at 4AM after making stops. It was too late to deliver the bike over to the garage, so the truckdriver went to the main freight terminal and I slept on the cement next to the truck. At 7AM a Nissan Sentra arrived and the truck driver informed me he was unloading the Sherpa from the big truck and handing it off to the Sentra. I have pictures of the Sherpa stuffed in the trunk but am at Orlandos house and using his computer.

Trespalacios Dad is a great guy. He is a real go getter. Had the bike out of the Sentra and strung up inside with the front forks stripped off before too long. Rode around looking for used forks and finally found an old school mechanic who had fork tubes the same diameter and spacing as the Sherpa. Perfect fit. I could hardly believe it. This means I can re-use the Sherpa triple clamps on the new forks.

The old mechanics name is Eduardo and he had a 36 spoke hub that lines up with the Sherpa rim and a good used front rotor. So he is busy putting it all together so I can bolt the new front end on. Total cost for new forks, axle, brake rotor, and wheel re-lacing is 670,000 pesos. I think around 375.00 or so. I'm heading over tomorrow to watch him work.

So it doesn't take long to get things fixed in Medellin if you have something you need done. I will spend some time servicing the bike as well.

Have to go, more tomorrow.

Hasta Mañana,
Juan Mechanico

[Klay]

Outstanding.

[zilla]

Great to hear John!