In some ways motorcycles are the ideal overlanding platform. They’re inexpensive, sip fuel, can get through stalled traffic, or down the narrowest trail. In my experience, they’re two to three times faster over rough roads than 4x4s. And, as this beautiful video shows, they even work for very long distance travel.
Between 2010 and 2012 Alex Chacon, a recent BioMed graduate from the University of Texas, spent just over 500 days traveling up, down, and across the Americas, from Alaska to the Tip of South America, on his motorcycle, a 2007 KLR 650. It looks like it was a stunning trip. If you’d like to dig deeper, his YouTube channel covers his journey in twelve episodes.
Here’s more info on his KLR, the way he equipped it, and why he chose it over a BMW or KTM. He also set up a consulting service to assist other travels wanting to head south.
About the Author
By day, Nik Schulz creates illustrations and infographics for the country’s top magazines and ad agencies (L-Dopa Design and Illustration). By night he blogs about his twin passions, vehicles and adventure travel, on both the site he founded, West County Explorers Club, as well as on Expedition Portal. He’s based in western Sonoma County, California, where he lives with his amazing girlfriend, Natalie. Together, and with friends, they explore the west in Nik’s modified Mitsubishi Montero. This summer they will live and work from a sailboat while exploring the Pacific Northwest’s Salish Sea.