- David Wood from Oregon in the U.S. set out on a solo motorcycle trip through Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego all the way to Ushuaia at "The End of the World!" Thanks for commenting that our Patagonia motorcycle rentals performed well for you, and that you enjoyed your trip, David!
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"A much belated review, our trip to Chile was in January 2020, just under the Covid wire. Eric and Christine were instrumental in having the bike portion of our adventure become a success. We were grateful to Christine for suggesting we include the Ruta de los Siete Lagos in Argentina in our agenda, and it was absolutely spectacular. Thanks to our contact in Pucon, all border crossings were seamless and we felt very supported with the route we had planned, our personal safety and the safety of the bike. We feel very fortunate to have had such a wonderful experience, especially in light of what happened worldwide shortly after our trip. Thanks to all, and here's hoping more adventures will follow!" |
-Andrea and Scott not only had a successful adventure ride on a BMW F800GS with our Patagonia Motorcycle Rentals, but they got an article about the trip published in the Canadian magazine, "Inside Motorcycles" (see the Feb/March 2021 issue.)
- Antoine de Braquilanges from France conquered Patagonia in early 2020 Self-Guided, and using one of our BMW F750GS Motorcycle Rentals in Patagonia. Folks, whether you're part of one of our groups, or taking on the challenge of Patagonia alone or with a few friends, ya just gotta see this place!
Ulli was exceptionally helpful whether with route suggestions, changing panniers, supplying pannier bags, new maps [and exceptionally fairly not charging me for a bracket which broke supporting one of the panniers when i returned the bike as he could see it was not due to a fall] as well as some very well received cold drinks on his porch when picking up and dropping off bikes!
-Barrett, Ireland, March 2017"
- Barrett and his friends are making us stand tall and proud with huge smiles after trip reports like this! Please remember though, Patagonia motorcycle rentals should be reserved 8-12+ months in advance, as the season sell out early. Barrett, we're glad you guys planned well ahead, and enjoyed your adventure ride: )
- Moments and photos like this one from Bastian Guenther are a treasured part of any "Self-Guided Fly & Ride The Patagonia Experience" trip on our BMW GS rentals. We're just glad you finished this tough ride safely, Bastian. Knew very well that Patagonia would make the trip an excellent one for you.
"If you’re considering to rent through RIDE Adventures – do it! We rented an F700GS in Chile back in November and had the best experience from beginning to end – everyone we talked to was so helpful and answered to our questions in a very short time. Before our trip Eric was very helpful with every question we had and made us feel really great about everything. When we got to the rental place outside Pucon we were met by Ulli, who took his time to get us started with the bike and gave us all the necessary information about both the bike, the different route options, border crossing and so on. The bike was great for our 2-up ride and worked perfectly without any problems. Ulli had even considered giving us a bike that was a bit better geared for riding 2-up – a more comfy back seat and larger side cases, which we really appreciated. All in all, it was an excellent experience renting through the RIDE Adventures :)"
- Casper and Sarah from Denmark set up a Self-Guided "Fly & RIDE The Best of Northern Patagonia!" adventure with us, and apparently enjoyed what they discovered. Glad for it, Casper, so come on back for more riding in the Andes sometime : )
- David and Marina Belton enjoyed the variety of riding in Patagonia, from the tight, valley-lined roads to the wide open spaces on our "Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & Ushuaia!" Self-Guided Motorcycle Trip Package. Come again, and thanks for sharing!
- Dominic Ginder and his father, Bob, made excellent use of 16 days of riding time with their Motorcycle Rentals in Patagonia. Dominic, you're correct as well about future plans for Croatia. So much to explore by motorcycle!
"FYI, I got back to Uvalde Texas yesterday afternoon. It was a great trip, I would sum it up as successful. The hotels, restaurants, and bike you choose were the best. The route and scenery was unbelievable. The weather was a bigger obstacle than I expected as were some of the roads. Nothing really difficult but 2700 miles was a challenge. Did I tell you that I celebrated my 70th birthday during the ride? Also I met lots of interesting people. I’m headed to Colorado to ski in ten days. And then???
- Congratulations to Ed Carnes from Texas for celebrating his 70th year with a successful solo Self-Guided "Fly & RIDE Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & Ushuaia" trip! We sometimes wonder if some riders have read too much about the drama of Patagonia's conditions and are turned away as a result. Yes, winds and conditions can be tough sometimes, but Ed just showed us all how to do it: Be patient, keep at it, ride smart without showing off for your friends, and most careful, experienced dual sport riders can enjoy some of the world's best riding safely. This photo taken and recognized as the spot where RIDE Adventures was born by the simple thought "more people need to experience this." Ed had a few clouds that day, but when that sun cracks and the waters turn bright blue ... oh what a site.
La moto gs 1200 lc estaba en perfecto estado, casi nueva y con el neumatico trasero nuevo.
Gracias por vuestro buen trabajo"
- For those who haven't practiced their Spanish since high school, Victor Vivaracho (from Spain) is very happy with how his Patagonia Motorcycle Rental experience with RIDE Adventures went. (Approx: "The trip was perfect. The BMW R1200GS LC was in perfect condition, almost new and with a new rear tire. Thanks for your good work.") Glad you enjoyed, Victor!
-The epitome of adventure riding, Fabricio and Quel from Brazil flew into the face of the Coronavirus situation, and made the best out of their Self-Guided Fly & RIDE The Best of Northern Patagonia package. What an amazing time in our world history to carry out such a trip, congrats, Fabricio!
Everything went smooth, thank you for the guide notes and the maps you have provided, which led us to some of the most amazing places we’ve ever seen, and also kept us safe! We had absolutely no problem whatsoever, bike, staff everything was great."
- Flaviu Dan from Romania was inspired enough by his customized Self-Guided "Fly & RIDE The Patagonia Experience" on a BMW F700GS that he just reached out about a year later to share. With a photo and words that summarize the trip, we are SO glad you enjoyed, Flaviu! That feeling of freedom and exploration of the beautiful Patagonia region puts a huge smile on lots of Riders' faces :)
- Nothing puts a bigger smile on our faces than comments like these from George Mulligan, on the heels of his "Self-Guided, Truck Supported Full Patagonia Adventure." Thanks again, George!
"We just returned last night from Rio de Janeiro where we spent the last week of our vacation. Our motorcycle trip was an incredible adventure. I have learned that riding on gravel can have many different meanings. Just when I thought I was getting really good at that, I had an intimate experience with an Argentinian ripio !
- Hal and Natasa from Canada booked well in advance for their motorcycle rental on a Self-Guided journey through Patagonia. Even a simple flat tire becomes a story and fond memory on these adventures, and we raise a glass of Chilean Carménère to you both!
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Pucón, Chile
Whether you’re taking extra time to explore the capital city of Santiago or just flying through, riders need to arrive in Pucón on or before this date, as we’ll be departing early the next morning. Your intra-Chile flights can be booked through www.lan.com or www.skyairline.cl - (Flight should be Santiago (SCL) to Temuco (ZCO)
After a one-hour shuttle service from Temuco, we reach Pucón, a charming mountain town nestled at the base of Volcano Villarica in the breathtaking Chilean Lake District. We‘ll get you acquainted with your bike and sign off on some final paperwork before our group meets for the Welcome Dinner.
Day 2: Pucon, Chile to Pacific coast near Valdivia - 250km (155 miles)
After our morning briefing there at our hotel, it's time to start our RIDE through Patagonia!
Alongside the shore line of Lago Villarrica, we leave the active Volcano Villarrica behind and follow Rio Tolten all the way to the Pacific Ocean where we will enjoy excellent sea food, fresh from the richest waters of the Pacific. Our destination for today is Valdivia, one of the first settlements in southern Chile and a town destroyed in 1960 by the strongest earthquake ever recorded (9.5 on the Richter scale.) Today, the fish market in Valdivia offers the ocean's freshest catches while huge sea lions are usually seen hanging around, hoping for a snack.
Valdivia is also home of one of Chile's first Micro Breweries, founded by German “Herr Kunstmann” should you be thirsty at the end of the day.
Day 3: Valdivia, Chile to Bariloche, Argentina - 340 km (211 miles)
Today we leave the Pacific Ocean and ride the Pan-American Highway for a short distance before lunch and our first Andes Mountain crossing near National Park Puyehue. This allows riders to experience first-hand how nature recovers from the eruption of the volcano Puyehue in 2011, as remnants of ash are still in the area.
Fortunately, a twisting mountain road through the National Park leads to a first encounter with Argentina! Enjoying the lakeside route to Villa Angostura, a cozy little ski resort and vacation town, after lunch will continue along the shore of Lago Nahuel Huapi and yet another ski resort town of Bariloche. Settling down into this bustling town and enjoying a first Argentine "asado" (barbeque) in this lively town puts yet another great experience under our belts (literally in this case.) If arrival is early enough, riders can enjoy the “Circuit Chico,” which is a one hour loop through the famous Llao Llao Resort area, with many fantastic view points and a gorgeous sunset over Lago Nahuel Huapi.
Day 4: Bariloche to Tecka, Argentina – 360 km (224 miles)
Leaving the fun town of Bariloche, means the ride down the legendary "Ruta 40" begins, as sweeping turns take us through the Patagonia Mountains of Argentina and more authentic adventure riding. El Bolsón, the old hippie town, is perfect for lunch, and sets things up for what may be some strong winds the rest of the day, as cold Andes Mountains winds come hustling down into the pampas in a hurry. The Andes will stay within site the entire day, although the ride is moving further east toward the Atlantic. Tecka is one of the last towns we can stay in before the most open and vast territory of the trip is conquered the following day.
Day 5: Tecka to Puerto Madryn, Argentina & The Atlantic Ocean - 560km (348 miles)
Today we will experience the vast emptiness of the Argentine pampas, an experience that really shows us the incredible contrasts in the natural setting that is wild Patagonia. Strong winds can always be a factor east of the Andes, but in this case the winds will mostly be at our back.
Across these plains regions is where much of the Argentine beef and lamb we have the option to enjoy is raised, so along with the occasional guanaco (like a small llama) bouncing through the area, it's important to keep a steady focus on the road ahead of the motorcycle, and not get caught staring off at the golden scenery. Through Trelew, we reach the Atlantic Ocean near Puerto Madryn, where we enjoy fresh seafood again, directly from the ocean before us and settle down into our hotel for a much-deserved rest day off the bikes.
Day 6: Rest Day in Puerto Madryn, Argentina
While we all love to ride motorbikes, it's important to rest as well, especially on an international adventure like this where a case of "sensory overload" can get the best of anyone. The abundent sea life around Peninsula Valdez and Puerto Madryn is a welcome setting for whale watching, fishing, scuba & snorkeling, and photography with the sea lions, orcas and penguins seasonally amongst us. It is all here, so have a great day in Argentina!
Day 7: Puerto Madryn to near Neuquen, Argentina - 560 km (348 miles)
Back in the saddle again! Today we ride one of the longest stretches of our tour, from the Atlantic Ocean back along more northerly routes in the Argentine pampas regions. We'll follow the Rio Negro for most of the day and likely meet folks from Buenos Aires, as many Argentine folks choose Bariloche as a vacation spot an need to traverse their country to reach it's westernmost town from back on Day 3 of this trip.
Day 8: Neuquen area to Pucon, Chile - 580 km (360 miles)
Nearing the Andes Mountains once again! These 580 km will again make for a long day, but with twisting roads through Argentine valleys, nobody seems to mind. Near Junin de los Andes enjoy National Park Lanín and the volcano with the same name measuring 3,728m (12,230ft) at it's peak. With many active volcanoes in the area often making the news around this area of the world, it's best to keep eyes and ears open at all times.
Paso Mamuil Malal leads us back to Chile from near the base of the Lanín Volcano, amongst what is also known as Native Mapuche territory. Passing 1,000+ year-old Araucania trees, the ride continues through National Park Villarrica before descending back into the welcome site and our "hometown" of Pucón. Completing this incredible motorcycle trip means you've crossed the South American continent (almost) twice, and that is a major accomplishment!
Day 9: Departure day, transfer to Temuco Airport, flights if you must leave!
If you absolutely have to leave this day, we do understand you'll be fighting the temptation to skip the flight. Chile and Patagonia has so much more to offer and we have so much more to show you, so we hope you enjoyed it and come back to join us for another Patagonia Trip.
BMW F750GS
X
32.1 in
493lb / 223kg
4 gal / 15 L
853 cc
BMW F850GS
X
33.9 in
504lb / 229kg
4 gal / 15 L
853 cc
BMW R1200GS Adventure (2014+ Liquid Cooled)
X
35.0 in
580 lbs
7.93 gal
1170 cc
BMW R1250GS
X
33.5/34.3 in
549lb/249kg
5.3gal / 20 L
1254 cc
CF Moto MT800
The MT800 is a versatile adventure bike with amazing capabilities both on the asphalt and off-road. The light and powerful frame works with KYB’s multi-adjustable suspensions and the powerful 800cc engine with 95hp, giving it a vibrant road and excellent performance. Powerful braking with cornering ABS, slip clutch and Full Led lights with cornering function dramatically increase road safety. But in terms of comfort, the 800MT excels, as it is equipped with Cruise Control, high adjustable windshield and an impressive 7 “color screen with the ability to view Navigation, phone calls, music, and of course a clear display of all information on the instrument panel.
- Wet Weight - 509 lbs
- Seat Height - 32.5 inches
- Fuel Capacity - 5 gal
X
32.5 in
509 lbs
5 gal
800cc
Honda Africa Twin
X
33.5/34.3 in
511 lb
4.96 gal
998 cc
Honda CB500X
Another recent assertion by Honda Motorcycles into the Adventure Riding world, riders seeking a compact-sized adventure bike have been raving about the CB500X. With plenty of power emanating from the parallel-twin engine, and an agile disposition, everything from paved twisties to gravel, dirt, and sand can be conquered with this fun adventuring option.
- Wet Weight - 428lbs
- Seat Height - 31.8 inches
- Fuel Capacity - 4.6 gal
X
31.8 in
428lbs
4.6 gal
471cc Parallel Twin