I haven’t seen the movie yet, but im downloading it , and I think I would probably be one of the only people you’ll meet that is down to join you lol. I don’t know much about the road ways or the region but I can think of a couple things that may be helpful, one is do you know spanish? because that may be helpful in any situation, and 2 is that their are people living in all of these places you plan on going to, so if they can prosper there, then there is no reason a young traveller can not visit safely, I mean as long as you don’t stick out like a sore thumb signalling to any mischievious people to come take advantage then i think you will be ok.

David

Unfortunately, those crazy stories that people respond with are b/c they are often true! I’ll check with my Argentine friend as to S. America and get back to you. But as for Central America, I have many personal experiences.

I lived and worked in Honduras and traveled throughout the entire country as well as into Nicaragua and Guatemala. These countries are poor and very corrupt when it comes to police and/or military. There are checkpoints often and they may f—k with you just because they can. Also, while I was working at the embassy, a Honduran man who was visiting with his family (he’s now an American citizen) in Honduras—they were stopped at a fake checkpoint and robbed. YES—this stuff really does happen in these countries. Talk to locals and get tips on the best routes to take. Sometimes you need to add a few hours to your journey, but it means going along a safer route. AND, be aware that many roads are mountainous (and only one lane in either direction) and big rig trucks fight with speeding little pick ups for the right of way…I saw more than my share of accidents as there really are no rules of the road there.

Also, beware—Mexico is one of the ‘more’ dangerous countries to drive through. I suggest to bring lots of bribe money. At the same time, the Americas are absolutely beautiful and the everyday people you will meet are some of the kindest. It’d be an experience of a lifetime—just be smart about it is all. Che lived in a different time…

I did not drive through South America, but I traveled through quite a lot of it. I’m with Tracy — that kind of roadtrip is possible, but you need to choose your destinations carefully and research thoroughly, both before you go and while you are traveling. As I learned in Peru (do a search for a post called "safety notes on Peru" if you want the full details), lone travelers are particular targets in non-touristed areas. I met another traveler who was robbed of literally everything he owned while roadtripping through Brazil. His jeep, although not terribly nice by our standards, could feed South American family for quite awhile, so it’s no surprise that some cocaine-addled carjackers relieved him of it on an isolated bend in the road. Driving from the tip of Chile to the USA is probably not possible due to the unfortunate position of Colombia. Driving through there — by yourself or otherwise — is just asking to get kidnapped or murdered.

Aside from the threat of theft, I think you’d need to consider what you’d do if your motorcycle broke down while you were traveling alone. A nice American motorcycle would make you a target for thieves, but the kind you would buy in South America may not be reliable. In some countries, like Ecuador, there are settlements every few miles. In Peru and especially Bolivia, villages are few and far between. Walking between them is complicated by the thin air and high altitude. A lot of villagers don’t speak Spanish.

There are a couple paved highways in Bolivia and most of the main roads in Peru and Ecuador are paved. Chile and Argentina have nice modern roads, though some of the smaller ones are not paved. Some of the dirt roads in Bolivia are pretty terrifying — even though they are extremely narrow and run down the side of a cliff, they are almost all 2-way. The smaller vehicle, such as a motor-cycle, is expected to wait on the edge of the cliff to let bigger traffic pass.

All in all, I think Chile, Argentina and Bolivia would probably the safest places for what you’re thinking of. I think you’d be absolutely safe in Chile — it’s not such a poor country and hitchiking is really common there, so highway banditry is not a problem. You could bet on getting a safe ride if your motorcycle broke down. Bolivia, in spite of being one of the poorest countries in the world, is also really safe. You don’t hear the horror stories about it that you do about most other South American countries. Hikers in more rural areas do occasionally get mugged, but the stories aren’t as scary as the ones you hear from Peru and Ecuador. The LP Bolivia has some tips about which roads are safe.

Good luck!

Meredith is right. There are no roads in the "Darien Gap" section of Panama (between Panama City and the Colombian border, so you would have to take your bike on a ferry from either Colombia or Venezuela to Panama City. All in all, I’d say your best bet for travelling would be to take the Panamerican Highway, which travels close to the big cities and civilization, so it’d be easier to find help if your bike broke down and accommodation when you are tired.

Good luck!