Off on a trip to States and beyond.....

[Jem]

So I'm hopping on a plane in Jan to the USA and am going to ride around the southern states (I don't like the cold) for the winter months and am pretty sure I'll be diving into Mexico too, then as it warms up I'll be go further north. Altogether I'll be away for up to 5 months.
So has anyone ridden in the states or Mexico and got any amazing routes they'd recommend?
To say I'm excited would be a ridiculously huge understatement and to say I'm bricking it would also be a ridiculously huge understatement!!!
I'm going on my own too so if you know any lovely bikers out there (or if there's any members out there) who are happy to receive visitors and might like to go for a ride, then let me know

[Jacqueslemac]

Go girl!

Advrider is the place for buckets of advice and for meeting other travellers. I'm sure you won't be alone any more than you choose to be.

[cookingfat]

Go for it. How much are you planning on spending? Are you going to ride a rented bike or buy one? Have you sorted out your various insurances?

Lucky, lucky Jem.

UP THE WORKERS!

[tramp]

nice one jem
dont forget the font of all knowledge the "hubb" , are you using a sat nav if so get the relevent mapping before you go and a hand held compass and map.

best bet for mexico is "baja" loads off road routes and plenty texmex food have you read "lois on the losse" great reading for the adventerious "lady " traveller .

when I was younger just worked till I had enough money then bought the cheapest flight to anywhere I had not been and stayed till the money ran out bets days of my life " freedom " the worlds a lot smaller these days but travel by bike and feel the space open up before you.

Russ

[Jem]

Go girl!

Advrider is the place for buckets of advice and for meeting other travellers. I'm sure you won't be alone any more than you choose to be.

Have been looking at Advrider and Hubb already so will definitely use both of those especially Adv for the states.
I've been looking at insurance options and found a good company - obviously can't insure until I have the bike which I'll buy over there, shame they don't have many transalps over there. So I'll see what comes up.... And I'll be on a minimal budget so I doubt it'll be a GS or KTM

See you for the maintenance day James

[cookingfat]

Kawka KLR 650's seem very popular and bomb proof.

Geoff

[tramp]

yeh second that geoff,
once had a klr600 with electric and kick start with clutch decompression lever, great bike and tall so should suit you Jem. loads in the states very economical and not to vibey.

Russ

[GOG 007]

Good on ya Jem, you are doing what a load of us would like to do, but can't for various reasons, if you are going anywhere near Texas, these guys seem a friendly bunch, and they will love a Brit Chick doing a trip www.twtex.com also have a look at www.transamtrail.com but this is going north. Advrider is a great resource also, as previously stated. Have a great time and be safe, take a netbook and keep us informed, with loads of pictures, you also might want to invest in one of these in case of emergency SPOT Europe :: English God I hate you already and you ain't left yet

[pete h]

I am very very green at the moment Jem, I did something similar 12 years ago, rode from Orlando to Nashville on a rental Honda Interceptor, a VFR to you and me.

Best to avoid interstates and go on nothing bigger than a US route if you can avoid it.

Absolute highlight was the road through the Great Smokey Mountains, through Tuskegee and up to Knoxville, Tenn, I think it was US28 but the route was signed as Gt Smoky Mountains Expressway, views to die for, great little towns to stop at for coffee and sandwiches the size of your head, and always someone wanting to chat bikes with you, even if I was on a "rice-burner".

Avoid cities, don't speed - sheriffs are everywhere and they love to issue citations (they didn't seem to take warrant card).

Tbh I don't think it matters what bike you do the trip on, as long as you're doing it.

Enjoy.

[Jem]

Kawka KLR 650's seem very popular and bomb proof.

Geoff

I've been looking on ADVrider fleamarket and these look ideal and within my budget.
It's always good to have it confirmed by others too though

And will look up those websites Grumpy

and cheers for the road recommendations Pete



Am getting ridiculously excited!!!!!