the-incredible-life-and-haunting-death-of-world-traveler-harry-devert/

This guy's story is well known in the ADV community. He made a lot of mistakes. He had no motorcycle experience, hung out late at bars, and then rode haphazardly into an area that almost no one goes to because it is risky. But you wouldn't say America as a whole is dangerous if I decided to ride my bike into Compton and didn't make it out.

The fact is 20 people are killed by cows every year. About the same by horses. Life can be a bitch sometimes. I went to a funeral today of a 19 year old I worked with some. How fucked is that? I think I will choose to live a little over utter safety. Because honestly safety is a fallacy anyway.

You do what you can to mitigate risks to the point you are comfortable. But look at my avatar. It would be far more likely I died doing that then riding South of the border.

If you are familiar with the DR then you know there are a couple of screws for a neutral sensor that can back out in the engine and basically destroy it.

Jumped in and fixed that today. It sucks to spend money and time on something that doesn’t benefit you in a noticeable way but that’s how it goes.

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New bars, risers, and mirrors. Heated grips tomorrow.

Next is lowered pegs and a better seat.

Then a big ugly tank.

ETA: it also appears I may have to leave a bit earlier in order to sail around the gap.

As I continue to improve the DR and surf ARFcom I am seeing a number of guys going through the midlife crisis thing. I am 44, I get it.

Here is the deal, so many of us are looking for something...anything to make our lives a little more full. But I have climbed pyramids, taken sleigh rides down active volcanoes, dodged monkeys and charging brahma bulls and so much more. I have ridden box canyons and baby head roads, taken ferrys to remote islands and eaten street tacos on the roadside. I have met complete strangers who are good friends never to be seen again. I have wondered rain forest filled with Mayan ruins and rode along sandy beaches. But I have never in my life seen the Andes or a salt plain. I have never seen Machu PicChu. I have never touched the Antarctic(Southern) Ocean. But I will.

Here is a little advice about life. We are all going to die. Some of us sooner rather than later but the end result is the same. Ultimately everything you do on this earth will be forgotten in the span of time. So make the most of it. Come along with me if you want to see a world that is absolutely amazing.

I am leaving in almost exactly 12 months. This is no cake walk nor is it boot camp. Generally I ride alone. I ride long days and  I don't stop more than a night very often. I like to explore historical sites. I am not afraid of getting lost. I don't rush but I don't lay around in hostels for days. I am a rolling stone.

I have slept on the ground more times than I can count but will always choose a motel south of the border if I can. I ride early and stop by 4:30 if I can. I drink, but not to excess. My Spanish is shit, but I can ask for the basics. I don't take unnecessary risks and that especially applies to humans.

The rules would be simple. We ride together until we decide not to. No bullshit and no hard feelings. But anyone that came would need to meet three requirements...

1. Know how to ride a motorcycle confidently.
2. Have a at least a semi reliable bike.
3. Don't be a bitch.

We will be hot, cold, tired, miserable and hungry at times. That's adventure travel. But some of you need this and I think it could be cool to have an arfcom expedition. Now I fully expect to go alone because the truth is many people can't bring themselves to take that first step.

Honestly, it is a little hard to do. I am going to swing a leg over my bike and ride away from the love of my life for 3-4 months. But it is who I am and I have to fill the hole in my life. I don't have a mid life crisis because I am too busy living it.

So how do you do it? Its like this, anything can happen in the next twelve months. Shit, this country could be shooting at each other before long. But you have to just make a commitment at some point. "I am going to do this". You may not, I may not, but right now, today, I am leaving in twelve months.

I will see the pyramids, I will sail to the San Blas islands, I will see the Bolivian salt plains, and I will go to Ushuaia and see the ends of the habitable world. It would be cool to have someone to help me pick up my bike when I drop it, but truthfully I have never had that before and it won't stop me from going regardless.

It all starts with you saying "I am going to do this". Everything else is just paperwork and amazing life changing experiences. Most of you are saying I am crazy but there is one or two of you who hear the call and all you have to do is commit to it. A year is plenty of time to get ready but it will be gone in a flash. Can you hear the call?

I know a guy from south America who attempted it about 10 years ago. Ended up getting caught in a roadblock somewhere (can't remember where, his description was "guys with machine guns".)

They didn't hurt him or his friend, but they stole their bikes and gear and they had to walk 20 miles to get help.

Jealous!!

You don’t have to be. Just get a good bike and come along.

Can you imagine if 5 or 6 ARFcommers rode out for this?

@Canoeguy how long are you planning on this taking?

You chose wisely

OP have you watched Itchy Boots on Youtube?

We have a member who biked down south, @RED_5 had a thread on his trip, lots of data.

Good luck

You should be doing the opposite on the trip or practicing.

I am going to be bombing through Central America.

I am going to say three months but allow four.

There are a lot of ADV riders gritting their teeth right now at the rushed pace. But it is what it is. Plus as I mentioned earlier I can’t sit still. I am always wondering what is around the bend. I get on the road early and ride till 4:30 or so.  I don’t rush my ride and I stop when ever I feel like it but I am just a guy who always moves forward.

I have some. For some reason unlike literally everyone else I just have a hard time getting into her videos. I did consider a Himalayan though.

That's a hell of an invite, dude.

I'd like to do similar but in the opposite direction.

AK has called me since I was a kid.

OP, where are you even able to find a custom seat for your bike that comfortably accommodate those giant balls of yours?

My only questions at this point is how late is too late to leave and how early is too early.

I need to make the boat around the Darien which I have learned stops in November.

But I don’t want to leave too early and hit snow in the Andes.

It’s been done many times before. Granted it’s not like your average trip to Walmart but it’s not walking on the moon either.

Granted when you are down some dirt track in who knows where Guatemala and the sun is getting low things can get a bit spicy.

I have utter faith in the thumper. More than any twin I can think of. I won’t be bombing down the Pan Am.

This sounds cool. After you started this thread I began looking into rides. The continental divide trail sounds fun also. I just can’t take 3 months off work though. I wouldn’t have a job to come back to and I like my career.

Not really. Everybody would be free to come and go. It would just be a loose group to increase security, safety, share expenses, and most of all share the experience.

The security thing isn’t a huge factor but it’s nice to have someone at the bikes while the other runs in the store to grab something. It’s also nice to have an extra hand when you drop you bike and are exhausted.

If we had like bikes then we could split up a few spare parts as well, but that you need many.

I get it. It’s not going to be easy for me either. I have to line a ton of stuff up between now and then. Even then I need to work this hopefully into some business promotion.

My bike in Mexico
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My bike in Belize
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My bike in Nicaragua
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Still working on my dr650.

One of my latest favorite quotes:

"It's  not the destination. It's not even the journey. It is the company".

I have found this statement to be exceptionally true.

i got fired last week so i'm down.

have the next six months off at least.

possibly more.

i have no motorbike at the moment, however.  

I think you're going to need a little more attention to detail before world traveling. OP said he's leaving in a year.

more detail:  my passport is also expired.

Looks like an adventure. I'm jealous man.

Sounds like you have a couple of items to work on but we could meet in Cali before crossing over and riding down Baja.

Re: the beautiful BMW set up in the pictures above.  I understand wanting new and reliable, but I would not want to be riding a beautiful new expensive motorcycle through Mexico and central America. Wouldn't be mission call for something that runs like a top but looks like a piece of shit?

I prescribe to that theory but in truth people are more fascinated with riders on these journeys than anything. I doubt it draws too much more attention than any loaded bike in areas where the average motorcycle is a 125.

Even so I don’t mind mine looking a bit rough around the edges. When I get done swapping out my tank this DR will be quite ugly.

I think ugly is a good thing for this kind of trip.

I just want to be sure the bike matches the rider.

Here is a guy that did it on a new KLR. this trip was making him crazy by the end of it.
Notice how dependable the KLR is not.

I remember watching that before. Just to keep it in perspective this is the guy adjusting his chain with vice grips. Multiple times he has an issue and it gets “fixed” but he never says what the problem was.

I am not saying he couldn’t have had a dud KLR, but forget the GS, it’s KLRs that are actually the most well traveled bikes.

Edit: to be more precise it is ridiculous to even have unknown issues on a KLR, DR, or XR. They are so simple that if you remove the clutch safety and side stand safety there is literally only fuel, air, and fire left.

Yea, you could burn a clutch, you could get bad gas, have a wheel bearing shit the bed. But realistically it is either easily repaired or catastrophic on these bikes.

Talk to Red5, he did the trip to Columbia last year?

Awesome OP. I will be Thinking of you guys for the next year wondering if I could do it.

By boat I hope

Have you been watching 'Long Way Up' ?

Definitely by boat. I want to see the San Blas islands.

I will when they drop a few more episodes. I don’t wanna pay for a subscription more than a month. I really am a fan of the first two series and I’m sure I’ll enjoy the third series. They are what they are but they’re still entertaining.

I never said he did.