Short Circuiting South America

**madaru moto** · 09-09-2021, 05:51 AM

Day one and first 390 kms of what ended up being an epic 8 year, 86,457 km motorbike odyssey. I leave urban Cusco in drizzling rain on my brand new Chinese bike in the company of Angelo, an experienced motorcycle guide. En route we ride over the high mountain pass of Abra La Raya, before entering the altiplano and heading for Puno on Lake Titicaca.

**madaru moto** · 09-24-2021, 12:32 AM

Day 2 didnt exactly go according to plan...
.

**bikerdoc** · 09-25-2021, 12:05 AM

Thanks for sharing an epic journey
Looks like an adventure...
Great editing and inclusion of maps and history

i'm guessing that the 3 wheeler you spotted (while your tyre puncture was being repaired, wasn't abandoned. Like many parts of Asia, vehicles and bikes that one might assume are abandoned aren't - even if non-running the vehicle often still represents monetary value to the owner...

Do you have the links for other videos (ep1-9) in your series?

**madaru moto** · 09-25-2021, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by bikerdoc

Thanks for sharing an epic journey
Looks like an adventure...
Great editing and inclusion of maps and history

i'm guessing that the 3 wheeler you spotted (while your tyre puncture was being repaired, wasn't abandoned. Like many parts of Asia, vehicles and bikes that one might assume are abandoned aren't - even if non-running the vehicle often still represents monetary value to the owner...

Do you have the links for other videos (ep1-9) in your series?

Hi Bikerdoc, I am glad you enjoyed it!
I said it looked "half abandoned", because it wasn't locked up and some of its cables were just hanging loose. Having spent around 20 years in South America, leaving a bike unlocked like that beside a major highway does seem a bit odd to me, but you're quite right, probably it wasn't abandoned.
I have a channel dedicated to this trip (link below) but the first 6 episodes are quite long and will almost certainly bore you, I dont actually buy the bike until the end of episode 6. The first 6 episodes are a mish-mash of Australia, South America, India and SE Asia when I procrastinated about which bike to buy, I posted them more as a personal vlog so my family and friends could know what I was up to. I finally buy the bike at the 58 minute mark of episode 6, I am pretty sure only from there onwards it would start to get interesting for readers of MyChinaMoto! Also currently there are several numberless episodes shot much later in Brazil that I will later take down and re-edit as they contain too many mistakes. (I posted them when I was bored and didn't have access to my old hard discs from the beginning of the trip)

Link to my YT channel "Short Circuiting South America" (my surname is Short, my YT name is Gringo Loco):
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...raOFM5fD_xlOxB

EDIT: actually I just noticed the cargo trike isn't there when Angelo rode off following the tyre repair, so obviously it wasn't abandoned or even broken down.

**bikerdoc** · 09-26-2021, 02:00 AM

No worries... I wasn't being serious in regards to my comment 'abandoned or not'

It is what it is, and like many vehicles in various parts of Asia, Africa and elsewhere, which are considered more a form of utilitarian mode of transport (work) than a vehicle of leisure, so long as the engine still runs and the vehicle is usable it is put to work/use.

Can be quite the contrary to vehicles abandoned in parts of the OZ 'outback' which can be exactly that - abandoned, despite being still serviceable if it wasn't for the impressive distance one would need to overcome to rescue/repair said vehicle. Unfortunately such vehicles end up being vandalised, stripped or both before being retrieved, repaired or reacquainted with the owner... if at all.

Even a fully mobile vehicle not abandoned, is at risk, to those who see little to no value in working and obtaining said vehicle through legitimate means

Thanks for sharing your YT channel link