RIDE Adventures Tours & Rentals

Make Your Own 4x4 Support Truck & Crew on Motorcycle Trips in the Andes

Written by Eric Lange | February 20, 2018

It's full-blown peak season in Patagonia and southern Africa touring season right now, such that I thought it was time to remind everyone about another great service we added last year: 4x4 Adventure Packages

The impetus for this blog post comes on the heels of tough news that yes, a few Adventure Riders have had crashes throughout parts of Namibia and the Andes Mountains down in Chile & Argentina this season. Fortunately nobody has been seriously injured in a life threatening manner, but this is the type of news we hope to avoid in the first place.

In a couple of instances, these Riders were part of group trips we organized, like our Self-Guided, Truck Supported Full Patagonia Adventure tour. The beauty of a trip package like this is that, "we're there with you," or very close behind with the Support Truck and can quickly help getting an injured Rider to the hospital or whatever is needed. Each of our Bi-Lingual Staff Members is very well versed in the region, and of course interested in everyone's safety & comfort on these rigorous trips.

However those Riders who opted for purely Self-Guided motorcycle trips are in a different situation, perhaps needing to rely on a passing vehicle or other means to seek medical attention. (You can see an explanation on our Motorcycle Tours page about each trip format, and what type of support is included.) The local residents and motorists of these rural areas are typically very kind, generous, and helpful people, especially in case of emergency; however, the nature of these packages we arrange for people are such that sometimes there are no passing cars or trucks in such remote areas.

So my point in mentioning our 4x4 Adventure Rental Packages is that these arrangements allows Riders and non-Riders to join together and create their own safety & support system out there in the remote territories of South America. Perhaps your tightest group of friends isn't all motorcycle Riders yet, but those non-Riders still want to be a part of these epic adventure travel opportunities that the Riders have. This allows groups to:

  1. Include Riding and non-Riding friends & family members in these global riding adventures, so everybody gets to enjoy
  2. Have a Support or "Sweep Truck" out there for the ultimate in safety/backup in the case of emergency
  3. Keep luggage off of the motorcycles, and instead have this extra 50-60lbs carried in the 4x4 that is part of the group. (With luggage in the Support Truck, the motorcycle is lighter, and therefore more fun and easy to handle in the first place (plus, "safer overall for the trip!") 
  4. Give a Rider some rest-time, putting the bike up in the truck, and just ride along for a day if needed

Of course these 4x4 Adventure Packages aren't just for joining groups of Riders with their non-Riding friends. Plenty of adventure-minded travelers from around the world are taking the opportunity to make their own Self-Guided 4x4 Adventure with the packages we offer.

Anyone interested in doing so should Contact Us on this form and let us know what you're interested in. Just keep in mind that a) we have a limited fleet of both motorcycles and 4x4's, and b) peak seasons for these vehicles and high demand mean that the dates you want to travel may be sold out 8+ months in advance! 

So long story short: Don't wait if you know you want to try one of these adventures in the Andes. These incredible routes we've carved out in the Andes Mountains have been thrilling motorcycle Riders since we launched RIDE Adventures back in 2010, and now their non-Riding friends get to see what all the rage and Customer Testimonials are about. Although the terrain is changing as pavement is installed in many parts of Chile, Argentina & Peru, there is no shortage of adventure, fun, and exploration to be had ... if you're willing to be an Explorer in the first place : )