Quote from: Speeddog on June 24, 2013, 02:10:17 PM
<snip>

Dunno when you plan to go, but it's pretty hot and humid and rainy from now 'til ~November December along your general route.

For example:
http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/costa-rica/

Shows ~23 days with rain every month, and >10 inches of rain a month, now 'til end October.
Not so bad in a car if you're moteling it.
But if you're on a moto and camping, not so good.
I did many a late summer family trip in Mexico as a youngster.
Really sucks when all your gear is wet, and it's so humid that it won't dry out.

Want proof? Ask me . . 

Quote from: Speeddog on June 24, 2013, 02:10:17 PM
IMHO, backpacks are teh suck on a moto.
They drive me crazy.
Put the cargo on the pack animal.

Dunno when you plan to go, but it's pretty hot and humid and rainy from now 'til ~November along your general route.

For example:
http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/costa-rica/

Shows ~23 days with rain every month, and >10 inches of rain a month, now 'til end October.
Not so bad in a car if you're moteling it.
But if you're on a moto and camping, not so good.
I did many a late summer family trip in Mexico as a youngster.
Really sucks when all your gear is wet, and it's so humid that it won't dry out.

Hrrrrrm. Glad you pointed that out. Riding in the rain just plain sucks. One option would be to cheat a little and haul my bike to San Antonio in my van, leave it with family I have there and start the trip @ the border. That way I could easily wait out the rainy season. I just don't want to be saddled with winter weather riding gear that I won't need once I'm south of Arkansas. Eh I'll figure out the logistics somehow I'd rather start at my own front door.

Quote from: Darkmonster620 on June 24, 2013, 02:12:33 PM
Want proof? Ask me . . 

Aren't there a lot of micro climates that are affected entirely different a long that route within a narrow range?

Quote from: Buck Naked on June 24, 2013, 02:43:59 PM
Aren't there a lot of micro climates that are affected entirely different a long that route within a narrow range?

It can be 100F and then rain and 65F . . all within 100kms ... humidity plays a big part, in some parts of Central America, is 'dry' and others you just can't breathe because it so humid .  . altitude or how near you are to the Ocean . . . the closer, at times=dry or wet . . . depending from where the wind is blowing

Those family trips I did were about a half dozen down baja, the mainland, even once as far as Palenque, almost to Guatemala.

Perhaps my memory of the nice days is a bit overshadowed by many days hot and humid, almost every mid-afternoon rain.

Stop and see the ruins in Palenque, they're fantastic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palenque

Quote from: Speeddog on June 24, 2013, 03:27:46 PM
<snip>
Perhaps my memory of the nice days is a bit overshadowed by many days hot and humid, almost every mid-afternoon rain.

Stop and see the ruins in Palenque, they're fantastic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palenque

that's my day to day . . .

Quote from: Speeddog on June 24, 2013, 03:27:46 PM

Stop and see the ruins in Palenque, they're fantastic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palenque

Oh I will for sure...visited Chichen Itza for the first time last winter and it was one of the most awesome sights of my life.

Got my financial affairs set enough to do this; only thing left standing in my way is having a solid plan ahead of time as to how I will cross the borders of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. I have a friend in San Jose CR that may be able to help out. It's getting cold here and I will not deal with an OH winter this year, no sir...

talk to MadKingPepe, as I think he is selling a perfectly fine vehicle for this endeavour...a BMW F650....he just got an older KTM 990 Adventure to replace it and would like to reclaim the room in his garage space...

Quote from: zooom on October 09, 2013, 06:45:58 AM
talk to MadKingPepe, as I think he is selling a perfectly fine vehicle for this endeavour...a BMW F650....he just got an older KTM 990 Adventure to replace it and would like to reclaim the room in his garage space...

That would be a fantastic moto for this trip...I'd really like to accomplish it on what I already have though. I'm considering what I want to own and be riding once I'm in San Jose CR as much as what I want to ride there, if that makes sense. I really want to spend the winter in CR on my Monster.

One thing I'll be modifying at this point in the year is having a buddy truck me to the border rather than starting the trip in OH.

should change the tittle to Cleveland to Panama   

Quote from: Darkmonster620 on October 09, 2013, 07:25:01 AM
should change the tittle to Mexico to Panama   

fixed

Quote from: Buck Naked on October 09, 2013, 06:51:35 AM
That would be a fantastic moto for this trip...I'd really like to accomplish it on what I already have though. I'm considering what I want to own and be riding once I'm in San Jose CR as much as what I want to ride there, if that makes sense. I really want to spend the winter in CR on my Monster.

One thing I'll be modifying at this point in the year is having a buddy truck me to the border rather than starting the trip in OH.

just in case you want to reconsider...

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=40309.msg1204083#msg1204083

Hey Buck,  Good luck.  I was down there for a few weeks last November.  Great place.  They actually allow quads to be ridden on the freeway in CR.  If you can call the Pan Am a freeway

My thoughts are that the Monster will get old quick.  There is an absolute lack of dealers down there to get even any basic repair supplies.  Pack anything you may need as parts will be weeks away and 100% more expensive due to the import duties.  Personally I would ride Honda or Yamaha dula sport as you can find parts down there for those.

Be very aware of your safety.  Some places can get down right dangerous.  All in all a great place though.  Good luck!

You just need to make sure to plan your route properly. Even the border crossing of the US and Mexico might be dangerous if you pick the wrong place. Beyond that I would say +1 to taking a Honda dually.