Thread: Motorcycle videos from Panama

I live in David and am a adventure motorcyclist film maker. Here is some of my best stuff from around Panama. Lots more on my YouTube channel and I'm always working on the next video, so be sure and subscribe if you like what you see.

I'm always looking for amigos who want to go for a ride, so if you have a bike be sure and look me up.

Cheers,
Ryan

Good job on the vids. Keep them coming.

Nice job on the videos Ryan. Was one of your amigos riding an R6? Any sport-bike enthusiasts there, or mostly cruisers? Any good roads with lots of twisties you could recommend for someone who rides a Gixxer?

Originally Posted by Viviana

Nice job on the videos Ryan. Was one of your amigos riding an R6? Any sport-bike enthusiasts there, or mostly cruisers? Any good roads with lots of twisties you could recommend for someone who rides a Gixxer?

There are a lot of busted up roads in Panama, sometimes it can be fun weaving through all the pot holes. I have seen some guys around on sport bikes, but they are rare. Not as popular as cruisers and dual sports.

There is a great twisty road connecting Volcan and Porterillos. I filmed a bit of it in this vid:

I cracked the entire wheel rim in half in a pot hole a few months ago. They welded it twice (failed) and in the end replaced it - cost about $250 in total and 1 month of freedom.

Originally Posted by halfthrottle

There are a lot of busted up roads in Panama, sometimes it can be fun weaving through all the pot holes.

Hey, thanks for that! Yes, dual sport bikes would be the way to go in a place with potholes, gravel, and potential livestock in the road. Liked the soundtrack on that vid as well.

Awesome videos man - I'll upload a few of mine - took a vid of me riding the road to a little village on the way to Logo Gatun. Unfortunately the hero cam videos didnt come out well with the cam mounted on the visor - too much rattle on the bumpy stuff.

Maybe Ryan could do a Central American version of the video, "Long Way Round". It was made about 5 years ago and featured Ewen McGreggor and his buddy as they trekked their way across Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia on BMW GSR1200 bikes.

Can you tell us if you brought your KLR 650 into Panama, or do you live in Panama? Give the forum some background on how you came to be riding around in Pamana.

Originally Posted by Viviana

Can you tell us if you brought your KLR 650 into Panama, or do you live in Panama? Give the forum some background on how you came to be riding around in Pamana.

I live in David with my wife. Been here for about 1 year. Bought the KLR from a guy who had ridden it from the states and wanted to sell it and fly home. I bought it and had to import the bike. Big mistake, I was told it would take 8 days and I would be on the road. I'm sure most of you know that nothing has ever happened in just 8 days in this country. 7 months later I had the bike and was on the road. Very frustrating process. I was so scared by dealing with the government of Panama, and dirty import brokers I haven't even applied for residency here. I just make a run to Costa Rica every 3 months. I don't have the patience to go through something like that again, and my wife and I plan to move back to the states in a year or so.

Loved the long way round and down series. I'm sure there will be a long way up eventually. Soon as Charlie can talk Ewan into another trip that is.

Many people on this forum can definitely feel your pain when it comes to dealing with the govt. Just read the posts! Hope you and your wife make the most of the time you have left living in Panama. I will watch for more videos, but I won't hold my breath waiting for another Ewen/Charlie trip. LOL.

Originally Posted by halfthrottle

I live in David with my wife. Been here for about 1 year. Bought the KLR from a guy who had ridden it from the states and wanted to sell it and fly home. I bought it and had to import the bike. Big mistake, I was told it would take 8 days and I would be on the road. I'm sure most of you know that nothing has ever happened in just 8 days in this country. 7 months later I had the bike and was on the road. Very frustrating process. I was so scared by dealing with the government of Panama, and dirty import brokers I haven't even applied for residency here. I just make a run to Costa Rica every 3 months. I don't have the patience to go through something like that again, and my wife and I plan to move back to the states in a year or so.

Loved the long way round and down series. I'm sure there will be a long way up eventually. Soon as Charlie can talk Ewan into another trip that is.

Care to give us the play-by-play on that incident? Sounds like it could have been ugly...

Originally Posted by EdBowers

I cracked the entire wheel rim in half in a pot hole a few months ago. They welded it twice (failed) and in the end replaced it - cost about $250 in total and 1 month of freedom.

Interesting thread. I'm trying to make an opportunity to do a Mexico/Panama or Panama/Mexico motorcycle ride. I've done a few rides from Wisconsin to Guatemala and back but am not going to do the US and northern Mexico part any more. It just takes too long and the fun really begins once in central Mexico and points south. I can't picture a more beautiful ride than going through the Sierra Madre in Guatemala. It is incredible. My dilemma is what to do about a bike. I've looked at shipping to Progresso or PC but haven't come up with anything comfortable. I was leaning towards buying a used dual sport in either Mexico or Panama but that doesn't look practical due to border crossing issues. There isn't any problem crossing borders with a US bike with US citizenship (although I have some great stories about what not to do or say) so maybe I'm back to shipping. I did my trips on a touring bike and now have a BMW GS (the earlier model of what Ewan and Charlie rode) that I think is still too big. The KLR650 sounds like the perfect bike for the trip. If any of you have any shipping suggestions, I'd look forward to hearing them. Actually, I'd like to hear any Central America motorcycle stories. I'm met a number of other riders when on the trips and know there are a lot of bike travelers out there.

Awesome. I will enjoy all these videos. Are you a relatively permanent resident. Hope to meet someday

There were two shows ("Adrenalina") on the Si TV channel last week that were filmed in Panama. A couple of dirt bike riders were tearing up some dirt tracks and they were also jumping a ramp. They picked up the ramp in PC and towed it to somewhere in the interior (and were pulled over by the Transito on the Puente Centenario). They never really said where they were at, but I recognized their starting point as somewhere in the old canal zone - Paraiso maybe?

Originally Posted by Mercury

Awesome. I will enjoy all these videos. Are you a relatively permanent resident. Hope to meet someday

Permanent for another year or so, then probably back to the states. To young to retire and don't know what to do for work here.

This woman was trying to collect tolls from the cars passing by. She was damaging a lot of cars, ripping antennas off slamming side mirrors shut. I was a little nervous to approach her, but had plenty of armor on. Helmet, jacket, etc. so I figured what the hell.

There was a police officer watching the whole thing go down, just sat there and watched.

Originally Posted by halfthrottle

This woman was trying to collect tolls from the cars passing by. She was damaging a lot of cars, ripping antennas off slamming side mirrors shut. I was a little nervous to approach her, but had plenty of armor on. Helmet, jacket, etc. so I figured what the hell.

There was a police officer watching the whole thing go down, just sat there and watched.

If the officer was watching it's because he is getting some toll money. Talk about a quick way to make a buck.

Gualaca River Canyons

Swimming in Gualaca is worth the drive no matter how far away you are.

Thanks for the nice videos. I love swimming in the rivers in Panama - although sometimes the little fish get a bit nippy.

Below I have embed a few videos from my attempted ride to Cerro Banco waterfall. I left in the morning on what I thought was going to be a very pleasant ride. I got lost made some friends, and took a serious beating at the hands of very muddy road. I hope you enjoy my suffering.