Motorcycle first day impression, moving from Bogota to Armenia (Armenia).
It's my first day with the motorcycle.
I was worried whether all the luggage would fit, but it somehow fit. The luggage is also relatively stable.
First, I will travel south from Bogotá to Armenia.
Armenia is a town located between Bogotá and Cali.
Arrived at the accommodation in Almeria. I drove 300km to check the condition of the bike.
This bike seems to only reach 70km/h in the highest gear when running at a low speed of 5000 rpm. This was unexpected. It might be difficult to use in Japan. However, at this speed, it is actually quite convenient here. The red zone is at 9000 rpm, so it seems like it can reach over 100km/h, but it doesn't seem suitable for continuous driving.
Based on today's check, it seems that a daily distance of 250km is a good target. The standard for running from 9 am to around 5 pm is 250km, but of course, this will be reduced if there are sightseeing stops. It might be just right to aim for around 200km without getting too tired.
Initially, the gears felt rough, but after driving 300km, they gradually became smoother and the noise decreased. This is a good thing. I will continue to run it in for 1000km without revving it too much. The first oil change is scheduled for 1000km.
There are no mirrors on the bike for mountain roads, but since I'm not going very fast, people are trying to overtake me in curves quite aggressively. But it seems to be working out somehow. It would be dangerous if a faster car came along. The road in the highlands was good, but as I descended in altitude, it suddenly became hot. It's definitely close to the equator.
The luggage, when carried in a backpack, wasn't that heavy, but when I put it in a stuff sack (or a boxing sandbag) and carried it, it was surprisingly heavy and dug into my shoulders. I realized how well-designed backpacks are.
The lining of the free helmet is hard and makes my head a little sore, so I'll start looking for a new one soon.
Also, the fuel efficiency is excellent. After driving 300km, the fuel gauge hasn't even moved to half. Only two out of seven divisions have decreased.
This means it can probably run 600km on a full tank.
In terms of time, the Google Maps navigation is too fast for cars and doesn't include breaks, so it's probably best to allow 1.5 times the time indicated by the Google Maps navigation.
I'm not planning on modifying it, but I hope that after the break-in period, it will run smoothly and not feel uncomfortable when revved.
Even so, it's not much different from Japanese bikes, and it's so generic that you probably wouldn't realize it's a Kawasaki.
After dinner, my neck and hands are a little sore.
I haven't ridden a bike in a while, so my muscles were weak.
Also, I noticed that there was a lot of black soot on my t-shirt, more than I've ever experienced in Japan. It seems to have gotten on it when I got hot and started sweating. The headache might not be caused by the hardness of the helmet lining, but by exhaust fumes.
Tomorrow, I'm moving to Cali. It's a dangerous area, and even in good neighborhoods, there are reports of robberies happening in front of hotels about once a week. It's scary... It seems that walking is the most dangerous, but it's not as dangerous when you're in a vehicle.
Here is the accommodation information:
Hotel Vermon Armenia
Single room, 30,000 pesos per night (approximately 1,200 yen)
The parking is located underground and costs an additional 3,000 pesos (approximately 120 yen).
It is conveniently located in the city center, but a slight drawback is that the roads can be a bit congested. However, it is within an acceptable range.
I was worried whether all the luggage would fit, but it somehow fit. The luggage is also relatively stable.
First, I will travel south from Bogotá to Armenia.
Armenia is a town located between Bogotá and Cali.
Arrived at the accommodation in Almeria. I drove 300km to check the condition of the bike.This bike seems to only reach 70km/h in the highest gear when running at a low speed of 5000 rpm. This was unexpected. It might be difficult to use in Japan. However, at this speed, it is actually quite convenient here. The red zone is at 9000 rpm, so it seems like it can reach over 100km/h, but it doesn't seem suitable for continuous driving.
Based on today's check, it seems that a daily distance of 250km is a good target. The standard for running from 9 am to around 5 pm is 250km, but of course, this will be reduced if there are sightseeing stops. It might be just right to aim for around 200km without getting too tired.
Initially, the gears felt rough, but after driving 300km, they gradually became smoother and the noise decreased. This is a good thing. I will continue to run it in for 1000km without revving it too much. The first oil change is scheduled for 1000km.
There are no mirrors on the bike for mountain roads, but since I'm not going very fast, people are trying to overtake me in curves quite aggressively. But it seems to be working out somehow. It would be dangerous if a faster car came along. The road in the highlands was good, but as I descended in altitude, it suddenly became hot. It's definitely close to the equator.
The luggage, when carried in a backpack, wasn't that heavy, but when I put it in a stuff sack (or a boxing sandbag) and carried it, it was surprisingly heavy and dug into my shoulders. I realized how well-designed backpacks are.
The lining of the free helmet is hard and makes my head a little sore, so I'll start looking for a new one soon.
Also, the fuel efficiency is excellent. After driving 300km, the fuel gauge hasn't even moved to half. Only two out of seven divisions have decreased.
This means it can probably run 600km on a full tank.
In terms of time, the Google Maps navigation is too fast for cars and doesn't include breaks, so it's probably best to allow 1.5 times the time indicated by the Google Maps navigation.
I'm not planning on modifying it, but I hope that after the break-in period, it will run smoothly and not feel uncomfortable when revved.
Even so, it's not much different from Japanese bikes, and it's so generic that you probably wouldn't realize it's a Kawasaki.
After dinner, my neck and hands are a little sore.
I haven't ridden a bike in a while, so my muscles were weak.
Also, I noticed that there was a lot of black soot on my t-shirt, more than I've ever experienced in Japan. It seems to have gotten on it when I got hot and started sweating. The headache might not be caused by the hardness of the helmet lining, but by exhaust fumes.
Tomorrow, I'm moving to Cali. It's a dangerous area, and even in good neighborhoods, there are reports of robberies happening in front of hotels about once a week. It's scary... It seems that walking is the most dangerous, but it's not as dangerous when you're in a vehicle.
Here is the accommodation information:Hotel Vermon Armenia
Single room, 30,000 pesos per night (approximately 1,200 yen)
The parking is located underground and costs an additional 3,000 pesos (approximately 120 yen).
It is conveniently located in the city center, but a slight drawback is that the roads can be a bit congested. However, it is within an acceptable range.