If you are debating whether or not traveling to Colombia is a smart idea based on the Netflix series NARCOS, you might want to stick around and read this blog. You might think I want to sell you the idea of flying here and experience one of our amazing adventure tours….well hellooo, of course I do, but not before we take a look at real facts and how a new chapter is being written in the history of this spectacular country. If the idea of traveling to Colombia for motorcycle touring, or adventure riding has crossed your mind recently, I am sure you have done some minor research about the current safety situation and might have come across the peace treaty that was signed with the rebel groups FARC a couple of years ago. Colombia is a country with an infinite web of back roads, amazing towns and villages that up until a few years ago were shadowed by the rebel presence. This peace treaty allows anyone to freely explore and go beyond the imaginary barriers of the old violent days. The number of foreign visitors has been increasing for the past years at record rates, we have the highest annual growth in tourism in the world at near 12-14% per year! Not only is Colombia a “new” destination for many people, but also a new home for many others who come and just can’t get enough of people’s kindness, laid back way of life and decide to stay. In addition to these facts, Colombia has been voted top 2 travel destination in the world by Lonely Planet. YES, Lonely Planet. The most asked question we get from potential clients is: Is it safe? I always make it clear that safety is épiCO’s #1 priority when it comes to riding with us. Is it safe rebel wise? YES. Is it safe riding on our roads? Well, a big percentage of that depends on each one of us and how fast you can adjust to traffic rules (or lack of them if you will). Is it safe regarding common delinquency? Our tours are designed in a way that in a normal scenario, we ride during the day taking all safety precautions and common sense that you would when traveling anywhere in the world. People always ask me if it makes a difference, safety wise, to do self-guided tours vs guided tours. Safety wise, it should not make a difference, following common sense precautions. I have had couples go on self-guided tours ride for two weeks all by themselves, and they’ve had the time of their lives! One of these couples had a flat tire on their way to Cartagena, nowhere near a town, 2 minutes later people started pulling over to make sure they were ok and to offer help to change the tire. This couple could not believe how people got out of their way to give them a hand, they described it as a “heart-warming experience”. On the other hand, when people go on one of our guided tours, they feel they could have never had the same experience on their own, let’s face it, what better way to see a country than with a local who knows every corner, detour, road option, rest area, food stop, locals in every town, hotel and contact information, also the tools in hand to take care of any “normal” technical difficulty on the road. But hey, if riding solo is your thing, we’ll give you all the information and resources you need to have the adventure of your life! Let’s talk about the best time of year to visit Colombia. Nothing to talk about, riding season: all year round. Whether you’re thinking about riding for 5 days, 2 weeks, or starting your South American excursion, Colombia is the place to start your adventure! It is no secret that Colombia is by FAR, the motorcycle adventurer’s favorite country out of all South America, this is why people keep coming back, and this is what you will hear when talking to experienced adventurers. In my experience with riders from all over the world, I get a lot of feedback about our tours within the first or second day and it is so amazing and satisfying to me to hear people say over the intercom “this is by far the best riding I have ever done”. Reactions and comments like this make me want to share this beautiful country with everyone who’s willing to take the “risk”…there is a popular slogan here in Colombia…”the only risk is wanting to stay”…so true. If you consider yourself an adventure rider, Colombia should definitely be in your next bucket list. You will fall in love with our culture, people, and most of all with our epic adventure routes!! Let me take you on an epic adventure, and I can assure you will come back for more

1. Flat tire repair. Whether you're running tubeless or tube tires, you should be familiar and confident enough to change a tire roadside on your own. Center stands obviously make our lives easier, but in the absence of one, you should know how to lean your bike against a tree or find a log or rock to sit your bike on to be able to remove your tire. Breaking the tire bead is usually something hard to do when you don't have the proper tools. Place your tire under the bike's kickstand and apply slow pressure around it until you hear the tire pop. In case of tube tires, always make sure your new tube doesn't have any punctures or leaks. Using gloves, look for sharp objects on the inside of your tire and remove them with pliers, place your new tube inside the tire and make sure you don't bite it with your tire irons when placing the tire back on the rim. Use some soapy water on the tire lip to make it easier to pop into the rim. If your air compressor doesn't have enough power to pop the tire bead, get enough air into it to get you to the next gas station or tire shop. If you're running tubeless tires, find the object causing the air loss, remove it with pliers, clean the puncture with your tire repair tool, insert the plug with your plug tool and remove quickly, cut out any excess coming out of the tire. Double check for any leaks with soapy water. 2. Electrical malfunction. The First thing you need to do when something electrical doesn't work or the bike itself does not start or gives any electrical power, is to check your battery connectors or terminals, vibration sometimes makes them loose. If they are tight and in place, next thing you need to check is your fuse box. Remove fuses one at a time and make sure the fuse bridge is not broken, you want to see a continuous metal connector inside the fuse, if it's burned or broken, you need to replace it with a new one of the same amps. 3. Drained battery. Let's say you made it to your destination and couldn't wait to get off the bike to go check out that beautiful colonial town. You forget to turn off the bike key and your headlight drains the battery overnight. First thing to try is to push start the bike if there is an inclined road with a grippy surface. Open your bike switch into run position, put your bike in 2nd gear, let it roll downhill, once you get good momentum, pop your clutch and give it some gas. If you can't get this done for whatever reason, the next thing to do is find jumper cables and a car or a bike to give you some juice. If I need to explain how to jump start a battery...I am not sure you should be even considering going on an Adventure Ride on your own. Just kidding. Not. 4. Punctured oil pan or oil cover. This one is not common, but trust me, you want to be able to fix it if it happens. The moment that big rock gets under your skid plate or side engine cover and makes that horrifying sound, make sure you pull over to check for damages. If you see oil coming out, quickly put the bike on its side to avoid further loss of the precious liquid. Remove your skid plate if necessary, let the engine cool off. Use sandpaper to deeply clean the surface where the crack is, then clean with some gasoline or degreaser. Use JB weld or any quick dry epoxy mix to cover the crack, wait until fully dry to place the bike back up. Replace any lost oil before starting the bike if possible, if not, ride to the nearest gas station or bike shop to buy new oil. 5. Bent handle bars. If you get into a situation where you take a spill on the bike hard enough to twist your handle bars, find a tree, post or big rock, place your tire against it and try to push your handle bar to the side it needs to bend back, if pushing doesn't work, try hitting it with a little momentum, this usually does the trick. 6. Running out of fuel. Well...what can I tell you. Get on your knees on the side of the road, put your hands together in a praying position and wait for a good samaritan, plenty of them in Colombia. These are our Top 6 mechanical failures when touring around Colombia. Be confident on how to approach these situations and have a worry free Self - Guided Adventure in Colombia. If you join one of our Fully Guided Tours, well, you don't need to worry about anything. We will take care of any issues along the way while you sit back and relax. Ride Colombia Ride épiCO

1. Safety First: Bring your FULL Riding Gear, preferably off road boots. Please don't ride in jeans, t -shirt, sneakers or hiking boots. 2. All you need is your Passport: It is always a good idea to double check with your country's Immigration Office for required documentation to travel to Colombia, but for most countries, a valid Passport is all you need. 3. Have a current Motorcycle Driver's license. No International Driver's License is required. 4. Minimum 5 years riding experience: Colombia is Adventure Riding Paradise, but definitely not the place to learn how to ride or being insecure about your abilities. Mid sized dual sport bikes experience is highly recommended, with confidence in different types of off road conditions, gravel, dirt, mud and rocky sections. Conditions change constantly so riders must be prepared to tackle all situations. 5. Keep calm when riding through traffic. We pass through some mid sized cities with often heavy traffic, riders must be prepared to split lanes and be ready to face aggressive drivers. 6. Bring your own medicine. New food, water, drinks and altitude can take a toll and have an effect on riders, be prepared to have your preferred medicine handy just in case. 7. Inform your Bank about your travel plans. This is to make sure your cards are not blocked or reported when you use them in stores or ATMs here in Colombia. The best way to get currency is by ATM withdrawal, better exchange rate and easier. 8. We have your back all the way. From the moment you arrive in Cali Colombia, we will be waiting for you at the airport, hotels and bikes will be ready and waiting for you, so you don't need to make any reservations or worry about anything. 9. Be ready to have the Adventure of a Lifetime!