Ride From South America to The United States

[6X6TheWorld]

Hello 6X6 Riders

My girlfriend and I are currently riding a motorcycle through southern Africa and we have come across a lot of travelers exploring Africa on Motorbikes, 4x4 trucks, and even quads. However, non of these vehicles seem quite complete because they can't cross deep water which makes me think the 6x6 might be the perfect overland vehicle. After we finish with Africa we plan to fly to South America and drive back to the U.S. Our original plan was to do this on two small dirt bikes but after looking at the 6x6 vehicles we think we would like to travel with a couple of them. The problem however is that we are not familiar with all of the makes and models. So I am looking for some information. The first is can they be made street legal. Also what is the top speed on the road and in the water and what is there range. In addition is there one make or model that is more reliable? That is a good start thanks for the help and any sugestions

[jpswift1]

If I were you I would go with the Max II, which is a 2 person model or a Max IV for 4 people. The Max 6 wheelers Amphibious Six-Wheel Drive All-Terrain Vehicles: MaxATVs - Call 1-800-255-2511 are in my opinion the most reliable, efficient, capable, and durable 6 wheelers on the market. They are also the lowest priced as well. I have owned 10 Maxes over the years and they never let me down, especially with the Briggs and Stratton V twin engines. They have the bullet proof T-20 transmission that has been in production and relatively unchanged for nearly 40 years that offers TRUE 6 wheel drive. When you put on a set of 22" Goodyear Rawhide III tires you have a smooth ride and superior traction in all conditions. Good luck with your trek and if you need anything at all please post up, there are tons of helpful people here.

[Roger S]

Talk to the countries you plan to travel about street legality. They are not steetable in the US. You can tag them as a boat.

[whipper-ag]

Talk to the countries you plan to travel about street legality. They are not steetable in the US. You can tag them as a boat.

Roger
All 3 of my cars are street legal and insured.
Whipper

[Roger S]

I thought about that as I wrote.. Arizona made you tag it to drive offroad.. do you have any restrictions or can you drive it to work, grocery store, etc. Hehe. What did the inspection crew think about your rides?

[whipper-ag]

I thought about that as I wrote.. Arizona made you tag it to drive offroad.. do you have any restrictions or can you drive it to work, grocery store, etc. Hehe. What did the inspection crew think about your rides?

Legally in Arizona, I could drive it to work, I could even drive it on the freeway if I wanted. I wouldn't, but I could & I'm sure that if I drove it to work I would get stopped at least a dozen times, just because. I got it legal so I could drive on any trail & any forest service road. They loved the rides, they really didn't know what to check, they were kinda clueless.
Whipper

[Roger S]

I wanna see the Attex @ 60mph on the freeway. You have your next video assignment.

[6X6TheWorld]

Thanks for the advise.

Thats a good start I will check out the Max II and the Max IV. So how much work was it to make it street legal. I don't think there will be much concern outside of the US but it would be better if it was above board. So how fast can you drive on the pavement?

[Mike]

With a stock machine, speed on pavement will still only be about 25-30mph but the great thing about the small engines that power them is that you can build a more powerful engine that will still remain reliable. Whipper's Attex is powered by a 50hp motor and can go 60mph. It really depends on what you want to spend and how fast you want (or are brave enough) to go.

[Amphiman1]

speed.......

hehehehee i was clocked doing 58 mph in my amphicat...440ccw motor ask the nys police...oops..

[mudslinger]

I would think an ARGO 8x8 would serve you best, it has more carrying capacity for extra fuel containers and supplies than the 6x6 vehicles and will give you the best ride and traction since it has two additional wheels and a longer wheelbase, plus the ARGO is built more for industrial use and should be able to stand up to the use you want to put it through better than the Max versions, they are a little cheaper but from what I have seen they are also not as robust as the ARGOs. The newer ARGOs also have a handle bar steering system with a twist grip throttle which is an ergonomically superior set up to the lateral pull handles with pull throttle of the Max, and if you want your passenger to ride up front with you the ARGO makes it easier since you sit to the right to drive and the passenger sits to the left. In a Max you have the steering laterals (pull handles) in the middle of the vehicle so that if a passenger wants to sit up front with you the driver has to scootch to one side or the other and then use the laterals from the side, not the most comfortable set up. Hope these observations help, I have been doing a lot of research myself trying to decide which AATV to go with and this is what I have found so far. I have also test driven both a Max II 6x6 and an ARGO Avenger 8x8 and found the driving set up on the ARGO much more comfortable. ARGO also makes a 6x6 with the same driving set up as the 8x8 if you think you don't need the extra room and cargo capacity of the 8 wheeler. Good luck with your trip, can't wait to see the pictures!