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MOTOR CYCLE Travels in Mexico


Apachewoman

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1 hour ago, Apachewoman said:

Canadian traveler...B.C. asked for informational assistance as he is

considering traveling by motorcycle down the BAJA and then crossing over to the mainland

of Mexico. 

Any comments..cautions..benefits of those who have traveled via this mode

and so forth. 

Thank you

 

 

 

 

 

If you travel down Baja and want to cross to the mainland than you have to do that by ferry. The best way is from La Paz to Mazatlán and is about 13 hours. With motorcycled and even a car, no problem. 

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I'd suggest his joining and reading this site:  

https://advrider.com/

The ferry isn't cheap and requires some advance planning but works very well and brings you over to Mazatlan where there are numerous options for great riding such as the Espinazo de Diablo to Durango, then up to Copper Canyon.  

Choice of ride is important here.  Dual sport bikes are the ride of choice in Mexico because of the bad roads and numerous topes.  This is not a good country for cruiser style bikes.  Suzuki and BMW dual sports are very popular here and service for both is widely available.

Once leaving Baja one should plan on mainly staying in inexpensive hotels in the towns.  A great way to plan a trip is to identify the towns worth visiting and set things up for fairly early afternoon arrival to give time to explore a bit.  Although there is some really spectacular riding along and around the mountain ranges, the towns of Mexico are really worth visiting.

Two guys on Facebook, JD Dyess and Jim Foreman post tons of stuff about riding in Mexico.  They are both great guys who are always happy to help the novice Mexico rider.

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3 hours ago, Mainecoons said:

I'd suggest his joining and reading this site:  

https://advrider.com/

The ferry isn't cheap and requires some advance planning but works very well and brings you over to Mazatlan where there are numerous options available............................

worth visiting.........................

Two guys on Facebook, JD Dyess and Jim Foreman post tons of stuff about riding in Mexico.  They are both great guys who are always happy to help the novice Mexico rider.

I wonder if that is the same Jim Forman, of Duncan B.C. who ran Ultra Vision Satellite Systems, who helped us so many years ago set up our Star Choice satellite systems so we could watch English language TV in Mexico?

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15 hours ago, gringohombre said:

The best way is from La Paz to Mazatlán and is about 13 hours.

There is also a ferry from La Paz to Topolobampo, just outside of Los Mochis. It takes less than half the time, but then you have more driving time from Los Mochis to Mazatlan, but a biker might prefer that.

I've done it by car, and prefer the Los Mochis option.

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2 hours ago, johanson said:

I wonder if that is the same Jim Forman, of Duncan B.C. who ran Ultra Vision Satellite Systems, who helped us so many years ago set up our Star Choice satellite systems so we could watch English language TV in Mexico?

No.  This guy lives in CA and makes his living on motorcycle training and touring.

 

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I can't imagine riding a motorcycle 1,000 miles from Tijuana/Mexicali all the way down Baja Norte and Sur to LaPaz. Then having to take a long ferry ride over to Mazatlan and wander 850 miles back up to the US border! That's a lot of wind, grit and vibration. 

A shorter ride might be down to Santa Rosalia, ferry over to Guaymas, out to Creel and up to El Paso but THAT's probably 1400 miles!

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Depends on what you are riding and how long you take to do it.  It is important to remember it often takes a lot longer to ride a given distance in Mexico than the U.S.  I did a run from here to Tecoman and then down the coast on Mex 200 to Puerto Angel, then over the mountain to Oaxaca then north to Tuxtepec and then back here.  Pretty close to 2000 miles all told in 2.5 weeks.  Some absolutely spectacular views and beach town along the route,  The first stretch to Lazaro Cardenas was hard and mostly just driving through woods.  This one was my favorite.

 

The great beach ride.jpg

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3 hours ago, RickS said:

I can't imagine riding a motorcycle 1,000 miles from Tijuana/Mexicali all the way down Baja Norte and Sur to LaPaz.

I have a female friend who bicycled, alone, from San Francisco to Todos Santos years ago. She said if she'd known what it was going to be like, she'd never have entertained the thought, it was grueling.

I met her here in Sayulita a few years ago, and she somehow looked familiar, but I couldn't place her. Once we got to talking and she told me about having lived in Todos Santos, where my daughter lives, for years before moving here, I realized why she looked familiar- I had met her briefly once there right after she had arrived fresh off the bicycle trip, but her hair then was almost shaved bald- she's a very attractive woman and had shaved off her hair for that journey so as not to attract unwanted attention.

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I don't know if it is just me, but since those two serious accidents in one day where one motorcycle driver was killed near Pemex in Ajijic, those very wild drivers seemed to have calmed down, and I don't see any crazy moves anymore by these young drivers. I hope this lasts.

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On 11/26/2021 at 8:14 AM, Mainecoons said:

 

Choice of ride is important here.  Dual sport bikes are the ride of choice in Mexico because of the bad roads and numerous topes.  This is not a good country for cruiser style bikes.  Suzuki and BMW dual sports are very popular here and service for both is widely available.

 

I am acquainted with about 1000 Mexican bikers and the majority ride what you call cruisers like Harleys,Yamahas, Hondas,etc. and they ride all over Mexico and North and Central America and not just short trips. They vastly outnumber yer dually[sic]riders.

too many bikes,not enough room.jpg

leader of the pack.jpg

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1 hour ago, happyjillin said:

I am acquainted with about 1000 Mexican bikers and the majority ride what you call cruisers like Harleys,Yamahas, Hondas,etc. and they ride all over Mexico and North and Central America and not just short trips. They vastly outnumber yer dually[sic]riders.

too many bikes,not enough room.jpg

leader of the pack.jpg

Is this you front left? Where's your helmet dude??? or maybe you subscribe to the Mexican dicho "We don't need no stinkin' helmets!!!"

We don't need no stinkin' helmets.jpg

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In my opinion  a dual  sport  moto is the best way to travel in Mexico  the kawasaki  klr is a economical , cheap to keep  motorcycle the only thing  about the dual sport  bikes is there tallness you need to be somewhat  tall to mount the thing. I am riding  a BMW  street  bike and I wish  it had a little  bit more  suspension, that being  said, just my opinion  ride what you like⚠️

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