Advice request for Mexico trip

[davy rustler]

Hi, we are a pair (M/F) of Scottish motorcyclists experienced in on-road touring all over Europe and Scandinavia. Due to a family wedding we have the opportunity to visit Mexico in April 2016 and would like to incorporate a couple of weeks touring by bike. We would want two bikes as both of us ride. Our budget is fairly tight. Any advice would be appreciated but we would be interested in questions like bike hire (hire in US or Mexico?) (reputable companies / costs?), routes, areas to incorporate / areas to avoid, visas, carnets, duties etc. Our off-road experience is limited to riding forestry tracks etc. and we wondered whether it was worth obtaining bikes with an off road capability?


Thank you in anticipation.

[MikeMike]

Google Mexico bike rentals. Have you investigated any of the things you want to do?

April? Start, end, or middle? Mexico is an extremely varied country geographically speaking same for climate. A few weeks can make a difference in some areas.

Tight budget but you want to hire bikes? What budget do you have?

Where do you want to arrive and depart from?

Do you speak Spanish? Can you understand your rental arrangements?

Forestry roads? Thosd are called "brechas" and vary from impossible to easily doable.

Do you understand the new liability laws for motor vehicles and ensure you are carrying proper insurance?

Do you have health insurance or medivac insurance?

Etc...

Can you be a little more specific? Please

The single biggest problem most people have is not being up to date on just how much things have changed in many parts of Mexico over the past 2 years.

For the vast majority of people on this forum, it is not the Mexico you thought you knew when you previously traveled here.

[Sjoerd Bakker]

For riding motorcycles in Mexico April is a great month, it will be late spring in the northern mountains and all highland areas , and everywhere else will be mild to hot . As Mike pointed out there is huge climatic variation due to elevation.
Renting a bike in the USA with the intent of riding in Mexico will be difficult because of the Mexican requirement for Temporary Vehicle Import Permit for foreign plated vehicles . Also the risk aversion of any US renting agency who seem to push Harleys for touring the US Wild West would make it an unlikely prospect.
This also precludes any thoughts of borrowing bikes from relatives or friends in the USA because to get that TVIP the motorcycle needs to be registered and plated under your name, the same name as is on the drivers license and passport and credit card.Unless of course you should be so lucky as to have trusting connections in the USA who might be willing to temporarily transfer actual ownership, officially documented, into your name.
From what I have read I get the impression most US rental bikes may not be taken into Mexico but there may be exceptions and that would probably drive up costs considerably.
There are a few organized- motorcycle- tour operators in the USA who do offer rental bike trips based- in or into Mexico. And there are Mexican rental bikes offered in various tourist locations, like Puerto Vallarta for example , where one could sign up for short backroad tours around the region using small dual purpose bikes.
If you were to have friends in Mexico who own bikes you might be able to rent privately from them .
If you did rent in Mexico you would only need to show proof of a drivers license and buy liability insurance and of course medical insurance should not need mentioning.
Time for you to do more research on rentals and how they might pair up with your time and location-in-Mexico. Hopefully other posts will be added by folks with actual renting-in-Mexico experience .

[davy rustler]

Thank you both, MikeMike and Sjoerd for taking the time to reply. Useful questions MikeMike, a number that we had not considered. We were interested in your last two comments about recent changes in Mexico. If you had the time, could you expand on these, please?
Sjoerd, thank you for your insights. We had wondered about a number of these options. We may have to reconsider some of our assumptions about obtaining bikes in the US in light of your comments.
We were pleased that April would be an ideal time to visit Mexico


Any further comments / advice welcomed

[eddywoodgo]

You buy the local little 125 or 150 Cc very cheep in Mexico. Ride em sell em and home you go.


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[markharf]

I'd add that besides being quite varied, Mexico is huge. Start by deciding where you want to ride--this can be based on where you'll be for the wedding, what type of riding you favor (Motorways? Paved back roads? Dirt tracks? Desert? Damp jungle? Mountains? Seacoast? Cities?), or your other interests (Local culture? Indigenous people? Ruins? Beaches?).

Once you've narrowed it down a bit you'll be in a position to start your own research, e.g., by Googling Mexico motorcycle rentals, or to ask reasonable questions here. Otherwise you're doing the equivalent of "I want to ride for a few weeks in Europe next April, where should I go?"

Don't be put off by any of this. Mexico's great, and riding there is great fun and not difficult (sez I).

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

[davy rustler]

Thanks for the replies eddywoodgo and markharf. Due to limited time we had discounted purchasing bikes in Mexico but it might be worthwhile investigating this further as the cost of rental, in some cases, would be more than the cost of purchasing a smaller bike. Pleased to hear the positives, Mark.

[BrunoPaulh1]

Originally Posted by davy rustler

Hi, we are a pair (M/F) of Scottish motorcyclists experienced in on-road touring all over Europe and Scandinavia. Due to a family wedding we have the opportunity to visit Mexico in April 2016 and would like to incorporate a couple of weeks touring by bike. We would want two bikes as both of us ride. Our budget is fairly tight. Any advice would be appreciated but we would be interested in questions like bike hire (hire in US or Mexico?) (reputable companies / costs?), routes, areas to incorporate / areas to avoid, visas, carnets, duties etc. Our off-road experience is limited to riding forestry tracks etc. and we wondered whether it was worth obtaining bikes with an off road capability?


Thank you in anticipation.

I recommend you contact this guy in Mexico how could give you some tips and dresses to where to rent the bikes.
In Mexico City there is a Bmw dealer who lease bikes, but may be expensive.
Gerardo Ibarra can help 521 556415 3590, gerardo@motorradexplorer.com
Hope this is useful

[MikeMike]

Renting is not cheap, selection will be limited and quality of the rental bikes will be hit or miss. Rental services have come and gone. It is a money making operation and not a service and prices are going to reflect that. Buying small bikes is an option but do you or anyone else on here know a fair price for a Korean 125cc, for example? Research is great, but where are you going to look and not get fleeced? Take a look at what is being offered in the city you will be arriving in. Go here: http://motos.mercadolibre.com.mx/#D[H:true] and start filtering your searches by state, make of bike or size, and price range. This will give you an idea. Next, understand that to title the bikes and insure the bikes you will need a local utility bill showing a valid local address. In can also easily take the better part of a morning to get your registration done. You might not even get a plate at the end of it, just a piece of paper, depending on if the state has enough plates at the time.

Dealers might help you with registration through a coyote with connections to get things done fast, but you pay a premium. A private seller will likely be of little help with these details, they want to make a sale. Small bikes are the most stolen bikes. You absolutely must keep them secure. It is now becoming a little more complicated as you will be carrying locks and chains. Sure you can go this route, in fact Simon Gandolfini wrote a book about it and I believe he bought his bike from an agency not far from where I live. They also helped him license the bike. Just a few more things to ponder. Plan on spending around $800 US for a decent used 125 to 250cc bike on the road or more. That is the bottom end of pricing. A 125cc Honda Cargo with 15,000kms in the hands of unskilled pizza and pharmacy delivery riders might not be such a bargain. Maintenance is of very little priority.

You can also go to a department store or Wal-Mart and buy a Korean or Chinese bike right off the floor. You can then spend the better part of a day actually checking how well it was put together.

Ok, how has Mexico changed? In the past two decades I have been riding almost daily on and off road but there are now some clear "no go" areas. I wont ride some rural areas in my home state of Veracruz due to criminal activity. I speak Spanish and have mostly ridden alone, however some areas are not worth the risks. These areas change as the criminal elements are displaced by autodefensas/vigilantes or military operations or federal police operations. Parts of the states of: Guerrero, Michoacan, Oaxaca (for civil unrest reasons where roads are often closed but there now a heavy military presence there forcing protesters into submission like the teachers union, for example), and Tamaulipas between Altamira north of Tampico to Soto La Marina and all the way towards Matamoros can be considered to have more risky areas.

If you are riding offroad or are on deserted areas of state roads or secondary roads you run the risk of accidentally stumbling into territory held by criminals or a crminal operation. You also have zero experience in how to recognize warning signs or understand what people are telling you. Few people on here know anything about this. It is the new Mexico, no longer what it once was. Anyone who tells you things have not changed is full of sht. Period. I am being blunt but telling you what has happened here. That is why I was curious as to where you plan on beginning and ending your trip so you can avoid problem areas or risky areas.

Riding here, I believe, you will find to be very different from Europe. Size is important and you, on a small delivery bike, will have zero priority or respect in traffic, single lane crossings of bridges etc..., and at altitudes over 8,500ft you will have about 5 hp on tap. I have watched as Chinese and Korean bikes have made it to the climber's shelter on Pico de Orizaba and that is at 14,000ft or 4,260 meters. And mounted two up with about 3 hp at that altitude. In fact, more little bikes make it up there than big ones, so things will depend on your sense of adventure as you'll be doing little toll highway travel if at all.

Sjoerd has two books available that will save you money. Ask him about them. I have read them, he knows his stuff. He also has had contact with other people I know here. Sjoerd can be trusted for guidance.

I am not trying to be negative about what you want to do, far from it. I am simply asking questions so you can succesfully plan and fulfill your desires to really ride and really enjoy Mexico. Also, so you can avoid nasty problems or experiences. I have long been an active cheering section for riding here and have had the opportunity to meet some great visiting riders through HUBB when they have come through Mexico, and many more than once.

If you rent, understand your responsibilities and rights (which will be limited) and make sure the bikes are properly maintained and in good condition. If you buy new, you will take a hit and have the pressure of reselling the bikes. If you buy used...it is a fool's paradise here, be very careful about carrying sums of cash and who you are dealing with. You could be easily ripped off. Etc... There will be a language barrier in your transaction. Don't get suckered by someone who speaks English very well and then suddenly can't when there is a problem.

So, there you go. You will need to put some effort into things and gather more info. You will need to share more info to get more advice. In the end, like most people who experience riding here, you will find it well worth the effort!

Yes, you can simply buy a used bike, ride it uninsured, carry no medical insurance, and rely on good luck and the kindness of strangers. You can also leave a tooth under your pillow and find money in the morning. The consequences are steep of: having to pay fines, bribes (and knowing how much is enough and how much is too much not to mention the actual transaction process between you and the authorities), medical bills, or taking public health space and care away from those who can't pay and actually are those entitled to public health care, etc...

People who have ridden here more than once, will tell you that Mexican people are some of the warmest, kindest, and most generous in the entire world. They will also tell you that the country does not suffer fools very well.

[wlgordon332]

As of yesterday, here in GDL, you can buy a 200cc bike in the Mega supermarket for under $1500. They are running a sale. But getting it registered is not straight forward without a local address. However, many people drive around without plates, so you may get away with a nice few week excursion. If your wedding friends are local, they could register the bikes.

I've been in Mexico for about 4 months and have not come close to seeing the country. Select a few places and take your time getting there. Street food is great. The people are friendly. Stay alert and you will have a great time.

[pancho]

You may get more specific advice if you posted what city in Mexico you will arrive in April of 2016. Two weeks is not a lot of time in a country where time seems to live in the moment, and remember It's a big country. Not only is Mexico a big country, but the Mexican culture is deep and rich, probably unlike any you have experienced.

Also MikeMike and Sjoerd know their stuff, here is an old map of some of the roads Sjoerd has traveled:




Que te vaya bien,