Wrecked in Guatemala
 

Hi

I have wrecked my bike in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. I'm not sure if it is a write off or if it can be fixed. It's a BMW F650GS 2007.

I'm not sure what to do and would like some advice. There is a dealer in Guatemala, can general dealers typically fix smashed up bikes?

The damage is mainly to the front wheel and forks, the radiator and motor didn't get hit, but I suspect the frame might have been bent.

Should I ask someone to come from Guatemala City to take a look at it or should I call them, show them photos, and potentially transport the bike to their shop for a quote?

If the bike is a wreck, what are my options? Am I able to sell it to someone for scrap? Should I ship back to the states where there would be more demand for wrecked bikes?

Many thanks. I really do not know what to do...

Ben

wrecked
 

eh buddy, hopefully your ok. just a few thoughts ,if your close to guatamala city, all the answers are probably there. arranging repairs, a sale or shipment out of country too. I was there in Nov, found dealer helpful but time is a problem, maybe you can leave bike and go get parts or travel while you wait for them this could take a month. iAM NOT SURE IF YOU CAN LEGALLY SELL BIKE WITHOUT SOME TAXS BUT I THINK YOUR BIKE ENTRY PAPER IS SEPARATE FROM YOUR PASSPORT, QUESTION IS HOW LONG IS YOUR BIKE ALLOWED TO STAY IN GUATAMALA? IF you where in mexico you could probably arrange things easier there. I have used secure storage at different times , for $50.00 a month you could deal with it later , if your going south san jose costa rica is probably is next dealer, they where helpful to me.you may try posting in travellers seeking travelers , maybe someone is near by, check Community in guatamala maybe someone local could solve your problem.if you need another bike check and there maybe someone selling in central america. If you dont speak spanish go to guatamala city. GOOD LUCK

You OK?
 

Ben,

Sorry about your accident. Trying to fix a German bike in Central America may be more than you are ready for $$$-wise.... :funmeterno:

I just read your blog, especially about Chiapas as I lived there for 3 years (yes, during the Zapatita confrontation '94+). We fell in love with Mexico there, working with the Zeltal and Ztotzil people a little north of San Cristobal (Ocosingo), then later in Tuxtla-Gutierrez.

YES, you MUST go back and see Agaus Azules when the water is bluer than the Carribean! :D

Keep your blog going, even if you are discouraged. Last summer I took my son (17) Around the Block 2007 | on a trip around South America for his "coming of age". We were traveling at night (not by choice) east of Cuzco almost to Puerto Maldonado and a truck ran him off a bridge. He was OK as we were in full MX gear, but the forks and front wheel were beyond repair. We dragged it in a micro-bus to our intended destination, and there, believe it or not, they bent the forks back (with wrinkles still) and put a used wheel on it!

We traveled another 1,500 km like that until well into Brazil where we finally got a new fork. It CAN be done!

Cheers

charapashanperu has the right idea - it doesn't have to be fixed perfectly - just rideable. The local mechanics in the small shops are geniuses at making it GO. And very cheap. Even if the frame is bent a little it may still be very rideable - maybe pull a little, but so what? I'd definitely talk to the local shop and see what they think.

NOTE that it is VERY important that you check the papers for the bikes entry into Guatemala - the time it is allowed is inflexible - and usually less than your time allowed. Read Leif's story in http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/new.../2004-03.shtml

Even if the bike goes out on a truck, get it out before it's due date!

good luck, and hope you're ok!

BMW mechanic in Xela
 

There's a really competent BMW mechanic in Quetzaltenango - Roberto is his name. I posted his address/GPS coordinates - see "repair places in CA/SA" thread. He knows how to get things repaired - where to go, what is possible. Contact him first. Although he doesn't speak English, he'll figure out the problem, and if you need to converse with him, he'll speed-dial the dealer in Guat City and you'll have a three-way conference call - the Guat way.

Hold on man, dont let it take you down!


Call Quatsdogs man or put it on a truck to Guata city, although I think Xela is a MUCH nicer city.

The locals dont throw away a bike cause its a bit bent and you shouldent either. Explore all options and dont lose heart.

In Latin America you are surrounded by some of the most resourceful mechanics in the world.

They can fix Anything with Nothing at very reasonable prices.

I crashed at 120 km/hr in Mexico ....Within hours I had 4 guys with an oxy-acetylene torch and a 4x4 pounding things back into shape. Back on the road in 3 days.

Lost my rear bearing in rural Argentina.....local car mechanics found replacements from a marine store and had me moving again in 3 hours.

Find a decent mechanic and be prepared to be amazed at what they can do.

This is where the adventure begins in some respects!

As many folks have offered you some damn good advice/leads, I just want to repeat what they said...go local! A good local mechanic can fix anything...you will be pleasantly surprised...

Nowadays in the States, real mechanics are a dying breed...and parts replacers are taking their place...its more profitable to the both the local dealership and the moto maker to do things this way.

Consider yourself lucky this happened there compared to the US...it may be cheaper to fix it there!

Thanks Guys
 

Thanks guys for the great advice and encouragement. I am still feeling pretty shitty but today is better than yesterday so hopefully I'm happy again in a couple more.

I've met some people here that are helping me a lot: my translator Marvin who works at a spanish school, and his friend Carlos who is about to complete his law degree. Carlos knows a local mechanic who rides a BMW and services them for locals, I was a bit weary of using him but given your comments above am now thinking that I just go with him and ask him to fix it as best he can quickly and cheaply.

I'm going with Carlos to meet the mechanic tomorrow morning: quastdog it'll be funny if it turns out to be your man :) Might be because Carlos said the mechanic was well known and a member of the local BMW motorcycle club.

Thanks again guys, I'll submit another post to let you know how it worked out.

Ben

It's the same mechanic
 

quastdog: I couldn't find the thread you mentioned but I'm pretty sure that Carlos took me to the same mechanic. His name is Roberto Ascoli.

Carlos works for a division of the government in Guatemala dedicated to helping tourists who find themselves in trouble, the division is called "Asistur, Asistencia al Turista." He has been extremely helpful, I don't know how I would have gotten on without him.

So you guys know who to call if you end up in trouble in Guatamala, or even if you just need some information about the country, here are the contact details for Asistur, all of which speak very good english:

Email: asistur@inguat.gob.gt

Personales del pais:

Francisco Cano PETEN 5141-3594 Eduardo Orozco SOLOLA 5874-9450 Luis Mich RETALHULEU 5966-5043 Charles Fraatz ALTA VERAPAZ 4211-8550 Luis José Fernández BAJA VERAPAZ 5966-5042 Carlos Barrio QUETZALTENANGO 5966-1169 Jorge Mendoza HUEHUETENANGO 5460-7042 Mario Hernandez CHIQUIMULA 4149-1139 Luis Medina JALPATAGUA 5460-7045 Omar Solis IZABAL 5555-2922 Abraham Martinez SACATEPEQUEZ 5978-3586 Carlos Sandoval ESCUINTLA 5994-6852 Walter Herbruger GUATEMALA 5966-1172

Ben

searching on Quetzaltenango, or Guatemala, and selecting repair threads, would have returned a list, but here it is.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...uatemala-24640

Actually, I posted it twice (perhaps in different spots, and the moderators moved it)

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...mechanic-31314


You should work on your HUBB search skills - may come in handy in the future.

I noticed plenty of big bikes in Guatamala - 7 Africa Twins in Antigua for example. I came across the local BMW club on a Sunday rideout to Antigua and there were a good number of F650s. Perhaps far more than I would have considered in the whole of Central America not just Guatamala. Given that these bikes are around there should be a support system used to working on them.

I really totaled my Africa Twin in the south of Chile. Hard to believe it could be sold for parts let alone got going again. Replaced the entire front end with second hand bits secured in the UK and flown over to Santiago - a genuinely lucky find under the circumstances. Yes there was frame damage, it looked a wreck but managed another 15000 miles in South America.

Good luck. I hope you're ok and hope you manage to work out a fix.

Matt

Yes Matt:
As i mentioned in one of the references to the bmw mechanic in Xela:

There's a MC club in Xela, many BMW's but others - Perico´s Moto Club.

The owner of the Hotel Modelo - Julio Miralbes - is now 76 years old and stoped riding two years ago but he has ridden BMW's throughout the world. See his mug collection inside Perico's Bar off the lobby of the hotel. Also his R100RT sits in one of the hotel hallways.


Most of the bikes in Antigua on the weekend are down from Guat City area. Its a typical weekend gathering - the Antigua locals aren't all that thrilled with them - take up valuable parking space on the square, stay long without spending much. That's the story I got anyway.

Ben dont despair - from what you say your bike is quite salvageable. The damage is on non engine parts and you may find alternative donor bikes if the forks cant be rolled straight . Even if you ride with a bent frame, it'll be rideable. The main thing is to be positive about what you can do.

Guatemalan paperwork
 

The advice about being aware of how long you can keep you bike in Guatemala is good advice.

In February I wrecked in Flores and broke my ankle. The bike was still ridable and I found a place to store it. I had to come back to the states for a couple of months for surgery and went back to Guatemala in May. Trying to get across the border into Mexico was a big problem since my paperwork for the bike was only good for 30 days. I think this is standard.

I crossed the border at La Mesilla and at first they were not going to let me out of the country. Then after about 30 minutes it was about $600 US and then after another 30 minutes it was down to $350 US. I finally gave up and paid the $350 and was able to leave.

But, if I had thought about it, I would not have presented my bike paperwork at the border, just my passport. I could have then ridden into Mexico without any problems. The only problem probably would have been when I entered Guatemala again, if ever.

Is your bike fixed yet? I can't remember who told me, but while I was in Guatemala someone mentioned Roberto in Xela as an excellent mechanic. I'm hoping his reputation is well deserved and he's got you back on the road.

P.S. If you need to renew your paperwork, I don't think you even need to have the bike with you. Just get to the border at La Mesilla with your paperwork in hand and get it renewed.