Riding through Mexico - Suggestions?
 

We're planning a trip down to Mexico City and back up to the US. I would like to get any suggestions of things to carry, things not to carry, and how best to handle the money & food. I've been to Mexico several years ago, but on business, and was flying. How safe are the roads? Also, what condition are the roads? All paved to Mexico City? I'm not interested in dirt, or roughing it this trip. Thanks.


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Thunder

Thunder -

I imagine that you will be entering Mexico at Brownsville/Matamoros. There are a bunch of money changing offices just before the border. Best Western Motel is recommended for reasonable price and free breakfast. Academy Sporting Goods has excellent prices if you need any last minute supplies/clothing. Auto parts stores are plentiful, but if you need Harley-specific stuff you are probably looking at Corpus Christi.

To get your tourist card and 30 day bike sticker, you will need a credit card, the original bike registration, the original bike title, drivers license, and your passport. If you have a loan on your $18,000 Harley, you are not going to be allowed past the 20 mile border commercial zone. No original title, no 30 day sticker. One of their main concerns is that you do not sell the bike (duty-free)in Mexico - it is their job to make sure that what the tourist drives in, the tourist drives out. Mexican Customs officials speak English, are pleasant, professional, and helpful. You would not want to be a Mexican going in the other direction...when you see the line of traffic trying to get into the U.S., you will know what I mean.

Good unleaded fuel is available throughout Mexico. $2 gallon for 90 octane, or $2.25 gallon for 93 octane. The only gas stations past the 20 mile commercial border are state run Pemex stations. They are typically spaced one every 60 miles, and sometimes the Pemex station is out of gas. So if you are riding a V-Rod, you are gonna be walkin'.

Route 101/180 is a good, fast back road. It is pretty and you will love it. But keep your eyes open for the topes (speed bumps), especially when you enter towns.

The only toll is when you cross the bridge in Tampico. The first time I went down in '89, there was no bridge, just a totally dilapidated, broken down diesel ferry with a line of trucks for miles waiting to get across. The wait must have been days, and this was the main north/south route for eastern Mexico. Luckily, on the bike I was able to ride past the traffic and they stuck my bike in a corner of the ferry. But to me this bridge symbolizes how far Mexico has come since '89.

After Tampico, you can take Rt 105 into Mexico City, or you can ride down the coast to Poza Rica and then take Rt 130 into the city. It is 530 miles from Matamoros to Poza Rica. If you cruise at 75 mph on the open sections, it takes about 9-10 hours to Poza Rica. An alternate route would be Rt 101 to Ciudad Victoria, and then Rt 85 into Mexico City.

Mexican drivers have respect for faster traffic. Particularly on Rt 101, you will see cars and trucks doing 70 mph with two wheels on the shoulder to help faster traffic squeeze by. There is no speed enforcement, and if you fly by a cop and pop a wheelie, they will give you the thumbs up.
One time when I passed a cop, he did pull me over, and just politely suggested that I slow down when I got into the next town.

The trucks will put on their left turn signal if they can see over a rise and it is safe for you to pass. At first this is disconcerting, because you don't know if the driver is signalling to turn left. But then you realize that there are generally no driveways or sideroads except when you get into towns, so the system works on the open road.

Until a few years ago, virtually the only bikes in Mexico were 175cc Carabelas that were just ridden in the towns. Import restrictions meant that seeing an EX500 was like seeing a Lamborghini in the U.S. So Mexican drivers are not used to seeing fast motorcycles on the open road, and at first glance may assume you are riding a Carabela at 40 mph. Also, vision testing does not seem to be required for drivers in Mexico. On the plus side, Mexican drivers do pay attention to their driving, they are not cell-phoning, daydreaming, or looking at the kids in the back seats.

I would recommend trips to Veracruz, a beautiful and modern city, and to the awesome Toltec ruins of El Tajin near Poza Rica.

Let me know if you have any other questions -

Mike

Thanks, Mike!! That's some good information! We are riding a Harley, bagger in fact.

How about places to stay? We won't know where we will be at each day's end, so reservations is out of the question. Any problem finding a place, late in the day? We don't ride at night in strange areas, if there's any way to avoid it.

Also, how safe is the area in general, for Americans? Any precautions? I guess a chain & lock would help?

Thunder -

When I drove down from Brownsville earlier this year, my first night's stop was on the northern outskirts of Poza Rica, at Las Palmas Hotel, GPS coordinates N20deg 33.056 ´W97deg 28.465´. Reasonably priced, with indoor parking and several restaurants within walking distance.

Finding a room towards the end of the day should not be a problem, most medium sized towns will have a motel or two and they are rarely filled up. They will almost always have secure parking or will let you park in the lobby or courtyard. Pricing is about the same or a little less than the U.S., though the rooms are usually not up to U.S. motel chain standards. Occaisionally someone will try to overcharge you, but usually not. Mind your change at the Pemex stations though, the attendants are sometimes reluctant to return it all.

I have never had any theft or crime problems in Mexico, though I have not been in the city itself. As for the countryside, obviously you can have a bad actor anywhere, but as best I have been able to determine, crime is no bigger a problem than in the U.S.

- Mike

How about money, especially cash?? I would think the rural places might not take credit cards. How is the best way to get cash without carring a wad at all times?

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Thunder

I take credit cards but also carry cash, normally split in to 2 or 3 wads. In my wallet I carry a minimal amount of cash, with the rest hidden on me.

If worried about getting robbed etc, Chris Scott's book "Adventure M/cycle Handbook" gives good advice - carry a spare wallet with an expired card or two plus a small amount of cash, this should suffice should anything happen. The same book also gives good advice in general for all aspects of bike travel.

Important documents etc are carried in a belt wallet, out of sight at all times. Don't leave anything important in or on the bike when it's unattended. We had a top box broken in to in Poland, lost a mobile phone, camera & a Leatherman.

Don't forget adequate insurance that covers possible theft. Some policies that cover theft from the bike have a get-out clause if the theft ocurred during the hours of darkness - read the small print.

Have a good journey

Steve

ATM machines are plentiful in Mexico. If you have a debit card, you can extract pesos from your checking account at home at the offical exchange rate; couldn't be easier. You could also get cash advances on a credit card. As far as carrying funds, I subscribe to the proverb "don't keep all your eggs in one basket". Don't keep everything in your wallet in your back pocket, keep some hid elsewhere. Mexico is very safe; the people are the best part about it, you will have the time of your life.

Definately avoid traveling at night, but if you must do so, use the "autopistas" (the toll roads) which are much safer.

Having been down to Central Mexico many times, I would say that for the most part Mexico is a safe country, however petty theft is a problem in many places, so keep that in mind, especially when away from the bike.

Mexico City on the other hand is definately not a safe place to be, it has one of the highest crime rates of any urban area in the world. Use common sense and you will be fine, but be aware of what happens there on a daily basis, many, many people are robbed (often at gunpoint) there every day. And crime in Mexico City is not limited to the "bad" sections of town. Don't leave your bike unattended there for one second!

However, I believe Mexico City is the exception to the rest of the country as far as crime goes. Just like anywhere else in the world, use common sense and you will reduce your odds for trouble.

And one more item on road travel, don't necessarily assume you can bribe the police if you get pulled over, its not as easy as it used to be. The police seem to have been cracking down a bit on corruption over the last several years...

-Dave

Thanks for all the super responses! Good information!

Any information about paperwork to carry? It's been a long time since I went to Mexico, so I'm not up to date on requirements. I don't have a passport, so what sort of other paper would I need? Visitor's pass?


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Thunder

Re paperwork: You need two forms of government-issued ID. A driver's license and something like a voter ID will suffice but if you don't have a passport, they're pretty doggone simple to get and much better than any other form of ID. Get one!

Re a financed bike: someone stated that if your bike if financed, you'll not get past the commercial zone. I think that's incorrect. Assuming your bike if financed, the lender can provide a permission letter (notarized) if you give them your in and out dates and a copy of your insurance.

Generally speaking, your title, insurance, registration, passport, DL and permission letter (if applicable) are necessary. You can make copies at the border but if you want to save a few minutes, take copies with you. It's a good idea anyway in case you need backups.

There are always enough people at the border going through the same process as you so just ask questions. You'll have to fill out a form or two but it's a fairly simple and quick process.

Good luck, have fun, watch your back!

hey thunder,
AVOID TOLUCA!! one hour northwest of d.f. i live here in mexico city for part of the year. i just left mexico city h-d on boliva, where i was talking to a fellow rider about how he protects his beautiful custom. i have had only 2 negative incidents......both my fault. it is very different today as opposed to 5 years ago. yes, we have much crime, but common sense should prevail. also, it depends on what you are riding to some extent. lots of chinese and japanese bikes over 500cc. fewer beamers, harleys and sport bikes. some are more desirable and carry more caution. don´t expect to go sight seeing and return to your rig confidently. your biggest fear should be driving here really. sometimes you will not realize that a traffic light facing you is either not functioning or disappeared 2 years ago when a truck hit the pole. this is the 3rd world and it won´t be repaired quickly or at all. i got t-boned in such a situation. the drivers here are unbelievably inconsiderate and will cut you off without a second thought. i am constantly giving my chilanga s--t for driving like this, but she was born here and always tells me....welcome to d.f. there is a touring club here with a chapter in puebla that hold monthly rides all over southern mex. 2 months ago it was to zipolite, the nude beach. great hiways and sights. great guys. to conclude, avoid certain areas here, use common sense and drive defensively. you´ll do fine. e-mail me for more info or a secure place to park in in the south. buenas suerte

When I was in Mexico City during December 2001 we were pulled over for not allowing a police car to pull onto the road in front of us. Anyway, it was poor manners and we were foreigners. The police officer asked to check our passports and ownership (my van) and he decided to ransom the ownership for a months salary. We talked him down to something like 80$USD which got me royally angry since I wasn't driving but we should have had photocopied paperwork to give him at first. This way he wouldn't have anything to work with, we would have just told him our origionals were at some hotel.

Cheers, Steve

Thunder,

I live in Roanoke Rapids and am heading for Mexico on April 12th on an FLHT. I have never been very far into Mexico but wouldn't mind a little company at least for part of the trip if interested.

Jack

jmallick,

Unfortunately, we can't make it that soon. I think that is the best time to go, considering the weather here, and there. Any earlier, and you might need a heated suit! At least for a few hundred miles.

Where do you plan on going, and for how long? Sure would like to hear from you when you get back.


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Thunder

Thunder,

No real definite plan, only start date. Will probable hit bike week in Mazatlan and catch Copper Canyon on the way back. Once in the US I will stop for the weekend in Texas for the Dawgs on Hawgs rally. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Jack