GL1800Riders Forums banner

Mexico

11K views 60 replies 39 participants last post by  Daylight 
#1 ·
Any one been across the border to Mexico recently? We Will be riding down to Nuevo Progresso which is in the Brownsville, Harlingen area of Tx. We are going to be going there in Jan. and curious about any drug violence activity in the border towns. We were thinking about running deeper in but decided we didn't want to chance it. From what I've seen the border towns appear to be safe. Your opinion appreciated.
 
#56 ·
Several years ago, my wife and I rode on the Wing with five other bikes and a pickup truck (in case of breakdown) south out of Nogales to the Sea of California and took a ferry over to the Peninsula and rode back north.

Bikes were is a secure area at night, sometimes in the lobby of the facility in which we stayed. Gasoline stations often were closed, but a Mexican pickup with 5 gallon cans and a filter cloth became fueling points. There was no choice of fuel grade. We just hoped it would burn and not destroy the catalytic converted in the process.

Paved roads had speed bumps in towns that, even at full suspension elevation, the Wing would drag across the rough concrete at barely moving speed. There is little road maintenance and sometimes half of your lane is just "missing" with spectacular drop offs if you make a mistake. The police/army check points had young kids with their fingers on the triggers of AK-47s. We saw no bandits or other threatening folks. We stayed "in" at night wherever we were. Make sure there is no ammo or even empty brass anywhere in the bike. Some check points would give a thorough inspection.

You have to get a decal at the border on entry that goes on the windscreen that requires a copy of the title, registration and insurance papers. Make sure it is properly "returned" when exiting Mexico. Failure to do so could cause the bike to be confiscated if it ever crossed into Mexico in the future. They check the VIN not the license plate.

While the Wing was comfortable, I would have been happier on a BMW GS off road bike. I hated dragging the frame on the speed bumps.

YMMV
 
#57 ·
How did the IBA go?

Was this the 3 Flag; if it was, who and where did you get your document signed for MEX? Did you take photo; if so, would you post?

Thanks
It wasn't the 3 Flags Classic ride -- which, I believe, is only northbound from Mexico to Canada. I did a Border to Border to Border Insanity ride starting and ending in Canada.

Made sense... I live less than 150 miles from the US/Canada border. Seemed pretty silly to not do the full meal deal -- since I'd nearly have to ride back to Canada just in the process of coming home from either a Canada to Mexico ride, or, [Seattle to] Mexico to Canada ride.

All that I did in Mexico (allowed by IBA) to document the border crossing was establish that I'd been in the area on the US side (an ATM withdrawal receipt) and then get a time/dated receipt from a gasoline station (actually supplemented by a machine-generated receipt from the parking garage at the airport) on the Tijuana side of the border. Did get one photo, which I don't have on my computer, of the bike (from the saddle, using camera in my cell phone) in the line to get back across the border.

It helped that a kind soul who posts here on the board documented that I'd been in San Diego -- when he reported in my ride thread having helped me with a minor problem with the scoot (burned-out low beam headlight bulb).

When I was doing my ride planning, I used Google maps (and Street View) to find a gasoline station near the border crossing -- so I didn't waste time looking for a place to get a computer generated receipt. Plus, I reasoned that an international airport (less than a mile from the gas station) would likely have a parking garage that would have a computer-generated receipt for payment of the parking fee.

If I'd done a Border to Border ride "only", IBA will allow you to have your witness on the US side of the border, provided you have some supplementary evidence (like the aforementioned receipts) that you crossed the border.

I did email a couple of folks, using IBAs witness list, to see if they would sign a Witness Statement. It really wasn't convenient for them since they'd have to wait around on the US side of the border until I got through the line -- which could mean (and would have given the amount of time it did take) sitting around for an hour to 90 minutes. Or, would require them waiting for me to call -- and heading over to the US side of the crossing on short notice. I did this on a weekday, crossing the border during the day (wasn't stupid enough to consider crossing -- and riding around the border area of Mexico as a female, unaccompanied by another rider, and alone on a scoot), so it would have been a major inconvenience to an eyewitness.

The ride was successful. I got back to Canada in 69 hours and change. Less than the 72 hours alotted to do it. I got about 3 or 4 hours sleep the night between days 1 and 2 (on about 6 hours down time), and about 6 hours sleep (on 8 hours down time) the next night. Plus, I didn't ride the most 'efficient' (read fast) route on the way home. I stopped to see my boy just back from the sandbox (he was on leave, spending time with my ex -- and seeing his former high school buddies), as well as to hit a couple of bucket list stops: the house I lived in a child, my elementary and middle/junior high schools, and my college alma mater -- as well as a photostop at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge in SF. The ride certification just arrived from IBA on Friday: 2944 miles in less than 72 hours, starting and ending on the Canada side of the border, and crossing into Mexico long enough to document being there.
 
#59 ·
Thanks for the info and opinions. I've crossed the border in many towns from Tex to CA and never had a problem but that was years ago. It's always been a blast. My favorite was Tiaquana while in stagging at MCRD. What a treat that was, if you know what I mean.
I use to go across into Tijuana all the time too back in the late '60s and '70s when I was stationed in San Diego. As you say, it was a lot of fun. My wife and I would also drive down to Ensenada to go SCUBA diving quite regularly. We'd park my van right on the beach and spend the night there. BUT I wouldn't do it now on a bet! No way Jose!
 
#61 ·
I use to go across into Tijuana all the time too back in the late '60s and '70s when I was stationed in San Diego. As you say, it was a lot of fun. My wife and I would also drive down to Ensenada to go SCUBA diving quite regularly. We'd park my van right on the beach and spend the night there. BUT I wouldn't do it now on a bet! No way Jose!
Cool! We used to camp out on the sand spit (out by, what was then, that half-completed resort(?)) out on the bay - for a couple of weeks each summer. Still remember the adults going into Hussong's - as well as the year one of us got a stingray barb in his foot. (Yikes)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top