Planning a Mexico trip

[BUBBIE]

*********nonono

I pack weapons yes I SAID WEAPONS(S) on ALL MY BIKE RIDES and I have traveled from AZ into NM and into TX using ONLY HGY'S CLOSE to the border of Mexico. ONLY in THE USA SIDE..... THAT IS EVEN RISKY!!

Too much goes on across the border... and a BEAUTIFUL HARLEY, MOST Mx. CAN ONLY DREAM OF and the POLICE or CARTEL who CAN and WILL find a way to TAKE FROM YOU... REASON enough to KEEP me on MY OWN side of the border...

signed....BUBBIE

 

[Chopper]

jaceddie I think you're crazy if you don't go for it, you'll regret it for the rest of your life, when you get back home you'll think I had a chance and I didn't go. Mexico is a unknown for most of us, but I think you would meet some of the best people in the world on your trip there, Just keep the pedal to the metal thru the border towns, same as Detroit or Chicago, Your mother probably told you that you would shot your eye out with your bb gun and you would kill yourself if you rode a motorcycle, to not do something because of fear or the unknown is a waste of life, be smart but don't stop living. You're going to be traveling in a group, you won't need a gun, criminals are yellow, they fine helpless people along to mess with not a group of bikers. This is 2010 government & police departments are corrupt everywhere, but there are good people in both also, you can be held in this country with out charges now, all they need is a pic of you with a towel wrapped around your head ten years ago in your own bathroom, and I don't think they even need that anymore. When I lived in Brownsville Texas I would eat across the border all most every night, what cost me 25 cents then, I would kill for today, people in Idaho do not have taste buds The food alone would be worth the trip, the friends you would make would be worth the trip and the stories you would have to tell your grandchildren would be priceless. It's your life live it, don't waste it living in a box. I'm sure some people on this forum has made the trip and they will ring in with there stories whether good or bad. Have a great trip where ever you go:bigsmiley11:

 

[Jack Klarich]

Agree with Chopper been to Mexico not on a bike but very good time and the people are friendly and want you to spend money. Like any where else you travel today there are dangers but we cant live in fear and not take advantage of seeing diffeernt cultures. I would go again, next time I will fly and ride, Jack

 

[BOBFLHTC]

I would spend some time doing research. I wonder if you could hire someone in country to go along to steer you away from potential trouble. I've never used this tour guide and I don't have a vested interest but it looks like they design custom tours. Maybe you could hire a local to go along. Have a great trip - Bob

MotoDiscovery Custom Tours

 

[Trek]

I don't know what it is like today but it can't be better than 17 years ago when I was in the Navy. I went into Mexico and almost didn't get my bike back from the police. Absolutely wouldn't do it. When I have more time I'll come back into this post and share my story.

 

[Bait]

I would pass on it. Chip

 

[walleye]

I kind of go back and forth on this one. Chopper makes good points about enjoying life and not letting fear hamper that, but on the other hand, you have to use common sense along the way. You should not have to make plans around things like this, but it is a fact of life we do. There is unfortunately a higher risk now than there was even a few years ago. With the worsening global economy there are more desperate people, especially in poorer countries, that will do anything to survive. Human life means very little and packing or being experienced does not stop a 9MM. I would love to make that ride, but for me there are too many good places to ride that I have not yet experienced so I will full fill those dreams first. Theres enuff risk doing that in our own country now days. Only you can determine if the risk outwieghs the benefit for yourself, but what ever you do, ride safe.

 

[BUBBIE]

There is a bike run from USA either thru Nogales usa/mex (too crowded and NOT recommended by ME) BETTER across a smaller TOURIST PASSING border town..called Lukeville (USA) WEST of Nogales that goes thru Organ Cactus Nat. Mon. NO HASSLE ZONE and no WAIT

The trip MY wife and I took in my white JEEP(no green) was thru the cactus mon. area and DOWN thru to ROCKY POINT....

I was told that there is a LARGE GATHERING of BIKERS once a year...an ANNUAL RIDE ????....

SAYING THIS instead of NO NO NO , would be the ONLY WAY I would travel (bikes) into and thru the border towns ESPECIALLY on a HARLEY....

I enjoyed our trip down staying two nights and they were trouble free!!!

Now mind you , that was a little BEFORE the CLEANING OUT by the CARTEL...

Since 3 yrs or so ago, a lot has happened and I've not KEPT-UP with all the changes....BUT MANY MURDERS and KIDNAPPINGS of AMERICANS have NOT been REPORTED by the US news... the NEWS is always TOO BUSY reporting like on TIGER and the OTHER JUCY STUFF and not wanting to ALARM the Americans about the UN-IMPORTANT STUFF... YES my PET PEEVE with the media...

The highway we took out of AZ. is, 85 us and 8 mex. ON the mexico side, LARGE 4X4' signs along the way into mexico stating with WORDS and PICTURES "" HASSLE FREE ZONE """ in the sign were PICTURES of CARS, TRUCKS, MOTOR HOME,MOTOR CYCLES to SHOW that tourist would NOT be HASSLED while on that highway... I NEVER SAW A POLICE CAR WHILE ON THAT MAIN ROAD.... ONLY the little towns you pass thru and you'd better do the limit..... LEAVING thru ? town there again the BIG, NO HASSLE sign....

THAT being the case and speed limit posted ??? 60/65 MPH in places and ALL TOURIST RIGS GOING MUCH FASTER.....(MUCH).... Never once did I see a PULLED OVER ONE....

I figured that the MEXICANs WANTED TOURIST DOLLARS and all the BAD THINGS people hear about when you get PULLED OVER by the CROOKED police AND the border MURDERS,,, GAVE out the lack of interest by KEEPING the AMERICAN home....

NOW with all that said::::::::

THERE is a ANNUAL ROCKY POINT Motorcycle Rally???(googled information)
visit phoenixbikers.com .... LOTS of stuff here BUT I found nothing on rocky point rally???? U look....

THIS WOULD BE A SAFER WAY TO GO (YOUR GROUP) BUT LODGING MIGHT TAKE ADVANCE SET UP... a lot of LITTLE clean motels available,, SOUTH of the OLD WHARF area.. good $$ and CLEAN and the kind you can watch your bike out thu the door and PARKED so you can see your HONEY. Your wife should be safe but watch the bike...

NOW this on it's own JUST YOUR GROUP probably would work for YOUR wanting to go INTO MEXICO...

DOING the USA side of the border and KEEPING close to and using hgy 8 thru AZ and over to the CATCUS road down 85 us /8 mx and into ROCKY POINT...

I'm thinking about doing that run some day on BIKE,, SO IF YOU DO GO PLEASE POST HERE ON THE HDTALKING SITE so we get FIRST HAND INFORMATION..

IF you go into mexico USE THIS route 85 us/8 mex... DOWN and BACK,, IS A MUST! IF you deviate over to NOGALES You'll burn up the bike with the NORMAL 2 to 3 hour stop n go it takes to get BACK thru customs iNTO the USA... LUKEVILLE is a QUICK CROSSING because MANY tourist and people LIVING CLOSE , travel this route OFTEN...

GET MEX. INSURANCE,,, not much in $$$..and you only buy for the days there..

NOW for me saying NO NO NO maybe YESYESYES is in order.

signed....BUBBIE

 

[jaceddie]

I have posted before about this being a dream trip for me as my brother in law did it a few years ago.They had stuff stolen off their bike in Texas,but didn't have a problem in Mexico.In Mexico they would give the hotel clerk and a couple of locals a few U.S. dollars to look after their ride while they were off sightseeing and these people were so grateful they would hunker down beside it all night.My brother in law passed away in Nov. but I will ask his wife for a few pics from that trip and post them here.

That would be great Steve, thanks.

 

[walleye]

Here is an intersting read regarding Mexico. I found this on the web and copied and pasted it. Looks like we are just as safe there as here?


“Actually, it’s safer there than here. For example, the murder rate in Mexico is about 11 per 100,000 people a year. In New Orleans, it’s almost seven times worse, 71 per 100,000. Atlanta, Cleveland, St. Louis—all have higher murder rates than Mexico.”

As author David Lida–an American expat living in Mexico City for almost 20 years–explained in his excellent book, First Stop in the New World:

“In 2004, there were 710 homicides in Mexico City, as opposed to 218 in Washington, D.C. Yet there are close to twenty million people in Mexico City and only 572,000 in the U.s. capital. Therefore, your likelihood to get murdered in D.C. is far greater than it is here–equally true in many U.S. cities, among them Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Phoenix, Dallas, and Las Vegas (according to 2004 statistics from the FBI). In 2006, New Orleans…with a population smaller than 1 percent of Mexico City’s–had a murder rate nearly equal to the D.F.”