Mexico and Central America Ride Planning and Road Wisdom

[Jeff Munn]

Originally Posted by Martincito

Jeff,
Your pdf with the info about CA was the most useful thing that I got from the web in my trip through CA.
Very accurate.
Thanks!

Martincito, I just read your ride report on Pelicanparts and it was very inspiring. Great photography too! I am honored to have been able to help a fellow traveler on such an incredible trip.

jeff

[Eduardo]

[quote=Jeff Munn]With the help of K7, I now have these tips in .pdf format. They can be found at this link for downloading and printing. (CA Wisdom in printable format)

Hola Amigos, I was going to write a Central America riding tips and rules paper, but after reading the excellent work of Jeff and K7 in the .pdf format above, I could only add a few things, and concur with all said.

They have managed to include many things that you will not find in any travel book, and are essential to insuring a safe, and smooth trip. So, if your going south read this stuff, or learn all this wisdom the hard way.

Kudos again to the authors, this must have taken a long time to put together, and I'm sure your efforts are much appreciated by all. Gracias!

Saludos todo y felize viaje, Eduardo

[felix_da_cat]

yes you do need original bike title and the moto permit you got at the aduana to get your bike on the ferry.
did it this january 09

Originally Posted by rous44

Django Loco

You don't need import papers for the ferry????

I have always been told it was an absolute requirment. Planning on taking the ferry from La Paz to Mazatlan this fall. I think I will still get all the paper work, just in case. It would be good to know in case I was travelling in Baja sometime and decided to ferry over to the mainland.

[GuiltyParty]

this thread has been the most informative and well thought out thread i've ever read and not only does it apply to CA but everywhere.

thank you all for the contributions. i'm only hoping i can share my own stories, adventure and wisdom when i travel as much as is contained in this thread. this site has helped with the travelling though no doubt

[robd19]

Thanks again for a great post. I plan on heading down for the meetup in Colombia around halloween. I'm fluent in spanish. Anybody have any issues with traveling alone through Central America??

Thanks,
Rob

[MotoBoss]

WOW what a post of fantastic interesting information! Thanks for the great read. Just a question;

I was planning on going to Mexico for the Baja 1000 (November 19-22). Is all the listed "paperwork" required for me to ride my KLR into and around the race route? Do I have to "import in and out"? I have been no farther than TJ and that was crossing in my truck many, many years ago so I don't have a clue as to whats required now. Will not a passport, registration and license be sufficient? I just want to ride to the race, watching from several of the towns on the route and return home but I'm starting to think "is it worth it"

Help me out, please

[acejones]

Crosscountry,

Here's the answer about fuel prices in Mexico:

http://www.mexicomike.com/database/r...rices_list.php

[Sjoerd Bakker]

To visit the Baja 1000 race you will only be going into Baja California and the whole state is considered as frontier zone so you will not need to get any temp import permit. If spending more than 72 hours there in Mexico you should get your tourist card , but even that may not be stringently inspected .

As for travelling alone through Central America- not a problem. Just mind your manners, stay sober and stay off the roads outside towns after dark . That advice serves equally well in the USA.

[jkabouwchilexplorer]

Road Wisdom

Many of you are aware of beer money in Central America and a few many other, in order to cross a check point or road control.
Advice for Chile, DON NOT do this!!!

Have fun and drive carefully

[GTOROCKS RACING TEAM]

Originally Posted by MotoBoss

WOW what a post of fantastic interesting information! Thanks for the great read. Just a question;

I was planning on going to Mexico for the Baja 1000 (November 19-22). Is all the listed "paperwork" required for me to ride my KLR into and around the race route? Do I have to "import in and out"? I have been no farther than TJ and that was crossing in my truck many, many years ago so I don't have a clue as to whats required now. Will not a passport, registration and license be sufficient? I just want to ride to the race, watching from several of the towns on the route and return home but I'm starting to think "is it worth it"

Help me out, please

Hola Compadre,

I am new to the forum but have done my traveling and have experience with customs, I majored in international business.

Everything is possible, all you have to have is the proper docs

I just posted something on this forum
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...=207964&page=9

I have friends in Baja, lots of fun but its always better to have friends.

USA, MEXICO, and South America is easy, well except for the darian gap, tried that already in 1994 but only made it to placencia belize, but on my last race to venezuela I think I met the right contacts to one day make it happen...like I said its all about the right contacts.

Give me a call

Ponce

“Don't always walk on the smooth roads, walk ways that no one has travelled before, so as to leave behind traces and not only dust…”

[GTOROCKS RACING TEAM]

Originally Posted by acejones

Crosscountry,

Here's the answer about fuel prices in Mexico:

http://www.mexicomike.com/database/r...rices_list.php

Great info...remember try and bring some additives, if not look for the autozones shops around mexico, they carry some good brands.

[MotoBoss]

GTOROCKS Thanks for the invite. I will contact you when I get to the start of the race site. Thanks again for your generosity, muchas gracias mi amigo!

[GTOROCKS RACING TEAM]

Right on Brother. Let me know with time so I can give you my Baja Cali contacts.

Saludos desde Planeta GTOROCKS!
Ponce

[big Sky]

My wife and I lived for five years in Mexico and Central America. Also into Columbia in South America. In the five years we never had a bad people experience with locals. The Key for us was to always stay calm and pleasent. Yes they do things differently and at a slower pace than we are used to but we are in their country and if we don't like it then we should go home. We saw many pissed off Americans there who never won the battle. They don't get made they just get even when you press them. Papers have a habit of always going to the bottom of the pile when you get pushy.

On the whole the people in these countries are freindly and egar to please. Sometimes too egar as they will tell you directions that are completely wrong. It is not malicious but they want to be helpful. There are asswipes everywhere in the world but most of us are good guys.

[toyotatundra]

I dwelled all over honduras for more than a year in the early 90s, and even when there was considerable political heat abroad over everything from banana embargos, to the contra scandals, to turf wars between nicaraguan gorrilias and peacable farmers, as long as i never misrepresented who i was or what i was doing in the country and developed a huge ability to make small talk with locals, all went well. However you still need to keep your eyes open, and use common sense, and remember your not in countrys that are overwhelmilgly goverened by freedom, justice- or more notibly the "american" way.. lemme know if i can help any one planning a seriouos trip thru the central american region, maybe i can help. and ps, u.s. consolates locations are important to know incase there is trouble, they like to know where you intend to be in the country, and youre buisness there, so they can begin to look for you if things go wrong.. Its a good feeling to know they are there with military backing if needs be, as a us citizen we have certain rights in most countrys, often more certain by the host country to us than those granted to citizens of that country by theyre own goverment. good luck and enjoy, its an amazing part of the world, full of culture and history galore!