MX/CA Border Crossing

vodkapaul · 08-04-2008, 10:29 AM

Thinking about taking the bike down to the Baja 1000 this year, and I have a question about border crossing on the bike. My experience for the last couple of years for the Baja races is a very long line and wait in the truck to get across and haven't noticed any bikes.

Can you lane split through the line? Better, more bike friendly crossing?

Thanks in advance,

Paul

winterhk · 08-04-2008, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vodkapaul

Thinking about taking the bike down to the Baja 1000 this year, and I have a question about border crossing on the bike. My experience for the last couple of years for the Baja races is a very long line and wait in the truck to get across and haven't noticed any bikes.

Can you lane split through the line? Better, more bike friendly crossing?

Thanks in advance,

Paul

You can cut right to the front of the line. At least in Tecate and Mexicali. Don't know about TJ, but I imagine its the same.

kYLEMtnCRUZr · 08-04-2008, 03:26 PM

I'm sure a few people will be pissed off...just dont wait for them to cross the border and you wont be shot at lol.

Maybe you can ride through the pedestrian crossing section.

vodkapaul · 08-04-2008, 04:40 PM

lane split and never stop....

got it.

kYLEMtnCRUZr · 08-04-2008, 04:43 PM

yeah and wear a disguise, then ditch it once you cross the border haha.

No one will care, but there is always a bad apple, er mango

vodkapaul · 08-04-2008, 05:46 PM

had too much beer in the cooler coming back (we left a night early). got stopped. firm finger wagging. more paperwork. secondary search. more finger wagging. more paperwork. hour later, i was free to go.

i really didn't need the extra tecate. ended up only losing an apple and orange. oh well.

new i should have purchased one of those wrestling masks and finished the beer in the 2 hour wait. what's worse, drunk and crossing or too much beer?

bugnbox · 08-05-2008, 08:06 AM

When is the Baja and how deep into Mexico is it? Ive never been down past Ensenada... might be a very fun ride. Anyone ever have trouble down in Mexico while riding your bike? Is there a decent spot to camp down there?

We got pulled over in TJ once for some BS thing and had to "tip" the cop to let us go...

whiteknucklemc · 08-06-2008, 06:18 AM

I met my wife down in Puerto Penasco a day late because of work so when we came back I lane split because of the heat. I got home around 2:00pm and didn't see her until 11:00pm because of the 9 hour wait at the border. So, yes, lane split without question. I did ask the policia that was directing traffic at the beginning of the line.

Before you give me a hard time; my wife was with our two teenage sons and two friends. So no I didn't leave her alone.

Gregg Wannabe · 08-08-2008, 07:56 AM

Mexicali has a dedicated lane for security and/or motorcycles. It's on the left side (like a passing lane), just ride it up and cut over at the last minute.

dustjunkie · 08-08-2008, 04:45 PM

At the Tecate crossing there is a red post in a tire. There is a gap in the barrier here plenty wide for a bike. That is where the bikes get to cut in line. I was told this by a US border guard after having spent way too much time waiting in line on my GS. The red X in the picture marks the red post... Look closely, and you can even see the gap in the barrier...

Jake

08-04-2008, 10:29 AM	#1
vodkapaul ^OP Vagabond Joined: May 2005 Location: SF, CA Oddometer: 57	MX/CA Border Crossing Thinking about taking the bike down to the Baja 1000 this year, and I have a question about border crossing on the bike. My experience for the last couple of years for the Baja races is a very long line and wait in the truck to get across and haven't noticed any bikes. Can you lane split through the line? Better, more bike friendly crossing? Thanks in advance, Paul __________________ 2003 BMW R1150GS 1984 BMW xR80RT

08-04-2008, 04:40 PM	#4
vodkapaul ^OP Vagabond Joined: May 2005 Location: SF, CA Oddometer: 57	thanks... lane split and never stop.... got it. __________________ 2003 BMW R1150GS 1984 BMW xR80RT

08-04-2008, 05:46 PM	#6
vodkapaul ^OP Vagabond Joined: May 2005 Location: SF, CA Oddometer: 57	my last crossing... had too much beer in the cooler coming back (we left a night early). got stopped. firm finger wagging. more paperwork. secondary search. more finger wagging. more paperwork. hour later, i was free to go. i really didn't need the extra tecate. ended up only losing an apple and orange. oh well. new i should have purchased one of those wrestling masks and finished the beer in the 2 hour wait. what's worse, drunk and crossing or too much beer? __________________ 2003 BMW R1150GS 1984 BMW xR80RT

08-05-2008, 08:06 AM	#7
bugnbox Adventurer Joined: Jul 2008 Location: Aguanga CA Oddometer: 69	Baja When is the Baja and how deep into Mexico is it? Ive never been down past Ensenada... might be a very fun ride. Anyone ever have trouble down in Mexico while riding your bike? Is there a decent spot to camp down there? We got pulled over in TJ once for some BS thing and had to "tip" the cop to let us go... __________________ 03 R1150GS 73 R75/5 w/ Jupiter sidecar 66 Suzuki X6 "Hustler" 88 Yamaha DT 50 78 Italjet "Bambino" (and a buncha funky VW's)

08-08-2008, 04:45 PM	#10
dustjunkie Got Stick Meat? Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Lake Forest, SoCal Oddometer: 1,425	At the Tecate crossing there is a red post in a tire. There is a gap in the barrier here plenty wide for a bike. That is where the bikes get to cut in line. I was told this by a US border guard after having spent way too much time waiting in line on my GS. The red X in the picture marks the red post... Look closely, and you can even see the gap in the barrier... Jake __________________ www.riderdown.org

08-04-2008, 03:26 PM	#3
kYLEMtnCRUZr Got Singletrack? Joined: Jul 2008 Location: Placerville CA Oddometer: 54	I'm sure a few people will be pissed off...just dont wait for them to cross the border and you wont be shot at lol. Maybe you can ride through the pedestrian crossing section.

08-04-2008, 04:43 PM	#5
kYLEMtnCRUZr Got Singletrack? Joined: Jul 2008 Location: Placerville CA Oddometer: 54	yeah and wear a disguise, then ditch it once you cross the border haha. No one will care, but there is always a bad apple, er mango

08-06-2008, 06:18 AM	#8
whiteknucklemc Studly Adventurer Joined: Apr 2005 Location: Apache Junction, AZ Oddometer: 643	I met my wife down in Puerto Penasco a day late because of work so when we came back I lane split because of the heat. I got home around 2:00pm and didn't see her until 11:00pm because of the 9 hour wait at the border. So, yes, lane split without question. I did ask the policia that was directing traffic at the beginning of the line. Before you give me a hard time; my wife was with our two teenage sons and two friends. So no I didn't leave her alone.

08-08-2008, 07:56 AM	#9
Gregg Wannabe Just killing time Joined: Nov 2003 Location: San Diego Oddometer: 2,085	Mexicali has a dedicated lane for security and/or motorcycles. It's on the left side (like a passing lane), just ride it up and cut over at the last minute.

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