San Jose CA-La Paz-Mazatlan-San Jose

[Crankster]

San Jose CA-La Paz-Mazatlan-San Jose

Is it possible to do this trip in 9 days? If not, how about from Topolobampo instead?

What is the best (must do) route back to San Jo from Mazatlan or Topolobampo? Copper Canyon? I was thinking of a stop in El Paso. I know it is the wrong direction, but it looks like a straight shot out of the canyon.

What is the best map available for this trip?

Is it a requirement to purchase Mexico insurance?

Thank you

[dtop1]

Originally Posted by Crankster

San Jose CA-La Paz-Mazatlan-San Jose

Is it possible to do this trip in 9 days? If not, how about from Topolobampo instead?

What is the best (must do) route back to San Jo from Mazatlan or Topolobampo? Copper Canyon? I was thinking of a stop in El Paso. I know it is the wrong direction, but it looks like a straight shot out of the canyon.

What is the best map available for this trip?

Is it a requirement to purchase Mexico insurance?

Thank you

1. You can be in La Paz in 4 days and, if you hit it on a ferry day, you'd be in Mazatlan in 5. Then Mazatlan to San Jose is 1600+ miles depending on the route. You do the math.
2. If you mean Santa Rosalia to Topolambopo, you could be in Topolambopo in 3 days from SJ if you hit Santa Rosalia on a ferry day.
4. Topolambopo to Creel, Chih. is 2 days. The distance doesn't look that great but the road is very twisty so your average speed is down. And the area is just too dangerous to even think about riding at night.
5. Your fastest return from Creel is to cross at Douglas, AZ.
6. For the kind of speed trip you are thinking about, the AAA Baja and Mexico maps are good.
7. MX insurance is not required but you do need a tourist card and a temporary vehicle importation permit; both available at the border if you have your papers in order. Dan

[topes]

IMHO, the Guia Roji maps of Mexico are the best. Look for the state maps. A 2003 version of their Mexico road atlas can be had on amazon.com.

If you're into a lot of cutting, pasting, and printing, there are better maps on http://www.maps-of-mexico.com for free.

I would think you should either do the Baja or do the mainland if you only have 9 days but, that's me. What type of bike are you riding?

[Crankster]

Thank you for the responses. I'm riding on a K1100LT along with a R1200GS and a K100RS. We did the San Jose to Cabo last year so I am familiar with Baja route. We made it to Cabo in about 54 hours. The roads were great. So I'm thinking we could be in La Paz comfortably in three days. The mainland portion is unknown to me. After your response and researching this site, I'm thinking of an all mainland trip. How are the roads and what kind of mileage can I expect riding 8-10 hour days on the mainland. Should I go down the west coast and back on the east? I could be in Douglas in a day and a half. Where would I get with six days in the mainland. Three days down and back. I thought Baja was incredible and would like to do it again. But an entirely new route is good to. But I've read the reports about the east coast of the mainland and it seems lame.

[dtop1]

Assuming you want some fun roads with a lot of twisties and great scenery:
Nogales-Cananea-Hermosillo-Creel (with a stop to see the falls at Basaseachic)-Guachochi-Parral-Durango-Mazatlan. Then its a slab run back. Dan

[motojoe]

Originally Posted by Crankster

But I've read the reports about the east coast of the mainland and it seems lame.

hum, okay.

[dtop1]

The riding along the east coast route, Hwy 180, isn't too great however there is some fantastic riding inland such as through the states of Veracruz, Querétaro, Hidalgo and Guanajuato. Dan

[Lone Rider]

Originally Posted by dtop1

The riding along the east coast route, Hwy 180, isn't too great however there is some fantastic riding inland such as through the states of Veracruz, Querétaro, Hidalgo and Guanajuato. Dan

The road is very interesting, to me anyway, between Tampico and Veracruz.

[Otherguy]

Originally Posted by Crankster

How are the roads and what kind of mileage can I expect riding 8-10 hour days on the mainland.

If you're traveling state and secondary roads in Mexico, a good way to estimate time/distance is to treat kilometers as miles for more realistic planning. Think of a 300 km route as a 300 mile route.