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MOTOBRICK RIDING => Photographic Ride Reports => Topic started by: TimTyler on December 14, 2014, 07:00:28 PM
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Anybody ridden down the Baja Peninsula to Cabo on a road bike? Do-able?
I'm thinking it could be a good March 2015 trip when it's still cold up here in the north-country.
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too much bad whack down there... aints no way im motobricking mexico...
j o
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Usted está loco. México amará mi ladrillo.
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I did it in 86, on a R100RS.
YES!!! It is possible!
Take gas treatment, take something to strain gas with, don't ride at night if it can be avoided. If you combat camp, keep it dark and or sleep away from the fire.
Caution is the watch word, take nothing you would not give away if you had to choose.
The views are spectacular. The fresh sea food addicting.
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i dont think they were quartering out usa motocyclists in 86 like they are doing in 14... these days they leave your money in your wallet and put your head on a stick...
j o
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Look up American motorcyclist killed in Mexico.
Avoid motorcycle travel in Mexico.
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Last semester I did a 13 page paper on the drug war and war on drugs in Mexico...don't go to Mexico.
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Bad country, very bad. I worked with a guy who got a little too close to shore in his sailboat along the Baja Penninsula and wound up taking full auto rifle fire from the beach.
They are f-ing wild animals down there.
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I may be a little late to this party, since the original post was made in December of last year, but I wanted to throw out an enthusiastic "YES RIDE BAJA!" to counter some of the less-than-encouraging responses this thread has so far received.
Baja is safe. Mexico is a big country and the Baja California peninsula is a looong way (literally and figuratively) from narco hot spots like Ciudad Juarez or the Guerrero/Michoacán state line. I feel safer in most of Baja than I do in most of San Bernardino County. I spend a lot of time riding up and down the peninsula and have yet to be beheaded, raped, robbed, or otherwise harmed. The biggest legitimate danger is riding at night - not because of bandidos, but due to completely unlit and poorly maintained roads and the very real possibility that you will collide with the cattle that like to loiter on the warm pavement of the highway on cold nights. Property theft is a concern, but just as you would do most places in the US, take your valuables with you or secure them in locked saddlebags when you park the bike in town to eat or play tourist. Most hotels have secured courtyard parking or allow you to roll your bike into your room for the night.
Baja is unbelievably beautiful. It's not just a big sandy desert. That narrow strip of land contains high-altitude pine forests, surreal desert vistas, deserted beaches, lush oases, rustic ranches and charming little villages. The sunrises over the Sea of Cortez and sunsets over the Pacific are somehow more spectacular than any we experience here in California.
Baja has killer food. Whether you're gorging yourself on al pastor tacos from a street cart or enjoying freshly-killed seafood under a palapa on the beach, you'd be hard-pressed to find fresher, tastier food anywhere else. But don't drink the water; that old bit of wisdom still holds true. :yow
Baja is full of good people. And bad people. And people who are somewhere in between. Just like the places we all live. If you take the normal precautions you take when travelling anywhere else, you'll have a fine trip. It's helpful to know some basic Spanish phrases, but you can get by with some hacked-up Spanglish and lots of pointing and grunting, as I do. :yes
I'm usually on a dirt bike when I ride Baja, but I have taken my K75 down a couple times (even taken it on some mild dirt roads). Gas isn't a big problem, especially if you're sticking to the highway. In rural areas where there is no Pemex station, someone will be selling gas from jugs along the road or you can scare up some fuel at most any ranch. I've dumped plenty of barrel gas into my bikes over the years and never had a problem. Even our prized BMW's run fine on barrel gas. If you stick to Highway 1, you could even ride a Harley down to Cabo.
Here's my brick loaded up for camping at the entry to San Felipe, BC, off-roading amongst giant cacti, and recovering in front of the Tecate brewery (plus a gratuitous shot of VIP bike parking Baja-style):
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Hey Tim,
While searching for info about riding the Gaspe Peninsula (anyone here ever been there?), I found this:
http://ridedot.com/rtw/52.html
These two rode down Baja then ferried to the mainland and rode all over Mexico. It looks great.
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See! It isn't so bad.
I doubt I'll be heading down there this year though. It's been a tight money year so far, but Baja is on the list for sure.
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I whole-heartedly support traveling in Baja by bike. I went down 2.5 yrs ago with two friends and had an absolute blast. I was on a loaded 1150gs and my buddies were on KTMs: a motard and a dual sport 525. The k75 with dual sport tires could have done 95% of what we did but of course, it is up to the rider how aggressive they want to be on the dirt.
Try not to ride at night, don't hang out in Tijuana and be smart if you're going to camp by yourself. Baja and mainland Mexico are filled with overwhelmingly lovely, friendly people who, in general, are more open, helpful and hospitable than most people you meet in the US. Of course, there is a known criminal element and there are petty thieves that one would find anywhere. If you do some research about the former and keep your wits about the latter, your chances are high that things will be fine and you'll have a great time.
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End of August 2015I rode to Ensenada, and returned to California the next day. I was stopped by a policeman, he only wanted to welcome me and shook my hand after asking some basic questions. I bought no fuel, found prices for food, hotel, not particularly cheap.The roads were excellent. Dollars were completely accepted. I'm sure that getting away from the tourist spots would yield different results.
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I live in San Diego county. I can ride to Tecate, Mexico for breakfast and be home for lunch. It's been a while since I've gone far into the peninsula - and I've never gone all the way down. But I've ridden dirt bikes and street bikes down there.
I don't worry so much about myself, but I won't take my daughters into the big border towns (such as Tijuana). We're thinking about a family trip about halfway down the peninsula next year.
+1 to all the things stated previously about the beauty and the food.