Planning a Mexico trip

[jaceddie]

My friends and I are planning a trip to the West Coast starting the first week of May. The plan is to maybe take in Mexico too, but since none of us has ever been there, we don't know where the best place to visit. We are flexable about where we will enter Mexico as we will be following the Southern route from East coast, so we could drop below the border at just about any point. Also, how safe is it? I've got to say, after hearing a lot of horror stories which might be true or not, I'm a little nervous about leaving my bike in a hotel parking lot or such. We plan on spending at least one night there, but are flexable about that too. I'm sure many of you have made this ride and maybe live south of the border, and I would appreciate any input you could give us.

 

[Mattman4403]

Check out the insurance requirements. As far as I know you have to pick up Mexican insurance before or as soon as you cross the border. you can get stoppedd and detained if you do not have it.

 

[glenalt]

I think you will need passports now.

 

[silentflyer]

I think I would try to contact someone in the US State Dept. for advice on if/where/when you want to do this....I have friends in San Dieago who won't even ride in to Mexico anymore, just too risky, and for sure don't try to pack a gun over the border, which means you will be traveling "naked" in a country full of unsavory types, druggers/smugglers/criminals etc. Yes I realize 99% of the citizens there are just trying to get by, but the 1% of the thugs make life rough for them also..but then how could that be, since firearms are controlled by the govenment there?

 

[Gas Gauge]

If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns!

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

In my opinion, there are thousands of miles of beautiful, interesting places to ride and visit in the US and Canada. Why would you ever want to ride into the border areas of Mexico? Might be different if you were to fly into a city like Cancun and rent a bike but that's not what you're planning.

As others have pointed out, there are elevated risks and complications involved with crossing into Mexico. Even if the chances of encountering trouble are very slim, why take the chance and ruin a memorable trip? Same reason I wouldn't ride alone through most any of our large cities at 2:00 in the morning - most anyone out and about at that time of day is looking for trouble or simply has bad intentions in general. Why increase your probability of running into trouble if you don't have to?

 

[sharpscuba]

I would have to really thing about that one twice. If you search on how many death's there are each day in any of the border towns and the corruption that pray's on the people all for the sake of the drug trade I would bet that you could think of a better and safer trip. The value of your bike is not what I would worry about as the value of life down there is null. The cartel has no problem killing to just make a point,and it will be done in a way so violent most people can not imagine. It would take the horror's of war to be able to relate the image of their lack of value. I would never enter at any border.
Just my two cents worth.

 

[trickydoc]

My friends and I are planning a trip to the West Coast starting the first week of May. The plan is to maybe take in Mexico too, but since none of us has ever been there, we don't know where the best place to visit. We are flexable about where we will enter Mexico as we will be following the Southern route from East coast, so we could drop below the border at just about any point. Also, how safe is it? I've got to say, after hearing a lot of horror stories which might be true or not, I'm a little nervous about leaving my bike in a hotel parking lot or such. We plan on spending at least one night there, but are flexable about that too. I'm sure many of you have made this ride and maybe live south of the border, and I would appreciate any input you could give us.

Just moved from AZ to AL, and I would not ride a scooter into Mexico for any reason. I keep up with the happenings out there. 2 weeks ago 24 people were killed in a border town. This kind of thing happens all the time. Before we came back to Alabama, there was a running gun battle between the military and the drugies, 20 something killed that time. Just me but they ain't enough money to get me to ride into Mexico. OBTW, guns and ammo are not allowed into the country, they will lock you up and take your wepon and ammo, and your scoot. You can be put in jail for one 22 round if found on you or your scoot. The Mexicans arrested 2 of our Border Patrol Officers who were just visiting Mexico after a sercheng their car and finding some ammo. It took several weeks to get them back. When we lived in AZ, we went several times, but after the killings we stopped and most other Zoney's did too. You have to have a passport now to cross. Check out some of the news papers from some of the stateside border towns for recent news. The Tucson Star has some articals. you could also check San Diego and El Paso. I think you will find a lot of info. If you decide to go, be very very careful. Its a war down there.

 

[silentflyer]

If guns and ammo are illeagal there, and they have "the police" how could they POSSIBLY have a crime problem??? After all it's all us armed citizens that cause the problems....

 

[harleybass47]

The police can't even protect themselves, hundreds of police and other government officials are killed every year. The border towns are the worst.That's where everyone is fighting for control to ship drugs and illegals. I don't go anywhere I can't protect myself. Remember when seconds count the police are minutes away. Besides they won't put themselves in harms way they are just there to fill out the paperwork.