Mexico and Back | GTAMotorcycle.com

Mexico and Back

NightShadow

Well-known member
I haven't posted a big ride in awhile so here is a brief outline of what I was doing.


I started out with a bud to head to the Dragon for the night.

jj2xcy.jpg


The next morning head to Dallas for the night as was going to meet up with some friends in Houston for lunch
the next day. After lunch would head to Laredo to cross over into Mexico. From San Antonio to Laredo was a
monsoon rain storm. Had to make a stop for an hour. After that was just a very steady rain.

sn0uxj.jpg


Once i got into Laredo it rained for almost 3 days - and i'm talking monsoon rain. ( I have video of it)
I get talking to buds in mexico and I find out that the road south is washed out. So now have to come up
with a 650km work around to get south. Some friends in Laredo picked me up and get a computer for me to do
some mapping and another one took me to border to do visa and bike import and from there out to lunch.

This is right at border and was flooded right out before I got there.

2us8utl.jpg

29bzrsh.jpg


So a couple days later I am heading west through texas for my work around. When you get to border crossing
you just ride right through with no stopping or showing your passport. Just 5 mins across in Mexico my
brand new GPS died. Check wiring and fuses - nothing. Try my phone - nothing. So now what? Both not working
and don't speak the language. I'm screwed. I remember a couple of roads that I have to take so just keep heading
South and watching for signs for Saltillo. I have a friend there. I eventually get a cheap phone from a store &
call my bud - I just need to get to Saltillo and he will send some help. I get to town and ask some gas station
guy to talk to my bud to see where my location is. This gets relayed to a friend in town and 20 mins later he is
there to pick me up. I spend the night at his place and we go out and see the city core. Every town has a city center
that is usually very old.

My Rescuer
2dh5icj.jpg


A few shots heading to town and city center

2wciav4.jpg

2ive3k1.jpg

egpwki.jpg

3127gqo.jpg

24vn1g4.jpg

jj7kh4.jpg


Before I forget the speed limits in Mexico are not like the USA or Canada. If you are in a tourist area they are
very strict but out in the other area's speeds can run from 140 to 180 or 190km hour. Most keep and eye out for
the Narco's (plain black pick-ups - Federales (white and blue) - Municipal (different colours)

So next morning I have 530k down to Aguascalientes to my other friends place. So my first bud rides and hour with me
south and lets me know to just keep going south and no turns and will meet up with my other bud part way up. So was
doing about 80 miles and hour and found someone going a lot faster then me. Let him go aways in front and then crank
it up to keep him in sight. Was at 100 mph to just stay in sight. Not 5 mins later I see someone come running out on
the road and this guy gets pulled over. I get slowed to 70 and keep on going. Approx 15 mins later I meet up with my
other bud at a gas station and restaurant. I hadn't eaten yet so we went inside for some late breakfast.

After something to eat - on bikes and heading down the road - not even a quarter mile his cable breaks for throttle.
So after a couple of mins he gets idea and found some wire in his side car. Well he wraps it around handle bar and
at the bottom on throttle so we could get moving. (we only had 150km to his place)
Well it broke about 5 times on way but we did make it OK.

This is the quick fix

2yw9tti.jpg


Now the next day is off the bike to relax and also to get an oil change for the 1500 mile rally the next day
and has to be done in 24 hours.

This is Eric and guys bring there bikes to him from all over Mexico

2lxgs2o.jpg


This is the route for rally
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...0&ll=22.57604081907462,-99.67380229539867&z=6

We start the rally at 3am heading north and have to be at the top check point within 8 hours. Was 855km to get there.
Now with gas stops - tolls and army stops along the way it adds time to the run and there are lots of tolls where
time is wasted. In part of the run we had to go thorugh some mountain area and fog was heavy so had to slow down to
around 70mph but the rest of the time we were north of 200km hour. We got to the top with 45 mins to spare.
Just to let you know that a rally in Mexico is not like doing one in USA or Canada. You have a lot of one lane roads
to travel on and some are not in the best shape. I actually had a sore butt by the time i got to first check point.
Coming down the back side of route we had a long ways to go before heading on the last stretch. Sun was shining and
we kept about 160 to 170 average all day long. On the last stretch with just a few gas stops left I over shot it and
had to do a 60km turn around. Well the woman I was riding with made the gas stop and kept going leaving me there on
the side of the road. I wasnt happy but what can you do. So I turned around and went back and got gas as I would'nt
have made it to the next gas stop. So basically my 24 hours was shot. But I could still finish it in the under 30
hour run. Well from there I just took my time and finished off around 26 hours. The woman I was with finished with
just 15 mins to spare. So we both got it done.

The next day we headed to Guadalajara for another rally but this one was just 1000 miles in 24 hours. I should
explain the woman I was riding with in first rally - her husband is the IBA President for Mexico. So we are at EL
Garage for meet up and inspection for rally. They found me a guy to ride with (Alex) that rides about my speed.
So as the day goes on Alex is by my bike and looks at my rims and shows me the damage that was caused by the
rally the night before. I have damage in 2 places on rear and one is big and then find 3 places on the front that
have smaller damage. So they have a guy come by and he works on my rims for the rally.

A little primitive but he gets it fixed up

70c3k5.jpg


El Garage

mk811c.jpg


This guy was attemping it on a 125cc

9s480k.jpg


Was also a bunch of 200cc bikes - most finished the rally
The last 2 hours was a real monsoon rain storm - 10 riders
rode through it to finish.

Later on in the day they have a live band come and play for the night. Around 930 they get some guys to take me
to the hotel we are staying at. Shower right away and then sleep as had to be back at rally for around 1am and
start was 3am. Well woke up at 230am and no one come and got me or no one knocked on my door as there was lots of
riders staying there and also some friends that I knew from when I was there during the winter. Plus I was not sure
on how to get back to where rally was starting. So ended up missing the rally and sitting around till it ended.
The next day they had the presentations in another place with about 5 or 6 live bands playing the night away.

Couple of friends getting there certificates

szev6h.jpg

sl4uae.jpg


After rally drink and listening to some bands

2vwttoh.jpg
 
Last edited:
After all this we head down to Lake Chapala & spend a day or so there.

2cogbxt.jpg

99ga36.jpg

qq8phl.jpg


Head over to Iron Horse for something to eat and drink

2q2gtqa.jpg


The next morning head back to Aguascalientes and get some maps made up and thinking about heading north to
Saltillo again to a buds place. Is a fab road that runs from Monterrey to Saltillo called the 20 on google
maps. So I head north the next morning and arrive at buds place again and just do some small stuff for the
night and get some laundry done. My bud goes to work and was expecting to come home in 2 hours. Well he can't
get away as he is taking friday off to head to Mexico City for some interviews for his motorcycling accomplishments.
So he gets another bud to take me. We head to Monterrey with a slight drizzle - just enough to get damp. As we
are heading up the mountain come across a couple of water falls.

29f5d1s.jpg

t648xw.jpg

28mk3s4.jpg

dzxglg.jpg


Going up this mountain fog was so thick that it was rain. Getting near the top above the clouds was nice dry roads.
This route was so twisty was unreal. Turn after turn going through the mountains. What a great ride. Probably one
of the best roads I have taken and I have taken many across Canada and USA.

Back at buds place - I take them all out for dinner - it was a blast - Had to have some fun during dinner and after.

9iel52.jpg

x1j7k3.jpg

2mo2ebp.jpg

My new main squeeze..LOL
mj969s.jpg


The next morning I start heading to the border. Cloudy but no rain and very cool. Get to border and do all the visa
and importing stuff. Countinue heading north for home. BTW my bike has started to over heat about 2 days earlier. So
have been keeping an eye on it. As long as I kept it at 80 or 90 it stayed cool enough to keep riding. Having to slow
for traffic would just sky rocket. Good thing I only had to slow twice up to Dallas. I took a hotel for the night and
would take to a shop and let them have a look. Well the first shop wouldn't even look. So got on bike and kept going.
Found a shop just before Little Rock and they had a quick look. He noticed a lot of junk in rad. They just rinsed it
out and couldn't do much more as they were to backed up. I think it helped just slighly but was still overheating.
As i was getting closer to night time it was now getting cooler out so decided to ride all night an get some miles
put in. Bike ran more near more normal temps so wise idea. Around 630am got a hotel for a few hours and then needed
to put the last 6 to 800km to rest to get home. As i got in to Detroit border got gas then my first good coffee at
(Tims) then continue home. Not out of town and I get a monsoon rain hit so bad couldn't see 10 feet in front of me.
For about 50 to 60km my spot lights kept coming on. Would have to turn swithch on and off. Well after that they just
stayed on for the rest of trip home. I can just imagine that peeps thought I was nuts with them on but I couldn't do
anything about it now. With cars and trucks passing me - I was getting a good shower from them all. Finally made it
safe and sound later that night. A bit wet though.
 
Summary of Trip
Remember that saying - Always expect the unexpected - Well I thought I had - but got caught with my pants down.
I learned a few things along the way and it won't happen again.
I had hoped to do a lot more but it never happened. I had other places I wanted to go
and roads that I really wanted to ride but never happened. So now will have to wait for
another time.
I met a lot of new friends and a lot of the old ones - it was a great time I had with them.
Just remember the best layed plans don't always happen.
And thanks to all that helped me out along the way.

34dpls5.jpg

343ou9w.jpg

10mmpnt.jpg

2mwru5s.jpg

xpow89.jpg

15gb1fn.jpg

11jyath.jpg

2m7vmnb.jpg

2sajwvp.jpg

2nrpmro.jpg
 
Nice pictures. Thanks. You all like a very happy bunch of blokes. Must have been a really fun trip.
 
Yes it was a lot of fun - It did have its ups and downs. I guess the best part was all the new friends I made and the help along the way.
 
Wow! Great trip. Thanks for posting all the details.

What exactly was the damage done to your rims?
 
That was a whole lot of mileage in not much time.

I've actually been through highway 20 between Monterrey and Saltillo ... in a Chevrolet Spark rental car, and I wished I was on a bike. It was still OK in the rental car ...
 
I've actually been through highway 20 between Monterrey and Saltillo ... in a Chevrolet Spark rental car, and I wished I was on a bike. It was still OK in the rental car ...


I felt the same when I took a Dodge Avenger rental through southern Texas
 
Damage was where the bead is on rim. Was pushed out on rear tire so far was surprised it would hold air. On the other side of rear was one that was a bit smaller. The 3 on front were smaller but couldn't believe the damage. Happened during the night on rally.
 
Brian - you need to go back and do it again - so many wicked roads down in Mexico - I was there just after christmas for 2 weeks riding my buds gold wing an got to do some great roads on the east side of Mexico City. So I knew I was going to ride down on next big trip. I still have some unfinished business. Is a famous road runs almost straight out of a town called creel (heading south) to town called Guachochi (its all paved road ) and another famous road from Mazatlan to Durango - Called the devils back bone - is called the 40 off the main hwy of 40D. If you ever get the chance again - go do those ones - you won't regret it. As to lots of miles - Yes i have been known to do that but it gets me where i want to be fast and off big Hwy and onto the good roads.
 

Back
Top Bottom