Forums > General > Living, Working, Retiring

Demonio

Mar 2, 2010, 11:23 AM

Post #1 of 12 (4798 views)

Shortcut

Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

I spend half the year in Jalisco and the other half in southern California. I temporarily imported a car, but have thought about taking that small car (VW Cabrio) back to the States and importing an SUV. Why? I want to be able to haul my Harley on a small trailer and import the whole shabang into Mexico. From reading blogs and forums online (including Rolly's) I was going to embark on this adventure, but when I went to the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles I was told that the ability to import motorcycles and other recreational vehicles is meant ONLY for off-road vehicles. Harley's are considered the same as an automobile. In other words, it's one automobile or full size motorcycle per person, but not both. However, in speaking with other motorcycle riders in Mexico, they swear that they were allowed to import an automobile while hauling their Harley on a trailer. Is this just another "it depends who you deal with in the Mexican government" issue or does anyone know the real rules. For now, I'm glad I didn't buy a SUV and trailer before I checked. I re-imported the Cabrio for now. Thanks in advance.

"What we've got here is a failure to communicate."

mazbook1

Mar 2, 2010, 5:21 PM

Post #2 of 12 (4755 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Demonio] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

If what you say the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles were true, Mazatlán would NEVER have its big Motorcycle Week Rally the week after Easter. Probably 30-40 percent of the big bikes, Harleys and others, here for the Motorcycle Week are trailered in from the U.S. for that meet. The catch is that the trailer and the bike are attached to the temp. car importation permit and must leave when the car leaves, that's all.

rvcycleguy

Jan 4, 2011, 12:15 PM

Post #3 of 12 (4242 views)

Shortcut

Re: [mazbook1] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

My recent experiences traveling to and from Mexico with my bike are that you cannot have two vehicle permits in the same name at the same time. I was told, in Houston at Mexican Consulate offices, I could not take my bike with my truck if the bike was for highway or road purposes. I inquired as to whether I could have my wife's name on the permit for the truck and my name for the permit for the bike and they said yes as long as I had a copy of our marriage certificate.

I was also told that I would have to ride the bike across the border and not have it as cargo? When I arrived to cross two weeks ago, I was prepared for just that ride, but no one asked me to off-load it. I had Mexican insurance although some companies are not insuring trucks and SUV's in the northern territory of Texas border. One company said they would insure the bike and truck but the bike would not be covered for insurnace when it was cargo, only when it was being driven on the highway or roads. Finally found a firm that would cover both, one as cargo to my destination and the truck.

Rolly

Jan 4, 2011, 1:19 PM

Post #4 of 12 (4215 views)

Shortcut

Re: [rvcycleguy] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

Once again the consulates prove they don't know squat about Aduana's rules.
The law clearly allows a two or three wheel vehicle or ATV to be hauled or towed into México on the permit of the hauling vehicle.

I'd love to hear from folks who were told something about Aduana at a consulate that turned out to be correct.

Rolly Pirate

(This post was edited by Rolly on Jan 4, 2011, 1:20 PM)

rvcycleguy

Jan 4, 2011, 1:24 PM

Post #5 of 12 (4207 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Rolly] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

yes, they explained that to me as off road bikes,small cc engines or 4 wheelers only and not a motorcycle with an 800 cc engine that is meant specifically for the highway.

rv

rvcycleguy

Jan 4, 2011, 1:25 PM

Post #6 of 12 (4201 views)

Shortcut

Re: [rvcycleguy] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

They quickly stated that if it had license plates, it had to have a separate permit.

rv

Rolly

Jan 4, 2011, 1:27 PM

Post #7 of 12 (4199 views)

Shortcut

Re: [rvcycleguy] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

Here is a copy from a Banjercito website.

a) A temporary import is only possible for one vehicle at a time. Except an RV towing a vehicle can both be registered by the same person. This does not apply to pickup campers.
b) The maximum load capacity for a temporary vehicle import is 3.5 tons, not including the weight of the vehicle.
c) You may tow with your vehicle one to three motorcycles, beach cars or dune buggies, or four-wheel motorcycles or ATVs, equivalent to the number of people traveling inside the vehicle. You must be able to provide proof of ownership for the vehicles being transported and they must be returned along with the towing or transporting vehicle.

Rolly Pirate

rvcycleguy

Jan 4, 2011, 1:59 PM

Post #8 of 12 (4192 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Rolly] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

yes, and that is exactly the page I printed out, called the Banjercito toll free number for personal clarificationand, got what I thought was the answer. As you stated earlier, the folks at the Houston Consulate office interperted it a little different as off road/ not for highway use vehicles only applying to that rule...

Rolly

Jan 4, 2011, 4:17 PM

Post #9 of 12 (4174 views)

Shortcut

Re: [rvcycleguy] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

called the Banjercito toll free number for personal clarificationand, got what I thought was the answer.

What did Banjercito tell you?

Rolly Pirate

mazbook1

Jan 4, 2011, 5:38 PM

Post #10 of 12 (4154 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Rolly] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

I'll have to agree with Rolly. We see hundreds of big road bikes being trailed into Mazatlán every Easter week (the week after Easter) for the annual international motorcycle rally here. You've always been allowed to truck or trailer in one motorcycle (road or off-road, it makes no difference) for each qualified adult in the hauling vehicle. My folks started doing it clear back in the 1960s when they would trailer across the Devil's Backbone from Durango to Mazatlán, then ride the bikes after they got here. The first time they did it the road across wasn't even fully paved yet.

rvcycleguy

Jan 4, 2011, 5:41 PM

Post #11 of 12 (4152 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Rolly] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

When I refer to the consulate office, I actually mean the Banjercito agent at the consulate office. The women actually got on the phone to clarify the rule because I had questioned it earlier that day on the phone with the toll free number. She explained to me as told to her that the only way I could take my motorcycle was to have my spouse and I have permits for one each. I said okay since I was traveling with my wife. If I was not and traveling alone or with someone other than a spouse, I could not have brought the bike with me, according to the agent. The fee was another permit and bringing my wife up to the agents window at the consulate office with her passport. I had to go to my local tax office to get her added to my truck registration. I did not want to change my title due to possible issues if I ever tried to sell the truck without her permission?

rvcycleguy

Jan 4, 2011, 5:47 PM

Post #12 of 12 (4146 views)

Shortcut

Re: [mazbook1] Motorcycles In Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

Maz,

I don't disagree with your explanation, but this is what I was told. If I knew any different, I would have gone on the trip and got the permit for the truck and bike at the border. But it was not really any more hassle then getting a second permit name on the truck vs the bike. I did not want to travel to the border and not have proper documentation and spend time arguing to someone in authority about it and lose my opportunity to motorcyle in Mexico, which was my ultimate goal.

(This post was edited by rvcycleguy on Jan 4, 2011, 5:48 PM)