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salsagoth54

Mar 23, 2005, 11:57 PM

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motorcycles

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I've been reading the forums but haven't seen motorcyles or scooters mentioned as a form of transportation. I was thinking it would be a cheap way to go considering the price of gas-gordon

Carol Schmidt

Mar 24, 2005, 5:54 AM

Post #2 of 21 (8437 views)

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Re: [salsagoth54] motorcycles

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Lots of motorcycles, scooters, and four-wheel ATVs on the streets of San Miguel. You can rent a scooter for a few hours or a day or week here. I've even seen electric golf carts on the streets. And there are quite a few of the very small cars, Smart cars or whatever they're called. Yes, every one of them helps the pollution and congestion problem.

The pizza and sandwich delivery joints send out deliveries on scooters all over the place. The drivers seem to be oblivious to the dangers they face, and we did pass an accident where I am pretty sure the scooter driver could not have survived.

Some fiesta days all the fancy Harleys gleaming with chrome come to town and it is quite a sight. There's a marked parking spot for motorcycles and scooters on Hidalgo just off the Jardin.

Carol Schmidt

johanson

Mar 24, 2005, 3:09 PM

Post #3 of 21 (8376 views)

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Re: [Carol Schmidt] motorcycles

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What's popular in my block here in Ajijic are BMW 650s and/or 750s. I'm not sure which, because I'm not into Motorcycles. But a lot of the younger folks have them. I see the occasional senior citizen on smaller bikes, motor scooters and one on a golf cart

1ajijic

Mar 25, 2005, 5:23 AM

Post #4 of 21 (8328 views)

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Re: [johanson] motorcycles

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There is a letter in the newspaper this week by a chap who was dumped by an unseeing driver. Between the cobblestones, geriatric drivers who can't see, other drivers who drive by the rule the biggest guy is always right, drunks, other drivers who have no idea of the rules of the road, 12 year old kids without licenses, construction materials in the road, etc., I'd much rather have four wheels to choose from at all times. And make them mounted on something small and tough like my jeep Wrangler - unscathed survivor of two fenderbenders with unwatching drivers. BTW their fenders not mine!
http://www.newbeginningsmexico.com

MG Rabon

Mar 25, 2005, 6:28 AM

Post #5 of 21 (8317 views)

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Re: [salsagoth54] motorcycles

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Honda 125cc bikes seem to be very popular around these parts. I don't think however, that I would care to hop onto a bike and go out into this mad-house of traffic and trust that these 15 year old (at least that is how they drive anyway) taxi and bus drivers wouldn't run all over me. Most days I think they are trying to KILL me anyway and I'm glad I've got a couple of tons of American iron around me.

On the other hand, I had a Honda 125 back 35 years ago or so and as I remember it got around 100 mpg. Gas isn't that much, and I think it would take years to save enough money in gas to pay my hospital bills. ROFL ;-)

Compórtate bien, y si no puedes, invítame!
MG Rabon

donwilliston

Mar 25, 2005, 6:46 AM

Post #6 of 21 (8312 views)

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Re: [salsagoth54] motorcycles

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Gordon,

Upon reading your post I started wondering if there is any mode of transportation that is not common in Mexico. Certainly cars and trucks are common. Busses and taxis are everywhere. Bicycles, scooters and motorcycles are very numerous. In the country horses and donkeys are normal. Walking is probably the most common means of getting from one place to another. I once rode from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas in the CocaCola truck. Airplanes and ocean ships go into and out of Mazatlán every day.

Ah, I’ve never seen a camel caravan in Mexico; every other means of transport is available and common. And maintenance is available for common bikes.

don

---
"It's good enough to be true" Gracie Maurahan 1970
---

Miguel Palomares

Mar 25, 2005, 7:10 AM

Post #7 of 21 (8307 views)

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Re: [salsagoth54] motorcycles

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There are two excellent reasons for avoiding two-wheel transportation in Mexico. 1. The generally poor physical condition of streets and highways. 2. Mexican drivers, with rare exception, are oblivious to anything other than their own wishes and desires. I love motorcycles and have owned quite a few, but I wouldn´t use a motorcycle in Mexico on a bet.
From Tzurumutaro, Michoacan, "The Village of the Darned."
_______________________________________

The nuts and bolts of moving to Mexico:
http://michaeldickson.blogspot.com/
The dark side of living in Mexico:
http://mexicopeeks.blogspot.com/
Scintillating life in a Mexican pueblo:
http://tzurumutaro.blogspot.com/
http://tzurumutaro2.blogspot.com/

(This post was edited by palomares on Mar 25, 2005, 7:15 AM)

TomP

Mar 25, 2005, 7:22 AM

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Re: [palomares] motorcycles

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The 10th Annual Motorcycle Rally in Mazatlan will take place starting 29 March. It's an interesting event and is topped off by a police show on bikes. I plan on bringing my bike down when I move and riding in some of the rallys where it's a lot safer riding in numbers. Hope Marlene in Mazatlan has earplugs for the week.

=============================================================
Of course I'm out of my mind. It's dark and scary in there!

Marlene

Mar 25, 2005, 8:17 PM

Post #9 of 21 (8218 views)

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Re: [TomP] motorcycles

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Ha! Believe it or not I will be participating in Moto Week. It is a GREAT annual event, for sure. Picture Marlene, hair straight back! (without ear plugs, but WITH helmet) See you in Mazatlán soon.

salsagoth54

Mar 26, 2005, 9:55 AM

Post #10 of 21 (8175 views)

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Re: [salsagoth54] motorcycles

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Thanks for the responses. 2 wheelers may not be such a good thing for me.

chachi

Mar 26, 2005, 10:08 AM

Post #11 of 21 (8172 views)

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Re: [salsagoth54] motorcycles

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Last summer I rode over 5,000 miles around SE Mexico on a Kawasaki KLR650. For me, this was a very practical and fun way to explore. You can go places a car will never go. I usually put the bike in hotel lobby overnight. Driving in fast traffic (ie Tampico) is scary but doable. After Tampico, driving the motorcycle in NYC is a piece of cake :-). As far as local commuting goes, I find walking and buses to be fun and parctical.

For a small, locally available, bike, you couldn't go far wrong with a Honda 125.

Good luck,
Charlie

Rolly

Mar 26, 2005, 1:23 PM

Post #12 of 21 (8149 views)

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Re: [Marlene] motorcycles

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Marlene. I thought of you this afternoon. As I was driving home from lunch with Doña Martha and family, I saw a lady in full leather regalia riding a huge Hog. Without helmet, hair streaming in the wind. Without mufler, screaming in the wind.

Happy Moto Week

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

Marlene

Mar 26, 2005, 3:19 PM

Post #13 of 21 (8132 views)

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Re: [Rolly] motorcycles

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hehehe...Thanks...maybe she is on her way to Mazatlán. Did you happen to catch the placa info? Incidentally, here in Sinaloa one rider must wear a helmet according to law, so I think the one with the prettiest hair gets to go without. We have 2 helmets, but of course we are looked upon as not cool when we both wear helmets at the same time. You gain a few coolness points back if you leave the straps undone and dangling to hit you in the face as you ride. The theory seems to be that we only wear helmets on the highway rides because that is when you need them. Hello?? Did I miss something?

johanson

Mar 26, 2005, 3:26 PM

Post #14 of 21 (8131 views)

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Re: [Rolly] motorcycles

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As I was returning from Costco in Guadalajara heading south on a 4 line road immediately before the airport at about 120 KPH in the left hand passing lain, I noticed a blurred image fast approaching in the right hand emergency stopping lane. He had to be doing over 160. Yep it was a Bike, at least a 650 and the driver was not wearing a helmet.

Bikes are popular down here and the folks drive them are just and crazy as we were when we were their age, 20 to 40 years of age, and yes many of them hate to wear their helmets. even when they are carrying their wives and/or children with them. and that includes the Americans of like age who I know who drive around the lake at very fast speeds with their pre-teen age children.

I am not judging anyone here, I am just reporting what I see. And I bet if we did not have any helmet laws up north, we would be just as wild.

PS, for those of you, who have never learned the metric system, you had better should you decide to drive in Canada, Mexico or anywhere else other than the states. FYI 120 KPH = about 75 and 160 = 100 mph

fountain

Jan 10, 2006, 9:08 PM

Post #15 of 21 (8004 views)

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Re: [johanson] motorcycles

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in PV i bought a scooter that rapidly deteriorated, runs fine but no electrical components work ligts etc due to rough streets speed bumps etc,
i then went to local yamaha dealer in pv got a XTZ 125 small dual sport very inexpensive and is the way to go,....
when all of us wife and 3 kids and the dog are all there we take a cab or bus..
for now will bring truck down if we end up moving,,
still in debate on that
check out
for fun;
californiafastboats.com
and
for $ / property
fastloans1.com

johnv

Jan 11, 2006, 8:23 AM

Post #16 of 21 (7973 views)

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Re: [fountain] motorcycles

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You should have gotten, or atleast checked out, the Honda XR250 Tornado. Not as cheap, but excellent, and it's a real motorcycle, by one of the world's best bike makers.

fountain

Jan 11, 2006, 8:37 AM

Post #17 of 21 (7969 views)

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Re: [johnv] motorcycles

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yes i did its really a nice bike!!.
i couldnt spend that much, : (
it was double what i paid for the xt..
i got the xt with helmet and mex reg for 2500- us the honda would have been just under 5k i am pretty sure..

we are talking about moving down the whole family for 6 mo to try full time living and then if that works out sell our big house here in Discovery bay...
if we do that i will bring down all our bikes here,
i have a 02 450 canondale.
01 250 xr honda
my son 00 kx 250
daughter 03 xr 80
so what i am saying is my wife would have had a stinkin fit if i would have spent 5k on another bike in mex.
i already got
13.5 ft super light tunnel inflatable catamaran boat with a 50 hp motor
34 ft sailboat
10 ft zodiac inflatable tender for the sailboat.
walmart turd scooter
and the xt so its gotten out of hand already as a vacation place.

your thoughts on schools etc? seems to be very costly..
we are a little worried about costs etc leaving my mortgage business here.
not sure how to derive a decent income and not haveing to work 6 days 10 hrs a day like do here in US..
check out
for fun;
californiafastboats.com
and
for $ / property
fastloans1.com

GueroPaz

Oct 30, 2007, 1:36 AM

Post #18 of 21 (7845 views)

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Re: [johnv] motorcycles

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That Tornado does look good. The Honda website last month (before they changed the layout) showed the Tornado around US$4100, and there was also the Twister and the NSR125 Bros. I want to move to Pto. Veracruz and have a bike to get around, preferably a new 250 with a warranty. I have just turned 48,000 km on a Honda CBR150 in Thailand, and briefly owned a Suzuki GN250 in Chiapas.

I'm on Social Security, still riding bikes in traffic and on the road. I wonder if Mexico is any more dangerous than Thailand.

GueroPaz

Oct 30, 2007, 9:07 PM

Post #19 of 21 (7803 views)

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Re: [GueroPaz] motorcycles

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To amend my own post, I finally figured out the new Honda motorcycle website. They have several 250 models. The Twister CBX250 at $43,553 pesos list price looks good. I assume there are several franchised dealers in Pto. Veracruz.

rvcycleguy

Jan 4, 2011, 12:24 PM

Post #20 of 21 (4939 views)

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Re: [GueroPaz] motorcycles

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My wife and I had a great time recently in Guanjauato. We carried our big cruiser style motorcycle in our Tundra pickup from Houston. Offloaded the motorcycle and road it everyday for 8 days. San Miguel de Allende, Leon, Dolores Hidalgo, Silao, etc. Love it... Guanajuato on a bike is excellent. We call it lane splitting where you move between cars that are stopped in traffic is easy on a motorcycle. The cobble stone streets in SMA were a challenge, but passable.

mazbook1

Jan 5, 2011, 6:30 PM

Post #21 of 21 (4817 views)

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Re: [GueroPaz] motorcycles

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GueroPaz, Even in the U.S. a city with only 250,000 permanent population would only have 2 Honda dealers (at the most) and in México there is probably only one, and it is very likely part of the local Honda car dealership.