Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Playa del Carmen, MX > Sept/Oct 2019
 

Mexico Travel Update Sept/Oct 2019

Solo Rider > 2012 Triumph Tiger 800XC

Ft Lauderdale (FL, USA) - Laredo - Monterrey - Torreon - Durango - Mazatlan - Pt. Vallarta - Guadalaraja - Puebla - Paraiso - Merida - Cancun - Playa del Carmen.

No dramas or problems with security/safety and/or road conditions. Used Toll roads primarily (faster/safer/better maintained). Weather will be better late Oct onwards. Some stunning scenery especially Torreon - Mazatlan.

NOTES:
* Be prepared to move over to the far right shoulder of the road for vehicles passing others in the opposite direction (even with double yellow lines).
* Attention: Topes (speed bumps/knobs) abound in towns and cities (and open areas where an intersection or pedestrian crossing may be).
* Toll Pass Transponder can be purchased at Office Depot and topped up at several different stores (however mine only worked sporadically throughout the tour.... a lot of Toll Booths it didn't work).
* As usually, anywhere on a motorcycle... be prepared for surprises > large potholes, rockslides, animals on the road, etc......

Chilling in Playa del Carmen.

Looking forward to ride through the states of Chiapas & Oaxaca in Dec/Jan.

Mexico recommended!
Safe and happy travels.

Cool..thanks for paving the way.

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

Awesome route, I'm planning something similar when things open back up. My bikes in Texas waiting for me. Will drop you a message would love to hear more about your trip!

Mexico rocks! Good roads. Good infrastructure.

Topes (speed bumps/knobs) come in pairs, If you see one coming into a village, there is almost certainly one on the other side.

It is common to be pulled over by military checkpoints. Don't sweat them.

Generally, if I had issues with a cop, it was after I did something stupid, like driving aggressively or crossing a double yellow line. I was never pulled over randomly and asked for a bribe.

Some riders keep the importation sticker in their bags in fear that it will be stolen. It doesn't seem to matter. I applied mine to the windshield.

The national gas station Pemex only takes cash.

This may be outdated, I used a Bank of America ATM card in Santander bank without a fee. On a long trip, ATM fee add up.

With this covid problem wrecking most travel plans things are really slow on this site and others . Here just perusing ,and doing a minor update for the info Peter Bodtke gave ,so that new readers dreaming of the possibility of a future Mexico ride will be not confused.


Peter mentions the " importation sticker " which as of early 2020 is now no longer issued.
The Temporary Vehicle Importation Permit ( TVIP) is a document and a tax which all tourists riding or driving their vehicle into Mexico beyond the border districts and longer than 72 hours must get at the customs facilities' Banjercito office when they enter Mexico .Payment required is one mount for the TVIP and another larger amount as a Refundable Security Deposit. Overstaying in Mexico beyond the 180 days of theTVIP means the refund of the SecurityDeposit will NOT be given, as a penalty.

The TVIP used to come with a sticker containing an RFID-chip which had to be placed inside the car front windshield.At the end of the visit the sticker needed to be removed by Banjercito staff ( using razor blade or
knife! )before the Security Refund would be received .
Mototcyclists were permitted to leave that sticker undisturbed with the document ,stored in their luggage or with their passport because the placing on a bike would be a problem of finding good visible location.Furthermore the adhesive on the sticker was so strong and durable that removing it from a motorcycle would damage the plastic windshield or any painted surface .

In their wisdom Banjercito realized that the display of a sticker was not really essential, any officer could as easily ask to see the papers instead .
Since the RFID sticker was an expensive item to make and service at checkpoints it would mean a large saving to do away with it. Hence , as of late January when stocks of the RFID stickers were used up they will no longer be issued .
The TVIP and the Security Deposit now are only a paper document to carry .

Sjoerd,

Thanks for the update. My last ride through Mexico was in 2013, so my advice is getting dated.

All new to HUBB,

Sjoerd is a deep well of knowledge about Mexico and beyond. I have never doubted his tips.

Yes, correct. However, I rode to the Mexico/Belize (Belize was closed of course) Border in July to renew, I did not receive the Paper TVIP, but they sent an EMAIL with a PDF File instead. Print yourself.
Issued with a new TVIP without issue without actually crossing into Belize. Maybe an exception due to the Pandemic Restrictions in place.
Thank you Mexico.
bier