mexico: which bike to buy?
 

We're planning our next trip! Mexico :).

We'll be driving this December (so about 4 weeks) from Tepic to Cancun (we'll do about 4000km estimated). We'll drive two up (I drive, my wife will sit at the back).

We want to buy and sell an used motorcycle. Since I don't know the Mexican motor-market I'd like to get some tips which brank/type to look for.

I'd like a small, light and lokal well known bike (so easy spare parts and better chance of selling). I guess between 175-300cc. Max €1500 (and selling at discount). We travel light by the way, one big bag or two soft throw over side panniers

My motorcycle CV:
-Lifan Venus 150cc: chinese, two weeks in Cameroon. To slow I guess for the Mexican roads (max 95km/h). Also a bit wobbly...
-Bajaj Pulsar 180cc: great light bike with custom made rack. Economical (1:23). Did 10.000km in South America with this bike. Buddy seat a true pain in the ass. Max 120 km/h.
-KLR650: didn't like this one. To heavy. Did 10.000km in Afrika. Also with custom rack. Fast and stable though with nice suspension.
-Sym Wolf 125. Two weeks in Vietnam/Cambodia. This bike was like the Lifan Venus 150. Fun but shit quality.
-Honda NTV650 revere. My bike at home in The Netherlands :). Easy touring bike.

If you are going to look for cheap and local you are going to be limited to the small 150 cc to 200cc pizza bikes , and pretty well the same material as you have ridden in South America. Say it, Chinese knockoffs of older model Honda, Yamaha , Suzuki and Kawasaki four stroke singles
You CAN go upscale and buy the actual Japanese brands ' models but made in Brazil, Thailand. Etc .
There are a few models of two cylinder 250cc bikes which are dolled up to resemble much larger cruiser style bikes . They fool the eye until you get up close, these might be of interest to you.
The little singles are favourites of all the pizza, fried chicken and pharmacy delivery riders because they last longer .
Bajaj is tied in with Kawasaki models it seems.
Really local brand would be the Italika , sold in all kinds of supermarket stores . Never rode one , but there are a million out there, it seems . Simple , and parts should be easy to find ,
Any bigger bikes will be more expensive. Your European assortment of models is unheard of in the Used market .
Bigger used bikes are most probably used imports from
The USA , many being fixer uppers from
Insurance write offs there
.

Thanx!

A single 200cc is fine. I'm a bit worried about 150cc, might be to slow (I don't know the drivingspeed over there yet).

We'll start in Tepic (Nayarit). Not a lot of bikes for sale there (only need one though). I've checked: https://www.segundamano.mx/anuncios/...ndrada=125-500

Two Bajaj Pulsar 200 and one Italika 150 seem to be fine. The buddy seat of the Bajaj has been narrowed in the last series... not really a good two up touring bike.

In Mexico City there is a lot more for sale (of course). Cheaper and also some nice 250cc bikes (like the Honda CBX 250 twister).

By the way: Is it possible to sell a bike in a different state?

Selling a Mexican plated bike in any other MEXICAN state will not be a problem at all.

Driving speed is what you can manage in traffic . Clearly two up on a 200 " bromfiets " = ). you will not be using motorways or the toll roads . Go with the flow and stick to the right side of the right lane and carry whatever speed you are comfortable with .
Most highways it will be a legal max of 80km/h.
In towns this drops to 50km/h

Again I stress , stay on the right side lane in town and watch for turning traffic and the various STOP sign iterations.

great to know that i can sell the bike in any state.

Always going with the flow. But also good to know what the flow is lake.

For instance: in vietnam the flow is only 60km/h (we managed with 125cc), but cambodia more like 100km/h (not really nice)

Like this one: Italika VX250. Like a mini BMW (to expensive though). Probaly going for a Bajaj 200cc or Honda twister 250-or similiar.

I would do some further research about buying a bike in any state. I am not sure if you buy a bike in a free state like Baja or Quintana Roo that you can sell in another state without the proper documentation required. A bike purchased in one of these free trade zones may not have the required pedimento needed to travel throughout all of Mexico. It gets complicated.

I think there are three free states and the vehicle laws differ there from the mainland states. I am not up on the current laws so you may want to look into that to confirm.

Tepic is in Jalisco which is not a " free " state.

I was not certain where he planned to buy a bike. (Yes I know where Tepic is, I live in Jalisco)

Oops :whistling: I know where Tepic is too but I still put it in the wrong statedoh
It is in Nayarit , of course . Occasionally I stay in Motel Del Sol, Avenida de Los Insurgentes Oriente 286, Centro, San Antonio, 63000 Tepic, NAY, Mexico, it is on Insurgentes/ Mex 15 . I once had a minor repair done , welding a bracket, at a little bike shop around the corner .Intersting town and scenic countryside .

LMAO, I forgot Tepic was in Nayarit. I thought it was in Jalisco, oh well. I don´t pay much attention to borders unless around Michoacan or Guerrero.

If you want a "big" :cool4: reliable bike then look for a HONDA XR 250 Tornado. Strong enough for 2 riding with some light luckage. But hard to find for 1500 Euros. But you can sell it as well for a better price.

Not cheap as the chinese bikes but much better quality.

I live about 3 hours from Tepic in Puerto Vallarta.


Just contact me if you need some help

Saludos Jürgen

250cc or 400cc used Honda Tornados. Or try to find a used Italka brand, the new ADV model 250, that comes with bags and guards. It is a Chinese modl assembled here in Mexico and parts can be found everywhere, they have about 500 or more authorized dealers, service, and distributors across Mexico.

can you register Mexican bike on traveler name ?
 

hello off topic question
if i travel to Mexico on tourist visa can i buy a biker there register it under my name and cross borders on it ?
will it will be cheaper to buy a bike and take it out of Mexico ?
thanks

Buying and registering a bike in Mexico is possible for a tourist, it has been done.
Taking the bike out of Mexico to Central America should then present no big problems and if you follow the rules for import taxes etc . you might sell it in one of those countries at the end of your trip.
If you are a bona fide tourist and will return to Mexico with the bike it should also be possible to enter the USA. Just do not have any illusions of selling the bike of Mexican specifications in the USA.
Cheaper to buy in Mexico ? That depends much on what you buy- a new 150cc "pizza bike" could be cheaper there than in the USA (not available) but a big displacement Japanese or European bike, used or new , will usually cost more in Mexico than a similar unit sold in the USA.

Brand new pizza bikes are going for about $600 US. You can buy one at any Wal-Mart or other stores like Soriana or Chedrahui or Fabricas de Francis or Coppel etc...