I just purchased 3 return plane tickets from Cabo to San Diego. They are on Aero Mexico Flight # AM0488 for Monday Jan 4th at 7:50 PM. Cost was $199 ($275.94 after taxes/surcharges). Mike, My dad is confirmed to drive your truck down. Dave can't make it and my dad would prefer not to be out there alone, so if we can get another chase truck and driver I think that would be best. It's always good to have the extra room and a backup vehicle in case something happens. This is shaping up to be a good trip! -Blake
Hi, Is there room for another? Experienced rider on a TE450, been to Baja a couple times and have ridden with Xymotic. Sorta a regular at Advrider.com. Thanks! Rich Strauss
I do not know much the return trip for the chase truck. I believe Mike is going to be driving it back, but I do not know what the schedule of that is for sure. Mike, Do we need to make reservations for a hotel in Cabo? What hotel will we be staying at? I don't want to ride all the way down there and find out that all the rooms are booked. It is New Years, so I don't think we should wait too long to book hotel rooms. -Blake
1) So far we have 4 guys who have purchased return tickets. 2) Hotel in Cabo. My wife is researching it right now. Will post soon. 3) Chase Truck: My F350 crew cab long bed, pulling a long flat bed trailer, possible second chase truck with second trailer. Room for 1-2 to drive back with me. Leave cabo the 6th. Drive 24 hours non-stop to the border. Drop off bikes at Georges in Santa Ana. 4) Guys coming from mid-west and east coast. You guys post up where you are driving from and try to truck-pool. I dont have time to work that stuff out! Bottom line is ya got to be at Georges shop afternoon of the 26th or at Rancho Santa Veronica on the AM of the 27th. I will post a GPS for that location in November. 5) Gearing for your bikes: My choice is 16/47-50 for 450's and 16/46-49 for 510s. Ask George about gearing for the 250/310's. 610 guys are fine stock. I ONLY use DID ERV3 chains. I ONLY use AFAM front and Ironman rear sprockets (chrome moly). Dont use aluminum sprockets in baja. Ya really should have new chains and sprockets for this trip. 6) IMS fuel tanks: Put a piece of thick foam under the tank/over the frame. Use some duct tape to keep it in place. It keeps the tanks from craking. 7) Tires/tubes Use ONLY Ultra Heavy Duty tubes, 16+ pounds of pressure. I love MotoZ tires. But there are numerous very heavy duty tires. No MX tires, please, they wont last 500 miles. Consider: MotoZ (various) Maxxis Desert Michelin Baja or Desert Dunlop 606 or 952 Kenda Carlsbad 610 guys should consider rear 'adventure' tires like Pirelli Scorpain or Metzler Karoo or Dunlop rally raid, or Michelin Desert. Theres are other great tires. PM if you have questions. 8) LETS SEE SOME MORE PLANE FLIGHTS POSTED ON HERE 9) Radios VHF band ICOM or Kenwood radios with PCI Racing or Baja Designs 'push to talk' and ear phones are highly recommended.... Its a 7 day ride....
Last time I stayed there, it was in a great Motel, I'll ask my wife tomorrow if she remembers the name, but I believe they said it was the oldest motel in Los Cabos, By far the best prices available, at least back in 2000. It's right down the road from the Cabo Wabo & around the corner. Hotel Del Mar perhaps? (my memory ain't what it used to be )
How about the first of many "thanks mike" for organizing this thing. It must be a PITA. All of us can help, me thinks, by making sure our bikes and gear are as ready as possible. Time to get shit ready now. Between all of the holidays and real life, the HTTTT will be here before we know it. Cheers
If someone can pick me up at LAX on the afternoon of the 7th and take me to George's, I'll buy the ticket. Failing that, can I get a ride in the truck north? Either way, I'M IN !!
I want to buy tickets sooo bad but I won't know if Eric has the time off or not til the last minute. We are planning on going but a solid "yes" is impossible at the moment. It's driving me nuts...and I know waiting is going to cost me a lot of money, too WoodsChick
Specifics: Trailering from Omaha, NE. Intending to meet up on the 27th @ Veronica, wherever that is. (was intending to meet group at Tecate) I will be spending the 24th with my family, driving out in 2 days (25 - 26). Open to sharing transport if it works within others' schedules. Since I have to get back to my tow vehicle at the end of the ride, I'll probably ride back up Baja on the highways. Figure 2 days? If my family comes down to Cabo (possibility) then I may ask for a spot in the truck headed northward, to be dropped off when we cross the border. Will trailer back to Omaha when done, hence no plane tickets. TE610, stock gearing, stock fuel tank. Will install UHD tubes and intend to run Motoz Desert HT tires. Bike has 1677 miles today; will put on another 300-400 in AR later this month; I'm guessing sprockets & chain will be okay. Will check on getting a radio. Mike, thanks a ton for organizing this trip!
A) I'm not sure you want to admit knowing me. B) In fact we've never really ridden together cuz you always go off on the crazy steep hillclimbs that scare me and I take the easy way out I think it's sort of mean of you to encourage people to stiff Coco like that. He has a really interesting collection of aluminum discs. (not really "sprockets" anymore Everybody should take Aluminium sprockets, and give them to Coco when they round off break teeth and hook. Just take LOTS and LOTS of them I didn't PM cuz I'm hoping others are interested in this and it's not just a case of me being dumb. OK, Again your sage Baja advice has me wondering why. The Rally raid is the 908, right? I currently have 908's F&R on my 610 and really hate them, they are super squirrelly on the highway, and it seems like the rear has too much traction and is hard to turn. I was planning on going to 606's first chance I get. Is the 908 better in deep sand? I would think it would be a little due to it's added width, or are you recommending it for other reasons such as longevity? When I went to Baja last year on the Dakar I had 606's and was pretty impressed with the abuse they took. Me and Septic Skeptic are tentatively planning on riding back to LA. Even if that doesn't pan out I am definitely IN.
FMT question I do have a question for you Mexico Vets. Last year I went to Baja Sur, and I had a FMT. It was checked at guerro negro when I returned, but that was it, we did not stop at the border to check out or turn it in like I think you are sposed to. Will that be a problem trying to return or was it just sposed to be checked exiting Baja Sur?
Since Xymotic is having trouble with his transporter beam and can't be two places at once, still seeking someone to pick me and *possibly* Yossarian up from LAX on the afternoon of the 7th...
1) BentAero--just FYI. There is a shuttle bus every hour or so from LAX to John Wayne International in Orange County. From there its a 7 minute Taxi to Georges shop (you could walk it, about 4 miles....) Just an idea for ya. Thats what i would do. Fly to LAX, take the airport shuttle, then a quick taxi ride. 2) Tires....its an endless debate. In baja I like an aggressive front tire with a strong carcass, and a rear that will last forever. Thats why i like the Rally Raid. But yeah--ive ridden to Cabo on 606's too. They are better on pavement, thanks to the rounded front tire, trade off is its less aggressive in sand, silt, loose stuff and around turns, but its all good. There are other differences too (606 will chunk on hot asphalt) etc. etc. but both are good in baja. MotoZ are cheaper and work better imho....but the Dunlops are great too. 3) No aluminum sprockets! 4) Looks like the trip is about full. I will start posting 'who's in' on the first page of this thread. 5) Hotel in Cabo is the Bahia in downtown Cabo. Its safe, good parking, close to everything and the cheapest. Book your rooms with them asap! Its a basic hotel, fine for dirt bikers! Ive stayed there dozens of times of the last 25 years. BUT--my wife and kids want a resort. So we will be staying at a high end place. I will let ya know where, so if your wife and kids are coming, that will be an option. She is still researching. Our old favorite, the Kalinda, is no longer. 6) Chase Truck Home Leaves the 5th or early the 6th. Will have Flying Trash Can with me, and possibly BentAero. 7) Bike Pick Up On the 7th in Orange County, Uptite Husqvarna parking lot. Please plan on picking up your bike on the 7th...George doesnt have room to store a dozen bikes! Nor i suspect does he want 12 dirty bikes cluttering up the shop. I WILL BE THERE 2PM ON THE 7TH. PLEASE Be there ! (i will be taking 3-4 bikes forther north with me, but no more room) 8) Please consider getting radios! Once you ride with radios, you wont ever ride in a group without them. Its very cool, and a big safety boost. 9) PM me with your T Shirt size. If you dont, you dont get a T Shirt. 10) )Please note upcoming post about having your bike in proper condition for a 7 day, 1000 miles ride. I reserve the right to leave you to the wolves if your rat bike breaks down in the first 1000 miles if its related to a lack of proper preperation All parts on your bike must be in OEM condition. Torn seat? Fix it. Torn shrounds held on with a zip tye? Nope. Get new ones. Duct tape anywhere on the bike is not gonna fly. Front light not working? Are you nuts? Heck yeah we will ride at night, somewhere, sometime. Gets dark at 5pm down there. Loose spokes? Thats just not cool. Get your bike 100% tip top ready! NO RAT BIKES! THIS IS A HARD CORE ADVENTURE!! 11) Please bring a set of Tie Downs so we can trailer your bike back home.... 12) Money. Its $100 for the chase truck (fuel, hotels and food for the driver). After that plan on about $100 a day for the super stingy, $150 a day for the guys who want a couple beers at sunset and a nice lobster dinner now and then. Bring some emergency cash in case you end up in a hospital, or you taco your bike and need to pay a machine shop to straighten your frame/wheels/make you a new exhaust, whatever. (been there) There are ATM's in the big cities. But we wont be in the big cities...except in the start and the finish. 13) Paperwork: All bikes MUST have registration. You MUST have a passport. You MUST have a drivers license. Its a good idea to have a temporary import paper for your bike, legally it IS required south of San Felipe and south of Ensenada. BUT--in practical terms, you wont be asked for it, and we will be off road most of the time anyways. If you want to get a temporary import paper its cheap and easy, just do it at the border. Costs about $20 and takes 15-20 minutes. Plus you get a very cool sticker for your bike...just pull over at the border crossing when you first enter Mexico, right at the guard shack aka "aduana" 14) You MUST have the full protection riding gear. Helmet. Gloves. Knee Pads. Elbow protection. Riding pants and jersey. Enduro type jacket (it will be cold on day 1-2). Moto boots. Goggles. Kidney belt. Cheast protector. Im not riding 7 days with a guy with logging boots and sun glasses. 15) You MUST be able to go 80 miles minimum on a tank of fuel. 16) You MUST have new tires/UHD tubes. New chain and steel sprockets. Dont show up with aluminum/worn stuff. 17) Motocycling is a dangerous activity. I do not assume any responsibility for anyone on this trip. This is only a few buddies getting together for a long ride. I am only the guy sending the emails and posting info, and leading the way, because i know the trails. This is NOT a business, and in no way do i or George, both of us helping organize this trip, in no way do we guarantee or assume any responsibility for anyone or anyones equipment. Riding a dirt bike for 7 days in Mexico is dangerous. You can crash and get hurt, you can get robbed, you can get sick or bit by a rattlesnake or many many other calamitous things. Its 100% your responsibility to take care of yourself and be carefull and not have problems. So no, you cant sue me, i warned you! 18) That said: We will do everything in our power to help out if something does go wrong. If something is stolen we will contact the police. If someone is hurt we will try to do everything we can to get you to a doctor or clinic or hospital. OK---thats it for now.
Just booked 2 standard rooms for 2 nights (1/2/10 - 1/4/10) at the Bahia Hotel from Orbitz.com Total price: 224.04 That's 49.88 + taxes/fees per room per night! Best deal I found. Expedia wanted $88/room/night, and Travelocity wanted $110/room/night & the hotel website wanted $96, but I couldn't even book that far in advance from there. Mike, How are we coordinating rooms for the trip down the peninsula. Do we need to make any more reservations in advance? Thanks, Blake
You are doing an extremely good job getting information presented! I may have missed it, but is a SPOT locating device a good thing?
