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JZ
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I don't mean to be an ass, but this "trip" sounds like one of the dumbest ideas of all time.
Probably a troll thread.
[Edited on 12-30-2018 by JZ]
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deportes
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You may be correct.
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motoged
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Will there be drone videos?
Fishbuck can fly them....after he builds a motoX track,,,,after building a hangar...after buying Udo's place....which will be a fly-in motoX
resort....
Don't believe everything you think....
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KurtG
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Don't let the naysayers discourage you. I've been riding around Baja for 45 years on a wide variety of bikes. I don't now and never did have the off
road ability of JZ and his boys but have not let that stop me from exploring countless back roads on two wheels. One of the best was an old xl350,
mid-70's vintage that was heavy, slow but reliable as that proverbial axe. I'm more than a decade older than you and my back country stuff is mostly
on 4 wheels these days but I still ride Baja mostly on my ancient KLR650 now equipped with street tires.
About 25 years ago I was riding north from Gonzaga Bay and met a guy who had traveled all the way from Chicago on an old Yamaha xt250 who said he was
going to keep going south until either the bike died or he reached Ushaia. He was having the time of his life.
I've always felt I could have fun on just about any machine with two wheels and a motor.
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deportes
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Thanks KurtG. I am still pondering the idea. My wife laughs at me saying I should stay at home on the lake, sailing and enjoying life. Yo sigo
pensando en Mexico y la belleza de Baja California.
Salud.
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pacificobob
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i think a motorbike for that trip needs to be able to do 65mph comfortably. and weigh south of 300lbs.
most of my saddle time in dirt road mexico has been on a DRZ400 suzuki, and a husky 610TE. both are light and nimble enough, but won't bum you out
when you need to do several hours on the pavement at speed. you can find the DRZs for around $3k , fit a large fuel tank, and go. they are very tough
and hard to break.
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motoged
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Sounds like OP is relatively new to motorcycles....or at least needs a serious update on skills and what's what.
Maybe riding around home a bit would prepare him....and his wife for any upcoming Baja riding.....
And then "go for it" 
Don't believe everything you think....
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Cancamo
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It's doable, but if you are packing fishing and camping gear, as well as normal clothes & water.... you are going to need a bigger bike than a
250, with more cargo capacity.
Have traveled throughout the republic on a 650, needed every inch of space in cargo bags.
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mcnut
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I have not read all the posts but have scanned most and....
Owned many bikes from small displacement to large, extremely light to fairly heavy over many years and believe KISS is good strategy for solo Baja.
From the sound of it you have not ridden much in recent years and are budget constrained I would look for a clean Suzuki DR350S. Simple aircooled,
carbureted and comfey with a nice wide ratio gearbox.
There are others of course, XT225 (aircooled, carb), XT250 (aircooled, injected), DR400S (watercooled, Carb but narrow gearbox) and DR650 (aircooled,
Carb but heavy).
Bruce
Currently in garage; CRF230 (wife), XT250 (for loaning to guests), Beta 500RS, DR650 (just sold), Husky TE630 and Tri 800 Tiger.
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pacificobob
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or maybe he was just being an ass, go have an adventure. don't let folks urinate on your cornflakes. i ride off-road with guys over 70yo often
[Edited on 12-30-2018 by pacificobob]
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willardguy
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Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  | I love this idea.
But I don't think I can ever make myself drive a 250 Honda down the pennisular.
I was ruined by the invention of the "pickup truck".
Throw a bike and camping gear in ranger or tacoma.
[Edited on 12-29-2018 by fishbuck] |
im gonna go with this...with an XR400 in the back. salud!
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TMW
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A buddy and I rode a pair of 1986 Yamaha YZ250 2 strokes from Tecate to La Paz pre-running the 1989 Baja 1000, yes we had a chase team. We also raced
it that year until the silt beds south of San Ignacio sand papered the engine.
We then went to Cabo and went deep sea fishing.
[Edited on 12-30-2018 by TMW]
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TedZark
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I've got a 2014 Honda CRF250L and have taken as far as San Matir from Ensenada - and up past San Diego, even to Phoenix. It's fine on the freeway,
it's great on dirt. It's not perfect for either (it's got roughly 50:50 tires - not perfect for anything) but is is the most RELIABLE ride I've ever
had. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to take it solo to Cabo and back to Ensenada. Almost all my riding here is solo. It's not a macho bike, but it
gets the job done. Don't want to do much over 65-70 on the freeway/tollway. It's not really heavy enough to feel comfortable over 70. It's not big
enough to haul a lot of stuff. Okay if you keep things simple. Stock, it has a tiny gas tank, so need to consider that. Street legal.
I tend to think it is small enough to keep me out of trouble. When I had bigger bikes I was always getting speeding tickets and on the edge a bit too
much around corners, passing and high speed. I LOVE acceleration.
Go and enjoy. I don't care how old you are. The older the better.
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wessongroup
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John Harper
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| Quote: Originally posted by mcnut |
There are others of course, XT225 (aircooled, carb), XT250 (aircooled, injected), DR400S (watercooled, Carb but narrow gearbox) and DR650 (aircooled,
Carb but heavy). |
My buddy has 3 XT225s and just got a DRZ400S. I fix them for him. The XT225 is a darn nice little bike, the DRZ just too tall for me. Both seem
quite well built. I think I'd go with the XT225, not just because I fit better, but having air cooled is one less system to worry about. Plus, they
are very light so you can pull them out of sand, etc.
My buddy also remarked that the XT225s have side handles that make loading the bike in his truck much easier. He almost lost it with the DRZ the
other day getting it into his brother's taller full size pickup. Not fun to almost have a 300+ pound bike fall off the ramp onto you.
John
[Edited on 12-31-2018 by John Harper]
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mtgoat666
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Op:
Dont listen to the critics. They are all overweight gringos that need an extra 200 cc to haul their beer guts. They also cant camp without a
generator, tv, microwave, blender and heavy duty cots (heavy duty for those beer bellies).
Gringos are heavy travelers, carry too much stuff, they think you need a ford expedition just to shop the corner grocery store.
You can travel with under 35 lbs of gear, ask any backpacker or bicylcle tourer, or ask any non-gringo.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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imlost
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| Quote: Originally posted by mcnut | I have not read all the posts but have scanned most and....
Owned many bikes from small displacement to large, extremely light to fairly heavy over many years and believe KISS is good strategy for solo Baja.
From the sound of it you have not ridden much in recent years and are budget constrained I would look for a clean Suzuki DR350S. Simple aircooled,
carbureted and comfey with a nice wide ratio gearbox.
There are others of course, XT225 (aircooled, carb), XT250 (aircooled, injected), DR400S (watercooled, Carb but narrow gearbox) and DR650 (aircooled,
Carb but heavy).
Bruce
Currently in garage; CRF230 (wife), XT250 (for loaning to guests), Beta 500RS, DR650 (just sold), Husky TE630 and Tri 800 Tiger.
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In my opinion, this is the best response to the original question.
The best bike for trail and dirt roads or older guys is a Yamaha TW200, but the top end is limited to about 55mph, which doesn't work for highway
travel.
I definitely would do this trip if I had the time. I'd plan to stay in hotels to recharge and clean up, and camp when that's not convenient.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
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listen to the tool that nobody believes has ever even seen the baja peninsula, let alone hiked, backpacked or bicycled any of it.....but he did rock
that RM80!
allegedly anyway....probably right before his stint as a commercial fisherman. you cant believe anything this azzhole says.
[Edited on 12-31-2018 by willardguy]
imlost....sorry obviously I was talking about the goat....
[Edited on 12-31-2018 by willardguy]
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John Harper
Super Nomad
Posts: 2289
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| Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666 | Op:
Dont listen to the critics. They are all overweight gringos that need an extra 200 cc to haul their beer guts. They also cant camp without a
generator, tv, microwave, blender and heavy duty cots (heavy duty for those beer bellies).
Gringos are heavy travelers, carry too much stuff, they think you need a ford expedition just to shop the corner grocery store.
You can travel with under 35 lbs of gear, ask any backpacker or bicylcle tourer, or ask any non-gringo.
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Someone got a lump of coal for Christmas.
John
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ehall
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Find a friend or 2 to go with you. Cheap hotels, no camping gear to carry.
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