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bajajoaquin
Junior Nomad
Posts: 58
Registered: 6-28-2011
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Plates for Dirt Bikes
My brother and I have decided that were going to finally do one of the things we’ve talked about for years: ride border to Cabo in dirt bikes.
I’ve got a fair bit of experience riding in northern Baja from life before kids but nothing major. My XR600R at the time had a plate. I see lots of
people riding on bikes without plates.
I’m going to be buying a new (used) bike for this endeavor and wanted to know how important having a plated bike is. My impression is that it
doesn’t matter at all, but if there’s a risk of getting hassled, ticketed, mordita’d a lot, I’d spend the dough on a plated bike.
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bent-rim
Nomad
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Location: Marin County
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Mood: Living la vida mota
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I would find a way to have some fresh tires waiting for you in Cabo for the ride back, I don't know if there are any bike shops in the area.
You could prolly just stick a plate on it south of the border.
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100X
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Plate is really not needed. Correct registration in your name is though, especially for the border crossing.
Good lights, tire changing tools/supplies and gas capacity are more important. Also good to have a way to lock the bikes (disk locks are good and easy
to carry). Used to be most out of the way hotels would allow you to bring the bikes into your room with you (even to ride them up the stairs to the
second level!).
Being hassled has more to do with the respect you show for others and a smile when dealing with authorities, etc. You sound like this will not be a
problem for you.
You will have a great time!
Where do you plan to start from? How many days for the trip down? Supported or unsupported?
[Edited on 12-7-2021 by 100X]
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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Don Pisto
Super Nomad
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Location: El Pescador
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Mood: weary like everyone else
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Lessen anxiety and possible grief, plate it  don't give em an excuse......
[Edited on 12-7-2021 by Don Pisto]
there's only two things in life but I forget what they are........
John Hiatt
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WestyWanderer
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Location: San Clemente, CA
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Where do you live?
If you have a friend or really anyone you know that lives in AZ getting a plate in that state is very easy.
Simply give them the address of your friends place in AZ, tell them the bike with reside there, and you’re on your way. When I did it 5 years ago
they didn’t even ask to see them bike, just had to sign a form saying you had all the appropriate safety equipment on it (turn signals, brake light,
etc.). I did the whole process at the Yuma DMV on my way south, took me maybe 15 minutes, and I walked out with a plate.
Then you can go online and change your mailing address to your address in whatever state you live in and nothing ever gets sent to the AZ address you
have them. My 450x has been AZ played for 5 years and I ride it around Orange County from time to time and have never been hassled.
I also rode it quite a lot down in Baja without a plate and was never hassled either. I agree with 100x that it’s not needed.
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100X
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In many Baja miles, including 3 trips to Cabo, I have never been asked about a plate. I know no one, including a close friend that has a Baja tour
company, and another that puts on some of the more well known rides down here that has had problems because bikes were not street licensed in the US.
That is not to say that it has never happened, of course.
I have been driving my side by side all around Loreto for over a month without a plate, again with no issues.
I would focus more on logistics and preparation myself, but if you are in one of the few states that allow for an easy plating process, it won't hurt.
There are also some newer bikes that are both very Baja capable and come plated.
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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dravnx
Nomad
Posts: 106
Registered: 10-27-2005
Location: N. Cal.
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Can you get Mexican insurance without a registration?
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advrider
Super Nomad
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You would need registration but not a plate for insurance. I'm with 100x, you don't need a plate but if you want to ride in the US a plated bike might
be a better buy down the road?
I love my KTM 500 EXCF, best bike I've owned but not cheap.
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9342
Registered: 10-3-2003
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Quote: Originally posted by 100X  |
I have been driving my side by side all around Loreto for over a month without a plate, again with no issues.
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Do you have MX liability insurance on the SxS?
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100X
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Yes, through Baja Bound. Applies on "main roads" only but commonly used dirt roads qualify.
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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JZ
Elite Nomad
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Great to know. I'm bringing my RZR down soon. I'll add MX insurance to it.
Looking forward to zipping around Loreto on it!
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bajajoaquin
Junior Nomad
Posts: 58
Registered: 6-28-2011
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I'm in California, where it's hard to get a plate. I've ridden XR600Rs for years, and my current one is Green Sticker only. The thing is that in order
to really be legal, you need to have DOT tires, brake lights, DOT headlight, mirror, and other stuff I really don't want. I only ride on the dirt, so
a plate is of no real value for me here. Unless there's real value to the plate in Mexico for this one big trip, I won't bother to get a plate in AZ.
I haven't been riding much recently, so the plan is to get back into it in the next few years, to make the ride for my brother's 55th birthday in
2024. Three years to get back in shape. We would roughly follow the Baja Divide Trail, because it's mapped out. So Tecate to Cabo. I could be talked
out of this route if there's a better option.
For the bike purchase, my main desire is to upgrade to an XR650R. I know there are better options, but I just really like them. I might talk myself
into a KTM 525/530 EXC or even one of the 450-class bikes. Outside of this trip, my riding is almost exclusively the Ocotillo Wells area. I don't care
for deep sand riding, so performance in that terrain isn't too much of a concern.
In the past, I've ridden the Tecate area around Hacienda Santa Veronica, including a 3-dayer to Mike's and back, but it's been a while.
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advrider
Super Nomad
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Baja divide is a good route, lots of cool areas to see. When you get closer I can share some single track (GPS files) if you want to mix it up a
little?
I had an XR650 I took to Baja for several years and loved it until I rode a 500 with the magic button! It's not just the button but the weight and
power advantage. Mine is a 2014 that I ride the crap out of and have very few problems. Just depends on the budget but fuel injection is such a huge
upgrade if you can swing it.
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bajajoaquin
Junior Nomad
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Registered: 6-28-2011
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I know the KTM is a better bike and if I can get over myself I’d prefer it. But I always wanted a BRP and dammit, I just want one. I don’t really
have an issue kicking the thumpers so like you said, it’s about the weight.
But we shall see. I’ve got about $7500 to spend, so budget isn’t really the issue. Irrational desire is.
Yes. When the time comes I’d love to have some single track
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JZ
Elite Nomad
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We are about the same age. I spent 4-5 years riding Baja Sur with my two teenage boys. 2015-2020.
Have hundreds of miles of tracks mapped out.
Can give you a few routes (kmz or gpx) that are better than the Baja Divide. Nothing too hard, but unbelievably beautiful.
Just ask.
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100X
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The XR650R is one of the few Honda's I haven't owned, but have ridden them. Weight is a two-edged sword. Sure, it is harder to flick around, but when
you hit things at speed the added mass causes the bike to hold direction/stability better and not be deflected off line as easily. Although it is a
truly great bike, because I am not a really big guy, and also had back surgery just before they came out, I just didn't want to have to pick the
monster up off the ground too often.
So how did we get these great bikes? The KX500's Team Green was riding in the mid 90's were just too fast for the air cooled XR 600's Honda was
campaigning, and Honda wanted a Baja championship badly. The 600's had to be modified too much, their reliability really suffered from it, and they
were still not fast enough.
In response, the XR650R was envisioned and developed by Bruce Ogilve (and Johnny Campbell too) with only one purpose--to beat the Kawasaki's and all
others, and dominate Baja.
Danny Hamil's passing during the 1995 Baja 500, over time, led to Team Green deciding to pull out of Baja altogether, although the 115 mph beasts
continued to be raced pretty consistently for the next few years. When the water cooled XR650R came out, it had "modern" technology, was reliable as a
brick, could keep up with the Kawi, and quickly took over Baja with Johnny, Steve, et. al. It might still be Team Honda's first choice but Honda
Marketing decided Team Honda needed to help market the new CRF450X and caused a switch to that machine in 2006.
As long as you do not let some magic-button bike spoil you in the interim, you will be smiling all the way to Cabo!
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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100X
Nomad
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Scott Summers--pretty big, tough, fast dude!
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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bajatrailrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 2423
Registered: 1-24-2015
Location: Mexico
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my dirt bikes plated SD riding baja since 1976. Never pulled over plate not on bike . Its only to return to baja or ride in states. Speaking of
riding JZ bring your razor and dirt bikes . Waiting on you talk is cheap HAAAA
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sandpoint
Junior Nomad
Posts: 44
Registered: 10-30-2013
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I'm Bajajoaquin's brother. We'll take up the offer for trail advice for sure. We both want to avoid those super hardcore, rocky single tracks. It'll
be unsupported, probably just us two, one way for about 10 days/two weeks. We'll have to con a friend to drive down and pick us up. I liked the idea
of the divide route mixed with some single track/remote two track that leads to a few of the isolated, west coast spots I've not been to yet. We'd
modify it for fuel requirements rather than water which seems to be the limiting factor for the bicycle folks.
Sounds like I can forgo a plate with the next bike purchase.
[Edited on 12-8-2021 by sandpoint]
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bajajoaquin
Junior Nomad
Posts: 58
Registered: 6-28-2011
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| Quote: Originally posted by sandpoint | I'm Bajajoaquin's brother. We'll take up the offer for trail advice for sure. We both want to avoid those super hardcore, rocky single tracks. It'll
be unsupported, probably just us two, one way for about 10 days/two weeks. We'll have to con a friend to drive down and pick us up. I liked the idea
of the divide route mixed with some single track/remote two track that leads to a few of the isolated, west coast spots I've not been to yet. We'd
modify it for fuel requirements rather than water which seems to be the limiting factor for the bicycle folks.
Sounds like I can forgo a plate with the next bike purchase.
[Edited on 12-8-2021 by sandpoint] |
WTF? I thought your username was TANSTAAFL26 everywhere. Who are you and what have you done to my brother?
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