Wondering in Mexico

Garrydymond

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Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
238
Location
Mexico City
The trip unfortunately was not incident free as one of the group crashed his KTM. He went into the concrete barrier and broke at least a finger and maybe his hand. The ride was organized by a Honda dealer and they had a tow rope and towed him to the nearest gas station where the insurance assessor I arrived very quickly and sorted everything out.
One of the Honda dealersdemo bikes, an Africa Twin refused to restart in Taxco and despite having their mechanic with them they weren’t able to fix it. They ended up leaving the mechanic in a hotel with the bike and will pick them up today.
On a personal front I had three mishaps. A front headlight bulb blew this I will fix, finally, by installing a set of LEDs. I already have the longer caps and just need to buys the lamps.
My zipper broke on my jacket which I fixed with some safety pins. I will get a new puller for the zip fitted at a store downtown. It will probably only cost a couple of bucks.
Finally and most seriously my Shan top case which has been on the bike almost since new 87,000 kms ago broke. The two tongues that go into the grooves on the rack split. I will post some pics. The only reason I can think why this happened is because of the heat.
 

squarebore

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Apr 22, 2013
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887
Location
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Finally and most seriously my Shan top case which has been on the bike almost since new 87,000 kms ago broke. The two tongues that go into the grooves on the rack split. I will post some pics. The only reason I can think why this happened is because of the heat.[/QUOTE]

Looks like maybe fatigue caused by too much weight over rough rough roads over a long period of time.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
 

Garrydymond

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Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
238
Location
Mexico City
Finally and most seriously my Shan top case which has been on the bike almost since new 87,000 kms ago broke. The two tongues that go into the grooves on the rack split. I will post some pics. The only reason I can think why this happened is because of the heat.
Looks like maybe fatigue caused by too much weight over rough rough roads over a long period of time.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]
No really rough roads. Quite a few Mexicans topes. I am now trying to decide if I get the same case or go with a Pelican case.
 

old1959

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Mar 3, 2018
Messages
141
Location
Texas
Garrydymond, thank you for continuing to share your adventures. Also, congratulations on the granddaughter. Regarding your case, probably a combination of the plastic hardening along with fatigue. If caught earlier, you could have stopped drilled the cracks and added some reinforcement such as another piece of plastic bonded or fastened to the skin (somewhat a typical aircraft skin repair). You could try a repair now but will need more effort.
 

Garrydymond

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Jan 1, 2016
Messages
238
Location
Mexico City
A good day. I decided to get another Shad 48 case. I have a feeling someone tried to move the bike while we were away. Pulled on the top case and started the problem. I looked at Pelican cases but they difn’t fit the bill.
I went downtown and got my zipper fixed for a dollar

DF255618-A5FC-45BD-B18D-8F8B738B90F5.jpeg004FC3AB-FB76-4D62-AD7D-D89A35E6503B.jpegA8C93D30-FA2C-44EE-BCBE-9DE34E084B5E.jpeg
I also bought a set of LED lights. I fitted them and put on the longer caps I bought before going to Playa del Carmen.
I am not sure they are a top shelf item as they only cost 12 dollars. They do give out a lot more light. It says they are warrantied for a year but there is no address or manufacturer. The girl in the shop said she would give me 3 months. The last headlight bulb only lasted 8,000 kms so let’s see.
 

Garrydymond

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Jan 1, 2016
Messages
238
Location
Mexico City
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When we rode to Argentina on our not always trusty Suzuki VStrom 1000 from 2013-2015 we had some problems with the stator. It happened in Panama where my wife flew back to Mexico City for 2 weeks. I was able to ride the bike to the airport and then it was shipped to Bogota. In Bogota I got the bike fixed at the Suzuki dealer. While there I asked if there were any bike clubs in the city. The parts guy told me about Club Moto Rally who had a ride out the next day. I showed up at the meeting point and was given a multi colored band to put on the bike. I assumed it was a gay motorcycle club with its rainbowish colors. That evening one of the members invited me to stay at his house and as I was short of money I accepted. I thought he wouldn’t want much to do with an overweight old guy like me. When we got to his place he introduced me to his wife.
It turns out the colors on the band are the colors of the Colombian flag.
If you are ever in Bogota look up my great friend from Moto Rally Club.
 

pilleway

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Joined
May 18, 2019
Messages
747
Location
Mexico
Garrydymond, I'm very please to hear from a foreing person on many good things from Mexico, I do appreciate sharing all the good things they can see and experience in Mexico.
You mentioned MANY very interesting places to go within the central area of Mexico and many of them are within 300 km of Mexico city, I had the opportunity to visit Xilitla, Sir Eduard James place being and incredible place to visit within the Huasteca in San Luis Potosi State.
My hat off to you for sharing with so interest all the bike and no bike related photos where many people outside Mexico can see how charismatic the mexican contry can be. Me as a Mexican I do really thank you from my heart the desition you made by triggering this thread in the group.

I'm a Mexican who is getting a 2013 ST and even I am king of retired (I´m) but I do need to keep working to earn $$ for living. I worked for 28 years in the Auto Industry (GM) and was dismist almost 12 years ago, since then I do have a mechanical shop were I do alot of car maintenance and repairs, to make the story short, afte more of 12months trying to convince the ST owner to sell me his bike, finally looks I got it and it should be within the next couple of days.

Hope in the close future I will be able to meet you in person and thank you personally.
My best regards
Miguel.
 

Garrydymond

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Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
238
Location
Mexico City
Garrydymond, I'm very please to hear from a foreing person on many good things from Mexico, I do appreciate sharing all the good things they can see and experience in Mexico.
You mentioned MANY very interesting places to go within the central area of Mexico and many of them are within 300 km of Mexico city, I had the opportunity to visit Xilitla, Sir Eduard James place being and incredible place to visit within the Huasteca in San Luis Potosi State.
My hat off to you for sharing with so interest all the bike and no bike related photos where many people outside Mexico can see how charismatic the mexican contry can be. Me as a Mexican I do really thank you from my heart the desition you made by triggering this thread in the group.

I'm a Mexican who is getting a 2013 ST and even I am king of retired (I´m) but I do need to keep working to earn $$ for living. I worked for 28 years in the Auto Industry (GM) and was dismist almost 12 years ago, since then I do have a mechanical shop were I do alot of car maintenance and repairs, to make the story short, afte more of 12months trying to convince the ST owner to sell me his bike, finally looks I got it and it should be within the next couple of days.

Hope in the close future I will be able to meet you in person and thank you personally.
My best regards
Miguel.
Miguel

I have lived in Mexico for over 40 years and am way more Mexican than British. Mexico has been very good to me by giving me 2 beautiful children, 2 grandchildren, a house and an incredible wife. This is a very small way of paying some of that back.
Hopefully we will ride around The Great Lakes this year. Which means I will go through some of the Northern States of Mexico. My idea at the moment is to ride from Mexico City to Duluth in Minnesota then spend a month with Ivonne, who will fly in from Mex City, ride around The Lakes on both the American and Canadian side. She will then fly home from Chicago and I will ride home. The whole trip will take between 10-12 weeks.
You didn’t say where you lived brig it is in Mexico City then it will be easy to meet up. If you live on my route North then I could stop to meet you on the way up or back.
Viva Mexico.

Garry
 

pilleway

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May 18, 2019
Messages
747
Location
Mexico
Miguel

I have lived in Mexico for over 40 years and am way more Mexican than British. Mexico has been very good to me by giving me 2 beautiful children, 2 grandchildren, a house and an incredible wife. This is a very small way of paying some of that back.
Hopefully we will ride around The Great Lakes this year. Which means I will go through some of the Northern States of Mexico. My idea at the moment is to ride from Mexico City to Duluth in Minnesota then spend a month with Ivonne, who will fly in from Mex City, ride around The Lakes on both the American and Canadian side. She will then fly home from Chicago and I will ride home. The whole trip will take between 10-12 weeks.
You didn’t say where you lived brig it is in Mexico City then it will be easy to meet up. If you live on my route North then I could stop to meet you on the way up or back.
Viva Mexico.

Garry
Garry, I live in Metepec, Estado de Mexico,
Iam about 40 miles weat from Mexico city, where in Mexico city you live in?
I can tell you that hte best boss I had at GM gas a british person so these can be a connection!
Great lakes for sure will be an encredible ride too, and many other great places in the US to ride too.
My regrds, and again my thaks to you
Miguel
 

Garrydymond

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Jan 1, 2016
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238
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Mexico City
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Nothing to do with Mexico. I am in the planning stage of a trip around The Great Lakes. The idea is for me to ride from Mex City to Duluth and pick up my wife who will fly in. We will then spend a month riding around The Lakes. Ivonne will fly home from Chicago and I ride back.
If anyone in the area I will go and wants to put me/us up for a night please tell me. I will leave in mid July and meet Ivonne the first week of August. I should be home around the third week of September.
Well that is enough for today. Tomorrow a Sunday ride in Mexico somewhere.
 

bigbob

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Sep 9, 2014
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Des Moines, IA
What date are you looking to leave ciudad de Mexico. One day to the border and one or two to my house.

July 9th is the last day I could host as I am leaving for a trip after that.
 

Garrydymond

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Jan 1, 2016
Messages
238
Location
Mexico City
What date are you looking to leave ciudad de Mexico. One day to the border and one or two to my house.

July 9th is the last day I could host as I am leaving for a trip after that.
It will probably be July 12 or after. Looks like I will miss you.
 

Garrydymond

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Jan 1, 2016
Messages
238
Location
Mexico City
It is common in Mexico to see crosses or shrines by the side of the road. They are made by the families of victims of road accidents. They have always struck me as very sad and s little macabre. On my ride today I saw these 2 which have been there a while. A reminder of the dangers of our passion. The one with the bear bottle could be a monument to stupidity but I don’t know . 1521420E-923F-482B-803B-52267354A66B.jpeg41EBAC62-11A5-4E62-82DA-EF47A2EFAF51.jpeg2085EC01-E97D-4608-A430-A7F2C8382E59.jpeg
 

Garrydymond

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Mexico City
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Not a great photo but the man in the middle of the road is a policeman. He stopped ma and asked for my papers including proof of insurance. I showed them to him and was waved on my way. I decided to take a few photos from the other side of the road. I was basically going to post them on here. The next thing I knew the policeman was waving his arms around. He was not happy about being photographed. He then said I had to erase the photos. Very quickly I was surrounded by 5 or 6 agitated cops demanding I erase all the photos. I erased them all and later recovered them from the “recently erased photo file”.
I have a feeling they were not authorized to be checking papers and didn’t want any photographic evidence.
Just another day in the tropics.
 

Garrydymond

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Jan 1, 2016
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238
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Mexico City
It has been a long while since I posted but I just went on a 4,000+ km ride up to the border near El Paso. The plan was to ride to California and spend 2 months riding around with my best mate from England. Corona Virus thwarted the trip but it will be on again once things clear up. In Mexico we lived through Swine Flu and the World will live through this.
Pics to follow.
 

Garrydymond

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Jan 1, 2016
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238
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Mexico City
So the plan was for me to leave Mexico City about 2 weeks before Steve flew into LA. Steve was going to rent a bike from a company called South Bay Sport Rentals. He was going to rent a Yamaha FZ07. I left March 11 on my solo trip to LA. I was taking a tank bag inside my regular tank bag and a dry bag inside my dry bag for Steve's bike. I also had an extra GPS, a heated vest, a thermo rest and a SIM card for Steve to use. This meant I was carrying a fair bit of extra stuff. SIM cards are cheap in Mexico I bought a 150 pesos card with unlimited calls in the USA, Canada and Mexico with free social media good for 25 days which can be recharged for 150 pesos for another 25 days. This would allow us to stay in touch.
Pics to come later.
 
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