SoCal people - Questions about crossing into Mexico

I am planning an Iron Butt Border to Border ride for June 22nd. We are riding from the B.C./Washington crossing at Blaine down to Mexico.

We are planning on crossing into Mexico at Otay Mesa (rather that the San Ysidro) on some advice from an acquaintance.

I have a few questions for those of you who might be familiar with crossing the border:

If we run into a long wait at the border crossing, is it legally and socially permissible to lane split to get closer to the front?

Is there a way to get some sort of receipt or time-stamp at the border crossing itself or will I have to find an automated gas station on the Mexico side?

Is there anything I need to know about crossing the border and coming right back that I'm not thinking of because I'm from Washington and haven't ever crossed the US/Mexican border on a motorcycle?

Interested in the responses as I'm considering a B2B this summer as well.

Good luck!

--G

I've crossed into Mexico quite a few times, including through Otay Mesa on a B2B Insanity. On the B2B it was about 1am, so I sailed through in both directions. It's been a few years, but for my timed receipt I had to go to a Pemex just a short distance from the border crossing. The station was dark, but the pumps worked and it gave me an accurate receipt. In my experience it's permissible to politely split on the California side; I've done it on the Mexican side too, but we did get yelled at a lot (but not by anyone with a badge )

FWIW, I left BC at 3am and didn't hit rush hour ANYWHERE, which is a real feat when you're driving down I-5/Hwy 99 corridor. That's how I ended up at the Mexican border at 1am for a trouble-free crossing. That won't do you much good for the non-insane version, but it gives you something to think about when planning your ride. When I crossed back into the US, the agent asked "You heading to Canada, or did you leave there this morning?" I'd run through all the potential questions a border agent might ask knowing I'd just spent 15 minutes in Mexico ("How'd the drug run go?") but that wasn't one of them! He said he see's a ton of us crossing in and out quickly, he has a pretty good idea of what a LD bike looks like vs. a troublemaker bike and it's generally not a big deal.

Good luck & have fun!

I always cross in Mexicali so I'm not real familiar with Otay Mesa. At Mexicali you can split lanes if you can squeeze between the cars. The lanes are really tight and an FJR is just to fat in my opinion. Sometimes when the line is really long you will see guys on bikes cross the border more than once. They run documents from Mexico to just across the border and return and do it over and over. These guys ride the sidewalk all the way to the front. Last time I went with my DRZ I followed a guy using the sidewalk trick and didnt have any problems. If you plan the crossing to be later in the evening or early in the morning you should be fine.

You wont get a receipt at the border you will have to find a Pemex down the street.Looking at google there is one just across the border from Otay Mesa.

As for crossing back all you need is your passport. Dont bring drugs,guns or ammo and you will be fine. Most bikes get waived right thru anyway.

Oh and maybe send a message to Beemerdons. He is an expert on Mexico bike travel.

Have a fun trip.

superfuzz, everyone here has given you some great advice! Wendy is right about ease of crossing at off peak hours and Dan is correct about Filtering up to the front of the line on both sides of the border. I just crossed into Estados Unidos at Sonoita Ciudad en Sonora Estado last Monday at 1pm and it was the fastest crossing I have ever made! For your future reference superfuzz here are all of the Border Crossings, my absolute favorite is Campo-Tecate, but por favor be aware it is closed between Midnight and 0600 hours. Mas Caminos y mas Amigos! Suerte, Compadre!



"Oh and maybe send a message to Beemerdons. He is an expert on Mexico bike travel." Listo! Absolutely, Papa Chuy Viejo is always happy to answer questions on my favorite country to ride a Moto in! Next to Ireland, of course! jes' sayin' and nuff said!

Señor Don:

For a south-to-north B2Bi using the I-15 corridor, which Mexico-US border crossing do you recommend? I think most riders use Andrade/Los Algodones, but San Luis also looks like a good possibility.

Thanks!

tcfjr said:

Señor Don:
For a south-to-north B2Bi using the I-15 corridor, which Mexico-US border crossing do you recommend? I think most riders use Andrade/Los Algodones, but San Luis also looks like a good possibility.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

https://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/az/2608.xml We have had great success on fast border crossings at both San Luis and Los Algodones, I recommend either one!

https://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/ca/2502.xml Brian please be advised Andrade is closed from 10pm to 6am, may affect your riding plans. I think it is faster though!

Thanks to all for the great info!

Mexico?

I'd stick my toe over the border and be done with it!!

Did they ever find that rider who disappeared last January crossing Mexico on that endure bike alone? Great idea!

beemerdons said:

tcfjr said:

Señor Don:
For a south-to-north B2Bi using the I-15 corridor, which Mexico-US border crossing do you recommend? I think most riders use Andrade/Los Algodones, but San Luis also looks like a good possibility.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

https://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/az/2608.xml We have had great success on fast border crossings at both San Luis and Los Algodones, I recommend either one!

Click to expand...

This is the route I'm considering, thanks for the information Don!

--G

escapefjrtist said:

beemerdons said:

tcfjr said:

Señor Don:

For a south-to-north B2Bi using the I-15 corridor, which Mexico-US border crossing do you recommend? I think most riders use Andrade/Los Algodones, but San Luis also looks like a good possibility.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

https://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/az/2608.xml We have had great success on fast border crossings at both San Luis and Los Algodones, I recommend either one!

Click to expand...

This is the route I'm considering, thanks for the information Don!
--G

Click to expand...

Felicidades Abrazo, Jorge muy Guapo let me know when you're doing it and I'll meet you at the border crossing. Papa Chuy Viejo will buy you a quick burrito and a Cerveza, then wave you Northward again ese! Muy Rapido, Amigo!

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/156652-rocky-point-mexico-arizonas-number-one-beach/ As I have previously mentioned to You and Your Honey, fly down to Phoenix someday and Donna and I will ride with you to our Favorite Zonie Beach: Rocky Point - Puerto Penasco, Mexico. Just returned from Sonora Estado with Dave and Sylvia Dykes "FastJoyRiders" of Canuckistan, you would also ride our FJR while we ride our BMW K1600GT.