TUK TUK across Mexico from San Diego to Cancún
Ride 1: Tijuana-Mazatlán November 30 – December 14, 2024
Ride 2: Mazatlán-Cancún December 6 – 20, 2025
Bucket list ride across Mexico? or just something you should do before you leave this place?
Grab your friend or wife and let's have the adventure of a lifetime
This adventure is about exploring the rich culture and people and places of Mexico. But we are talking rural Mexico from the vehicles that you would not see in your own country. Yes, this adventure is about taking Tuk Tuk's from one end to the other. The whole country at 60 kmh and often slower. The vision here is to take all the back routes and avoid the main highways and crowded towns. Most of the time there will be rural paved routes and sometimes it will be dirt roads. For those wanting a tougher adventure there will often be tougher dirt road alternatives. And yes, Yoda Roberto, a native of Mexico will be sure to show us the historic sights along the way and help us receive a warm welcome from the locals.
Logistics for this ride
The ride will be done in 2 sessions. Each session will be two weeks long. The first will be from Tijuana-Mazatlán November 30 – December 14, 2024 and the second session will be from Mazatlán-Cancún December 6 – 20, 2025. We will arrange an option for riders to buy a new Tuk Tuk in Tijuana just before the ride starts and then we will arrange to store the vehicles in Mazatlán for the period between the rides while riders fly home and wait for session 2. Riders will return and complete the ride. At the end of the ride, riders will have the option to sell their Tuk Tuk for about half price in Cancún. Riders will fly home at the end of the ride.
Ralph tries a Tuk Tuk on the last Chiapas ride
Nice seat covers
Is this route right for you?
These route are for experienced adventurers; you should be very experienced in backcountry travel and prepared for any difficulty or failures. This route includes options: both easier and harder routes. As an example, for those wanting to avoid river crossings, we have added workaround route options. For those just tired and wanting to end the day early, we have added easy paved shortcuts. And for those tough guys wanting more, we have added some challenging routes. This is an adventure we do together so come prepared to offer help to fellow riders that may need it.
We will take time out to see the sights: Ruins on Chiapas routes
Signup info:
At this point the ride is being developed. We have chosen the dates and have developed a draft plan of the routes and places to stay. We are working on the logistics and plans to get Tuk Tuks plans. We have decided it is time to start a rider's interest list so if you are interested, you should add your name and info to the list. We will contact you when we have our plans complete.
What is the ride likely to cost? Each 2 week long session will be around $4,500. This is the cost for 2 people sharing one room for the 2 weeks. The cost for a new Tuk Tuk in Tijuana to start the ride will be about $5,000. If you want to keep it and have it shipped back to Tijuana it will be about $800. If you sell it in Cancún I expect you will get about $2,500. Riders are on their own for plane tickets. FYI: For me to fly back to Tijuana it is about $200. I plan to buy a new Tuk Tuk myself and Roberto does also.
I am interested in this ride! Add you name to the Rider's Interest List
Ride Details
I know many of you also enjoy dreaming about the ride and making your plans, so here is the detail, enjoy!
Details TBD
This ride is inspired form this video
Master Yoda gpsKevin
Magic Yoda Roberto
What are these Adventure Rides like? These rides are designed along the theme of exploring the world. They include a mix of remote dirt routes, back paved roads, sometimes some very seldom ridden paths and pavement. Rides are a mix of all these things and sometimes some surprises due to weather conditions. These rides are for experienced, well seasoned riders that are capable of turning a washed out road experience into just part of the day's fun. Riders should be comfortable with turning around when necessary and finding an alternative route around unexpected obstacles. These rides are not for new riders. As an experienced rider, the tough part of having a great motorcycle adventure is the routing and logistics. What routes do I take? Where do I stay? How do I find the best routes and places?
View the ride maps
OK since many of you like to study more detail about the ride, below are the ride maps.
Legend:
The Blue lines are MAIN routes
The Cyan lines are Alternate main routes
The Red lines are Harder routes
The Green lines are Easy options
The Black lines are the out and back viewpoints
TVS Mototaxi
New in MX for $4,500
Piaggio Truck
TBD
Kingway Mototaxi
New in MX for $3,800
Piaggio Mototaxi
New in MX for $5,000
What can I take on this ride?
The theme is 3 wheels and 2 or more people.
We recommend riders get new Tuk Tuks.
If you want to bring a different vehicle you must be approved by gpsKevin.
I just thought it was fun to add some very weird ideas to this
Build you own bike and trailer?
Build your own Front Couch
Bike and Sidecar
Sidecar Bus?
We have done the homework for you: We have studied and developed and ridden to find the best possible routes and then we have put them into great daily rides. As riding skills and desires for riders can be different, we have developed and include route options. We find that many riders like to ride with their best friends, however their friends may not always have the same riding skills and desires. As the day's ride progresses, riders have choices of easier and harder routes. This allows you to tailor the ride more towards your own riding desires and allows you to make choices that might better suit your friends when necessary. Sometimes riders may just want a break too.
How does the ride navigation work?
This is a self-led GPS ride; all riding is on your own. You are responsible for your own riding. You are given a GPS map file and instructions on how to use your Garmin GPS unit. People will hook up in small groups of less than 6 riders and tend to ride together. You are not encouraged to ride alone. You are responsible for your own riding and yourself.
(see my ride Navigation Video)
Are you right for this ride?
When something goes wrong on a ride, would your riding friends say that you are more likely to need help or more likely to give help? You should be in the more likely to offer help camp. This ride is filled with riders that are more likely to give help, so most of the time the riders never need help. Additionally there is all the normal stuff: come prepared to maintain your bike, fix your bike on the trail, repair flat tires, deal with bad weather and rain and make a joke or two.
How do I make the GPS stuff so easy?
I develop very high quality ride maps custom for our ride. They come from much of what I and others have ridden. I take the best from all my rides and make new ones.
(See my Custom Ride Maps Video)
Note from me, gpsKevin
My goal for this ride is simple: great riding. You can count on great routes and places to ride.
But in addition, the ride is about discovering new places, meeting new friends, seeing new parts of the world.
Thanks,
gpsKevin
FAQ's
Q: Would this be a good ride for new riders?
A: No, this ride is for intermediate and experienced riders only. The riding has easy route choices and tough route options.
Q: What are motel room arrangements?
A: Reservations are double occupancy. Two riders sharing one room with 2 beds.
Q: Can I use my cell phone?
A: Sorry, at this point we do not support cell phone GPS use for our rides. The IMG files will not run on a cell phone.
Q; What do I do if I don't have a Garmin GPS?
A: Buy one, you need it. Get a Garmin, it is still the most reliable
Q: Is the riding really on my own?
A: Yes, but we recommend you bring a friend
Q: How good are these routes?
A: They are 99% perfect. Or sometimes, 99.9% perfect. Or sometimes, 95% perfect. So be prepared for a little imperfection.
Q: What are Custom GPS Ride Maps?
A: Custom GPS ride maps are electronic maps designed specifically to show the paths and path choices for a particular ride. The maps show the paths as clear bold lines so the riders can easily see them even on small screens. The lines are often comprised of groups of arrows or chevrons so that riders can easily tell the recommended direction of travel. The lines come in multiple colors so that riders can easily choose between Hard and Easy options. Custom ride maps make ride navigation much easier than ever before.
Just for fun here are some more Tuk Tuk videos that inspire me.
Warning:
Any and all riding is on you own. Conditions change and routes may not be navigable.
Legal access can change and is not guaranteed. Riders must assess the local conditions.
Weather can make the routes impassable. Riders must obey all local laws
gpsKevin assumes no liability for these rides or your actions.
