We crossed back into Mexico at Nogales, Mariposa gate at around 10 am in the car. Nothing going on, light traffic. As is frequently the case. the toll booth just south of Magdalena was manned by teen agers or 20 somethings. Not aggressive or pushy, likely not cartel people. We rolled through and kept our coin. The cold front that came through on Monday took temps down near freezing after 100° F temps the previous week.
That booth is the one Cal referenced. The Yaqui people, a sovereign nation, claim the federal government stole the land for the highway and sold the toll rights to an outside vendor (I think a Spanish company) and they claim they get little of nothing. In the beginning of their takeovers they just waved the traffic through to make their point. The Yaquis have been screwed over many, many times by the feds and the state of Sonora. The state appropriated water from the Rio Yaqui over the objections of the tribe. The Yaqui's won a court case but the state continued to take the water for Hermosillo because they have no other water.
If that's what is keeping your bike from going on rides without you, then it is safe. If you parked your bike like that in a European city, even the tree would be have been gone in the morning... Gustavo
I understand. It seems that what was once a straight forward protest by the Yaqui may have devolved into just another way to score some quick cash. Sad to say not an infrequent occurrence.
Not all toll revenues flow toward road maintenance and local economic growth Some of those pesos are converted into Euros , before being stuffed into the deep pockets of a Spanish multinational operator of toll booths in Mexico ,throughout Latin America and elsewhere ,who netted a 1.6 billion Euro profit in 2018 , as a result of cutting deals with corrupt administrations and draining the pockets of poor locals and others to cross their own lands . From Spain one can directly follow the money ie "legal" toll booth revenue , and trace to it to F1 cars and the decals you have seen plastered on them many times, if you are at all familar with F1 Communities in some areas are held hostage as a result of having to pay tolls Some of the toll booths have been in place since the 60s , with the hwy and it's upkeep long since paid for in full Many of the hwys and toll booths are constructed upon appropriated property ,where owners were never paid as much as a peso for their lands If tolls are to be paid , commerce and tourists should be the ones paying their way , all others should be allowed to pass at no cost ...other than indirectly
Good one, knight; as a case in point , here in Ontario there is an express freeway . the 407, built around the north of Toronto . Some smart ass back in the gov of the day thought it was a good idea to "outsource " its operation and sold the operating rights for 99 years to that same Spanish "consortium " . Of course that was AFTER all the land expropriations and construction were completed at taxpyers' expense. I bet that when the contract runs out the road will be a worthless mess but, hey , everybody then will be riding the supersonic underground pneumatic tubes and spaceX sub-orbital rocket gliders , outsourced post -construction of course . I have only ridden the 407 once ,during its initial year when tolls were not yet taken as a way to get the peasantry adjusted to the idea .What I read in the papers is that the toll gets jacked up regularly and transponders are required or there will be an added big administration fee . Same reason why I avoid toll roads in Mexico after perhaps one explorarory pass ,and besides what is the HURREEEEEEE if I am there on a pleasure trip ? These" private highways " raise the question of do the traffic laws of the province/state /country still apply , and who enforces the speed limit ? Do they have private cops or do they subcontract that back to the police forces of the country ? If expropriation is deemed necesary , and for essential public projects such is often the better though still dislikable solution for expediency ,then it should be done openly and with fair compensation to all parties ,no favouritism or taking advantage of vulnerable people . If any taxes on fuel and road tolls are collected ostensibly for road upkeep and construction then that money should be used for that purpose ,not for other pet projects of some politicians . I know, fantasy .
Hey that is a 4-number lock combo, let's see Sjoerds lock guy pick that! Turns out Mexico is safe guys, proceed as normal. For tonight's security I made sure to pull up to the hotel just as it started puking water on me....gotta make it undesirable if you want to keep it from getting stolen.
Back in the 90's a construction company built a highway from the Airport to Zihuatanejo/ Ixtapa. The company did not put in a proper sub - base and the concrete shifted and buckled soon after. Rumor had it that owner of the construction company was related to one of the politicians that was in charge. Anybody remember seeing that?
I"ll take a toll road sometimes to reward my bike and I ,a well deserved break from going over topes Which hasnt always resulted in a smooth ride ,as one time I was zipping along on a toll hwy ,and the pavement appruptly ended into a dirt field of woops ,requiring me to plow through a mismash of 4 wide oncoming traffic
They may operate the toll road in Ontario that Sjoerd mentioned However many of the tolls and about 900 km hwy in Mexico are operated by a completely different Spanish multinational, which is owned in part by a company of which is owned in part by others , some of whom have a long history of slapping their name on F1 cars and being in partnership with a very large US auto manufacturer Other toll profits flow through to a German company I'm in Mexico, so I rather not say anymore ,less I also end up getting in a skiing accident
Wiley , if the KLR is spewing coolant water you ought to quickly check to see if the Radiator fan is operating. No KLR should overheat like that . Or did the hose clamps get loose ? It might have a blown fuse in its circuits or corroded connectors ,or there may be something in the fan blades to jam it, or the motor is fried .If the fuses are okay and the fan can spin do an electric test with wire direct from the battery to see if the motor still runs . If the motor runs that way it means that the thermal cut-out switch in the radiator is dead and not giving the motor a current . You can then rig up a manual bypass switch that can start and stop the fan as needed . Go to any parts shop or electric supply store and buy a cheap toggle switch (15-20 peso) which you hook into a live feed from the battery with wire long enough to permit taping the switch to the frame about above the sidestand . Then you can turn on the fan by switch for city driving and slow going .Out on the highway the switch can be OFF because your travel speed is sufficient to flow cold air thru the radiator .This can work until you get the thermal switch replaced .
If it is the switch you can go to an auto parts store in Mexico and ask for a switch for an older Tsuru. It's the same part. Our friend Nico from Chihuahua taught us that.
When the fuel pump on my Mexican friend's Hayabusa quit on him , he was able to get down road with a used fuel pump he got out of a small compact car
I will double check the fan, I hear it come on when it should but others also suggested making sure it is spinning freely. I suspect it is a stuck thermo, and I checked all hoses etc. But cannot get one until I get to Morelia, which is fine just won't be for a few days. Does a stuck thermo sound like it could cause this type of issue? Running it with the cap off shows the coolant is not circulating, but I was parked in front of a motel with open doors so mostly let it idle with light reva, as I wanted to be respectful rather than revving it to get it hot, so maybe it just needed a bit more time. In Patzcuaro, so taking my normal "eh, not to concerned at the moment" approach. I appreciate your help, this thing has given me little problems everyday, but I will be honest I am loving all the little breakdowns for some strange reason....just glad they are short, and I wasn't stranded in between destinations in Michoacan. Edit: would it be better to drive with or without the thermo in when I head to Morelia? Thanks
Check also if the coolant may has dumped out of the water pump drain hole . If so the waterpump seal is gone . Keep the water level in the plastic header tank at the proper level . If not the engine cooling content will be inadequate and cause boiling off through the venting tube
No signs of problem from weep hole, and I sharpied the overflow tank when I replaced the coolant originally., It was absolutely at the correct level. The thermo was not replaced though obviously should have been on a newly purchased bike.
