Motorcycles, buy, rent or import?

i'm planning an extended stay in Mexico, based mostly around Yucatan area but would like to take a few trips, Belize, Guatemala, Pacific coast maybe.

I prefer to travel by motorbike but not something huge, 250cc or less would be fine for me as i'm happy to go slow, stop often, and take my time and explore.

i understand if i enter mexico on a 180 day tourist visa i cannot legally buy a vehicle in mexico (or at least register one). is there any way around this?

i think long term renting is very expensive. i live in Thailand now and I can rent a scooter for a month for about $200US. i think that is out of the question in mexico right?

option 3 is buy a bike in say Texas and drive down, no idea what the practicalities of doing that are, safety issues, etc. i think i can 'import' a bike for up to 180 days without a problem right? maybe this is my best option.

any thoughts please?

thanks, steve

Many people in Mexico have bikes, most are small, but I have seen some larger ones. Considering how many there are , I suspect you should be able to get a used, or new one even, fairly reasonably. The whole Moto ( bike thing)  here is sort of wild. Whole families may be going down the road on a  small bike. It's illegal, but it is done anyway.Traffic rules for bikes seem to be flexible also. Well unless they get in an accident, or get caught. Walmart has bikes, you might want to look at their Mexican sales on line.

I say that to let you know it is sort of the wild west of bikes, but if you keep your eyes open, and watch for the pot holes, other bikers, and speed bumps you should be ok.

after much thought i've decided to motorbike down from san diego, through la paz, PV, lake chapala, SMA, and on to the Yucatan. its a hell of a long road trip but i have 6 months so i think no problemo.

i'm planning to try get to know some of the places that seem to come up often on this forum with a view towards long term future there. in any case, it should be a great adventure.

i don't want to completely feel like a tourist, forever on the move, i want to get to know the local vibe, meet the locals and local expats, so if i feel like i'm moving too fast i can always turn around before i reach the end of the line and try again another year.

anyhow, here's my preliminary route
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/San+Die … 349149!3e0

A 250cc scooter is likely to be a good bet. You're protected from the elements, especially wet roads after heavy rain and the lump is about big enough for longer trips. Such animals are  also light enough to manhandle when needed.

http://www.extreme-scooters.com/index.htm#300cchttp://powersports.honda.com/scooter/scooters.aspx

Find out which brands are most popular in Mexico and buy one of them - makes servicing easier.

In many states an expat as a tourist can register a moto. In Guanajuato state I have helped many tourists register vehicles. Renting highly unlikely; importing almost impossible.