This past winter, two of our favorite personalities in the motorcycle industry took an epic ride across the border into Baja California, Mexico. When MotoQuest needed to deliver two BMW R 1200 GS’s to some customers in San José del Cabo, we reached out the perfect duo to get the job done.
Spurgeon Dunbar, contributing journalist for Common Tread at Revzilla, and Abhi Eswarappa, motorsports fanatic and founder of the popular blog Bike-urious. Both agreed to ditch the chilly winter temps in favor of the warm, sandy beaches of Baja, Mexico. Spurgeon recently sat down with us to share his experience on why riding Baja should be on every motorcyclist’s bucket list.
What sparked the trip to Baja in the first place?
Actually, it all began at the IMS show in Long Beach. I had met up with Abhi from Bike-urious and Abhi knows everyone, so we ended up running into Brenden Anders from MotoQuest. We exchanged a brief hello and went our separate ways. About a month later we got a call from Brenden asking if Abhi and I would like to transport a few bikes to Baja. I mean, when you love riding motorcycles and someone presents you an opportunity like this, you say yes.
What’s so special about Baja?
I grew up reading about Baja. The dirt and the sand – it was such an elusive place, just like in On Any Sunday. Years went by, and I still had never made it down there. That’s when I had the realization of a goal. Going to Baja was something I had always wanted to do. Now, 15 years later I finally made it there. It’s a magical place, it’s not modernized. It’s still like going back in time. Fishing villages, no wifi – it feels like you’re in a whole other world.
How did the bikes perform?
The new BMW R 1200 GS is the best touring bike I have ever ridden, even when we got stuck in the sand! We pushed the bikes to the limit, but they handled so much better than we expected. The electronic suspension was more than capable of handling the beating, which was very impressive. Combine that with how MotoQuest outfits them and it’s worth every penny of a rental to get a bike that is dialed in and ready to go.
What was the highlight of the trip?
Well, there was a magical moment on our third day, when I stopped feeling like I had to check my phone, and all my worries seemed to melt away. I didn’t care about checking my email or looking at my phone. For me, after that third day I started to just enjoy the moment. We were in the middle of nowhere and I realized all that other stuff is gonna be there when I get home. There were no deadlines here, just paper maps. All we had to do was decide where to go next and enjoy that beer at the end of the night. The relaxation really set in then, and it took me back to why I fell in love with riding bikes to begin with. I was just out riding a motorcycle with my friend.
Where do you want to take MotoQuest bikes next?
Definitely Alaska! What’s cool about MotoQuest is you feel no pressure. They don’t rush the trip. Having the bikes provided takes away a lot of the stress. We rode 250 miles a day and had no agenda. Baja was great, but in Alaska I want to have an agenda. I want to see the beauty of that expansive wilderness that’s right in MotoQuest’s backyard. Stay tuned!
The full story on Spurgeon and Abhi’s trip to Baja can be found on Common Tread and on Bike-urious.
Whether it’s by way of rental or a guided tour, we can show you the Best of Baja! Click here for more details on booking your next adventure.