So when we explain the DR is 2/3 of the island and Haiti the rest, often [...]]]>

When we discuss riding in the Dominican Republic  (DR) with a potential client, invariably geography enters the conversation. Fact is few people really know much about the DR,  the island of Hispanola or even its exact location before contacting us.

So when we explain the DR is 2/3 of the island and Haiti the rest, often there is a silent pause.

We know what they’re thinking. “Haiti? Isn’t that dangerous?”

So we’ve become as much of an authority on Haiti as we are on the Dominican Republic, and go into great detail that about the only thing in common between Haiti and the DR is they share the same large island.

Recently MotoCaribe partner Robert, the MotoCaribe guy on the ground in the DR, had a chance to visit Haiti for a day to document the noble charity work that his wife Alida  and her family do for a Haitian orphanage near a northern border town. He wrote about what his experience and the stark amazing contrast with the DR.

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So take a peek and see how different Haiti is as seen through the eyes of someone who lives in the DR.

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We knew it was going to be a very long day. What we didn’t anticipate is the emotional drain we were about to experience.

4:30am came early, especially seeing how we didn’t get to bed until around midnight. If it hadn’t been for the aroma of the excellent Dominican coffee dripping away I’d maybe have just chucked it all. But didn’t. We got up, fed the cats and dogs, showered and drank as much coffee as we could.

We left home in darkness and drove down the mountain (the Cordillera Central range) to the Autopista Duarte, the main N/S road in the country. An hour later we were at Alida’s brother’s house in Santiago. They’d had less sleep than we had.

This will be the day’s route. Orange is where we live to Santiago, purple is Santiago to Haiti:

The mission crew was Alida, mi esposa, Raphael, Alida’s brother and a local pastor, George, Alida’s cousin and an FBI agent from California and Director of the DREAM Project, Home, George’s esposa, Argellia, Karin, their spunky 8th grader who envisioned the DREAM Project as a 7th grader, Daniel, their young son, Robyn, Karin’s Korean school pal, Dr. Enriquillo Vargas (Santiago, familiar/oncologist, radio show host) and Christian Bueno, Santiago community leader volunteer.

This is George:

I learned I didn’t understand today’s work. I thought it was for engineer planning. Nope. That was done the trip before by George/Alida/Raphael’s *other* cousin, Peter Olivo (Hope For Children International ) by his foundation; the groups work together. This was to install some water equipment, deliver a bunch of beds and build some playground equipment. The big truck, full of stuff, was already headed to Haiti. And it seems over 1000lbs of food-mainly powdered milk, 400lbs of canned meat, 300lbs. of pancake mix, syrup, and a bunch of other foods were still held up in Dominican Customs….waiting for the signature of a Jefe on vacation…for a month. These guys don’t pay bribes.

We left Santiago around 6:30 as the day began to brighten, Alida, me, Robin, Karin and Daniel in my car, the others in the Drs. car. We drove north to Navarette then northwest toward Monte Cristi, then on to cross the border in Dajabon. I’d not been in this part of the country before but I’d heard it became much dryer…and it did. Cactus and dust were common, but the landscape was still green.

Dominicans call this area the “frontier” as the population gets sparse and the weather less hospitable.

As we got 20km from the border, we stopped near a military checkpoint to pee and drink something. They look for illegal Haitians.

Raphael and I sharing some soda:

Onward into Dajabon. We stop to get papers from Customs, Alida, Raphael and George go in, I stay behind with the wimminzes and kids, taking pics. It’s HOT. Our caravan, dusty from the road:

The border, just down the street:

Hard working young fellow:

Moto-conchos, motorcycle taxi’s, lined up:

Our truck, loaded with stuff for the orphanage:

Seems things didn’t go well in Customs. The three “diplomats” come down the street bummed out.

Seems Customs wants a letter outlining all the stuff on the truck…again. So George and Raphael go to the internet café down the street to print one. We can go into the Custom’s office and wait…in air conditioning. Relief! And while there I see an interesting box and sneak a pic while the manager went out for a minute (no photos in their office.). It was plugged into the wall, had a big coil inside, had several plugs and a fuseable link. I dunno, you tell me: Dominican extension cord? Voltage regulator? Beats me:

So finally we’re on our way, through the border. I’m driving, Alida snaps pics from inside the car. We go through the gate into a crowd:

The river is the border, both banks are Haitian. From the bridge:

We are now in Haiti:

Unbelievable. The pictures don’t give a full image of what we saw:

We saw several UN trucks and soldiers:

But onward we go. We pass the police station/customs department. They would hold the truck up later on:

Deeper we drive through the town of Ouanaminthe. The orphanage is outside town. Some street scenes:

Wherever there was a stream or puddle, folks were doing their laundry:

To Be Continued….

Baseline – Our Single Rider Tour package is $1995.00

We challenge you to find a motorcycle touring package that offers the same value at the same price anywhere on the planet.

1 –  Search [...]]]>

MotoCaribe offers 7 Day All-Inclusive Motorcycle Tours of the Dominican Republic on the Suzuki DL-650 V-Strom. When we say “All-Inclusive” we mean All-Inclusive!

Baseline – Our Single Rider Tour package is $1995.00

We challenge you to find a motorcycle touring package that offers the same value at the same price anywhere on the planet.

Brass Tacks.

1 –  Search and find motorcycle rental rates for your destination. ($150.00 to $250.00 per day)

2 –  Find hotels along your routes for six nights.  ($75.00 to $125.00 per night)

3 –  Factor in breakfast lunch and dinner for your entire tour.  ($35.00 to $75.00 per day)

4 –  Factor in snacks and beverages along the way. ($10.00 to $20.00 per day)

5–   You will need gas for the motorcycle for the entire trip. ($10.00 to $20.00 per day)

6–   Add in the price of admission for the attractions where you stop.  ($10.00 to $20.00 per day)

7–   Airfare to that that destination.  ($225.00 to $500.00)

8–   Fees for Guides and Support. ($100.00 to $200.00 per day)

Other factors to consider.

You will have to carry your luggage on the bike you rent. You will have to do all your hotel reservations and planning. Route planning. You know the drill.

Let’s use an example of a rider wanting to get away and ride in South Florida, and they live in New York City area.

Here are the totals – and to prove MotoCaribe’s value proposition we’ll use the low side of things from the table above:

1  Bike –            $900.00

2. Hotels –         $450.00

3. Food –          $210.00

4. Snacks -       $ 60.00

5. Gas -            $ 60.00

6. Stops -         $ 60.00

7. Airfare –       $225.00

8. Guide –          $600.00

TOTAL –   $2,565.00

We’ll be blunt. The thing that is not included when you tour somewhere else is the amazing beauty of the Dominican Republic. It has it all, amazing roads that our guests describe as “Epic” or “Mind Blowing”. Our tours are proven, we stay at the best resorts and hotels, and we know the local culture which maximizes your enjoyment. This is a motorcyclist’s vacation.

To motivate you to come join us on our next scheduled tour – we’ll knock $300.00 of the tour price making it $1695.00! –

Now your airfare is not an issue!

MotoCaribe Tours Include!

7  Day MotoCaribe Tours include the following:

• Deluxe Package of Seven (7) Days of Resort Hotel Accommodations
• Full Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner each day
• Beverages, Snacks, and Freshly-brewed Coffee
• Full Six (6) Days usage of your own Suzuki V-Strom 650cc
• All Gasoline for the Entire Trip
• DOT Modular Flip Up Full Face Helmets
• Dedicated Seasoned American Lead Motorcycle Guide
• Dedicated Bilingual Professional Tour Manager
• Dedicated Tour Support Staff
• Use of our 15 person Tour Support Van for Organized Excursions
• Paid Admission Fees to all Attractions
• Beach Chairs, Towels, Beach Umbrellas during Excursions

This about sums it up.

“… If you want to see, hear, feel, and taste the Dominican Republic, this is your wildest dream come true. This is a riding trip that perfectly matches the extremely nimble Suzuki V-Strom 650 with winding, twisty roads, like ”The Tail of the Iguana.” This bike is the epitome of what a dual sport bike is about, with quick acceleration and superb handling, on different road types that will challenge your ability to ride without whooping and hollering. Forget the boring Americanized vacation to a resort, looking at the same beach all week and talking to someone from your hometown. THIS is the full Dominican riding experience. The rice paddies, pineapple plantations, coconut groves, crashing ocean waves and high mountain vistas–that is what you will get. Smiling faces, kids in school uniforms waving and shouting “Hola!”– Native tour guides who know where to go and how to get there–that is what you will get. A face that hurts from smiling all day– Take my word for it, this is a trip that is NOT to be missed!”

RoadStarGirl – Boston MA

-Dorothy

Having visited the country repeatedly for over 20 years and now living and working in Paradise full time, MotoCaribe has developed a different perspective of riding in the Dominican Republic. Our stable of V-Stroms has over 30,000 accident-free miles riding all over the country on all kinds [...]]]>

Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.

-Dorothy

Having visited the country repeatedly for over 20 years and now living and working in Paradise full time, MotoCaribe has developed a different perspective of riding in the Dominican Republic. Our stable of V-Stroms has over 30,000 accident-free miles riding all over the country on all kinds of roads and in all sorts of conditions. And we’ve learned a few things that can not only enhance the enjoyment of riding motorcycles in this incredible place, but keep a rider safe and accident free. Safety is the single most important aspect of the sport of motorcycle riding…or it should be.

Rules of the Road: There IS a Pattern to the Chaos

Simply stated, roads are used differently in the DR than here in the States. Your home motorcycle riding environment exists no more. You are a visitor in a highly evolved system and there are certain expectations of you simply because you are on a motorcycle within that structure. Understanding how to integrate within that developed traffic pattern is the key to your riding safety in the DR. Ready to surf the edge of chaos?

The Basic Riding Dynamics

You need to have a complete disregard for the localized traffic rules that you love and understand from home. Rules exist in the DR, but they are different. Accept that premise and realize that it will take some time for you to acclimate to the new dynamics, the sooner the better. We have found it takes the average rider about 4 hours until they begin to reach a comfort level with the new rules. We aren’t talking about legalities or rights or wrongs here. We are talking about the unspoken realities and how they relate to your safety. Remember: You are a new species in a very established ecosystem.

Size Matters:

The bigger the vehicle the more it has the implied Right of Way. Embrace this dynamic because it ain’t never gonna change, Sparky. Never assume that that bus or SUV coming at you is going to get out of your way. That’s your job.

Right Rut:

The center of the road is the most dangerous place to be on a motorcycle. The right rut is the safest place to be, since the dangerous threats come from two places:

Someone coming directly at you crossing the center line while passing a slower vehicle or avoiding a pothole. This happens quite frequently, two lane roads in the DR being the norm but often driven by Dominican drivers as if they were three lanes.
Someone overtaking you and you don’t see or hear them. Any movement out of the right rut should always be preceded by a solid visual and aural assessment of what is directly behind you.
A Special Note:

When approaching a blind uphill turn on a mountain road, exercise special caution. Staying in the right rut and beeping twice is mandatory. Dominican drivers know the roads very well and are likely to carry speed down those hills, passing trucks and slower vehicles that commonly use engine compression to save their brakes. They could be over the center line coming downhill. Having your bike near the center line is a sure recipe for disaster.

The right rut is especially important going up steep hills. You’ll see many overloaded trucks belching smoke and oil onto the road as they labor mightily. Their engines are under considerable pressure, resulting in a spray of some nice, fresh oil on the center of the lane. Unless your bike has special “oil tread” tires…and I’ve yet to see them…stay away from the oily center rut as much as possible.

Use Your Horn!

Using your horn to let other drivers know your intentions is as standard as using your turn signals. The norm is two beeps before you pass someone and approaching a blind curve.

You Will Get Passed, So Let Them By:

If you’re thinking about blocking that SUV wanting to pass you, even when traffic is tight, and you think you have the Right of Way, think again. That SUV will pass you, even if it means forcing you off the road. Never, ever challenge it.

Passing Slower Vehicles:

You will be passing slower vehicles on a regular basis and there are virtually no rules. Caution is all that matters.

Always:

Check behind you before maneuvering into a position to pass. Dominicans will pass multiple vehicles at a time and yours may be one of those when he’s behind you. Then check the road ahead to determine what is approaching you, put the blinker on, use a hand signal and beep, quickly get around the vehicle and back into the right rut. The key is staying off the center line as much as possible.

Ride In the “Bubble”:

This is the common practice of positioning yourself in traffic in clear space. There is no one close on your rear nor are you on someone else’s rear. This means getting past slower traffic when necessary and letting faster traffic pass you. On a big motorcycle you are traveling faster than motos and most trucks, and sometimes slower than cars, so this is a very natural state of operation. Always give yourself space.

Group Riding Single File:

With few exceptions, single file is always the best option for group riding. It gives all riders maximum road to react and avoid road hazards and other traffic. Adhering to the “2 second rule” between the bikes is not just important but should be mandatory, as it allows riders to have time to react safely to hazards. Staggered group riding should not be used, because no rider should be near the center line where it would limit his ability to avoid road hazards. Hand signals should always be used and passed back, lead rider to tail gunner, with lead rider reinforcing these continuously. “Lost Man” procedures should be implemented in the event a problem occurs that splits the group.

In the rare occurrence of having to stop for a red light, an exception to the single file rule should be made by riders splitting the lane side-by-side to keep the group together. Left in single file, motos would bunch in and all around the column, creating all manner of havoc and confusion. When the light changes, proceed in a single line.

more to come…

Day 3

Riding a motorcycle through this unparalleled combination of roads, sights, stops, food, and culture will simply blow your mind. It’s the only way to describe it.

Mind Blowing.

A MotoCaribe Motorcycle Tour of the South West Region offers you the following:

Start off riding in the highest mountain range in the Caribbean. Next [...]]]>

MotoCaribe SW Tour of the Dominican Republic…

Riding a motorcycle through this unparalleled combination of roads, sights, stops, food, and culture will simply blow your mind. It’s the only way to describe it.

Mind Blowing.

A MotoCaribe Motorcycle Tour of the South West Region offers you the following:

Start off riding in the highest mountain range in the Caribbean.
Next day touring around a salt water lake that is 144 feet BELOW sea level.
Exploring the “Frontier” region of the DR.
On the amazing Suzuki V-Strom!
Riding roads that hug the Caribbean for endless miles…

A true desert region with:

Iguanas.
Cactus.
Salt Water Crocodiles.
Flamingos.
Sand Dunes.
Always supported by our dedicated staff that will take care of everything – it’s all-inclusive – just bring your warm weather riding gear.

Watch the SW Tour Video Below…. I triple dog dare you!

FULL TOUR DETAILS BELOW!

Day 1

“The Adventure Begins.” After getting acquainted with your V-Strom 650, you rally through mountains and valleys to the nearly-hidden waterfront village of Las Salinas on a narrow peninsula snuggled between a bay and the Caribbean Sea. Along the journey, you’ll tour a cavern with ancient drawings by the indigenous people and see the vegetation morph from tropical green to desert arid. Dinner is served on the veranda overlooking the yacht basin. Simply magnificent!

Day 2

“Into the Desert.” You’ll blast further into the only desert in the Caribbean. Along the route, you’ll venture onto side roads for lunch at a mountain ”rancho” and experience a strange place that gravity “forgot”…where your bike rolls uphill on its own! Your destination is the bustling town of Barahona where you’ll be greeted with tropical drinks at your sea-front resort. Dinner is a buffet of Dominican specialties.

Day 3

“Loop of the Lake.” A fascinating day of amazing riding as you circumnavigate Lago Enriquillo, a salt lake 144 ft. below sea level in the largest true desert in the Caribbean. The road is a riders’ dream as you blast through miles salt flats, rocky mountain passes and sugar cane fields, with stops that include a BBQ cook-out lunch in an real oasis, ancient cave carvings, and a National Park where giant iguanas scurry around like hungry kittens. A scrumptious dinner buffet ends a fantastic day.

Day 4

“THIS is Adventure Touring!” Many of our riders have claimed this is their single greatest motorcycling experience of their lives, an epic adventure of pure motorcycling awesomeness and a day you will never forget. You’ll rally south along the majestic hills next to the Caribbean Sea for miles…think Pacific Coast Highway…through quaint seaside villages, then blast down a frontier National Park road ending in the border town of Pedernales.

After a stop at the Haitian border crossing in Pedernales you’ll ride fantastic hard-packed desert roads to a tiny seaside village. There you’ll feast on a scrumptious seafood lunch in quaint thatch-roof restaurant just feet from the postcard-perfect blue sea. This is living large, MotoCaribe style, and you will NOT want to leave! And the best part? You get to ride those spectacular roads back to the resort!

Day 5

“A Beach in Paradise” day. Early Risers can opt for the 6 a.m. “Rise and Shine with Ed” ride (who knows where he will lead) and be back to the resort in time to change for a van excursion to the beach. The MC crew sets up Camp Moto Beach, with shade tents, chairs, coolers full of your favorite beverages, snacks, beach toys and snorkel gear. Today’s goal: pure relaxation, Caribbean Style. Lunch will be freshly grilled seafood with all the trimmings, prepared riverside. You’ll take a quick cleansing dip in the cool, clear water of the nearby freshwater stream flowing into the sea, and van back to the resort in time for a beachside BBQ.

Day 6

“Back into the Valley.” You get a lot of seat time today as your adventure leads back to the mountains of Jarabacoa. You’ll be making great time as you blast along highways with a lunch stop at a natural water park. A long riding day ends with a Farewell Dinner high overlooking the city.