Dellboy218

Just about everywhere sells Ponstan 500, 500mg Ibu. Mostly yellow with red marking card packet containing 10 tablets.

Thank you for bringing up that topic but if I may can I ask something else. As someone said, the fabric does break down, sometimes very quickly leaving a perfectly good and somewhat expensive helmet unuseable. So.....anyone know a shop that rebuilds the internals? I have a Caberg whose fabric disintegrated sometime ago but the shell is still good.

That shell might 'look' good but be actually be quite bad! While the interior may break down noticeably, the exterior shell as well as the Styrofoam lining also break down, but not noticeably. But those are the parts that do the protecting, not the pretty interior liner. It is important to clean the interior regularly, especially in the heat and humidity in Thailand, but because of S.E. Asia's intensely strong sun it important to buy a new helmet every couple of years! Otherwise, it may crack like an egg shell in an accident even though it still looks so nice! If your helmet's fabric liner is so old that it is breaking down, it's a good bet that the shell is no longer capable of doing what it's supposed to do! Contrary to popular belief, helmets do NOT last forever...

You are absolutely right of course especially if it had been left out in the sun. This one was used infrequently for about 18 months after which I was very disappointed about the condition of the interior fabric. I would have expected better. It has been sitting in a cupboard for quite a while now and it was just a thought. It probably is time to ditch it altogether. I have another Caberg which has lasted much better.

Thank you for bringing up that topic but if I may can I ask something else. As someone said, the fabric does break down, sometimes very quickly leaving a perfectly good and somewhat expensive helmet unuseable. So.....anyone know a shop that rebuilds the internals? I have a Caberg whose fabric disintegrated sometime ago but the shell is still good.

Isn't there a Yamaha Square next to Central? Then there is one next to Airport Plaza. Just a thought.

You can get 1st class insurance on a bike up to 7 years of age. Have a word with Richy at Richco sports the motorbike shop off Wua Lai street. Turn off by the cow monument and pedestrian crossing traffic lights. He can sell you the insurance or tell you where else you can buy it.

And before someone makes a suggestion, no I do not have any financial interest but it is easier talking to someone speaking the same language with straight answers.

I remember the level coming above my headlights by the cross road traffic lights on Si Don Chai road next to the Mae Ping, having a bow wave from another car wash the lower part of my windscreen was a tad worrying.

I do not know about tyres but Amorn Electric in Big C on the Hangdong Road carry quite a range of gel batteries, next time I go in I will have a look.

Most of my scariest moments have been caused by other bikes. And quite often it is falangs on bikes!

Not so much where but when. Late at night it's drunks without lights all over town.

And anywhere with those %&)*#^$ red buses.

Agreed. Whenever I see a farang on a bike, he (or she) becomes my priority to watch out for.

I have driven accident-free here for 26 years, and I feel very confortable driving here. I just keep an eye out for anybody doing anything strange, and give them plenty of room to do as they like.

In something over 20 years driving here my car has been hit three times by bikes. The last time was by another foreigner as I was stopped at lights in the city. He was squeezing his Phantom in between cars to join others on pole position. Blessed annoying. Riding bikes from a scooter up to 1200cc I have only had one minor mishap. Waiting for a 'U' turn on the Hangdong Road I was waiting in the queue when a young girl on a scooter tried to force her way between my front wheel and the car in front. She trapped part of my left hand between the handlebars. Unbelievable. I don't know whether it is stupidity or total selfishness but doubtless we have all cringed at the lights as bikes squeeze between our cars and something else. I actively try and prevent this by stopping close to the kerb, at least I only have to look out for one side then. It does not help matters when you see non helmeted police officers doing the same thing. Mirrors are for checking ones spots or make-up, that is if they have not been removed in the first place. I do not think I would be wrong by saying most motorbike accidents are caused by the bike riders themselves and some others by people driving cars who think they are still riding a bike. My wife tries to keep me in check by telling me to lead by example, not a bad thing to try even if it is difficult. I would ask all other guests though not to try and copy the locals but to ride as you would in your home countries otherwise your holiday is going to end in tears!

I think you will find Home-Pro expensive, Global House is cheaper. Tool section is in the front door and turn right.

i am a little puzzled by the directions but would be happy to try out the happy pizza.first left after big c on the way from cm to hd?

i though it was between big c and the canal rd?

how about a phonenr ? much obliged

Try Don Pin Soi 3. Past Big C traffic lights approx 1km, (go past Makro and the small PTT station, past the small 7-11, almost opposite on the other side of the road is a huge blue Sony Sign. It is the main Soi heading towards Ban Wang Tan. Try a Toni Putrino search on You Tube to get an idea.

And if Vixol does not remove it then use it with a pumice stone. A pumice stone will not damage glazed surfaces souch as toilet bowls and with some elbow grease will remove any limescale no matter how bad especially when used with acidic liquids.

I was in there the other day with women either side of me chatting away on their mobile phones. That is ANNOYING. I let the first one pass but by the second call they both had a tap on their shoulder......end of problem!

Only a few days ago my wife and I were stuck in a long queue,close to opening time, driving up the ramp into the Airport Plaza parking araea. The hold up was caused by a Thai lady trying to manouvre,in reverse gear, her monster 4 wheel drive into a parking space. Getting out she looked quite traumatised by the experience. Why women especialy, want to drive a 4 wheel drive in a city environment is beyond me. How many Thai/Falang drivers want to go off road ? not many I would suggest. Always intrigued me ,is it a status thing ? do they feel safer ? one of life's great mysteries.

I know my wife for one would not change back to a saloon car. Like a lot of women apparently, she feels a whole lot safer sitting higher up. Lets face it, it can be intimidating stuck in traffic on The Hangdong road when all you can see is the bottom of door and boot sills. And no, I do not drive my Fortuner down narrow Soi's or anywhere else it is unsuitable for, common sense has to rule. Two wheels or a Tuk Tuk. Maybe not in the city but if you do travel across country then a good ground clearance I would say is necessary. Road works are usually in progress somewhere and any diversions are usually only for pick ups. I drive to Ubon several times a year and the last time I had a Saloon car there was a T junction with traffic lights where the road in front had been dug up with a foot drop and then thick mud all the way. A while back at Denchai, truckers blocked off the main highway in a protest with traffic diverted across paddy fields. You never know whats up front and at 13km per litre I am not going to change anytime soon and being a single car family, this one has to do the lot.

Never seen a fridge that turns off the compressor when the doors is opened, if the compressor is turned off and attempts to start while there is pressure it will not start against the load until pressure is equalized. Turning off and restarting the compressor continually while overloaded would be bad for the compressor. many fridges turn off the fans when the door is opened but never the compressor.

As you say, a lot of fridge freezer types do switch off the fan whilst the door is open but there are some which do switch the compressor, I have had to work on them. As I do not know the one in question I was dealing in generalities. Unlikely but not to be dismissed.

Try the door switch, make sure it works, if it thinks the door is open it is likely to keep the compressor off. The thermostat would also keep the compressor off. There is also (usually) an overload protection device in line with the compressor that could be faulty. If the compressor has jammed the motor should try and operate for a short time before the protection device cuts out but during that time you should be able to feel some vibration through the compressor housing especially as it first tries to start. If there is no power there check the first two, I have known a switch operated intermittently by the door body where it had been badly fitted hence an intermittent fridge.

As a matter of interest, which types could you not get on with? As someone who has to wear ear protection all day long I prefer ear defenders (Peltor/3M) but on the odd occasion ear plugs are more convenient. I have never been able to get on with the foam type plugs but a good quality soft 'silicone' type rubber ear plug I find much more comfortable, they are also easier to keep clean. I think Global house had them at one time.

I've mostly tried the foam ear plugs in various shapes and sizes. I use the ear plugs when touring on my motorcycle so I can't adjust them once my helmet is on. I would keep them in for up to two hours at a time (i.e., between fill-ups) and usually have 10 hour days.

I've heard a lot of bikers raving about custom fit silicone ear plugs so I want to give these a try.

One brand of soft silicone type plugs I prefer to wear is made by Aearo in the UK. SNR = 32db. Lots of them at work.

Just in case you are interested, I will bring an extra set back with me which will be later this month (I hope), they are not custom but they might be better. There is a motorbike shop off Wualai Rd, ask the owner about the silver BMW in there, it's mine. He will know when I am back and how to contact me.

As a matter of interest, which types could you not get on with? As someone who has to wear ear protection all day long I prefer ear defenders (Peltor/3M) but on the odd occasion ear plugs are more convenient. I have never been able to get on with the foam type plugs but a good quality soft 'silicone' type rubber ear plug I find much more comfortable, they are also easier to keep clean. I think Global house had them at one time.

If all else fails try the luggage department in Robinsons airport Plaza, I have had suticases repaired in there before, no idea of their charges these days though.

As has already been mentioned it is to do with the power factor. The relationship between the current and voltage waveforms, if they are in phase then that would be a PF of 1. One of the biggest losses in domestic use has been fluorescent lights when they have been used with wire wound ballasts. The 'cheap' wire wound ballast will introduce a PF of .3 to .4 caused by the coil forcing the current waveform to lag. If you measure the current/power consumption of, say, a lamp circuit with a 20 watt fluorescent tube you will probably find it taking in excess of 80W ( over 100W from a 40W fluorescent lamp circuit). If you put a 4 micro Farad capacitor across a 20W lamp ballast input to the other line this will drop to 30 something Watts. This is Irrespective of whether you have a 20W lamp or an energy saving 18 Watt lamp. Electronic ballasts get around this problem and hence, energy saving lamps. With modern domestic appliances, Tv's, Videos, computers etc the shift has been to what is known as switch mode power supplies rather than the old fashioned types with bigger, heavier and more expensive transformers. These tend to distort the Sine wave and cause a lot of problems with power stations around the world as the distorted sine wave also changes the PF. Factories that have a lot of inductance, motors and the like tend to have a large power conditioners on their supply. Domesticaly without any machinery, look to your lights. Without spending too much on electronic ballasts a 4. something Micro Farad capacitor on a 20 W lamp ballast and a 5 point something Micro Farad capacitor on a 40W lamp ballast will work just as well.

Chris

Sorry that didnt work too well. Try www.richcopowdercoating.com who are in the city.

Derek

Have a look at Custom Powder-coating | Custom Polishing | Custom Motorcycle Finishes | Chiang Mai, Thailand

Derek

Matt

Have a look at Webbikeworld, this link should take you to the right page

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet/reevu/msx1/

Derek

Have a look at http://rotweilermaps.com/maps.cfm. I know some people do not like them but I drive around the country using these maps without a problem. $100 for a variety of maps, currently the one you are interested in also covers Vietnam/Cambodia and Laos.

It's not the drunken fights, it is when the guns come out, and they will. Enjoy but use common sense. There are those that cannot take a drink, turn around and walk away.

In Chiang Mai taking the Thai licence could not be easier. A couple of quick tests to check your peripheral/colour vision and reaction times and then 30 questions on a computer of which you have to get 23 correct and a short practical around their own course. Ride about 10m on a 6 inch wide slightly raised rail and ride in and out of a few cones. You have to bring your own bike though. Say what you like but at least they are more than willing to change the language of the computer just for you. As has already been said you also get cheaper entry into parks and forests. It is not worth the hassle, go get a license, the local Police understand the local license better, they will usually smile and wave you on your way. Though I have to admit, in Issan they sometimes stare in wonderment. The car license is much the same deal.