Shurup

Man, that's very sad and sounds like it's still getting worse.

Package tourists, eh? Must be full of Chinese then?

I will try to bring it up again after the Songkhran finished, if it's still full, I'll look elsewhere, maybe will make another trip to Lipe then?

PP is used to be my favorite Island years ago until it got too busy for my liking.

Since there are less tourists arrival (due to the global economic situation) and the high season is coming to an end, I was hoping the island would be less busy than in the recent years, planning a trip there sometime in May.

So has anyone been there recently? Is it still as busy as before?

No clubs on Koh Chang that I know of but it is a popular destination for weekend bike trips.

What do you ride?

Stay on AH2 When going 'round BKK, there are no tolls.

Yeah I went through BKK a number of times during rush hour and was stuck in traffic. It gets hot due to its side mounted rads, but doesn't overheat.

I always wear my Kevlar jeans and a black perforated leather jacket when riding it. When stuck in traffic I feel the outside heat but I don't feel the heat from the bike.

On my occasional 1km trips to the 711 in my mooban, when I wear shorts, I feel how hot it is on the exhaust side.

Saying that I can't say it's a good bike for BKK, far from it, it wider than some others, heavier, longer, the hydraulic clutch is a bitc* to use in a constant stop and go traffic (but you get used to it after a while). Good that I don't live in BKK and the bike is a pure joy on the open HWY.

I checked out the new M821 when dropping my bike at the dealer a few days ago. Like it a lot and if I didn't get a Diavel but something else instead, I would have been really upset now that I didn't wait for the new Monster. But I also couldn't have waited for 9 months until Duc TH finally brought it here, since making a decision to get a new bike.

Can anybody comment on how hot the engine / exhaust gets and if you found it a noticeable problem? Particularly in Thailand.

If you ride in shorts and slippers you will feel the heat.

It's the same engine as in a Hyper and I don't remember reading any heat issues. But then I have no heat issues on my Diavel. Yes it gets hot but there are no issues.

Haven't seen anything like it (and I've been stung by a jellyfish), but I have to ask why your friend didn't go and check it at the hospital?

https://goo.gl/maps/N7kXe

I've never done it but there's a bike park on the open lot with plenty of bikes there any time I go through it. I don't see it a problem to park there for a week bit I don't know how much it would cost.

Don't know where you're traveling from but you can use google maps and in settings you can check the "avoid tolls" box.

Keep in mind a complete rebuild is surprisingly cheap.

It only works if you know a competent mechanic, otherwise it may come out worse than it came in.

Well it can be discussed if buying a dedicated gps unit is worth it or not, for some like me it is.

I don't use any data package for my phone and getting a phone charged on a bike take some setting up to do.

I mean if your phones gps and data connections are on, it must be using a fair amount of power.

I also like the dedicated bracket (as seen on RSD's photos) where the gps sits very secure and getting charged also.

Even on small trips on my big bike, I click it in and go.

I once tried using my phone in my truck as gps unit and it didn't work very well, sometimes no gps signal due to likely window film fitted but on the garmin no problem.

But as mentioned, if you are happy with your phone as gps unit, stick with it.

You can buy very cheap gps units (4000-5000 baht garmins) and put them in garmin plastic bags soo.

Not trying to change your mind and I\m glad you like your Garmin unit, just want to point out that the phone apps we are discussing here (both Locus and Sygic) don't use any data, all the maps are stored on the phone for off-line use.

For example, Red Baron has a 2014 CBR1000RR for nearly 1 million Baht: http://www.redbaronbkk.com/products/item.php?id=150110-0000757

Can't you buy a new 2015 CBR1000RR from Big Wing for 650,000 Baht with a Honda dealer warranty and then get an ECU from the USA and have the same bike that way but for less money, brand new, and with dealer warranty?

From what I've been reading here, it takes more than just a ECU flash to get it to full power, some other parts need to be swapped to properly de-restrict it. May still be cheaper but it's more complicated than you think.

My concern was not the price but how much use I'd get out of it. The best thing about a phone is it's always with you and it's always charged. I got a 10,000 mah battery on it so I can't kill it in one day no matter how I try, unless I play very demanding video games, which i don't. Note3 being a phablet, has large enough screen (5.7") to go as a tablet when I need. No need to mention that it's very easy to read the map on such a large screen. I use it not only when riding but also when driving to an unfamiliar place or if I get lost, it's always with me and a dedicated GPS in these instances would probably be at home if I didn't plan to use it.

There is also Sygic app for Android (paid) and they use Tom Tom maps and they work and look as good as on a standalone GPS unit.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.aura&hl=en

https://www.sygic.com/

I have Sygic also but I much prefer the Locus.

Totally missing the point. Never said anything about which bikes should or should not be allowed. Said that if bikes, probably big did make it to the tollways then there noise limits should be the same as cars. Read again, this time properly. A valid comment for a topic headed "riding laws for larger cycles."

You don't have to agree but you do have to be civil and not rude and offensive as before.

Don't get stuck on the topic title and read the OP. Nothing about the engine noise! We are talking about the left lane rule, tollways and under/overpass, that's it. If you're not happy with noisy HDs then start your own topic to discuss it and don't derail this one.

Thank you!

To the Harley problem:

Yes, indeed, especially Harley group rides on tollways/highways, blocking all lanes while going 70kmh and making deathly noise. How to prevent such thing from happening? Exclude Harleys by law? Would become a crazy law

This simply comes to enforcing the laws that already in place - noise levels and staying in line appropriate for your speed. But we all know it's too much work for the Thai police.

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^ mostly agree but there has to be CC limits or else the tollways will get cluttered scooter-food carts and old farmers riding their 2 smoke in all 3-4 lanes of traffic

And what makes you think that big bike owners are the only ones to follow road rules.

I see where you're going with this. You want the right to use tollways while nobody else can.

Yes the tollways should be opened for a 1000cc and above bikes only so the few of us can reign the tollways!

No you can't answer for him. @Shurup should come on here and apologise for his rudeness to smaller motorbikes.
Pipes has a part in the thread because as a car driver also I find it quite quiet while travelling on a tollway. So if big bikes are to join us then at least keep your noise to the same level.
I appreciate that not all big bike pipes are equal but many, especially the HDs are deafening. I have been given reasons before that it is so we can be heard and an accident avoided. Well if you consider yourself equal to the car and therefore entitled to use tollways. Be equal with the amount of noise you make. While I agree some small bike may be modified and noisy I have yet to see one out if the factory that would wake me at 3am like the very inconsiderate HDs do. And just so you know there are about 20 motorbikes, all scooters, waves etc, all within 30 metres mostly new, all owned by younger Thais who work at night who never manage to wake me or my neighbours when they return at 2am. It is the 2 HDs that do that. One if the HD owners has managed to persuade his girlfriend to rev rev rev until the Honda wave is screaming before she takes off down the street.

Apologize??

Since you've mentioned you're a car driver, you don't get what we are discussing here. It's not about the engine size but about the bikes being able to safely keep up with the traffic flow, which scooters can't. If you ask me, a CBR/Ninja 250 is already fast enough for this. They can comfortably cruise at the highway speed and have plenty of power left to accelerate out of that speed. These archaic bike laws were written when the largest displacement bike was a Honda Wave, and they never changed the rules.

Your noisy pipes comments I will leave alone as they're not a topic of discussion.

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That's the way it should be, but as easy as it is to get licensed in Thailand, not everyone is aware of such rule.

I heard there were some changes in testing and examination when one goes to get a new (or re-new) a license, I heard it takes longer and harder to get it, but then @Hili said is was the same as before? So no changes and drivers/riders will no smarten up.

You see, there is a way.

As an option they could provide eligible bikes with those wireless Easy Pass devices (motorcycle specific, kind of like in Singapore) and dedicate (or build one) gate at every plaza for the bikes only.

Having an easy pass would rule out the possibility of counterfeit stickers, etc. and would speed up the payment process as it's not so easy to fish for change in your pocket while wearing riding gloves.

^ mostly agree but there has to be CC limits or else the tollways will get cluttered scooter-food carts and old farmers riding their 2 smoke in all 3-4 lanes of traffic

I forgot to add, on the zumo's you can choose; bike,car or off-road.

So if you use the bike setting, toll high ways will be avoided by default and you don't have to go into base camp and plan your trip for that, cool.

There's an option on google maps to avoid tollways too, when you plan your route.

RSD. All valid points but people nowadays have too many gadgets to worry about. I have too many and really don't want to get another one for one single task only. My Samsung Note3 does pretty fine job as a GPS unit besides being a phone, a tablet, a stills/video camera, mp3 and a movie player, etc... It's always with me, it's doing a fine job and it's one device. Sure there's some drawbacks (as there's with anything else) like it's not being waterproof for example, but there are many waterproofed phones and it's not too hard to protect a phone from rain if using it on a bike. There's even an option on my Note 3 to bump up the screen sensitivity, which I did and I can use it wearing my gloves.

Not knocking anyone's choice, but I personally see no benefits of buying another device.

Regarding the oldest, I would look for a phone which has GPS and GLONAS receivers (look up the phone specs). I think Samsung S3 already had GLONAS so it should be good. Regarding other brands, I won't know, you would need to look up phone specs as I said.

Thinking about it, I won't worry about how soon you can get the lock, but how good it can hold a signal, in which case GPS + GLONAS will be better than GPS only. In case you wonder, GLONAS is Russian satellite network.

By the way, you will get the satellite lock sooner if you have the data turned on on your phone, in which case the software will use the A-GPS which is cell network based to pinpoint your location sooner.

No, it's an interesting topic, unfortunately not many posters left on this forum worthy of any discussion. Those who don't see the flaws in current bike laws (including all of the: left lane, tollways and under/overpass) aren't real riders or very narrow minded. While it can be argued that overpass carries some potential dangers for the bike riders, the remaining 3 don't. No logic can explain why these laws are still in effect in modern Thailand other than laziness or some hidden agenda (tea money).

Besides,

What I did for my 7 days road trip, I prepared a route on my computer using Google maps and then exported it, moved the file over into my phone and imported the track into Locus. Worked good

Ok if you don't want to believe my first-hand info. Just wait for the motorshow then.

Is it produced here or still imported?

Sorry bramds, your 1st hand info came from a sales girl, you said it yourself. Sales people are known to pull the info out of their &lt;deleted&gt; at times, also many have zero knowledge about the bikes they're selling.

Not trying to discredit you but like it was mentioned above, elsewhere in the world, the new monster costs less than the Hyper. And yes I'm talking about the locally made bikes.

It can be done. I know I did that years ago, I don't remember how I did it but I do remember it wasn't a simple task.

Locus is good for maps, not so good for guided navigation. For me it's perfect as all I want is to see where I am on the map, don't need it to tell me where to turn.