chrissables

8 hours ago, RobMuir said:

So exactly the same as in Australia, where only locals can get a Medicare card and discounts on medicine.

 

The headline and the way it is written will stir up all the PC brigade who like to endlessly claim they are victimised "It's not fair"

 

500 baht.

Who cares? 

 

Who cares? How high would it have to go before you would care? 5,000 baht? How about 50,000 baht? Name your limit, really I'm interested.

3 hours ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Thanks for the answers.

 

It's very impressive that you did over 650km's in one day on the little CT125, long hours in the saddle.

 

The CT125 is way too small for me, I am thinking getting a Yamaha Tenere700 but are well aware that it can't go places you can on smaller bikes like the CT125 & CRF250/300, it's all about keeping the weight down. Not a very good off-roader myself either, haven't done it for ages.

 

I am also a Fuji shooter: XPro1 & X100T. The XPro1 sometimes produces JPEG's that makes angles sing but auto focus is a hit or miss.

That was too long a day the 650 km for sure, but nowhere looked interesting for me to stop over, so i just got on with it.

I have a Rally and some of the tracks i was on i was glad i was riding the CT. Every village you go to however remote, they ride the scooters with off road tyres, best to follow them ????

Fuji, a great camera, i will endeavor to get get better with it.

4 hours ago, Agusts said:

Thanks for this great report, and what an epic trip, you should send it to Honda, I'm sure they can use it for their CT 125 marketing and give you some royalty...!

 

It seems your Shad box disappeared in later photos, what happened...!?

 

I saw you reached 112kph in one of your Relive sections, quite fast, must have been going downhill, or you weigh 45kg...!????

 

Last question, doesn't that exhaust pipe going up under the right thigh start feeling hot and burning it sometime...!!!? 

 

Maybe Honda would give me another bike to try ????

It was not a Shad top box. It was with me the whole trip, but on days out i stopped fitting it and used my soft baggage.

Relive seems to be optimistic on my speeds for sure, and no way 112 kph, maybe 100 but rarely.

No, it was hot though, but i never had any issue at all from the heat.

25 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Thank you so much for taking the time to post this Chris, awesome photos as always.

 

A few questions, well you already answered one regarding why such a small bike for the very long trip; it can go anywhere where bigger bikes can't, understand low weight is king when doing serious off-roading.

 

I think you had a BMW GS1200 at some stage? I could imagine it will be way to big and heavy for such an undertaking. Assume the GS is sold?

 

How do you plan the routes you are going? I can understand you use Goggle maps but are you using a particular app?

 

Which camera are you using?

 

Thanks again for posting, I really enjoyed reading though it.

Hi, thanks for the compliments. ????

I have never owned a BMW, i have a Versys 650, CRF Rally, PCX and the CT, and besides long stretches of highway, the CT has given me the most fun. Probably as i am terrible at riding off road, but i can just take a slow pace and enjoy the views.

Planning, well i just enlarged google maps on a large monitor and looked for the scenic place camera icon to guide me. Also reading different forums, a few were recommendations too.

I use Gaia app to record my routes, and relive which shows a short video of the route, you will see i posted some.

I treated myself to a Fuji Xpro 3, and straight out of camera most shot are good, i just crop most of the time. I am terrible a editing and really don't bother. But i have all the RAW files to play with if i ever feel like learning.

1 minute ago, Bob4u said:

Awesome documentation !

 

Why did you pick such a small bike and any major mishaps or things 

you would do differently ?

Thanks ????

One spill which annoyed me, but i was pushing my skill level a lot at time, so to be expected.

I actually bought the bike for a trip like that. I have a CRF Rally too, but for me this was more fun, and for sure i went places i would not attemt on the Rally.

Day 39. 17 March.

Kanchanaburi to Pattaya 280km

I woke to a flat tyre today, a thorn from yesterdays ride in the bamboo forest.

This resulted in a few km of walking around trying to find a shop to fix it.

With the help of the resort owner I found a hand pump which allowed me to ride back to the shop.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vevWp5gWYGO

What a great trip! I found some great places to visit, I rode more off road than I have on my off road bike and enjoyed it more too.

With a lower gear and off road tyres it would really be fun I just need to find small roads to ride on my way to the mountains as 80 KPH is a tad tedious on the major roads.

My total ride distance 7953 km

One accident.

One puncture.

Two repairs to the tool box bracket.

Not too bad considering some of the riding I was doing!

Day 38. 16 March.

Kanchanaburi – Bridge over the River Kwai (khwaae) – Tham Krasae Bridge – Burmese border. 176 km

A touristy day today, followed by a ride up to the Burmese border.

After a quick walk on the River Kwai Bridge I headed up to the Tham Krasae Bridge just off R4032.

After a pleasant walk across the bridge and back I headed up small roads as far could towards the Burmese border and only stopped at an army checkpoint.

On my way back I took an off road track that eventually became a bamboo forest, with tracks through, but also vey thorny undergrowth that I kept getting snared in, eventually I gave up and returned to Kanchanaburi.

https://goo.gl/maps/Lpkizo3UMNtu5TVM8

https://www.relive.cc/view/vmqX2JLkVoO

Day 37. 15 March

Kanchanaburi to Hellfire Pass Suspension Bridge 193 km.

It was way too hot on a slow bike!

The easiest way to it is to enter from R323 at Hellfire Pass. Ride down to the bridge cross and back from there. There were a few nice tracks at the start of the way back.

Basically head for Wat Dong Phong then head south east.

https://goo.gl/maps/MwEKewdB96Zmm4a98

The seat has now become uncomfortable, I think chaffing from the off road riding.

https://goo.gl/maps/r1ho8NVpFSZ6CJxR7

https://www.relive.cc/view/vdvmD4VJLxq

Day 36. 14 March

Tak to Kanchanaburi 432 km

A hot boring ride, but I found a nice place to stay on the river, more than I would usually pay, but for a few days great!

R1 – R333 – R3056 – R3086

https://www.relive.cc/view/vJOKgz25rwO

Day 35. 13 March.

Mae Sariang to Tak. 317km

A nice road to ride again, R108 to Mae Ramat then over the mountain to Tak on R1175.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vr637gV9D86

Day 33. 11 March.

Mae Sariang – Salaween NP – Sam Laep Loop 111 km

I had read about this route a few years ago and it sounded more difficult a ride than my skills, but I decided I could always turn back if need be.

This is how it went, good road – ok road – bad road – off road – cross streams and small rivers – ride along rivers – off road – off bike – back on bike – sulk at coming off the bike – off road - ok road – good road.

Route West from Mae Sariang on R4005 to the Salaween National Park, from here it’s a newly made tarmac road almost to the top of the mountain. From this point it slowly gets worse until you are alone in the jungle with the occasional village to ride through. Small stream crossings at this time of year were okay, but would be interesting in the rainy season. Eventually you arrive at Ban Tha Ta Fang on the Salaween river, with Burma on the opposite bank.

It is then a ride south following the river until you get to Ban Mae Sam Laep. It was on this stretch riding up a steep rutted track in first gear that I came off after hitting a rock and demonstrating how not to wheelie a motorbike. The only spill on my trip and not on the most difficult track. I was a bit <deleted> at that, but no damage to the bike and a small cut on my shin was it.

The rest of the ride got easier as I got nearer Ban Mae Sam Laep and from there good road all the way back to Mae Sariang.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYXpexByq

Day 32. 10 March.

Pai – Ban Pang Ung – Mae Sariang

My plan initially was to ride to Mae Hong Son, but I decided to try a new route south to Mae Sariang at last minute. I looked on Google maps and chose their second option route. This was a mistake as there was a lot more off road than I was expecting. But worth it for the views.

From Pai R1095 – R4006 – R1265 – R5050 south until hitting R1263 at Ban Pang Ung, then west to Khun Yuam and south to Mae Sariang on R108

https://www.relive.cc/view/vXOdKpp424v

Day 31. 09 March

Pai to https://goo.gl/maps/jea9YRN9fjMQkJQS7

A nice ride. 58 km

I stopped at the Bamboo Bridge on the way. In the green season it would be really nice here.

https://goo.gl/maps/5Cwya6htUg2SKgQ69

The rest of the ride was similar to the off road to Wiang Haeng yesterday, maybe more scenic in the jungle, but the road conditions steep in places. I think there may be a way to continue on that route from the dead end I was at, I should check on satellite images.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vrqo8wdegyv

Day 30. 08 March

Pai-Wiang Haeng-Chiang Mai Loop 264 km

The back road today to Wiang Haeng,  it was only difficult near the end where the bike was struggling to get up the tracks even in first gear.

I carried on to Doi Kham Faa with the intention of riding up to the top, but time was getting short and an hour up and down plus would have left me riding in the dark, which I avoid if possible.

From Pai ride north on R4034 – R6014 – R4014 up to the army checkpoint. Then it was a large loop back to Pai on R1322 – R107 + R1095.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vrqDQpLjWwv

Day 29. 07 March.

Chiang Mai back roads to Pai. 195km

Should be a nice route, but the air quality was atrocious, smoke everywhere.

My route R3029 – R3028 – R1269 to Samoeng, Then R1349 – R1256 – R4006-R1095 to Pai

https://www.relive.cc/view/veqz31nE27v

Day 28. 06. March

Chiang Mai – Doi Suthep up off road. 63km

I rode up Doi Suhep the opposite way this time starting the climb just beyond Huay Tueng Thao Reservoir.

It was so steep even in first gear it was struggling and a few times I had to paddle with my feet to keep going. I was surprised that I had managed to ride down it without incidents before.

Up near the top it is great in the forest there.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vPv4GVZ3r3q

Day 27. 05. March

Chiang Mai – Mae Wang – Mae Chaem –Doi Inthanon Loop. 280 km. 10 hrs. Max height 5,459 ft.

Today’s plan was Mae Wang and looping back to Chiang, an easy ride. But after finding a newly laid concrete road I decided to follow it and see where I ended up.

Lost was the answer, on sandy rutted and some unpleasant tracks covered in Bull Dust making it difficult to see the ruts and potholes clearly. Combined with it being very hot with dust devils popping up at time it was a challenging ride.

Although there was bad visibility the views were great in place.

Chiang Mai south R3035 / R108, then head west to Mae Wang on R1013 pass Mae Win and Ban Huai Tong R4053 at about this point is the new concrete road

https://goo.gl/maps/5ysxML65nt4tzKWFA

The concrete road eventually turned to sandy tracks then more concrete alternating until just rutted sand clay and sand.

I kept following this track for a few hours, eventually I found someone to ask where I was or the next town was, and was told another few hours to get there. But I think in total off road was 3 hours.

I eventually came to R1088 at Ban Mae Na Chon.

https://goo.gl/maps/5ysxML65nt4tzKWFA

From there it was easy riding back R1192 – R1009 – R108 to Chiang Mai.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vmqX23XyMoO

Day 26. 04.03.21

Chiang Mai – Mae Kuang Dam – Mae Pang (failed mountain track route) 206km

I found the dam easily this time as I took the main road directly there.

Following the tracks towards the same temple as last time I turned off and headed for.

https://goo.gl/maps/KqJf1XWJPz5i31UQ9

 When I came to my turn to go up into the mountains and was talking to a local who told me I could not. I think he did not understand the concept of riding for fun in the jungle and directed me to the main road route. But I did not know at the time. It was still a nice ride, but not the trip I was hoping for.

From the point I was told I could not turn at Huai Khrai I continued eastwards following the Sai River the Mae Chedi River until hitting R118 and back to Chiang Mai.

https://www.relive.cc/view/v1OwNGpZdXv