How safe is touring Thailand by motorbike?

[GreasyFingers]

5 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

  I see this daily, and the idiots driving in the right lane and suddenly realize they want to exit the highway in the left lane. This is just another proof of the lack of forward-thinking in this country.

We have a set of lights here with two right turning lanes onto the highway. 50 metres through the intersection there is a left exit to a service road. You know which lane they make the right turn from even though they want to go to the service road.

[Wake Up]

Traveling Thailand by car or bike is one of the best things you can do. The 250 to 350 baht room resorts and people you will meet will show you a better side of Thailand than the posts on this forum.  Some posts on this forum are excellent but it is easy to spot those guys that have never driven Thailand or seen Thailand on the road. Their advice would be funny except people read it and are afraid to drive and miss out on some of the best parts of Thailand and the Thai people. Helps if you can speak some Thai and enjoy Thai food.  Dont be surprised if you sit down to eat at a Thai family local eating place and people approach you and are very friendly and curious.  I have been lucky to meet Thai Farmers, police, military, school teachers, etc and they are wonderful people especially but not limited to north Thailand and Issan. 

[jenny2017]

58 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

You forgot elephants, another thing when on motorbike rides trips avoid large towns on your route, most of the time we're done with riding before rush hours.

 

Some of the people here must live in some awful parts of Thailand to say what they experience on roads.

 

As for dogs if you have a big wheel semi-off road bike dogs are just a another bump in the road.

I've seen a Honda Accord on the 226 between Kantharalom and Ubon after hitting a middle-sized dog. The whole front was damaged in a way that driving wasn't an option anymore. I wouldn't want to hit a middle-sized dog with such a big wheeled "semi off-road bike", my bumper takes quite a lot impact. Not for anything in the world. 

[Kerryd]

3 hours ago, Farangwithaplan said:

One tip might be, if you see someone riding on slicks in Thailand, steer very clear of them.

 

27 minutes ago, CGW said:

Where are you riding, in 30 years I have never seen a bike on the road in Thailand with slicks, sure they weren't just bald! ? 

The only time I see "slicks" on a bike is if it is a "show bike" at an event. Of all the rides I've been on with all the bikers from different clubs, I've never seen one ride a bike with "slicks". (Though the guys with "show bikes" do have to get them from one event to another, many are transported by truck/trailer and only ridden a short distance, like from the hotel to the event and back).

[sidjameson]

Wow, just read it all. By inexperienced I actually mean a few hours on a bike on empty roads in Japan. Lol

I think I'll be driving a car.

[Gecko123]

5 minutes ago, Wake Up said:

Traveling Thailand by car or bike is one of the best things you can do. The 250 to 350 baht room resorts and people you will meet will show you a better side of Thailand than the posts on this forum.  Some posts on this forum are excellent but it is easy to spot those guys that have never driven Thailand or seen Thailand on the road. Their advice would be funny except people read it and are afraid to drive and miss out on some of the best parts of Thailand and the Thai people. Helps if you can speak some Thai and enjoy Thai food.  Dont be surprised if you sit down to eat at a Thai family local eating place and people approach you and are very friendly and curious.  I have been lucky to meet Thai Farmers, police, military, school teachers, etc and they are wonderful people especially but not limited to north Thailand and Issan. 

Ummm...hello? The topic isn't whether touring Thailand is advisable. The topic is the advisability of long distance touring by motorcycle given the driving conditions here. I'm pretty sure almost all of the people on this thread regardless of their opinion have experience driving in Thailand. You're the one who sounds like you just fell off the turnip cart.

[sawadee1947]

10 hours ago, sidjameson said:

Am I signing my own death certificate

Yes, definitely you risk your life. Only One third of all motor bikers got a license. I don't know the figures of cars. But what I know is that you have to expect always and everywhere the most unexpected things. And think of all the pollution around you when driving. Why you want to risk your health even you might be alive? Take a safe car and start your Tour. 

[Get Real]

6 hours ago, colinneil said:

Yes the biggest danger is the wildlife driving pickups, riding motorbikes.

I am sure that´s a degree of evolution not even Darwin could imagine in his wildest dreams.

[spidermike007]

Without alot of biking experience, I would be super careful. And take a few of these points into account.

 

1. There is very little common sense or reason practiced here in Thailand. If it is employed, you will never be able to interpret it as the kind of common sense, and reason you are accustomed to.

2. Thailand is not a foreign country. It is a distant planet. Always keep that in mind. On so many levels, this place does is not familiar. That is one of the things I like most about living here. But, it takes some time to get used to, and I have to remind myself alot, of that reality. Perspective on the place helps alot. 

3. The police are not here to protect you. They do not care one iota about your well being, your safety, or traffic safety. Expect that. Do not employ them, unless absolutely necessary. They operate franchises, and are completely immune to oversight or prosecution. So expect corruption from them, and expect a fleecing, if you give them the slightest opportunity. They are best avoided. Always remember. In Thailand the police do not engage in law enforcement. All they do is revenue collection. 

4. Face can be a real obstacle here. In my opinion, it is the single greatest weakness of the Thai people. They are pathologically afraid of losing face. Personally, I despise this practice of face. It prevents the society from maturing and progressing, on so many levels. Get used to it. If you confront a Thai, they will engage in fierce denial, and most will absolutely refuse to take responsibility for their actions, or admit, and own the problems they have caused, on any level. 

5. When driving, especially on a motorbike, treat the activity as an act of war, in a sense that you may be mowed down or killed at any moment. 

Maintain eyes in the back of your head. Watch everyone. Expect craziness, insanity, lack of reason, and a complete lack of courtesy and respect on the roads, at all times. 

Expect cars and trucks to be coming at you in the wrong lane. Expect people to overtake you with the slimmest of margins.
Expect trucks to be driving very slowly in the fast lane of a highway. 

If riding a motorbike, only do so if you have many years of experience. Especially on the southern islands, where huge numbers of foreigners leave Thailand in a wooden box. Wear the best helmet you can afford. And drive like a grandmother. This applies to ex-pats too. Bring along an international drivers license. This helps you to avoid being fleeced by the local police franchisee.

 

The police only show up after the accident takes place. There is nothing in the way of traffic safety on the roads, or on the highways. Those traffic stops are all about weapons, drugs and handouts. Nothing to do with safety. I suppose there is no money in traffic safety. However, if they levied real fines for speeding over 120kph, for reckless driving, making severely quick lane changes, etc, there would be some money to be made, and the highways would be safer. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/annadeiguana/videos/10156147795987795/

 

 

 

Edited August 13, 2018 by spidermike007

[OneMoreFarang]

10 hours ago, sidjameson said:

Very inexperienced but always cautious rider. Never takes risks on the bike. Daytime riding. Always under the speed limit.

Am I signing my own death certificate? 

Expect the unexpected anywhere and anytime.

Personally I wouldn't do it because there are just too many idiots out on the streets. That includes truck drivers who took too much medicine, pedestrians who decide to walk over a busy road with children and a trolley, drivers and riders who seem to train for F1, good weather drivers who don't know that their brakes work different on wet roads, the list goes on and on.

You can't avoid all of them all the time and you will come into bad situations. If you are lucky you will get away with the shock, but maybe not...

[OneMoreFarang]

50 minutes ago, Wake Up said:

Traveling Thailand by car or bike is one of the best things you can do. The 250 to 350 baht room resorts and people you will meet will show you a better side of Thailand than the posts on this forum.  Some posts on this forum are excellent but it is easy to spot those guys that have never driven Thailand or seen Thailand on the road. Their advice would be funny except people read it and are afraid to drive and miss out on some of the best parts of Thailand and the Thai people. Helps if you can speak some Thai and enjoy Thai food.  Dont be surprised if you sit down to eat at a Thai family local eating place and people approach you and are very friendly and curious.  I have been lucky to meet Thai Farmers, police, military, school teachers, etc and they are wonderful people especially but not limited to north Thailand and Issan.  

You can meet all these people also if you travel by bus - which is most of the time safer.

[bandito]

The words "safe" and "motorbike" an oxymoron.

 

[bandito]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Expect the unexpected anywhere and anytime.

Personally I wouldn't do it because there are just too many idiots out on the streets. That includes truck drivers who took too much medicine, pedestrians who decide to walk over a busy road with children and a trolley, drivers and riders who seem to train for F1, good weather drivers who don't know that their brakes work different on wet roads, the list goes on and on.

You can't avoid all of them all the time and you will come into bad situations. If you are lucky you will get away with the shock, but maybe not...

 

Very, very true.

[Farangwithaplan]

1 hour ago, CGW said:

Where are you riding, in 30 years I have never seen a bike on the road in Thailand with slicks, sure they weren't just bald! ? 

I have a bit of an idea what a slick looks like. Three of the large capacity bikes at my condo run slicks on their road regstered bikes. If I think of it when I get home I will take of photo to give you a 'first' in 30 years ?

 

Out at Kanchanaburi 3 weeks ago a possie of 7 S1000rr turned up. 4 of them had slicks. One of them was balled up reasonably well - probably from a track day. But the slicks had balled up and not scrubbed away in a long time and had blued.

[Enoon]

48 minutes ago, sidjameson said:

Wow, just read it all. By inexperienced I actually mean a few hours on a bike on empty roads in Japan. Lol

I think I'll be driving a car.

 

You have made a wise decision.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

26 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Thailand is not a foreign country. It is a distant planet. Always keep that in mind. On so many levels, this place does is not familiar. That is one of the things I like most about living here. But, it takes some time to get used to, and I have to remind myself alot, of that reality. Perspective on the place helps alot. 

That should be on a big sign in every Thai airport and border crossing.

Great post!

[pgrahmm]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

You can meet all these people also if you travel by bus - which is most of the time safer.

Yes.......but then you are dependent on their timing and schedule as well as limited in options at the the places you disembark.....You'll also be subject to their choices for food/rest stops/etc.....

Traveling independently is much more enjoyable......

[Wake Up]

52 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

Ummm...hello? The topic isn't whether touring Thailand is advisable. The topic is the advisability of long distance touring by motorcycle given the driving conditions here. I'm pretty sure almost all of the people on this thread regardless of their opinion have experience driving in Thailand. You're the one who sounds like you just fell off the turnip cart.

Wow hit your red button. Relax. Chill. Get that blood pressure under control. Life’s too short to be an a$$

[Kerryd]

59 minutes ago, Wake Up said:

Traveling Thailand by car or bike is one of the best things you can do. The 250 to 350 baht room resorts and people you will meet will show you a better side of Thailand than the posts on this forum.  Some posts on this forum are excellent but it is easy to spot those guys that have never driven Thailand or seen Thailand on the road. Their advice would be funny except people read it and are afraid to drive and miss out on some of the best parts of Thailand and the Thai people. Helps if you can speak some Thai and enjoy Thai food.  Dont be surprised if you sit down to eat at a Thai family local eating place and people approach you and are very friendly and curious.  I have been lucky to meet Thai Farmers, police, military, school teachers, etc and they are wonderful people especially but not limited to north Thailand and Issan. 

My last couple of big trips have been "solo" rides and they were awesome (for the most part). Last December I rode up to Chiang Mai for the annual Bike Week. Stopped in Kamphaeng Phet on the way and spent an afternoon taking pictures at some ancient historic sites. On the way back I rode through Petchabun (stopped at Sri Thep historical park), over to Nakhon Ratchisima (visited the Phimai historical park). Carried on to Surin (another couple of historical sites), Buriram, Sa Kaeo and back to Pattaya. Stayed at a lot of those little Thai "resorts" and ate at roadside foodstalls, gas station food courts or other local restaurants. Had a blast.

On the trip I did in April, it was mostly the same thing, except that I stayed in "proper" hotels in Korat, Chum Pae and Sakon Nakhon more out of convenience than anything.
Always a hoot when you pull up to some ancient historical site on the Harley, fully dressed in riding gear and when you take off the helmet they suddenly realize you are a foreigner. I've been to a few places where people were almost in shock as they'd never seen a foreigner at that site before, let alone one on a "chopper" !

When the "rainy" season is over I expect to be making a few more trips. Want to go back to Kamphaeng Phet and spend a couple days taking pictures instead of a couple hours (just way too many places to see in a couple of hours. I've also got a couple more historical sites pegged in Sisaket, Surin and Buriram to visit. There's an interesting looking small village that may be on the ancient Khmer highway between Angkor and Phimai that I want to check out. Probably a couple dozen more old temple sites to visit that don't even appear on the map.
(I found one like that in Sa Kaeo and put it on the map, even though all that remained was just a bunch of jumbled stones.)

I ride solo mostly because my (foreign) friends prefer to go to places that are "fun" (wink wink, nudge nudge) and my (Thai) friends aren't interested in the ancient sites, or in staying in those cheap "resorts". 
Works for me as that means I can stay as long as I want, or leave as soon as I want and if I get somewhere "interesting" and want to stay a couple extra days, it's no sweat off anyone's @**. 

As well, too many of my friends ride like they are in a competition to see who can get to (wherever) the fastest. I hate riding so fast that I can't even blink or I may not see a potential hazard in time to avoid it. Riding at 150-160 for an hour (+), blitzing through traffic like a gang of raped apes just to get to the next gas station and spend 30 minutes "relaxing" is not my idea of fun. I'd rather ride at 110-120, get to the gas station, fill up and then carry on. Much better places to spend my time than sitting outside of a gas station 7-11 !

 

As far as the OP is concerned, you'd probably be better off going on some trips with some other people first, to "get the hang" of things and learn your way around. Also, plan your trips ahead of time. That way there's less chance of finding yourself in the middle of nowhere with an empty tank and a monsoon pouring down on you. (I use Google Maps a lot and generally have a decent "plan" for my trips, but keep them open-ended so that I'm not rushed.) 

That makes using those Thai "resorts" somewhat handy as they usually seem to have open rooms and many are open 24/7. Sheesh, I even stayed at a "love hotel" once. (I didn't know that was what it was until after I'd already paid for a room and was unloading my stuff off the bike but hey, it was clean and quiet, had a bed, hot water in the shower, WiFi, a fridge and a TV. Basically everything I'd expect if I'd been in a fancy hotel. Didn't have any food though. (No restaurant or foodstalls nearby but I survived with a 7-11 run.)
If I was making hotel reservations in advance, I'd feel pressured into cutting things short or having to ride faster to get to a certain place where I've made a reservation. 

There are groups of riders in Thailand to suit almost anyone's preferences. There are groups that tour around all over the country on 125cc scooters. There are groups that prefer the "adventure" bikes (I like the looks of those and would definitely get one if the zombie apocalypse ever happens).

There are groups that prefer the "crotch rockets" or other "fast" bikes (street fighters and the like). Some groups of course are more "hard core" biker types but there are also some "laid back" groups that are more about the ride than the "image".

At times, riding in Thailand is more like being in a Mad Max movie (or Death Race) where the only rule is - there are no rules. Expect the unexpected (as others have mentioned) and it won't be long before you will have seen a whole lot of the "unexpected".

But as long as you stay aware and ready to react, you should be OK (or not) ! 

[DILLIGAD]

The words "safe" and "motorbike" an oxymoron.
 

Id replace the word ‘motorbike’ with ‘bus’ and still agree with you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gecko123]

4 minutes ago, Wake Up said:

Wow hit your red button. Relax. Chill. Get that blood pressure under control. Life’s too short to be an a$$

Lame repartee alert.

[CGW]

12 minutes ago, Farangwithaplan said:

I have a bit of an idea what a slick looks like. Three of the large capacity bikes at my condo run slicks on their road regstered bikes. If I think of it when I get home I will take of photo to give you a 'first' in 30 years ?

Be interested to see - thanks ? 

[OneMoreFarang]

5 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

At times, riding in Thailand is more like being in a Mad Max movie (or Death Race) where the only rule is - there are no rules. Expect the unexpected (as others have mentioned) and it won't be long before you will have seen a whole lot of the "unexpected".

Good comment. I just googled for a fitting image. I didn't really find what I was looking for but this is a good reminder of Mad Max. I never saw guys bad like that on Thai streets but it would be a good idea to be prepared for the worst.

[janclaes47]

2 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

My last couple of big trips have been "solo" rides and they were awesome

Depends what you call awesome.

 

I remember these 2 recent threads from you, and however the damage seem to have been restricted, it could have been turned out much worse.

 

I have been riding big bikes for more than 30 years, and had 3 in Thailand, with the last one a 1900 CC cruiser.

 

It was sold a few years ago, because Thailand scares the hell out of me, and i could tell you quite a few stories about road rage etc.

 

Saying biking on Thailand roads is safe is just living in a dream world

 

 

[HAKAPALITA]

Touring is a world apart from everyday wobbling around Shopping..!.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Kerryd]

6 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

  10 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

My last couple of big trips have been "solo" rides and they were awesome

2 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

Depends what you call awesome.

To be fair, what I actually said was:

"My last couple of big trips have been "solo" rides and they were awesome (for the most part). "
And I don't recall ever saying that "biking on Thailand roads was safe" so I don't know where you got that idea from.

Yes, I did have a spill on the trip in April which is why that trip wasn't totally awesome. Up to that point though, it had been freakin' great ! Racked up 6 ancient sites (Khmer era temples) over the previous 5 days and (1,200+) kilometers. (And didn't eat any dog while in Sakon Nakhon, as far as I know !)

 

The other spill was back in 2015 and was just on a local ride in the city. I'd gone somewhere, stopped at Big C on the way home and then had the wipe-out barely a kilometer from home.
In both cases I was doing things right but it's hard to anticipate someone suddenly cutting in front of you or deciding to cross 2 lanes of traffic to make a right turn. I've got loud pipes on the bike now so maybe that will help in the future. My old pipes were so quiet that people called my bike a "Honda Davidson" as you could barely hear it when it was at low idle.)

But I've also been on dozens of rides without any mishaps (involving myself or anyone I was riding with) but there have been plenty of close calls.

I do know a guy though who recently sold his Harley. It seems he was on a ride somewhere and nearly got into an accident. He was able to avoid it by riding on the shoulder around the (whatever it was that happened) and later on he realized that it hadn't even scared him. At all. And it should have !
He decided to get ride of the big bike after that.

It's a gamble and as I've said before, you can do everything right but "This is Thailand" and chances are, the odds are going to catch up with you sooner or later (or sooner and then sooner again). 

And judging from the accidents I've seen while riding, it's just as bad if you are in a car/SUV/pick-up truck as in fact all the accidents I've ridden past have involved those types of vehicles but I've never ridden past one that involved a motorcycle (yet). Not including my wipe outs of course (but then I didn't "ride past" those either). Semantics.

 

(But the accident stats do show that far more accidents involve motorcycles than cars but as I've noted in other threads, there are way, way more motorcycles registered on the roads in Thailand than cars and light trucks combined. Way more. However the accident rate with motorcycles is way above that for cars/light trucks and I suspect most of those motorcycles fall in the "scooter" category. Haven't seen a breakdown of the stats anywhere that shows how many accidents involve "scooters" and how many of those accidents are in cities compared to more rural areas.)

It is definitely not "safe" to be riding bikes on Thai roads. Plan for the worst, hope for the best and enjoy your life as it's the only one you'll ever have !
 

 

[saminoz]

AS an earlier poster mentioned, get great insurance.

In fact, if you specifically ask a couple of travel insurance companies for quotes, stating clearly that you intend to tour the country by motorcycle (not even mentioning your lack of experience!), you'll soon see how quickly and drastically the premiums rise, which should give you a pretty good idea of what the insurance companies think of your chances of surviving unscathed!

[chrissables]

3 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

Where in Thailand do you live? There are buffaloes, cows and other animals, including airborne vehicles coming from all directions. OP, have you got a good life insurance? Try to survive Sisaket's rush hour for a week and you can drive everywhere. 

I have ridden to most places in Thailand, Korat, Buriram, Khon Kaen, Udon, Nong Khai, Phetchabun, Tak, Umpang Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Kanchanaburi, Prachuap, all down the East coast of Thailand and Malaysia to the Singapore border and back up the West coast.
Seen animals everywhere, only had issues with dogs.

In Laos and Vietnam, chickens and pigs are around a lot, but don't run into the road, rather away from you. ?

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

I've seen a Honda Accord on the 226 between Kantharalom and Ubon after hitting a middle-sized dog. The whole front was damaged in a way that driving wasn't an option anymore. I wouldn't want to hit a middle-sized dog with such a big wheeled "semi off-road bike", my bumper takes quite a lot impact. Not for anything in the world. 

Yeah understand down to experience really but bumpers usually a bit higher our front spoiler got smashed hitting a unavoidable dog across road run, no-one owned the dog of course, around 2000 baht fixed but not by insurance as it was an extra.

My Versys 650 no problem bumpety bump and just keep going, I reckon on my CRF250 I don't think I will even notice.

Edited August 13, 2018 by Kwasaki

[reargunnerph3]

Thailand averages 60 plus road deaths a day, it hold the world record for road deaths for a good reason. You may be the best and safest bike rider in the world but the Thais are the most dangerous and worst drivers in the world. As safe as wrestling with rattle snakes, good luck you'll need it.