Touring On A Scooter

[sfokevin]

Google maps will work - But not 100%... But a little detour can be fun...

 

learn how how to download the local area maps data on your phone (so you have map is cellular dead spots) and get a earbud so you can hear the voice directions too... 

 

Stick to smaller roads and drive defensively...

 

And If you don’t have accident insurance don’t do it!...

AA Insurance can give you a nice policy for about 4,000 baht...

[luk AJ]

30km/liter very comfortable. Can leave the helmet under the seat.
Good seat for passenger. Big bikes are fun but this one is comfortable.


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[johng]

I bought my click 125i last year in khoen khen, my wife's home town.
Took it to the train station to bring it back to bangkok but they wouldn't let it on without number plates and the green book.
In a moment of madness I decided to ride it back. 560 kilometres without a hitch or sore ass. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and less than 300 baht in petrol. 
 

So about 45 kilometers per liter of fuel ?

[kannot]

25 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

Wise old men don't have wifes ^_*

Wise old mens  Wives make much more  money than the wise old  man they married and keep the wise old man and buy him all the  toys he requires, wise old mans wife is 42  wise old man is 55

[Pattaya46]

11 hours ago, JaiLai said:

Explain to me the benifits of touring on a scooter as opposed to a big bike pls.

As @Lacessitsaid, "Every bike mechanic in Thailand knows how to fix a scooter" and it's an important point to me. 

 

One of my main concerns when touring is having a puncture when "in the middle of nowhere"... I found that I can rather easily dismount a wheel and change the tube on my small Yamaha Nouvo 115cc. At the opposite bigger bikes have bigger and stronger tires that may (often?) require to find a mechanic shop to fix it.

 

Also in case of a serious problem (motor?), locals are used to load scooters on the back of their pickup. Unsure if it's so easy with a "big bike" 

[taninthai]

29 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

One of my main concerns when touring is having a puncture when "in the middle of nowhere"... I found that I can rather easily dismount a wheel and change the tube on my small Yamaha Nouvo 115cc.

Bigger bikes don’t have inner tubes so are actually easier to repair if you get a puncture ,don’t even need to take the wheel off,can repair puncture and be on your way on bike bike in under 10 minuits.

[ballpoint]

 

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

You can drive it on the left shoulder.

Along with the broken glass, other vehicles pulling out without looking to their right, traffic coming the wrong way to avoid a U-turn, cars overtaking and suddenly jamming on their brakes to turn left...  I'll stick to riding just off the middle of the lane, going slightly faster than the rest of the traffic.

 

1 hour ago, BKKBike09 said:

Plus you'll find someone who can fix it absolutely anywhere, on the spot. Good luck getting a big bike fixed somewhere in the boonies in a couple of hours.

You seem to have experience of scooters breaking down regularly.  Maybe the undue stress of riding them at their limits for extended periods of time could be the problem?  For more than 20 years I've ridden through every province in Thailand on bikes that haven't even had an official dealer in the country at the time, cruising along at well within their capabilities, rev counter at the lower end of the scale, and have never needed to find someone to fix any of them in the boonies, because none of them has broken down.  And if, by some chance, one did, why, then I'd put it on a truck and take it to be repaired somewhere by a competent mechanic.

[wilcopops]

a an aficionado of OS (Ordnance Survey) maps I was totally disappointed by the maps generally available in Thailand.

IO use Google Maps and find they are very good in both urban and rural environments - They have voice over in Thailand. if you can arrange sound into your crash hat mount a tablet or phone on your bike and you will be fine. 

[Blue Muton]

1 hour ago, kannot said:

Wise old mens  Wives make much more  money than the wise old  man they married and keep the wise old man and buy him all the  toys he requires, wise old mans wife is 42  wise old man is 55

It's unwise to think that 55 is old. 60 is the new 21!

[JaiLai]

It's unwise to think that 55 is old. 60 is the new 21!

You’re an even wiser old man


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[ballpoint]

10 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

 

You’re an even wiser old man


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Or an even older wise man.

[phutoie2]

I know of a group of mature expats who regularly go on trips within Thailand and beyond. The only criteria for the bikes is they cannot be over 150cc. Most are Honda Waves or small trial bikes.

They either take their own camping gear or book tents at various camp sites.

 

I know they meticulously plan everything. Last years expeds were to Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi/Myanmar border, some big lake there good for fishing. Last years big exped was to Cambodia, this year it will be Vietnam, but this will involve putting bikes on the train.

For those who suffer numb butt on long rides, apparently you can get some sort of gel seat to fit over the standard one, some of their bikes have been seriously modded.

Incidentally most of them have big bikes too, but they prefer to do tours on the smaller bikes and take their time . 

They have a facebook group site with lots of info on, pm myself if you want details.

I had to decline membership due to a massive red card from the doc, but when fixed I may join.

 

[Lacessit]

7 hours ago, Denim said:

And wise old men drive cars.

Nuff said.

Wise old men take a Green Bus so they don't bash their car to death on roadworks.

[Lacessit]

6 hours ago, ballpoint said:

 

Along with the broken glass, other vehicles pulling out without looking to their right, traffic coming the wrong way to avoid a U-turn, cars overtaking and suddenly jamming on their brakes to turn left...  I'll stick to riding just off the middle of the lane, going slightly faster than the rest of the traffic.

 

On the main drags, there are cars doing 120-140 km/hr. Good luck to you if you can sustain concentration for that long. I could not.

I travel main roads around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai regularly. Yet to see a piece of broken glass. Highway 1 going towards Phan had someone spill pebbles on the shoulder about a week ago. The pebbles were gone the next day, so presumably there are sweepers operating.

Of course there are the idiots. That's what threat assessment is for. I can react with much more time to spare doing 40 - 60 km/hr, than I could at 80-100 km/hr.

[canthai55]

5 hours ago, phutoie2 said:

I know they meticulously plan everything.

I do the exact opposite - call it 'Getting Lost'

Other than a destination for overnight - hotel - I follow my nose. Come to a junction and head off in the most interesting direction.

Seen some amazing things doing this - like placer mining for gold around Pai

Of course with many members on a ride this will not work.

Another reason to ride alone or better yet with one other bike.

 

[canthai55]

16 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Wise old men take a Green Bus so they don't bash their car to death on roadworks.

Drop the Wise and I agree

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, canthai55 said:

Drop the Wise and I agree

Drop the agreement. I wouldn't want to strain your good nature.

[pbas400]

In exactly 1 year i did 30.000 kilometers on Honda Rally 250 cc in TH, south to north

 

before i did 40.000 kilometers everywhere in TH with a Yamaha Nmax 155cc

 

2 years ago i did a trip in north Vietnam on Honda wave 110 cc during 1 month

3 years ago, South to north Vietnam still on Honda wave 110 cc during 1 month

 

else i travel in France on Yamaha TMAX

 

so the number of cc is not important, better to be on the road , not on internet with a big bike 555555

[scubascuba3]

Real men ride big bikes, men who cannot afford them ride scooters - nuff said...

Really boring when guys try to say how manly they are for having a bigger bike, very primitive. If anything its trying to make up for something else

[JaiLai]

23 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

Really boring when guys try to say how manly they are for having a bigger bike, very primitive. If anything its trying to make up for something else

 

I also smoke which makes me 'well ard'

[BKKBike09]

21 hours ago, ballpoint said:

You seem to have experience of scooters breaking down regularly.  Maybe the undue stress of riding them at their limits for extended periods of time could be the problem?  For more than 20 years I've ridden through every province in Thailand on bikes that haven't even had an official dealer in the country at the time, cruising along at well within their capabilities, rev counter at the lower end of the scale, and have never needed to find someone to fix any of them in the boonies, because none of them has broken down.  And if, by some chance, one did, why, then I'd put it on a truck and take it to be repaired somewhere by a competent mechanic.

Nope - never had experience of scooters breaking down. I never said I have been touring on a scooter or similar sized bike; I said I thought it sounded like it could be quite entertaining. I used to tour, solo, in Europe on a Speed Triple, which was a lot of fun. However, I woke up one morning in some tiny village in the Italian Alps to find that it wouldn't start. Why? because the battery in the key fob for the alarm/immobiliser was dead, which meant the bike was dead too. I had a spare battery with me so I was good to go in a few minutes, but if I hadn't prepared that battery ...

 

It's good to hear that you've never had a problem here because "I'd put it on a truck and take it to be repaired somewhere by a competent mechanic" would be a massive PITA, particularly if you're 1,000 km from your home and the part you need has to be ordered from overseas. Twenty years ago bikes had far fewer electronics on them. Those are the things that I'd say are most likely to cause problems as a bike ages in high heat / high humidity / high dust environments; they're also the things that you need a dealer to sort out. 

 

 

[VocalNeal]

Quote

hi, has or does or has anyone toured on a scooter, was thinking a leisurely trip to Buriram,  (and other places) any advice welcome, my bike, a 125 Yamaha GT , cruises at 80 kmph, no probs,  also point me in the direction of a decent map please ,or recommend a good sat nav,

 

Google maps is good enough for touring. Downside it will lose signal in really remote places but you will find all the interesting places when you are lost and the scooter make not get you up bad dirt roads to places with no signal.

 

If the bike is in generally good nick and has been recently serviced just get on the bloody thing and ride. Everything else is part of the adventure.

 

 

[brokenbone]

On 2/16/2019 at 9:51 PM, JaiLai said:

Explain to me the benifits of touring on a scooter as opposed to a big bike pls ( if cost of purchase is not an issue ).

if a scooter breaks down, the repair shop is 50 meters away

and has the spare part if needed.

 

if a chopper breaks down, its hiring transport back to a specialized shop in a big city, and the spare part is in singapore if lucky.

 

chopper wins hands down in comfort

[JaiLai]

So today I drive approx 500kms ( MS 950 ), for a portion of the journey I rode with a guy on a Yamaha Aerox ( I think 300?? )
Anyway he was right up with me cruising along at 130-140, no problems at all, seemed like a pretty stable bike at that speed.

I guess another benefit of scooter is it can be handy for getting about when you reach your destination ( in town ), big bikes can become a pain for this.




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[pbas400]

4 hours ago, JaiLai said:

So today I drive approx 500kms ( MS 950 ), for a portion of the journey I rode with a guy on a Yamaha Aerox ( I think 300?? )
Anyway he was right up with me cruising along at 130-140, no problems at all, seemed like a pretty stable bike at that speed.

I guess another benefit of scooter is it can be handy for getting about when you reach your destination ( in town ), big bikes can become a pain for this.




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Yamaha X Max 300 

 

Aerox is 155 cc

 

[papa al]

On 2/17/2019 at 11:52 AM, phutoie2 said:

I know of a group of mature expats who regularly go on trips within Thailand and beyond. The only criteria for the bikes is they cannot be over 150cc. Most are Honda Waves or small trial bikes.

Touring on a trials bike !!??

....right....

[phutoie2]

[mercman24]

all this big bike tosh,  ME ? big biker for years, and yes i can afford a BIG BIKE as you say with 800,000 sitting in a bank, had R1 ,  (track bike)  RSV APRILLIA,(that was fun) lAST BIKE Fireblade 1000 rr, no stranger to BIG BIKES as you say, my Yammy has a custom seat, (try 150 miles on an R1) sore ass, wrists falling off, just thought i would ask the question, get on the, bike and go, no time frame, who wants to go whizzing round the country at 80/90 mph, its called TOURING not RACING , oh, thanks for the positive replies

[JaiLai]

all this big bike tosh,  ME ? big biker for years, and yes i can afford a BIG BIKE as you say with 800,000 sitting in a bank, had R1 ,  (track bike)  RSV APRILLIA,(that was fun) lAST BIKE Fireblade 1000 rr, no stranger to BIG BIKES as you say, my Yammy has a custom seat, (try 150 miles on an R1) sore ass, wrists falling off, just thought i would ask the question, get on the, bike and go, no time frame, who wants to go whizzing round the country at 80/90 mph, its called TOURING not RACING , oh, thanks for the positive replies

Is that all one sentence?


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[Bolantar]

I use the Kurviger App for touring. You can select what kind of roads it should suggest and sometimes you are surprised what routes you will find.

They have a website too where you can create routes and export them to other formats.

As for Touring with whatever you have: Anything is possible and just having a Scooter shouldn’t stop you from Touring. 

I used to ride BMW GS and liked it. Now I ride a Aerox 155 and like it too. Different rinding, but fun nonetheless.

I did the Mae Hong Song Loop on a rented NMax 155 and it was a blast. 

Last trip i did was in January from Hua Hin, Kanchanaburi, Ban Rai, Tak, Mae Sot, Mae Sariang, Chiang Mai, Phrao, Chiang Rai, Nan, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Ban Rai, Kanchanaburi, Hua Hin.

3150km on a Scooter.

 

Beginning of March it’s going down to Malaysia.

 

I plan all the routes with Kurviger.

 

Bol