Riding back into Bangkok

CrunchWrapSupreme · April 29, 2020

The wife and I have been holed up with the in-laws for the lockdown up here in Issan, but now in the coming weeks it'll be time to come back to BKK for work. I expect my contract to get us past the cops, if any.

But that's not my biggest concern. We haven't kept the bike in BKK before, a Yamaha Grand Filano. We've made several long trips across Issan with it together, no problem. Hanging on the shoulder, keeping away from the big trucks. But riding into BKK is another story.

Coming in from the North, I don't like all that traffic in Saraburi we've seen by car, all those trucks going to and from the factories. The few bikes I've seen darting around them look like they got a death wish. How do you guys do it? Is there a way to stay on the frontage roads? Do you take the smaller roads around the cities, like heading closer to Korat? If so, which ones? Thanks a lot.

VocalNeal · April 29, 2020

Through the National Park. Unless national parks are closed.

ChouDoufu · April 29, 2020

i've bicycled out of bangkok north towards saraburi. traffic isn't so bad away from the major highways, even have some decent scenery. don't have my journals with me right now, but.....

jump off the main highway before saraburi, take the 4-digit routes south, 3222 to ban na, then 305 and 3035 towards nong chok , then either into bangkok via min buri to bangkapi, or a bit further south to lat krabang.

haven't ridden thru the park, but if open head to chachoengsao, then an easy ride on 3001 to lat krabang.

Andyfez · April 30, 2020

If you're travelling at the same speed as the other vehicles there really isn't a problem.

Otherwise use frontage roads wherever possible.

Centrum · April 30, 2020

26 minutes ago, Andyfez said:

If you're travelling at the same speed as the other vehicles there really isn't a problem.

Otherwise use frontage roads wherever possible.

Yamaha Grand Filano. They can almost keep up with buffalos.

FNQ · April 30, 2020

Use by pass at sarabrui , use google maps but change settings to Avoid freeways ferries etc.

This should bring you in on route 9 passed West gate Plaza Bang Yai, follow all the way to Rama 5 bridge. travel into Bkk on a Sunday (less traffic)

recom273 · April 30, 2020

Im usually going from or two my buddy’s place at Ramkamhaeng so, use the 304 to kabinburi - It’s not a bad road, then pickup the 24 going under to Sisaket, Buriram and Surin, usually ending up in Ubon for the night. Im not too sure if it’s a good route, but it’s a pretty safe road, there is no frontage road or rat run dual carriage way.

gbob · April 30, 2020

2 hours ago, Centrum said:

Yamaha Grand Filano. They can almost keep up with buffalos.

You must have some very fast buffaloes. My Grand Filano can easily move along at 70-80 kph.

The Theory · April 30, 2020

Ship it by post office. It costs around 1200 (for up to 120cc) I guess. Larger engines cost more. If you decided to do so, leave less than 1/4 tank gas. They will suck it out if it’s more.

OneMoreFarang · April 30, 2020

22 hours ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

We haven't kept the bike in BKK before, a Yamaha Grand Filano. We've made several long trips across Issan with it together, no problem. Hanging on the shoulder, keeping away from the big trucks. But riding into BKK is another story.

Expect the unexpected. Everywhere and from all directions. And if you have green light still look in every possible direction for bikes who decide they ignore their red light, or they take a shortcut in front of you and stupid things like that.

And obviously look for junctions and U-turns where some idiots decide to use many lanes to change their direction.

Enjoy the ride. After some time you get used to it.

Max69xl · April 30, 2020

Aren't they opening up BKK May 1?

AndyAndyAndy · April 30, 2020

Hi,

a few years ago I drove to Bangkok (900 Km), drive inside Bangkok for 2 weeks and then did a 900 Km trip back. All of that with my wife. And on a 110cc motorbike (Kawasaki KSR). ???? It wasn't the most comfortable experience. But it was doable. Then I did the same thing on a 300cc bike (Kawasaki Z300). Which was much better.

We always took the major highways. Except payed roads (tools) in Bangkok and highway between Bangkok and Chonburi, where motorcycles aren't allowed. Otherwise no problems.

ChouDoufu · April 30, 2020

3 hours ago, The Theory said:

Ship it by post office. It costs around 1200 (for up to 120cc) I guess. Larger engines cost more. If you decided to do so, leave less than 1/4 tank gas. They will suck it out if it’s more.

easier still to throw it in the baggage car and ride the train to bangkok along with the bike.

not as fast as the filano or a water buffalo though...

ericthai · April 30, 2020

12 hours ago, The Theory said:

Ship it by post office. It costs around 1200 (for up to 120cc) I guess. Larger engines cost more. If you decided to do so, leave less than 1/4 tank gas. They will suck it out if it’s more.

I agree, you can also go to the bus terminal if they are running it will only be about 500-600B.

CrunchWrapSupreme · May 2, 2020

Such wonderful responses. Thanks a lot guys. I'll definitely have these routes in mind.

The fam up here's against it. They want us to ship the bike and take us by car. But then I'll have to pay for shipping, and put the gas in their car, then buy them snacks, lunch, and dinner when we arrive. I've been buying enough already through this lockdown, and had to put my foot down.

Also many of them are out of work, so there's the strong possibility that when they get to our condo, they're not going to leave!

CrunchWrapSupreme · May 4, 2020

???? Ride Report ????

400 km in 8 hours and 30 mins. We hit up to 80 km/h on the smooth straightaways, which weren't many. Riding into BKK is a lot different than the straight and smooth Issan roads we've been familiar with. Around Saraburi and Ayutthaya there are some terrible holes, which look like they'll swallow up little tires.

The highlights: in the first pic, right before getting into Saraburi, there's that brown dot. That's a PTT station we stopped at. Right after this you'll see what looks like an exit next to an on ramp to an overpass. Take the exit, and this gets you onto the frontage road. This then repeats over and over through Saraburi and Ayutthaya, more overpasses and frontage roads. We've only done this by car before and stayed out in the fast lane, so I never knew how to get onto the frontage roads. It was smooth sailing. No stops or checkpoints. The only slowdown was a Thai Rath crew handing out free drinks. Then you'll see we took the 362 to bypass Saraburi. We followed a biker gang taking this exit, and figured they knew what they were doing.

In the next pic, right before the Pathum Thani border, we had to make a U-turn. If you keep to the outside lane as we were doing, it takes you to an overpass onto the 9, rather than the 1 we wanted. It's not clearly marked. We saw other motorcyclists make this mistake too, having to ride across the divider at the last minute.

Then we finally headed into BKK next to Don Mueang airport, on Phahonyohtin Rd. We saw the slums built on the edges of the river there, that the govt is slowly demolishing while the remaining residents hang on. It reminded me of that huge cube of apartments everyone kept building onto on edge of Hong Kong in the 80's. But then right next to them is a huge military installation that looks mostly abandoned. Go figure.

Phahonyohtin to Ratchadaphisek, and into downtown BKK. Woo-hoo! Sure am sore. ????

moe666 · May 11, 2020

I have ridden into Bangkok on 304 into Minburi no problem just pay attention. I have ridden out on the 32 going pass dom muaeng airport just stay to the right on the frontage rd. Get yourself a real road map into Bangkok and there are road maps of Bangkok find them easier to decipher for route to take then use the google maps for details into BKK