Dirt/Trail riders NongBua/Loei/Udon area

[SMG96]

Are there any dirt bikers/ trail riders in the Nong Bua area..

I spend winters near Suwanakhua .. last year started riding a KLX230R around the endless rubber plantation access tracks

Would be great to join up with other riders if there are any in the area

 

[Damrongsak]

You might get in touch with Loei Gentlemans Motorcycle Club on Facebook.  They've been around for a long time.

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/583024785866623

 

Also Chris Roemer at Saloon Loei.  https://www.facebook.com/SaloonLoei  He's done some trail riding and certainly knows some locals who do.  He also runs Loei Adventure Touring.  https://www.facebook.com/LoeiAdventureTouring 

 

 

[SMG96]

Thanks will check out those links

[Kiwithl]

Sounds like some of the riding I want to do. I've done a little on the Wave but now I have a Himalayan. 

I ride slowly. Putt-putt, plod-plod... No wheel spinning and sliding round corners. I guess you don't go fast on the rubber tracks anyway?

Many of the tracks around here (Sangkhom area, Nongkhai) are dead ends despite map apps showing they connect to a way "out."

There's a recent thread on Isaan forum about similar riding on mountain bikes. From memory the OP is over your way.

I'm waiting for parts to do some bike maintenance and probably moving house (locally) soon so idk when I'll be riding again. 

Feel free to keep in touch or update occasionally. I'll try to remember to drop a line when I'm on the road again.

I'm a bit reticent to ride these tracks. I'm not sure if they're public tracks or private? Get some looks from the farmers sometimes. Not so bad close to village where they know (of) me but further afield... Maybe I overthink things? Maybe I'm paranoid?

[SMG96]

Kiwithl - Tks for making contact

Very few of the tracks I ride are shown on maps but I've been able to find my way around using TerraMap  app , works with out phonesignal and records trails so you can build your own map. My bike is not road legal and anyway I have no interest riding on the road

 

There are endless trails around here  (Ban Khok Nok 24km NW of Suwannakuha) from wide flat gravel roads to  steep, loose, rutted  tracks  and some singletrack too... all built by the locals to access their rubber plantations etc and what little bit of forest is left . I've got some good 2 hour 50km loops  with around 1300 meters of climbing. Still lots more to discover

 

Nobody seems to mind if your sensible slow down when you see people, and stay off their farmed areas where they may have water pipes. 

 

There  a group of young  local lads riding around here but they tell me they prefer to ride in rainy season , went out with them once around New Year, seem like a decent bunch. 

 

 

 

[Kiwithl]

I'll check out terramap but I'm not real good at apps and recording routes... Too lazy and or never seems easy enough to persevere and learn. Have tried with OSM And app.

There are many tracks here not on maps aswell. But a few that are that show ways out or connections to through loops just peter out after a km or 2.

As I said, I ride slowly. Definitely keep on formed tracks only. 

Usually give a wave to farmers in the fields/plantations.

Came across a lovely riverside clearing once, and a farmer resting in his shelter, which looked good enough to be a house (maybe it was?). Asked if I kept going was there a way out? No, and not friendly either. Like I was intruding. Maybe I was?

 

[Kiwithl]

There's a native forest reserve near here. Saw a monkey family crossing the road yesterday. I doubt the tracks in the reserve would be suitable for bikes, nor allowed. I haven't checked though.

The locals walk up to the top of the hills in mushroom season of course. Was told used to be wild pigs but all hunted out now.

I'm of the belief to leave what's left of native jungle and animals alone. Hope for their continued survival in peace. They don't need farangs or locals disturbing the ecosystem on their motorbikes.