Bkk To Pattaya On A Scooter - Realistic?

[fatmal]

Hi. I'm thinking of learning to fly (ultralights) at pattaya airpark (www.pattayaairpark.com). I live in Bangkok, and would 'commute' down to Pattaya to take lessons in the weekends. It has been a long time since I've been down the road between Bangkok and Pattaya (and that was at night), so I'd like to ask the opinion of this forums readers:

Is is feasible to ride a scooter (probably an injected airblade) between Bkk and Pattaya? At what speed does the traffic flow, and will a scooter keep up? (it's not speed that kills - it's difference in speed!) Any idea of the journey time?

I figure that so long as the traffic is not going well over 100Kph, then I should be ok. Would I be better off renting a car, or are there other, better options.

Comments, opinions and advice all welcome.

Mal.

[Zzinged]

Usually on the motorways, the average speed is definitely higher than 100km/h If you could maintain 100km/h you should be fine.

[thaicbr]

It would be ok. but you could take the bus............ na Mal it will be ok, just take it easy. Thais do it all the time.....but then most thais i know have had a frontal lobotomy when it comes to driving.

Allan

or just buy my bike and all problems solved

[dave_boo]

Take Bang Na Trad feeder down towards Chonburi. Once out of Samut Prakarn the road smoothes up quite a bit. Stay on it, but you might think about taking the Chonburi bypass; should save you the hassle of running through town.

And yes, there's no problem with traffic on that route. You might get frustrated with the lights (my house is up in Nakhon Nowhere so I never see traffic lights), and your first time give yourself plenty of extra time for unexpected whatever. Also make sure you carry a phone with you and can contact someone in case you run into a spot of trouble.

[Bard]

Think Allan has the better idea value wise.

Take the blue bus from Ekamai down, it uses the tollway and put you in Pattaya within 2 hours it's cheaper than fuel for a scooter even and you arrive without being exhausted, since you want to learn to fly it's better to arrive with energy to spare.

Are you going to fly with one of the Zenair guys? Awesome planes, love them...

Cheers Bard

[filguy]

hi fatmal, can i join with you? when do you plan?

I'v been to bang sauthong last weekend..which i think 1 hr to chonburi...

[AnthonyR1]

a friend of mine has done that ride on numerous occasions on his sonic. same guy actually rode to phuket and back on the same bike! so yes it's possible just allow a few hours dude.

[Kf6vci]

Well, I would take a bus or van to Pattaya and then rent a scooter. Traffic is dangerous and the toll road is noit open to 2-wheelers, even big bikes cannot drive there

This kind of trip would be an ordeal and put you in danger. It's what car drivers do that's scary. A mate woke up after a horific accident - so if you drive this route, you better wear protective gear!

[desertrat]

Take the Bus, Take the Bus, Take the Bus.

btw what are the costs of a trip on one of those little planes ?, I want to map some of the "mountain" tracks as part of a game for ex Special Forces.

[moo9]

Well stupid idea. Car or Bus, all other things are complicated (I ride a big bike, but without motor or express access I still take my car to BKK).

[submaniac]

Think Allan has the better idea value wise.

Take the blue bus from Ekamai down, it uses the tollway and put you in Pattaya within 2 hours it's cheaper than fuel for a scooter even and you arrive without being exhausted, since you want to learn to fly it's better to arrive with energy to spare.

+1 on the bus idea. I tried riding to Pattaya, and then I took the bus. Bus is so much better. The ride down to Pattaya really isn't that interesting (not a lot of beautiful scenery, or fun twisty roads to ride), and for alot of the ride a motorcycle is supposed to ride on the side street (pothole ridden street I might add) next to the express roads that the cars can use. Ekamai is such an easy terminal to use. The skytrain stops there, you hop on the bus, then take when of the baht busses in Pattaya. EASY.

[Lancelot]

I have ridden my Honda CZ-i to BKK twice. Its doable but not a great ride. I use about 40 baht of fuel each way

[Vato]

if youre the adventurous type, cant beat a bike...if youre the adventurous type that doesnt become adventurous until you get to your destination....take a bus and rent a bike when you get to pattaya.

if you decide to ride there on your own, theres a few nice stops you can make while traveling, that cant be done on a bus....passing through ban saen, take the route through angthong to see a nice bay with restaurants located all along... then when passing through ban saen, go to the top of 'kow som mook'...to see wild monkeys ontop a hilltop, hundreds running around...also some really nice views ontop the hill.

[submaniac]

if youre the adventurous type, cant beat a bike...if youre the adventurous type that doesnt become adventurous until you get to your destination....take a bus and rent a bike when you get to pattaya.

I would like to think that I am the adventurous type (LIKE to think at least) but it's not an issue of adventure as much as it is an issue that it is a CRAP ride. It's one thing if you have a large cc bike and an open road. But the OP will be relegated to a small cc scooter that cannot outrun danger. Even if he's on a big bike, you really can't ride that fast. Bikes can't go on the toll roads. Bikes can't go on the decent roads in the middle where the cars can drive. Bikes are stuck to the local traffic side lanes on the left. Even if you had the power to go fast, you wouldn't want to because the condition of the roads is crap, and full of potholes and debris. Finding the correct route isn't that bad, because there are alot of signs to Pattaya. But after doing it once, I really wouldn't want to be bothered to ever try it again.

[prepress]

Hi fatmal, are you doing the trip? Can I join you ?

Want to test my new Yamaha Nouvo 135

Helmut

[BigBikeBKK]

No question the Bang Na - Trad road sucks on a bike. Sure you can do it, but why would you want to?

I ride down to Chonburi and Pattaya pretty often and I've found a pleasant way to go:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source....471924&z=9

About 150km that can be done in about 2 hours at moderate speed. Sure, it's not the most direct route, but it's a lot safer and you actually get to ride on some nice roads with lite traffic and good scenery. Great way to get to BIRA and Rayong too!

Happy Trails!

Edited January 28, 2009 by BigBikeBKK

[hogansingme]

Best to take bus from Ekamai no? To far to go and too dangerous. FYI I am lookingto buy Kaw ER-6n any leads saw a nice one in big C in pattaya - cheers to all. Second question is why cant I take a big bike on the toll way kind of silly no??? So bets route to pattaya from bkk is?????

[BigBikeBKK]

Best to take bus from Ekamai no? To far to go and too dangerous. FYI I am lookingto buy Kaw ER-6n any leads saw a nice one in big C in pattaya - cheers to all. Second question is why cant I take a big bike on the toll way kind of silly no??? So bets route to pattaya from bkk is?????

Um, did you read the post above? A good way to get from Pattaya to BKK on a bike...

Why can't you take a bike on the toll road? Because it's against the law... But why don't you try it and let us know what happens.

You can buy a Kawasaki ER-6n in Pattaya at Kawasaki Mityon:

Here's the website:

http://www.mityonbigbike.com/

[anothertorres]

cranky pants.

[submaniac]

Second question is why cant I take a big bike on the toll way kind of silly no??? So bets route to pattaya from bkk is?????

Why can't you take a big bike on the toll way? Well BigBikeBKK is correct. It's illegal. The laws were to prevent Somchai on his wave from slowing down traffic. The big bikes are fairly rare, and not enough people pushing for large cc bikes to be given toll way access.

The best route from BKK to Pattaya (and I assume in the reverse)? The route I took is just to take sukhumvit all the way down. It's the easiest because it is fairly easy to find. It's a shitty ride though. But it's easy and simple. Not much fun, and you can't go that fast.

[Freddie_fly]

Its not that shitty of a ride, just boring, follow the bang na signs out of BKK, get under the bang na trad highway and floow it to chonburi then you have two choices, go through chonburi sri racha pattaya or take the bypass which brings you out on the rayong road, which you cross yo go into pattaya from mabprachan, either way will be around 2 hours at reasonable speed.

dont worry, people do it all the time

regards

Freddie

[timi2546]

........... from BKK to Pattaya ...... just to take sukhumvit all the way down...... shitty ride though. But it's easy and simple. Not much fun, and you can't go that fast.

yea true, i have done that by my

kawa boss several times

and few times by cbx 750...

as an experience good , but true,

shit road, u'll never know when there's

a hole (or what ever)

in a street and then you and

your bike start to FLYYYYYY.....

100 km/hr is enough for me..

between chonburi/pattaya road

is ok and feels a littlebit

safer too :D

stay alive if u decide

to use bike there

good insurance recommended

[timi2546]

....... lookingto buy Kaw ER-6n a......?

hmm...stupid question, why kawa er6....

i feel it's not so popular in thailand like

cb 400 honda...well...sorry just offtopic...

the mityonlink was goood, needed that , thanks BigBikeBKK !

[ignis]

Why can't you take a big bike on the toll way? Well BigBikeBKK is correct. It's illegal. The laws were to prevent Somchai on his wave from slowing down traffic. The big bikes are fairly rare,

I was driving at 110km on the toll way on Monday and a big bike past me as it I was going backwards, I looked at the next Toll gate but the bike was not there or pulled over by the police at the gate!!

I have noticed in resent months there appear to be a lot more big bikes about, most are 400 to 650cc, as well as a fair few big choppers ridden by both Thai and foreigners

Maybe just me as I am not into bikes, but the big bike 1000cc to 1300cc all the ones I have seen appear to be a few years old ? yet have only noticed them in any numbers over the past few months

[JimsKnight]

if youre the adventurous type, cant beat a bike...if youre the adventurous type that doesnt become adventurous until you get to your destination....take a bus and rent a bike when you get to pattaya.

if you decide to ride there on your own, theres a few nice stops you can make while traveling, that cant be done on a bus....passing through ban saen, take the route through angthong to see a nice bay with restaurants located all along... then when passing through ban saen, go to the top of 'kow som mook'...to see wild monkeys ontop a hilltop, hundreds running around...also some really nice views ontop the hill.

Go for the bike, as long as you stay sharp out there and don't get the speed fever you'll be ok

[JimsKnight]

if youre the adventurous type, cant beat a bike...if youre the adventurous type that doesnt become adventurous until you get to your destination....take a bus and rent a bike when you get to pattaya.

I would like to think that I am the adventurous type (LIKE to think at least) but it's not an issue of adventure as much as it is an issue that it is a CRAP ride. It's one thing if you have a large cc bike and an open road. But the OP will be relegated to a small cc scooter that cannot outrun danger. Even if he's on a big bike, you really can't ride that fast. Bikes can't go on the toll roads. Bikes can't go on the decent roads in the middle where the cars can drive. Bikes are stuck to the local traffic side lanes on the left. Even if you had the power to go fast, you wouldn't want to because the condition of the roads is crap, and full of potholes and debris. Finding the correct route isn't that bad, because there are alot of signs to Pattaya. But after doing it once, I really wouldn't want to be bothered to ever try it again.

You're kind of correct, but once you know the road, hammering it down the highways at 120-140 is a breeze in most places (highway wise!

[Thaifever]

No question the Bang Na - Trad road sucks on a bike. Sure you can do it, but why would you want to?

I ride down to Chonburi and Pattaya pretty often and I've found a pleasant way to go:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source....471924&z=9

About 150km that can be done in about 2 hours at moderate speed. Sure, it's not the most direct route, but it's a lot safer and you actually get to ride on some nice roads with lite traffic and good scenery. Great way to get to BIRA and Rayong too!

Happy Trails!

Hey! Thanks for the info. I rode to Chonburi on that crap road at night last week, the road was good in sections and total mayhem in others. Of course further irritation was given by the gf screaming in my ear every time we hit a pothole lol. I was going to scrap my bike trip to Pattaya next weekend and take the bus, but I may try your route instead. Thanks again

[Thaifever]

Best to take bus from Ekamai no? To far to go and too dangerous. FYI I am lookingto buy Kaw ER-6n any leads saw a nice one in big C in pattaya - cheers to all. Second question is why cant I take a big bike on the toll way kind of silly no??? So bets route to pattaya from bkk is?????

Um, did you read the post above? A good way to get from Pattaya to BKK on a bike...

Why can't you take a bike on the toll road? Because it's against the law... But why don't you try it and let us know what happens.

I tried it. Not by choice. I really don't know Bangkok well aside form the BTS and MRT stations. So I picked up a GPS unit. It sent me up there. It was uncomfortable having cars pass at mach III. As I approached the gate a woman from one of the booths ran out in front of my path to stop me, as I got closer she waved me on. Maybe it was easier for her to wave me on than try and speak English? I dunno. I read somewhere the fine is 2000 baht.

Previous to this experience, I looked for some kind of setting to turn off toll booths on the GPS. Didn't find it. After this experience, I looked a lot harder and found the setting. Doh!

[wjmark]

Why can't you take a bike on the toll road? Because it's against the law... But why don't you try it and let us know what happens.

I did it. From Bkk to almost Rayong.

Last June I took my CBR150 on a bus (from CM) to just outside Bkk. They dumped me on the side of the highway at 6:30am, pointed up another highway, and said "Rayong".

In a light rain, I zipped along this empty highway for about 20k, and came to a toll booth entrance to the highway. There was no way around it, and the only option was to go back towards Bkk and come around another way.

I put on my hard-done-by face, and the toll-collector told me to get off my bike and push it across the line. Didn't take any money, and made the hand-cuff sign to me indicating that the police will grab me if they can.

So at about 7:15am I entered the toll-way, and away I went. I didn't care about about the right lane law, as I was already beyond redemption...

The CBR was in top form - I zipped at 140-145 in the fast lane for more than half an hour (great bike), going through 2 more toll-booths. The first one looked at me as if I was from another planet (I am actually - my planet allows bikes on motorways), and just let me through. The second one tried to wave me over, but I bullied my way past him and kept going.

Then, after about an hour total, I lost my bottle (as they say), and dropped off at the next exit. Took another hour to do the next 60k to Rayong...

It was kinda neat feeling to realize that I was the ONLY bike (probably) on any toll-way anywhere in Thailand .