Pattaya To Chiang Mai

[Lancelot]

“Oh, you’ll need a big bike to ride from Pattaya to Chiang Mai…”

Oh yeah?

Well, only one thing to do with a challenge like that-hit the road Jack

I fueled my Honda 110 CZ-I, AKN “The Mini Beast” up with gasohol 91 and headed north. I thrashed the mini beast up Highway 131, then 331 before entering Chachoengsa on 315. After exiting 131, the roads were two lane, scenic and bordered on either side by lush rice paddies (well, a few were green, lol.)

Leaving C town, I hit 319 to Prachinburi, then 33 to Rt. 1 and cooled my heels in a hotel at Saraburi. On the road the next dayat 0900, I roared (indulge me, OK?) up Highway 1 to Nakhon Sawan. Great four lane roads and fairly light traffic. I mostly stayed on the left side margin but a few times I ventured into the right lanes to pass trucks. Continuing north, I noticed the heat intensifying near Tak. It felt like a blast furnace but I motored on. My little Honda likes to cruise at 80 to 90 kph. I had her at 100 a few times, but its wide open throttle and seems to punish the engine. Maybe a rear sprocket with a couple less teeth would add some top end speed.

I got a wild hair and decided to push on, so I pulled into Lampang and missed my turn to Chiang Mai. For some reason I got turned around at Lampang, an spent about 15 minutes before I got back to the Highway 11 turn off to Chiang Mai.

Ridding up HW 11 at night was eerie, the hill sides were ablaze and it truly was a scene out of Dante’s Inferno. I read in the BKK Post that the “pollution” was from neighboring Lao and Cambodia, but I say bull sh*t, I saw the fires with my own eyes (February 27.) I was wearing light tan cargo pants and a long sleeve white shirt. The pollution/truck diesel fumes was so bad that I looked like a bum that had not changed clothes for a month. I was becoming ashamed to go into 7-11 for my hourly coffee break, 555!

I made Chiang Mai at 2230 and crashed in a B300 fan room at Top North Guest House.

Well, I didn’t get back on the beast for a couple of days… I got my iron butt back to normal by walking the streets of CM and chilling out.

But you can’t keep a good bike down…

Three days later I was back on the road, heading north on Rt. 107 to Mae Sai. It’s a wonderful ride, twisty mountain roads and hardly any traffic. North of Fang, it looks like rural Lao, little villages hugging the road, people staring, then waving at the farang ridding by.

Pulled into Mae Sai at dusk and got a B250 fan room within walking distance to the border. Walked across the next day, just to say I’d been to Burma and avoid a 90 day report back in Pattaya. I must look puny because the Viagra salesmen were on me like the plague. Many Thais in Tachiak shopping. The Burmese spoke good Thai and English and were hawking clothes, Vitamin V and cosmetics like crazy. About four hours was enough and I walked back to Mae Sai. It costs B500 to enter Burma for the day; they keep your passport and give you a “pass” document while you are in country.

The next morning I motored south on Rt 1 and spent a pleasant night in sleepy Chiang Rai.

South on Rt. 118 the following day and spent another week at Chiang Mai, just chilling out and relaxing. I started to miss the bright lights of Pattaya, so I hit the road again and did an Iron Butt ride from Chiang Mai to Bangkok via Rts. 11, 117 and 1. Man, was I tired when I rode into Bangkok; I stayed there five days to recuperate, LOL!

My mini beast performed admirably, consuming 54 liters of fuel (mostly gasohol 91) in 2,680 kilometers of ridding. I averaged 49 km/L, down a bit from 60 km/L poking around Pattaya.

All in all I really enjoyed my little epic journey and I think I’ll do an Isan tour next time.

Wave man out!!!

[LivinLOS]

Thats dedication !!!

Top work.

[Lancelot]

Some pics:

1 The Mini Beast

2 Recling Buddah somewhere on Rt 118

3 Burma Border

[AceCafe]

Brilliant! Well done you!

[nakedAIR1300]

I normally laugh when I see people posting tho be about Honda dream, waves and fino on this bike forum but your an exception to this rule! A job well done, keep up the interesting posts!

[bazmlb]

Massive effort! well done

but thats something you would never do on say a Honda 50 or ummm would you...

[AceCafe]

Met this guy on his modified Wave somewhere up near Lampang in December '07...... he'd left Phuket 6 months and 30,000km earlier...... was just bimbling all over Thailand and having a blast! Ofter thought of doing it myself, just for the crack!

[junki3korean]

Respect...............

[Lancelot]

Massive effort! well done

but thats something you would never do on say a Honda 50 or ummm would you...

Honda 50?!? Naaa.

Then again, never say never

Naaaaaaaaaaaa, 555!

Actually my CZ-i is a cheap version of the regular Honda Wave. The frame is lighter, single piston front disc brake, kick start, etc. Great fuel economy and it will also run on E-20, when available. I don't regret buying it but if I buy another bike, I may opt for something with more guts, maybe a Yamaha Spark, Honda CBR-150, or even the Honda Dream 125 (The Dreams look stronger, more like a pick up version of a motor bike...)

[guzzi850m2]

Massive effort! well done

but thats something you would never do on say a Honda 50 or ummm would you...

Honda 50?!? Naaa.

Then again, never say never

Naaaaaaaaaaaa, 555!

Actually my CZ-i is a cheap version of the regular Honda Wave. The frame is lighter, single piston front disc brake, kick start, etc. Great fuel economy and it will also run on E-20, when available. I don't regret buying it but if I buy another bike, I may opt for something with more guts, maybe a Yamaha Spark, Honda CBR-150, or even the Honda Dream 125 (The Dreams look stronger, more like a pick up version of a motor bike...)

Bloody hel_l man or should I say iron man I have a Wave 125 but only using it for scooter around Pattaya. When I have to go more than 50 clicks I go on the Harley as my axxx are completely sore after 50 clicks on the Wave.

I once went from Phuket to Koo Samoi (and back) on a Honda Sonic (2 stoke) and I said never again on a small bike.

You are the proof that it can be done, my hat off for you my friend, you are a tough cookie.

PS How old are you? sorry none of mine business but just curious.

I am 47 and a real sofa hero

Good luck with the next tour.

[Lancelot]

PS How old are you? sorry none of mine business but just curious.

56 going on 18

[johnefallis]

Dude, that's great!!! I want to go next time! I'll get myself a little Honda Sonic and be right there with you. Can't complain about getting over 115 miles to the gallon either (Yes, I did the math). I'll bring the Preparation H.

John

[JimmyTheMook]

Great report , should have stopped and slept a bit more along the way....

I have done the loop from Chiang Mai up to Mae Sai and then around Mae Hong Son back into CM all on a rented Honda Dream.

They are very robust little machines.

[Lancelot]

Great report , should have stopped and slept a bit more along the way....

No argument there

[hulahula85]

Wow haha fantastic report! I did BKK to Udon last year on the CBR and wanted to die by the time i got there....

[Bard]

Well done there, that is dedication... I have a CZ-i for popping around town but no way I would bother to try something more, for that my 600 is it for me. Reminds me about the Finnish guy who rode from Pattaya to Vietnam on a Wave 125 in the hope he could pop over the border there with it.

Cheers Bard

[Lancelot]

Well done there, that is dedication... I have a CZ-i for popping around town but no way I would bother to try something more, for that my 600 is it for me. Reminds me about the Finnish guy who rode from Pattaya to Vietnam on a Wave 125 in the hope he could pop over the border there with it.

Cheers Bard

Ah, go for it Bard. If you never try; you never know

[Netfan]

I only wish there was a emot-thing for "i'm not worthy". Great story. Well done!

[JimsKnight]

Good journey man, I thought I was adventuring on a sonic to Bangkok from Phitsanoluk but that is groovin man!

[anothertorres]

awesome.

[longstebe]

You have defo got my respect there mate. Had me laughing my balls off.

What a story to tell.I hope your kids(if any)are very proud of you.

[Ithailian]

Indeed awesome, and by all accounts, that was probably much better on your ass than riding a crotch-rocket.

But ... did you make the trip in standard Thai issue flip-flops and shorts? That'd be double insane. There's always the ride back.

Edited April 15, 2009 by Ithailian

[lennya12threh]

I did a border run from BKK to Poipet, Cambodia and back all in one day with only 2 hours break at the border and my girlfriend on the back. It took a total of 12 hours and I was back in Bangkok. LoL. Maybe 800km total round trip. I enjoyed it actually. Now I only drive the CBR though. It's much better.