Large Cc Motorcycles On Expressways

[CanInBKK]

Seems like a sensitive issue on TV!! Well, here are my observations anyways, the average person riding sub 250cc bikes in Thailand is not one to take road safety seriously (albeit there exists a group of riders who wear proper safety gear and ride their 125 bike/scooter according to what they learned in the MSF course they took at one time, this group is by far the minority). However a far greater proportion of 250cc+ riders value their life dearly and thus have greater respect for road safety. Thus small bikes should be kept off expressways if not for the lack of the rider's lack of road safety then at least for the fact the bike itself cannot keep pace with traffic; while, big bikes should be allowed.

[Plus]

There's a lot more to safe driving that the ability to maintain speed.

Imagine a bike going 150km/h between two lanes of cars going at 120, and someone decides to change the lane?

Imagine some car accelerating over 160km/h to overtake on the left and trying to squeeze past the bike crusing at 140?

One little clip on a handlebar is all what is needed to end biker's life.

Yes, legal limit is "safe" 120km/h, but then there's the reality.

Oh heavy traffic jams during major holidays with extra lanes on hard shoulders, it's hard for bikers to navigate even a stationary jams like that. Imagine moving at 90km/h, and everybody trying to squeeze them out of the way because there's no mercy in those conditions - every square inch of road surface is taken within seconds.

All for what? So that they can enjoy the speed? So that the can drive over legal limits, too? It feels, good, sure, but from the point of view of safety it's a nightmare for everyone else.

[madjbs]

Imagine a car going 150km/h trying to squeeze between 2 other cars going 120km/h.

Lets ban cars as well.

[Maizefarmer]

While we deal with the subject lightheartedly on forum, may like to know guys that the law was nearly changed in 2001.

The problem was: what would the cc limit be, and how could it be enforced - how would tollway staff be able to distinguish one bike from another?

All very clear when you have a moped and a big Beem'r side by side, but lets say a cc limit was used - what would it be, and why? - a limit of 125cc, or say, 600cc (?)

How could a 125cc bike be clearly seperated from a 150cc or 175cc bike, and how could a Gixer 600cc be defined from a Gixer 750cc - what would prevent bike owners from putting Gixer' 750cc fairings and graphics onto a 600cc Gixer' - guys who "know" bikes and keep up to date with with the subtle changes season to season, and bike to bike, may be able to tell, but how could tollway staff be trained to tell the difference in this case - and with the 4 or 5 other big Japanese names, never mind the European brands like Truimph, Ducati, KTM .......?

A suggestion was that bikes could be presented for a "cc inspection" (if cc was to be used as the defining criteria) when been registered, at which point a holographic faring/windscreen sticker could be issued - for a fee of course! - something like a road tax disc - fine, but the issue then was: how would the authorities stop these been swoped from one bike to another(?)

Could, or would tollway staff have the time during rush hour to stop and inspect each bike/sticker combination e.g. the holographic sticker has the bike reg on it and could be compared with the bike reg plates - then what would stop reg plates from been changed, or, stop the counterfeiters making holographic stickers - now staff have to be trained to spot dodgy index plates and/or dodgy holographic stickers (.... it wouldn't be long before counterfeit stickers were been knocked-up in some basement print shop).

Tollway staff could be linked to the vechicle reg [plate] database - wouldn't stop counterfeit sticker/bike combinations, but could perhaps stop multiple bikes from using the details of one genuine bike. Now the reg plate records have to be "on-line" realtime at the booths - so a whole new computer system has to be got up and running (problems, problems, problems ......... that you can be sure of - it'll work some days, others days it will not - what then?

In principal the authorities were not against allowing bikes of a certain size and upwards been allowed into the tollways - the problem was always going to be 2 fold:

- what criteria to use to qualify bikes - size?, if so from what size upwards?

- enforcement - how could the system be relaibly enforced?

One of the concerns that was with out doubt going to fast turn into a problem, was that of youngsters on their sooped up mopeds, using quiet pay roads (been as nice as they are) as late night speedways - sneek up long side a truck or bus then race through the plaza ... now the cops have a whole new class of offenders to have to deal with - they'll be spending all day (night) dealing with kids who turn up at the tollway to sneak through, or saying " Sorry - have no Satang". Now what? - tell them to turn round and go back, take their bike away from them?

...... nice idea, no practical way to decide on which bikes would be entitled, and which would not, and no practical way to enforce it (.... and thats ignoring the boys in brown who will quickly see all sorts of "oppurtunities").

Anyone have any realistic and usable ideas how qualifying bikes could be seperated from unqualifying bikes (whatever the criteria was going to be), and how the system could be enforced - never know, may be able to get the authorities to rethink the 2001 decision.

Edited July 2, 2009 by Maizefarmer

[Datsun240Z]

what is the point in riding high power moto cycles?

novice. try this one instead http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrMUGjaLBvs

I loved the Ghostrider

SUZUKI HAYABUSA

[Plus]

Imagine a car going 150km/h trying to squeeze between 2 other cars going 120km/h.

Easily, they might clip side mirrors or leave a scratch mark. In case of an accident there is a steel body cage, glorified crump zones, a bunch of airbags and seat belts. Even trucks come with two bags now.

What does a motocycle have? A couple of optional knee pads?

Some people here advise from driving pickup trucks at those speeds because of lack of safety.

>>>>

Bottom line, if Thailand had enough roads, maybe even bike lanes like in Malaysia, enough space for everybody to drive safely, and enough big bikes to make it an issue, the proposal could have been considered.

In Thailand as it is it's a non-starter.

[madjbs]

Rubbish

It's just as dangerous driving on normal roads. Should we ban bikes there as well?

It would actually be safer for big bikes to drive on expressways compared to the frontage roads.

[slapout]

Let the motorbikes go where they want to (they do anyway) Ban the high dollar vehicles and those with a driver for the little mouse setting in the back seat. Either can get along with the majority of us but not each other. A limited time observation on my part.

[Scott]

I don't care if they allow the motorbikes on the freeway. It's the drivers here that I don't want on the freeway.

[TAWP]

As cops are riding with large motorbikes on the freeway daily (the larger yellow ones can only be seen on the toll way basically) surely private people should be allowed to?

Any rule against it is outdated, ofcourse.

[Plus]

It's just as dangerous driving on normal roads. Should we ban bikes there as well?

That's an idea.

>>>

How can you say that accidents at speeds over 120km/h are equally dangerous as at crawling speeds on normal roads, hardly ever higher than 60km/h (for bikes)?

[madjbs]

Have you ever ridden a big bike? People ride at 100km/h and over on Bangkok roads all the time. Also, the roads are in worse condition and have more hazards off the highway.

You need to ride a bike to understand.

[pattaya_girl]

I Love Big Bikes.

[thaihome]

.... The situation in Thailand is skewed from the way it is in the rest of the world. Everywhere else, where the government doesn't tax the crap out of all cars, even poor people can afford cars. People on bikes are on bikes because they want to be. In Thailand, most people can't afford cars, so the motorcycle is the basic means of transportation.

In the States, and in the rest of the world, the bikes aren't the ones slowing traffic down. The bikes are the ones most likely to be whizzing by you in a blur. In fact, California has tried to encourage motorcycles by allowing them to ride in the carpool lanes, allowing them to split lanes, and offering special motorcycles only parking.

My problem in Thailand is that the clowns with the old and small cc bikes are everywhere. If you can differentiate the big bikes from the small cc scooters, that would be great for the expressways.

Uh, don't get around much do we. Hate to burst your bubble, but in most of the rest of the world, it is just like Thailand in that motorcyles are the most common form of transportation. The only place that is different is in the some parts of the west.

I do agree it they can come up with a workable system to only allow big bikes on, then they shoudl be able to ride the expressways/motorways as well.

TH

[Datsun240Z]

Yes, but than the road quality has to improve, like everything else....

[dbrenn]

As far as im am aware the law states that no motorcycles are allowed on any express way or motorway in Thailand. I agree its would be very dangerous to

allow then silly mopeds with mum dad grandma grandad and the kids all hanging on with no helmets on.

I would very much like to see the law relaxed a little bit allowing high power motor cycle 600cc and above. Most high power motorcycle riders are

responsible and safe in Thailand and the vehicle is certainly capable of keeping up with traffic speed. Does anyone have any views on this, and

how would one go about making this point in parliament?

I had big bikes in Thailand, a 400 cc CB1 then a CBR1100XX Blackbird, and it was a constant source of frustration to me. Not beinng allowed to use flyovers was another. Having to keep in the left hand lane was another. I got pulled over a few times for overtaking smoky old buses and other slow moving traffic in the left lane.

Big bikes are a lot of fun upcountry, but Bangkok is not big bike friendly.

[CanInBKK]

While we deal with the subject lightheartedly on forum, may like to know guys that the law was nearly changed in 2001.

<<snip>>

- what criteria to use to qualify bikes - size?, if so from what size upwards?

- enforcement - how could the system be relaibly enforced?

<<snip>>

Anyone have any realistic and usable ideas how qualifying bikes could be seperated from unqualifying bikes (whatever the criteria was going to be), and how the system could be enforced - never know, may be able to get the authorities to rethink the 2001 decision.

Interesting to know!! What if they didn't try to "enforce" the rules but allow selection to take place naturally?? I mean yes, have a holographic sticker/RFID tag/whatever but also make the toll fee 65+ Baht. Is it reasonable to assume that someone who spent 600,000 Baht on a litre bike would spend 100 Baht to get on the expressway? Maybe. It would probably keep the average Sonic rider off the expressway as well. Would this work?

[OzMick]

The biggest problem is always going to be the politicians. If the limit was set at 250cc (interesting how different views tend to set the limit probably at the size of their own bike) so that it rightfully excludes those 200cc road slugs, you eliminate 99% of the politicians voters. Why does he want to support a law that alienates thais and keeps a few farangs happy?

Tough T.I.T.

[imaneggspurt]

Until quite recently bikes over 150cc's could not be sold legally in Thailand. Consequently, the ban on bikes on the freeway made perfect sense. Bikes that were big enough to ride on the freeway weren't legal & so there was no reason the change the laws to accommodate them. Recently we have started seeing larger bikes here, both legal ones like the Honda Phantom and gray market bikes. Hopefully, the law will start to differentiate between the little scooters that should stay off the freeway and the 200cc & larger bikes that can keep up with cars!

[/quoteThe honda phantom was a 175 2 stroke over 10 years ago,and in 02 i think it was the 200cc 4 stroke appeared, i think it would make sense now that kawasaki have released legit 250s + to have that size as a minimum on the motorways, however just how would the girl in the both know the engine size ?. but im sure a forward facing sticker would do the trick,.

[Netfan]

The biggest problem is always going to be the politicians. If the limit was set at 250cc (interesting how different views tend to set the limit probably at the size of their own bike) so that it rightfully excludes those 200cc road slugs, you eliminate 99% of the politicians voters. Why does he want to support a law that alienates thais and keeps a few farangs happy?

Tough T.I.T.

The majority of big bike owners in Thailand are NOT farang - they are Thai. Fairly wealthy Thai at that. A visit to any big bike week will confirm that, as will a visit to any of the big bike shops or factory dealers - Ducati, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Triumph and BMW.

There is another similar thread running on the bikes in thailand sub-forum and it mentions a petition at Powerstation (the authorized HD dealer in Bkk) to allow big bikes on the tollways. As a big bike owner and Bkk daily commuter, I cannot wait for the day we are allowed on tollways. The surface roads are death-traps. Try riding Bang na Trat road, knowing that right above you is a beautiful, lightly used, non-potholed road you can't use.

Sorry, I just don't understand why anyone would be against this, unless you just hate motorcycles / bikers. All they have to do is say "if you get caught on the tollway with a bike under ---- cc's, you lose the bike and walk home". What kid on a 125 sonic is going to risk losing his bike? None. There's BiB at every toll booth in Thailand. Easy to enforce. You aren't allowed to get on the tollway with a pick up full of people in the bed. It's enforced. Not that difficult.

[MJo]

The majority of big bike owners in Thailand are NOT farang - they are Thai. Fairly wealthy Thai at that. A visit to any big bike week will confirm that, as will a visit to any of the big bike shops or factory dealers - Ducati, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Triumph and BMW.

There is another similar thread running on the bikes in thailand sub-forum and it mentions a petition at Powerstation (the authorized HD dealer in Bkk) to allow big bikes on the tollways. As a big bike owner and Bkk daily commuter, I cannot wait for the day we are allowed on tollways. The surface roads are death-traps. Try riding Bang na Trat road, knowing that right above you is a beautiful, lightly used, non-potholed road you can't use.

Sorry, I just don't understand why anyone would be against this, unless you just hate motorcycles / bikers. All they have to do is say "if you get caught on the tollway with a bike under ---- cc's, you lose the bike and walk home". What kid on a 125 sonic is going to risk losing his bike? None. There's BiB at every toll booth in Thailand. Easy to enforce. You aren't allowed to get on the tollway with a pick up full of people in the bed. It's enforced. Not that difficult.

Amen, it is serious issue to driver safety not being able to use expressways. Change of law would save countless lives every year. How many bikers here have ran over a dog, chicken or other animal and how many has been close to have an accident as someone is making illegal u-turn, pulling in front of you from the side roads etc etc ?

Now letting big bikes to use expressways would save lives, both bikers and in some cases pedestrians and even car drivers.

In Philippines they were lobbying hard for years including several years long legal battle organized by biker clubs and organizations. Good if the law is now changed there.

Make it 400cc or bigger (easy to spot by anyone as the size difference is quite big compared to 200 or 250cc) and someone said you don't need to make it Thai style with stickers, inspections and licences. It is enough that the BiB keep their eyes open at the toll booths as they now do for oversized loads and other violations.

[Brigante7]

the problem is that the average Somchai will just change lanes without looking in his mirrors. ride the wrong direction to save fuel. not have working lights at night time.

I dont think I need to say anymore!

Yet it's okay for "average Somchai" to get in his beaten up old truck, with one headlight facing to the moon and the other lined up to blind oncoming drivers, no seatbelts, brakes last serviced when Prem was PM, pile the family onto the back and crab along the expressway with the front pointing 45 degrees to the direction of travel? Get real. How many average Somchai's own big bikes? How many big bikes are there in the country? Do you really think the expressways will become crowded with lane changing idiots riding the wrong way? You'll find the vast majority of big bike riders in Thailand are the safest road users. We have to be, with so many car driving idiots around.

Car driving idiots? So the idiots on bikes (Most of them) who decide that a car travelling at 120kph in lane 3 overtaking a car doing 90kph in lane 2 which in turn is overtaking a car doing 70kph in lane 1 are all holding him up decides to pass between the cars in lane 2 & 3 but the car in lane 3 has passed the car in lane 2, indicates and pulls over to lane 2 and takes the biker out, then what? 99% of bikers are impatient and risk their own lives and other peoples lives with idiotic moves. Bikers expect everybody to move out of their way.

Brigante7.

[Fishenough]

Motorcycle safety agreements aside: Momma always called them Murdercycles.

A couple of countries have a minimum speed capability requirements posted on all entrances connecting to freeways/express ways. Example; Toll road: vehicles capable of sustained 120 kph only, fines of 5000 Baht for non compliance.

The agreements based on bike size/displacement are hard to enforce for many a reason; like the new 250 Ninja cruises more comfortably at 120 than my old 84 750 Virago.

Cheers - he whom wasn't to take the bike on the next Bangkok tour.

[mpetersen]

While we deal with the subject lightheartedly on forum, may like to know guys that the law was nearly changed in 2001.

The problem was: what would the cc limit be, and how could it be enforced - how would tollway staff be able to distinguish one bike from another?

All very clear when you have a moped and a big Beem'r side by side, but lets say a cc limit was used - what would it be, and why? - a limit of 125cc, or say, 600cc (?)

How could a 125cc bike be clearly seperated from a 150cc or 175cc bike, and how could a Gixer 600cc be defined from a Gixer 750cc - what would prevent bike owners from putting Gixer' 750cc fairings and graphics onto a 600cc Gixer' - guys who "know" bikes and keep up to date with with the subtle changes season to season, and bike to bike, may be able to tell, but how could tollway staff be trained to tell the difference in this case - and with the 4 or 5 other big Japanese names, never mind the European brands like Truimph, Ducati, KTM .......?

A suggestion was that bikes could be presented for a "cc inspection" (if cc was to be used as the defining criteria) when been registered, at which point a holographic faring/windscreen sticker could be issued - for a fee of course! - something like a road tax disc - fine, but the issue then was: how would the authorities stop these been swoped from one bike to another(?)

Could, or would tollway staff have the time during rush hour to stop and inspect each bike/sticker combination e.g. the holographic sticker has the bike reg on it and could be compared with the bike reg plates - then what would stop reg plates from been changed, or, stop the counterfeiters making holographic stickers - now staff have to be trained to spot dodgy index plates and/or dodgy holographic stickers (.... it wouldn't be long before counterfeit stickers were been knocked-up in some basement print shop).

Tollway staff could be linked to the vechicle reg [plate] database - wouldn't stop counterfeit sticker/bike combinations, but could perhaps stop multiple bikes from using the details of one genuine bike. Now the reg plate records have to be "on-line" realtime at the booths - so a whole new computer system has to be got up and running (problems, problems, problems ......... that you can be sure of - it'll work some days, others days it will not - what then?

In principal the authorities were not against allowing bikes of a certain size and upwards been allowed into the tollways - the problem was always going to be 2 fold:

- what criteria to use to qualify bikes - size?, if so from what size upwards?

- enforcement - how could the system be relaibly enforced?

One of the concerns that was with out doubt going to fast turn into a problem, was that of youngsters on their sooped up mopeds, using quiet pay roads (been as nice as they are) as late night speedways - sneek up long side a truck or bus then race through the plaza ... now the cops have a whole new class of offenders to have to deal with - they'll be spending all day (night) dealing with kids who turn up at the tollway to sneak through, or saying " Sorry - have no Satang". Now what? - tell them to turn round and go back, take their bike away from them?

...... nice idea, no practical way to decide on which bikes would be entitled, and which would not, and no practical way to enforce it (.... and thats ignoring the boys in brown who will quickly see all sorts of "oppurtunities").

Anyone have any realistic and usable ideas how qualifying bikes could be seperated from unqualifying bikes (whatever the criteria was going to be), and how the system could be enforced - never know, may be able to get the authorities to rethink the 2001 decision.

Just issue a different color/type of registration and license plate. It's not that complicated. They have moped plates as distinguished from motorcycle plates in places like germany, where - gee-whiz - mopeds are NOT allowed on autobahns, but big motorbikes are.

[ttakata]

I read all the posts here and thought I'd chime in with my biased opinions of course (it is a forum after all).

I love bikes and cars and have owned many of both.

When I made the rare poor driving decision in my car (never had an accident that was my fault after 20 years BTW), I could have caused major damage to property and others.

When I made the very rare poor riding decision on a bike, I could have killed myself, but not easily hurt anyone else or damage property.

There was even one time where I almost switched lanes into a biker, he was flying past me so I didn't see him in my blindspot.

We all make poor driving decisions, but I know bikers are more attentive (not necessarily smarter) drivers on average since their lives are at stake.

That's the bikers choice and everyone needs to accept this, it will never change.

I don't think bikers expect cars to get out of their way, at least I don't.

The car is the bigger vehicle that can kill me so it has the right of way in my opinion, just like a truck beats us all.

Yet I have a bike because I can just pass you instead.

What we all don't appreciate is anyone just swerving lanes with no signals.

I think most people driving cars hate bikes because they are either jealous of how easily they can get around them or they aren't paying attention and nearly hurt a biker.

This is the car driver's problem, deal with it.

You should realize truck drivers hate all of us since we're all little wasps to them, but I don't see them bitching and moaning here.

I see bikers (I'm in Bangkok) split lanes and ride anyway they feel like because they know they can get away with it.

I find it odd that Thailand has so many store employees helping shoppers, but so few police compared to drivers.

I even see fake fiberglass police men standing near intersections.

If labor is so inexpensive here why not more police?

Not enough taxes to pay for them, do you want to raise taxes?

I like the taxing idea for big bikes on the freeway.

Anyone with a big bike can afford the tax that could help pay for more police to enforce the poor driving here and/or maintain the freeways but with less wear to it than a car.

It's safe to say most people driving a car spend most of their time alone commuting to and from work.

For every single person commuting in a car's footprint there could be 2 motorcyclists, or 4 people on scooters (8 with passengers).

For the idiots that think bikes should be banned; imagine if that became reality and we swapped every Thai bike you see today with a car or more buses.

Imagine those 10-20 scooters in front of you and in between lanes at today's red light were 10-20 cars in front of you tomorrow.

The traffic would be even more horrible and gas prices would go up.

On the flipside, imagine if everyone rode bikes; we'd all get around faster at the expense of more deaths.

I see bikers as a societal benefit, we reduce traffic since we often use the space a car can't and we keep populations low by vehicular suicide.

So for you car biased people in Bangkok, look in the mirror because you're actually the selfish jerk wasting more resources and creating more traffic.

Don't get me wrong, I was a resource waster too.

I've had many cars back in the US but at least I never created much traffic since I lived and worked in suburbia.

Now all I have is a scooter for BKK.

I still ride the MRT and BTS sometimes too.

Car or bike, go safely and don't drive angry.

Dos Pesos, Ted

Edited September 27, 2009 by ttakata

[classix]

While we deal with the subject lightheartedly on forum, may like to know guys that the law was nearly changed in 2001.

The problem was: what would the cc limit be, and how could it be enforced - how would tollway staff be able to distinguish one bike from another?

All very clear when you have a moped and a big Beem'r side by side, but lets say a cc limit was used - what would it be, and why? - a limit of 125cc, or say, 600cc (?)

How could a 125cc bike be clearly seperated from a 150cc or 175cc bike, and how could a Gixer 600cc be defined from a Gixer 750cc - what would prevent bike owners from putting Gixer' 750cc fairings and graphics onto a 600cc Gixer' - guys who "know" bikes and keep up to date with with the subtle changes season to season, and bike to bike, may be able to tell, but how could tollway staff be trained to tell the difference in this case - and with the 4 or 5 other big Japanese names, never mind the European brands like Truimph, Ducati, KTM .......?

A suggestion was that bikes could be presented for a "cc inspection" (if cc was to be used as the defining criteria) when been registered, at which point a holographic faring/windscreen sticker could be issued - for a fee of course! - something like a road tax disc - fine, but the issue then was: how would the authorities stop these been swoped from one bike to another(?)

Could, or would tollway staff have the time during rush hour to stop and inspect each bike/sticker combination e.g. the holographic sticker has the bike reg on it and could be compared with the bike reg plates - then what would stop reg plates from been changed, or, stop the counterfeiters making holographic stickers - now staff have to be trained to spot dodgy index plates and/or dodgy holographic stickers (.... it wouldn't be long before counterfeit stickers were been knocked-up in some basement print shop).

Tollway staff could be linked to the vechicle reg [plate] database - wouldn't stop counterfeit sticker/bike combinations, but could perhaps stop multiple bikes from using the details of one genuine bike. Now the reg plate records have to be "on-line" realtime at the booths - so a whole new computer system has to be got up and running (problems, problems, problems ......... that you can be sure of - it'll work some days, others days it will not - what then?

In principal the authorities were not against allowing bikes of a certain size and upwards been allowed into the tollways - the problem was always going to be 2 fold:

- what criteria to use to qualify bikes - size?, if so from what size upwards?

- enforcement - how could the system be relaibly enforced?

One of the concerns that was with out doubt going to fast turn into a problem, was that of youngsters on their sooped up mopeds, using quiet pay roads (been as nice as they are) as late night speedways - sneek up long side a truck or bus then race through the plaza ... now the cops have a whole new class of offenders to have to deal with - they'll be spending all day (night) dealing with kids who turn up at the tollway to sneak through, or saying " Sorry - have no Satang". Now what? - tell them to turn round and go back, take their bike away from them?

...... nice idea, no practical way to decide on which bikes would be entitled, and which would not, and no practical way to enforce it (.... and thats ignoring the boys in brown who will quickly see all sorts of "oppurtunities").

Anyone have any realistic and usable ideas how qualifying bikes could be seperated from unqualifying bikes (whatever the criteria was going to be), and how the system could be enforced - never know, may be able to get the authorities to rethink the 2001 decision.

Qualified response.They should start open the road for big bikes at pattaya bike week.Going with 40 bikes through the city coming from phuket took as a hel_l of a day.tried Ride Thailand magazine get this up but the guys all take the pick ups.Also i think they know this would be another fight against windmills.Book now air asia hkt bkk 290 baht 12 feb in pattaya.is there any other country where bikes can not go.The realistic answer is the licence plate big bikes small plates under 80 kmh or 125cc or less smaller moped plates.

[Jaydillon]

you couldn't pay me enough to ride/drive a bike on an express way in Thailand and this has nothing to do with being small minded, it has more to do with wanting to live

Not only that, but Thais treat motorcycles like bycicles, riding in and out of traffic etc etc. Thais will not have ANY regard to saftey at all. There will be fatalities every 10 minutes or so....

After a while, Thailand would have a population issue on their hands.

Population issue don't worry I can help to resolve that issue

[Jaydillon]

the problem is that the average Somchai will just change lanes without looking in his mirrors. ride the wrong direction to save fuel. not have working lights at night time.

I dont think I need to say anymore!

Yet it's okay for "average Somchai" to get in his beaten up old truck, with one headlight facing to the moon and the other lined up to blind oncoming drivers, no seatbelts, brakes last serviced when Prem was PM, pile the family onto the back and crab along the expressway with the front pointing 45 degrees to the direction of travel? Get real. How many average Somchai's own big bikes? How many big bikes are there in the country? Do you really think the expressways will become crowded with lane changing idiots riding the wrong way? You'll find the vast majority of big bike riders in Thailand are the safest road users. We have to be, with so many car driving idiots around.

100% spot on the problem is there are lot of anti bike people around.I have been riding 1000cc+ bike on UK motorways for years without any problem.I must say motorway big bike riders ride with care and respect to other road uses and I feel much safer.This pissed me off that when I come to Thailand I am NOT allowed to ride my Ducati on the motoways.The law is outdated and needs changing we should run a poll and see the results.The majority will be in favour allowing big bikes on Thai motorways.

[barrybike]

big bikes should be allowed on any road ......motorway or not........

[soundman]

Posts have been removed for flaming.

Please keep it civil.