Large Cc Motorcycles On Expressways

[PeaceBlondie]

Does not apply to (free) expressways in northern Thailand. I ride in right lane, 125 kph, with respect, regularly.

[nonghoidave]

Bangkok problem. I drive the elevated expressways here daily, right lane, 125 kph.

BMW has sold legal 1200 cc bikes in Thailand for many years, and Triumph sells legal 2,300 cc. The law is outdated, but how to change it?

Yup. Seems I've seen the little mopeds on the superhighway here in Chiangmai, two up.......I know I have: that's why I just bought a Ducati.

[nonghoidave]

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

Together with the lovely ladies, fresh air, mountain roads... I can't think of a better reason to live upcountry.

About those commenting here about the dangers of bikes.....one should always ride like some fool driver in a car is blind, and doesn't see us. No matter what road, no matter what circumstance.

Of course, I'm only 54, and have only ridden in small villages like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and the like since 15 years of age: what do I know about the dangers of traffic?

Bottom line: Riding a motorcycle in Thailand is no more dangerous or safe than anywhere in the world if you do not pay attention.

Some of the comments here by non-riders about the "dangers of bikes on highways" are simply foolish and ignorant. Sorry, but that's the plain truth. I know what's ahead of me, behind me and besides me at all times, even in my truck: one never knows when ignorant is driving near you.

[nikster]

Surprised there's so much discussion, I think it's a no-brainer, of course they should be allowed, and of course it's an outdated, ill-thought-through law.

Road laws in this country seem to be mostly an excuse for police to make extra money, very selective and inconsistent enforcement.

I don't think rants against Thai drivers have any place in this forum, BTW. It works pretty well when you adjust to local conditions. You just have to drive slower than back home, that's all. Look at the way 50 year old Thais ride their motorcycle - do you think they ever have any accidents? Because I don't think they do. They may not go very fast, but they drive very safely.

[Garry]

I'm just happy to be in Northern Thailand where this is not an issue. Commiserations to the riders in Bangkok and surrounds. Hopefully the law makers will eventually see some practicality on the issue & concerns raised and adjust the laws accordingly.

I don't try to get into the mentioning of the idiotic local riding rule of the 'no look right, left turn'. The amount of times riders observing this rule have had almost 2 tons of SUV climbing all over their asses. dumbasses

Edited November 10, 2009 by Garry

[nikster]

I don't try to get into the mentioning of the idiotic local riding rule of the 'no look right, left turn'. The amount of times riders observing this rule have had almost 2 tons of SUV climbing all over their asses. dumbasses

It's not smart, but once you get used to it, you can adjust your driving to it. Small soi on the left == some motorbike might sprint out of it and not look right or brake. So you stay a little bit away from the side of the road and be prepared to brake and in the worst case the karma motorist ("good karma - I won't get hit!") will be able to squeeze onto the street to your left.

Same as the "oncoming traffic turning right on intersection goes first" rule. I don't think I'll ever get used to it (does it make any sense?? no!) but I can live with it

Edited November 10, 2009 by nikster

[aitch52]

When stopping for a fill up just outside Phetchabun, I saw about 40 BMW's from the BMW Motorcycle Club of Thailand (Google it). All Thai and all wearing top notch safety gear, nodded and said hi to a few of them as I was doing the business. All friendly people and obviously well to do and probably connected if you get my drift. I think that if you seriously want to get the law changed, it is organisations like this that should be in the vanguard.

http://www.google.com/search?q=BMW+motorcy...;rlz=1I7GGIE_en

Pasted the thread but not sure of the forum rules

I for one am in favour of allowing appropriate bikes on the motorways probably 400cc and up, I ride a Phantom by the way and would not take it on a highway!

Happy Trails

Chris

Edited November 10, 2009 by aitch52

[lennya12threh]

Well I like the idea because I drive a motorcycle, but my girlfriend thinks its ridiculous if they allowed it, and that it wouldn't be a tollway if it had motorcycles.

Though, now with the fares scheduled to increase this month (just saw it 10 minutes ago on the news) Ill probably stay of it.

The places that are 35 baht will increase to 60 baht, and the current 55 baht places will increase to 85 baht......

[Garry]

I don't try to get into the mentioning of the idiotic local riding rule of the 'no look right, left turn'. The amount of times riders observing this rule have had almost 2 tons of SUV climbing all over their asses. dumbasses

It's not smart, but once you get used to it, you can adjust your driving to it. Small soi on the left == some motorbike might sprint out of it and not look right or brake. So you stay a little bit away from the side of the road and be prepared to brake and in the worst case the karma motorist ("good karma - I won't get hit!") will be able to squeeze onto the street to your left.

Same as the "oncoming traffic turning right on intersection goes first" rule. I don't think I'll ever get used to it (does it make any sense?? no!) but I can live with it

Don't get me wrong, I am used to it and try to drive accordingly but once in a blue moon I drop my guard a tad and almost go into squishing mode.

Ducati just released the Multistrada 1200...hmmmm, don't know what to think Ducati Mulitstrada 1200 Gallery

[joorakee]

Imagine a bike going 150km/h between two lanes of cars going at 120

It is a daily occurrence in my home country.

In my humble opinion, motorcycles =/> 125 cc should be allowed on expressways, like in many other countries. And cars (but not tuk-tuks) should be banned from narrow sois.

[joorakee]

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.

Is it forbidden to overtake other vehicles with a motorcycle in Thailand?

I did it many times. As well as I rode in the middle/right lane.

[BigBikeBKK]

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.

Is it forbidden to overtake other vehicles with a motorcycle in Thailand?

I did it many times. As well as I rode in the middle/right lane.

Despite the lies that the BiB might tell you, you ARE allowed to pass slower moving traffic. Challenge them to show you the law and they'll back down. The BiB will lie through their teeth if they think they can extract a few Baht from gullible farang. Screw 'em!

[joorakee]

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.

Is it forbidden to overtake other vehicles with a motorcycle in Thailand?

I did it many times. As well as I rode in the middle/right lane.

Despite the lies that the BiB might tell you, you ARE allowed to pass slower moving traffic. Challenge them to show you the law and they'll back down. The BiB will lie through their teeth if they think they can extract a few Baht from gullible farang. Screw 'em!

Thanks for the advice. Maybe I'll learn Thai traffic rules profoundly so that I can qoute them to the BiB when pulled over.

[KKay]

just imagine the mess that a lot of people would make if they were permitted to ride on these roads.

If it were permitted for bikes over 200cc .. not much mess at all. Not many of them around. On an average trip from Chanthaburi to Bangkok

I might see 1 or 2 bikes over 200cc.

[maswov]

you yourself OP may be smart enough and responsible enough to be able to ride safely on the motorways, but please just imagine the mess that a lot of people would make if they were permitted to ride on these roads. I think that no bikes should be permitted on motorways regardless of size, because motorways are the nicest roads to be on while driving a car, no bikes around to dodge. imagine the death rate!

That attitude is the root of the problem, a bike should be regarded no differently than a car on the road. While riding a bike you need to use the whole lane for various reasons. People that drive cars in Thailand don't realize that, too many times a car feels it it ok to share the lane with me and I am forced off the road or need to brake hard because of an obstruction I can't avoid due to my lane being occupied by a car trying to pass me or an oncoming car passing from the opposite direction.

[Garry]

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.

Is it forbidden to overtake other vehicles with a motorcycle in Thailand?

I did it many times. As well as I rode in the middle/right lane.

Despite the lies that the BiB might tell you, you ARE allowed to pass slower moving traffic. Challenge them to show you the law and they'll back down. The BiB will lie through their teeth if they think they can extract a few Baht from gullible farang. Screw 'em!

What pisses me off is the imbeciles who refuse to move over and let you pass. More so the ones who won't pull out of the fast lane for faster cars, let alone bikes.....dumbass's

[BigBikeBKK]

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.

Is it forbidden to overtake other vehicles with a motorcycle in Thailand?

I did it many times. As well as I rode in the middle/right lane.

Despite the lies that the BiB might tell you, you ARE allowed to pass slower moving traffic. Challenge them to show you the law and they'll back down. The BiB will lie through their teeth if they think they can extract a few Baht from gullible farang. Screw 'em!

What pisses me off is the imbeciles who refuse to move over and let you pass. More so the ones who won't pull out of the fast lane for faster cars, let alone bikes.....dumbass's

I've heard that knocking off the offending motorist's mirror whilst passing is considered acceptable etiquette in certain cultures

[BigBikeBKK]

I've noticed more and more bikes using the tollways around Bangkok- Illegal yes, but who's going to catch you?

Key of course is to get off BEFORE you hit a toll gate!

Ride On!

Tony

[Garry]

I've noticed more and more bikes using the tollways around Bangkok- Illegal yes, but who's going to catch you?

Key of course is to get off BEFORE you hit a toll gate!

Ride On!

Tony

From what I can gather Tony, some hi-so guys I have met, say the cops wouldn't come near them for fear of repercussions. I'm sure that isn't 100% true, but wouldn't be far from the truth.

[Garry]

Despite the lies that the BiB might tell you, you ARE allowed to pass slower moving traffic. Challenge them to show you the law and they'll back down. The BiB will lie through their teeth if they think they can extract a few Baht from gullible farang. Screw 'em!

What pisses me off is the imbeciles who refuse to move over and let you pass. More so the ones who won't pull out of the fast lane for faster cars, let alone bikes.....dumbass's

I've heard that knocking off the offending motorist's mirror whilst passing is considered acceptable etiquette in certain cultures

I actually meant other car drivers :jap:

[janverbeem]

I've noticed more and more bikes using the tollways around Bangkok- Illegal yes, but who's going to catch you?

Key of course is to get off BEFORE you hit a toll gate!

Ride On!

Tony

Maybe you can explain how you can exit a tollway where there is no toll booth.I know you can use an entrance to exit,as I once did north of Bangok when I by mistake had entered the tollway,but to my knowledge they are very rare between 2 toll points.

[maswov]

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.

All your bitches about bikers are done by cagers too. There relly is no difference people are people and do the same shit no matter what they drive.

[Garry]

Car driving idiots? So the idiots on bikes (Most of them) who decide that a car traveling 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.

Brigante7traveling.

Hi Brigante7,

I have to agree with a bunch of what you had to say. As much as I like riding my bike and driving my SUV, I don't do crazy maneuvers on congested roads, especially splitting lanes at speed on bike. I call that the Ghost Rider syndrome and I have seen a bunch of guys on varying occasions do this, small and big bikes alike...crazy.

What they don't see when they have done this dumb stuff, which I have on occasion, is the startled driver swerving in his lane. Sure he they may have been driving in dozy land, but that then that falls back on the rider/driver. If the guy hasn't seen him, then don't take offense. signal your horn, flash your lights in his rear vision mirror. If they still don't move, then be patient and wait for a hole in the traffic and go...it really is that simple. I have had the moments where I've annoyingly had to wait for some twit to realise there was someone behind them trying to get buy, but it is the rare occasion as I try and read the traffic in advance. Situational awareness.

I always wait for a clear path to move on. In your scenario about the double overtaking, the morons who don't show the patience to wait for the traffic to sort itself are a a danger to themselves and other roads users. I am pretty selective on my riding partners, though I can be a quick rider, there is a time and a place for everything and having some commonsense goes a long way in LOS.

Cheers,

Garry