Chiang Mai Folks

[arnoldjr]

Got my New Year trip all planned out and I heard you guys up in Chiang Mai are pretty serious about the bikes. So....I'll be doing the Mae Hong Son loop from Dec 28 - Jan 1. Gonna be staying in Chiang Mai the 28th, then Pai on 29, May Sariang 30 and Mae Sot on 31. Anyone looking to do a bit of riding, either all or part of the loop let me know. Always nice to meet new riders.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

what bike will you be taking ? KM per day ? Riding style ? Places staying ?

[BigBikeBKK]

FWIW there will be mad traffic between CM and Pai during the holiday. Personally I'd avoid that road as it's in rough shape and will be more dangerous than usual on account of the holiday traffic.

Most CM based riders I know avoid the main roads during the New Year holiday.

Have a great ride!

[monkeyofdoom]

I second that. That road has really deteriorated quickly!

[KRS1]

Oh its not that bad you bunch of sissies.

[BigBikeBKK]

Oh its not that bad you bunch of sissies.

Considering how many awesome roads there are up north I don't know why anyone would want to waste their time on the shitty 1095 to Pai...

If I wanted to go to Pai I'd take the 1263 to Khun Yuam and the 108 to Mae Hong Song and on to Pai.

Or rent a dirtbike and take the 1349/1265 route from Samoeng.

But that's just me

[KRS1]

Waaaa....Those are some long ass detours your talking about from CNX !

[nikster]

Agree that Pai is best avoided around New Year's - it's going to be absolutely packed with Thai tour groups. Traffic on the 1095 will be mad - imagine a traffic jam stretching all the way across the mountains, bumper to bumper minibuses and BKK drivers that have never seen a mountain up close. It's slow, dangerous, and generally unpleasant. I've done this a few times on a bike... not fun.

Many other nice routes around CM.

Tony's suggestion is an excellent alternative and not too different from your original plan: Heavy traffic is only between CM and Pai, and some overflow from Pai -> MHS. Past MHS to Mae Sariang it should be all clear. Dirt via Samoeng is supposed to be very nice as well, easy to ride, and avoiding holiday madness.

You've been warned

Edited December 7, 2011 by nikster

[nikster]

Waaaa....Those are some long ass detours your talking about from CNX !

Since when is riding about getting there fast? If anything detours are good as the original route would be a bit short, at least if there was no traffic

[arnoldjr]

what bike will you be taking ? KM per day ? Riding style ? Places staying ?

Will be riding a Ninja 650r and going about 200-400km a day, depending on route. Riding style is moderate pace as the GF is on pillion. Staying at guesthouses/hotels.

[hedonist44]

FWIW there will be mad traffic between CM and Pai during the holiday. Personally I'd avoid that road as it's in rough shape and will be more dangerous than usual on account of the holiday traffic.

Most CM based riders I know avoid the main roads during the New Year holiday.

Have a great ride!

+1

[mrclough]

Oh its not that bad you bunch of sissies.

Considering how many awesome roads there are up north I don't know why anyone would want to waste their time on the shitty 1095 to Pai...

If I wanted to go to Pai I'd take the 1263 to Khun Yuam and the 108 to Mae Hong Song and on to Pai.

Or rent a dirtbike and take the 1349/1265 route from Samoeng.

But that's just me

I went to Pai on Saturday by the route from Samoeng on a KLX 250, bloody hard work. There were 8 of us in total. We did the same route in Feb and it was pretty easy but that route has seriously taken some hammer over the wet season.

Some of us came back on the 1095, it's a route far from being my favourite but to be fair it was a holiday weekend and the road was very busy but the condition was pretty good save for a few spots.

I wouldn't discount going or coming back via Pai just for those few bits of rough road though, it's really not that bad.

I would have rather been on the Versys on the way back though

[KRS1]

I find that most of the slow drivers slowing down traffic come out of the woodwork after 11am, before that its fine .

Some of the buses drive faster than bikes !

[arnoldjr]

I find that most of the slow drivers slowing down traffic come out of the woodwork after 11am, before that its fine .

Some of the buses drive faster than bikes !

Usually halfway to my destination by then.