So My Idiot Pal Said......

[theblether]

So my idiot pal said, let's go hire you a motorcycle. I was in Chiang Mai and I had never ridden a motorcycle in my life. I duly turned up at the shop and was handed an automatic honda glide, and I kind of walked down the street a bit before I jumped on it so I wouldn't embarrass myself. Jump on, this is dodgy, accelarate, balance! Too fast, brake! Too hard! Oh what the hell am I doing on this thing. After 5 minutes I got the bike going in roughly the right direction and managed to apply the brakes without risking flipping myself over the handlebars. As for indicators? Come on, i'm finding it hard enough just balancing. Then my idiot pal says let's go to Doi Suthep. Have you ever been? Can u picture yourself going to Doi Suthep on your first bike journey?

I followed him througi the horrendous Chiang Mai traffic, sweating buckets every time a songthaew came near me, trying to concentrate on the road, the traffic, the lights, the brakes, balancing, indicating. Oh no it's all too much. Then we started to climb the hill.

My mouth was dry as various vehicles io various states of repair queued up to overtake me. Drier still as trucks came wizzing down the hill on suicide missions. Noise, heat, vibrations, horns, wheels just missing me as furious Thais overtook me, irritated by the stupid cautious farang. Higher and higher we climbed and I couldn't believe the curvature of the road. I would have liked to have cursed my idiot pal but he kept a safe distance in front, not safe from me, but safe from the Thais who were following, and having a whip round to get me bumped off.

I stopped when I could and watched as a hundred pair of disdainful Thai eyes flew past me, and off I went again. Climbing, turning, slowing for the sharp bits, speeding up when I could, and contemplating murdering my idiot pal. Things took a humorous turn when 2 Thais pulled up beside me and asked if I 'want rope to pull bike up hill'. Anyway mentally exhausted I reached Doi Suthep, where I was too overcome with delight at surviving as to remember to murder my idiot pal. Doi Suthep was great, then the horror. If there is one thing worse for a novice than going up a steep hill, it's going back down again. Panic stations, I was worried sick at every corner, would the brakes fail? Would I oversteer? Would I hit an oily patch? This is a nightmare, and I was so gripped, literally gripped, with trying to survive the descent I couldn't care less about the 30 furious Thai vehicles behind me.

I made it back to the hotel, elated at being alive, and needing a shower and a good few beers. My nerves were shattered, my first experience of any driving in Thailand, my first motorcycle journey to boot to Doi Suthep.

So now i'm hooked....I want to go do my CBT test in the UK, and I want to buy a 125 to learn gear changing etc. So my question is, what motorcycle would you recommend I buy for my training?

I can't wait to get my license, i!ve seen the Mae Hong Son loop and that's my target.

As for my idiot pal, he did me a favour, in at the deep end, and now he has turned me on to motorcycling. Maybe he is not such an idiot after all.

[David48]

What type of bike to buy?

If you have motorcycle couriers in your city, have a look at what they ride as typically are super reliable machines, simple and easy to ride. When I worked in London, I spent a long time as a courier.

Just a word of fatherly advice, maybe don't give into the temptation to buy a NEW motorcycle for your first bike because for sure you lay it down a few times while you are learning the ropes.

And NEVER be tempted to ride without gloves as instinctively your hands are the first thing pushed out to cushion and balance your fall and come in contact with the road.

When it comes to 'right of way' ... he said that you can be legally right ... and legally dead.

Actually, even though it as a few years ago, I never had an accident riding in England and tip my hat to the drivers ... though things may have changed since.

OH ... aren’t you a bit young to be considering a licence?

Great story BTW

.

[poanoi]

Go for those semi-automatic, no clutch but a gear shifter on your left foot.

The gearshifter let you engine-brake by far better than any fully automatic,

while you still got your left hand free to carry a pack of beer/toiletpaper/phone/computer/etc.

If you ever get accustomed to the traffic here, you can later on buy a Honda Steed chopper, i'd pick the 600cc variant.

Never ever expect anyone to make a signal in the direction he/she suddenly decide to turn prior to the turn, and always expect anyone making a U-turn into your driving lanes to cross all lines.

Good luck

[Daewoo]

I did pretty much the same thing... ridden auto scooters, but never a bike with gears until I stalled it 5 times getting it out of Mr Mechanic's store... Had a great few days riding out of Chiang Mai... drove me to go home, buy a cheap bike and get my endorsement (you aren't covered by Travel Insurance if you aren't endorsed in your home country)...

Ended up buying a second, and now third bike at home, and doing a lot of riding here as well...

Northern Thailand must be about the best place in the world for it tho...

Cheers,

Daewoo

[wana]

,get a used cbr 150

they sell about 30k and a monkey could ride one ,you wil get 30k back when u sell it too

not much point buying a auto or semi auto scooter if your goal is to learn gear changing and clutch control for a real motorcycle

[thaicbr]

Op. are you talking about getting a bike in the UK?

if so just get the cheapest 125 that you can find.

something like the Honda Cbf125 or the Yamaha ybr125. there are lots of other cheaper makes as well. Sym, kymco etc.

Edited March 16, 2012 by thaicbr

[submaniac]

^^

Yes, it appears Sir Blether is contemplating purchasing a motorcycle in the U.K. This is a VERY GOOD idea. Learn to ride a motorcycle in your home country before trying it in Thailand. I believe alot of the motorcycle fatalities reported on Thavisa involving Falangs are related to the fact that they did not have riding experience before coming to Thailand, and once in Thailand decided to hop on a bike. After all, if the Thai's do it, it can't be that hard, right? What people are failing to recognize is that the average Thai has been riding a scooter since they were 7 years old, and actually have riding skills (though not necessarily judgment skills). Learning in the U.K. is better. People obey traffic laws. If you fall off your bike people will actually stop and maybe even help, rather than nearly running you over. People even stop at red lights. (P.S. never jump into a Thai intersection immediately after the light turns green, that is a surefire way to be killed.)

For recommended bikes, as Thai CBR says a CB125 is good, or you could get a CBR125 (what Thailand exported to the UK). Get something cheap because you WILL drop it on its side, and YOU WILL damage it. If you are serious about learning to ride get a bike with a proper gearbox, none of this auto crap. If you learn a proper gearbox than you can switch to an auto scooter later, it does not work the other way around.

Invest in a good helmet, because you may need it when you first start riding. Invest in a good crash jacket, because you will also probably need it and it really sucks to have your skin scraped off by asphalt. Certainly buy a good set of gloves. My thoughts are always helmet first, gloves second. The gloves because when you fall off a bike, the instinct is to stick your hand out to break the fall. You don't want the skin on your hands to be scraped off. Also get boots, very useful when you fall.

Be mindful that you need to prepare for the crash. No one who has ever started riding motorcycles has NOT crashed. It is an inevitability.

Good luck to you and be safe because I like your posts and I want to see you around.

Edited March 16, 2012 by submaniac

[Semper]

Go for those semi-automatic, no clutch but a gear shifter on your left foot.

The gearshifter let you engine-brake by far better than any fully automatic,

while you still got your left hand free to carry a pack of beer/toiletpaper/phone/computer/etc.

If you ever get accustomed to the traffic here, you can later on buy a Honda Steed chopper, i'd pick the 600cc variant.

Never ever expect anyone to make a signal in the direction he/she suddenly decide to turn prior to the turn, and always expect anyone making a U-turn into your driving lanes to cross all lines.

Good luck

I think he would reveal/expose his privates under his kilt, if he would drive a chopper.

[submaniac]

^^Good point.

Blether MAKE SURE YOU WEAR SOME UNDIES UNDER THAT KILT!!!!!!!!!!

[floridaguy]

OP, you made me laugh. Great story telling. I have seen 100 of you slow driving falangs here, and on that admittedly challenging ride up to Doi Suthep also. At least you had a good reason to hold up traffic, not like the ones who so righteously believe that just because in your home country a motorcycle/motorbike is entitled to a whole lane, that doesn't mean you get one to yourself here. And thank your friend again. He did do you a favor. My dad taught me to swim by taking me out in a boat (Let's go fishing son!) then throwing me overboard and telling me to swim back.

To answer your question, don't get an automatic or semi-auto. Get a full clutched manual. The CBR 150 or similar is very easy and forgiving. You can screw up a gear change and it still manages to sort itself out. Also, they are very light, so easy for you to maneuver and handle as you are learning. You don't have enough power to do a wheelie, even if you tried. And, they are cheap, so when you lay it down, and you will lay a bike down sooner or later, it is easy to pick up yourself and won't cost you your pension to repair. And when you ride again here, you can get the same bike that you are familiar with and just learn the traffic and riding customs here, instead of learning a whole new motorbike and the way we drive also.

Good luck, and glad to have another avid motorcycler!

[wana]

OP, you made me laugh. Great story telling. I have seen 100 of you slow driving falangs here, and on that admittedly challenging ride up to Doi Suthep also. At least you had a good reason to hold up traffic, not like the ones who so righteously believe that just because in your home country a motorcycle/motorbike is entitled to a whole lane, that doesn't mean you get one to yourself here. And thank your friend again. He did do you a favor. My dad taught me to swim by taking me out in a boat (Let's go fishing son!) then throwing me overboard and telling me to swim back.

To answer your question, don't get an automatic or semi-auto. Get a full clutched manual. The CBR 150 or similar is very easy and forgiving. You can screw up a gear change and it still manages to sort itself out. Also, they are very light, so easy for you to maneuver and handle as you are learning. You don't have enough power to do a wheelie, even if you tried. And, they are cheap, so when you lay it down, and you will lay a bike down sooner or later, it is easy to pick up yourself and won't cost you your pension to repair. And when you ride again here, you can get the same bike that you are familiar with and just learn the traffic and riding customs here, instead of learning a whole new motorbike and the way we drive also.

Good luck, and glad to have another avid motorcycler!

you can wheelie on a sonic ,never mind a cbr 150

you should stand outside a school someday when the kids are coming out and they are all doing it

maybe they have changed the sprockets or maybe they do "clutch wheelies " rather than "power wheelies"

but i have seen them doing it

being a kid with no fear and weighing about 30 kg probably helps also

[theblether]

Thanks very much, and very good advice from you all.

you can be rest assured that theblether will not be riding his bike while wearing his kilt, some sights should never be seen.

When I was on the Mae Hong Son loop I recognized it as being probably the most extraordinary motorcycling route that I have ever seen. I would n't dare try it without having a lot more experience, and as Daewoo pointed out re the insurance, I need to ensure that I am endorsed so that I can ride a bike over 125cc. I don't want to tackle that route on a 125, so it's lessons time for me. ( My UK travel insurance allows me to ride a 125 without a UK licence, I checked that with them ).

I take on board as well all the advice re helmets and gloves etc. I've seen enough injuries ( and worse ) from motorcycle accidents to know that caution is the best part of valour.

Just as an aside, I won an award from Harley Davidson in 1992. The European Customer Service Salesman of the Year Award. If ever an award was fraudulently given it was that one. Let me explain............

I was primarily a car salesman on the US bases in Germany, the Harley Davidson franchise was added on to my portfolio as an afterthought. Literally, "I know nothing" was the best way to describe me. I tried to do a little bit of research into the history of the company, and as far as I could I tried to pick up a little bit of technical knowledge.

So there was me armed with all my research, and the first customer walked in to ask about a certain model of Harley, ( a Softail Custom, I'll never forget it ), and I volunteered all I knew about it. That took about 40 seconds. The guy looked at me as if I had been dropped off a spaceship, I kind of sat there blinking, just like I had been dropped off a spaceship, then I asked a fateful question.........

"What do you think?.............."

I then sat entranced for about two hours as this guy took me all through the history, the glories, and the calamities of Harley Davidson. He told me about the best bike rides in Northern America, and the routes that he planned in Europe.......

After two hours I said, "Will that be cash or cheque?" and the sale was duly done. I learned a lesson that day..........motorcycling is a passion, just listen, and go with the flow.

So I won the Salesman of the Year award not by being a good salesman, but by being a good listener.

Now 20 years later I've got the bug, better late than never huh?,

[Kwasaki]

You want to go do CBT test in the UK, and I want to buy a 125 to learn gear changing, which is OK but you could just leave it at that because the bike test in England is tough, c.c. restrictions, time restriction etc.

If you don't want to bother with CBT etc, you can ride a bike no more than 50cc in UK on a full car license and you can get them with gear change and clutches.

You would be better off just doing the bike test in Thailand, then you can ride what you want.

The only draw back is, before you ask you can't ride in UK with a Thai bike license.

Enjoy and ride to live, K.

Edited March 16, 2012 by Kwasaki

[madjbs]

The only draw back is, before you ask you can't ride in UK with a Thai bike license.

Actually you can. You are allowed to drive/ride on any countries license for up to one year in the UK.

Edited March 16, 2012 by madjbs

[poanoi]

Go for those semi-automatic, no clutch but a gear shifter on your left foot.

The gearshifter let you engine-brake by far better than any fully automatic,

while you still got your left hand free to carry a pack of beer/toiletpaper/phone/computer/etc.

If you ever get accustomed to the traffic here, you can later on buy a Honda Steed chopper, i'd pick the 600cc variant.

Never ever expect anyone to make a signal in the direction he/she suddenly decide to turn prior to the turn, and always expect anyone making a U-turn into your driving lanes to cross all lines.

Good luck

I think he would reveal/expose his privates under his kilt, if he would drive a chopper.

At least he would expose his pride riding a chopper,

as opposed to his arse if he rides a crotch rocket

[theblether]

You want to go do CBT test in the UK, and I want to buy a 125 to learn gear changing, which is OK but you could just leave it at that because the bike test in England is tough, c.c. restrictions, time restriction etc.

If you don't want to bother with CBT etc, you can ride a bike no more than 50cc in UK on a full car license and you can get them with gear change and clutches.

You would be better off just doing the bike test in Thailand, then you can ride what you want.

The only draw back is, before you ask you can't ride in UK with a Thai bike license.

Enjoy and ride to live, K.

I think I would rather go through the CBT while taking an attitude that if I can't pass that then I'm not fit to ride the Mae Hong Son loop.

I appreciate the idea of chugging about on a 50cc in the meantime though......that's a plan.

[PoorSucker]

The only draw back is, before you ask you can't ride in UK with a Thai bike license.

Actually you can. You are allowed to drive/ride on any countries license for up to one year in the UK.

Actually if you are a EU citizen you must have a permanent address outside UK to be able to ride one year on a non-eu license.

[thaicbr]

The only draw back is, before you ask you can't ride in UK with a Thai bike license.

Actually you can. You are allowed to drive/ride on any countries license for up to one year in the UK.

only if you are NOT a UK driving license holder. That overrides the foreign license.

[madjbs]

Well if you were a UK driving license holder you wouldn't need to use the foreign one would you.

[madjbs]

Actually if you are a EU citizen you must have a permanent address outside UK to be able to ride one year on a non-eu license.

Really? I have never heard of that before and it doesn't say that on any of the government websites.

I don't live in the UK and I do have a permanent address outside it. So it's fine for me anyway.

[pieandmash]

If you're going to do your CBT in the UK then why not do the practical and theory tests and get a full license. Some training companies throw in the CBT for free if you do a training course for your test with them. May as well go for the direct access course/test and you can ride any bike from day one, otherwise you're restricted to a bike of 33 bhp or less for 2 years. It will probably cost you about £500 for everything. All the travel insurance companies I've spoken to about motorcycle cover whilst abroad have said if they cover you it's only for a bike you'd be legally entitled to ride in the UK.

If you're looking for a first time 125 to cut your teeth on in the UK then a boring little CG125 would probably be your best all round bet.

[villagefarang]

I’ve heard Ducati makes some cute little bikes. Maybe you should buy one of those but only if you like red.

[transam]

Think your pal is brainless or is after your lady with commiserations at your send off.

[Kwasaki]

Actually if you are a EU citizen you must have a permanent address outside UK to be able to ride one year on a non-eu license.

Really? I have never heard of that before and it doesn't say that on any of the government websites.

I don't live in the UK and I do have a permanent address outside it. So it's fine for me anyway.

Fair comment OK and I am sure you mean well but is does state you can drive a car in the UK up to one year on a full Thai car driving license and that would mean a motorbike up to no more than 50 cc but there is an a mention somewhere of a motorbike license, as you know the licenses in Thailand are separate but not so in the UK.

I wouldn't be here telling people that unless I knew it was fact, i would not want people to get nicked.

If you do not believe me then email DVLA UK.

Edited March 16, 2012 by Kwasaki

[theblether]

If you're going to do your CBT in the UK then why not do the practical and theory tests and get a full license. Some training companies throw in the CBT for free if you do a training course for your test with them. May as well go for the direct access course/test and you can ride any bike from day one, otherwise you're restricted to a bike of 33 bhp or less for 2 years. It will probably cost you about £500 for everything. All the travel insurance companies I've spoken to about motorcycle cover whilst abroad have said if they cover you it's only for a bike you'd be legally entitled to ride in the UK.

If you're looking for a first time 125 to cut your teeth on in the UK then a boring little CG125 would probably be your best all round bet.

That's probably a plan too..........I'm very aware that I will need to be particularly sharp about my training. I'm going to look further into the courses you suggested.

[madjbs]

Actually if you are a EU citizen you must have a permanent address outside UK to be able to ride one year on a non-eu license.

Really? I have never heard of that before and it doesn't say that on any of the government websites.

I don't live in the UK and I do have a permanent address outside it. So it's fine for me anyway.

Fair comment OK and I am sure you mean well but is does state you can drive a car in the UK up to one year on a full Thai car driving license and that would mean a motorbike up to no more than 50 cc but there is an a mention somewhere of a motorbike license, as you know the licenses in Thailand are separate but not so in the UK.

I wouldn't be here telling people that unless I knew it was fact, i would not want people to get nicked.

If you do not believe me then email DVLA UK.

It clearly states so on the directgov web page:

Driving licences issued in any other country

• you can drive any small vehicle eg cars and or motorcycles, shown on your driving licence, for a period of 12 months from the date that you last entered the country, as long as it remains full and valid
  

If you have a Thai car license you can drive a car in the UK for up to one year.

If you have a Thai motorcycle license you can drive a motorcycle in the UK for one year.

Of course the license is separate in the UK, whether they put it on a single card or not is besides the point.

I wouldn't assume you could drive a 50cc bike on a Thai car license in the UK. The Thai car license doesn't cover them here, so you can't drive them in the UK either.

PoorSucker claims that if you are a EU citizen then you have to be living outside of the EU for the foreign licenses to be valid, but that is yet to be confirmed as there is no mention of that on the government web pages.

Edited March 17, 2012 by madjbs

[Kwasaki]

Actually if you are a EU citizen you must have a permanent address outside UK to be able to ride one year on a non-eu license.

Really? I have never heard of that before and it doesn't say that on any of the government websites.

I don't live in the UK and I do have a permanent address outside it. So it's fine for me anyway.

I apologize to all, I'm sooooo wrong, it appears that any full valid license issued from any country you can drive in UK up to 1 year.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/MotoringDecisionTrees/ExchangeaTestPassorForeignLicence/can_you_drive_in_gb.dsb?DPF0=&DPF1=1&vgsubmit=%C2%A0+Next%C2%A0+

I seem to remember with a Thai Driving license you will also need a IDP from Thailand to accompany the license in the UK but I maybe wrong about that as well.

[Kwasaki]

PoorSucker claims that if you are a EU citizen then you have to be living outside of the EU for the foreign licenses to be valid, but that is yet to be confirmed as there is no mention of that on the government web pages.

Yeah !! I was totally wrong before, it can all get a bit confusing, and it doesn't stop there, I would imagine you would have make sure to tell an insurance company in UK what license you have and where from, I would say they would only be to pleased to have a get clause if there was a problem.

When they talk of things like valid license, it would seem a person that has only had a Thai motorcycle test and is issued with a full license could go to the UK a ride what ever bike he / she wanted to, whow !!!

As for the EU thing it explains here from the GB UK DLVA

https://docs.google....QC4hYGhJEmp87pg

Edited March 17, 2012 by Kwasaki

[ScubaBuddha]

Great story. I was picturing Jeremy Clarkson in the Vietnam special. You also reminded me of the time my non-riding mate visited and I loaned him my Honda Wave. He tried to ride up the road from Kata Noi towards Rawaii/Naihard, probably the steepest in Phuket. Phuketarians will know what I am talking about. His GFE girl was on the back and when he shifted down to 1st gear the bike wheelied and flipped dumping them on the road. Hilarious. (They were fine.)

I hadn't ridden a motorcycle before 2001 when I first came to Thailand since I was a kid. After riding a Honda Wave then a Honda NSR 150SP in Thailand, I was quickly hooked. I took the basic and advanced rider courses back home and have now owned dirt bikes, Ninja's, CBR's, and a YZF R6. And now it's a passion, all thanks to being re-introduced to riding in Thailand.

Good luck and be safe.

Edited March 17, 2012 by ScubaBuddha

[IanForbes]

,get a used cbr 150

they sell about 30k and a monkey could ride one ,you wil get 30k back when u sell it too

not much point buying a auto or semi auto scooter if your goal is to learn gear changing and clutch control for a real motorcycle

A blethering good story.

I would agree with Wana. If you think just learning on a new bike was a bit scary then adjusting to upward gears from the downward gear shifts on a scooter can be a bit hairy in an emergency. A 150 CBR will have all the snort you need on the unreliable roads of Thailand. All those stories about gravel or oil on blind corners are true and you don't get second chances.

Glad you survived the trip up and down the mountain. I'd miss your blethering topics.