What Do You Guys Do Up North ?

[Vegemite]

ray

I'll be following your posts I'm hoping to make the move out to LOS sometime over the next couple of years and am a keen biker too, havent visited Isaan yet but have strangely already fallen in love with the place

May get to Isaan somewhere later this year for a few weeks to see what its like, and am thinking of seeing some parts of it by bike

I too will be coming over as a single person so its good to know theres some nightlife and drinking places, but also thousands of rai of undisturbed countryside too

Looking forward to the simple life already...

I will be up in the Isaan sticks in a couple of weeks at the wifes tiny village.

When I was there last year I borrowed a couple of small motorbikes from the inlaws and rode around some of the villages close to where we were staying.

It is just the greatest place for exploring on a motorbike.

Flat as a pan cake for hundreds of miles and although you feel as though you are isolated from EVERYONE there seems to be another village down the road a few kms in every direction.

Roads are pretty good but the surfaces change from tar to metal to dust ( have only been there in the dry season )

You dont need big CC,s because it is so flat and easy at least where I was based.

I suppose that other places are different but I was in a large area of rice farms.

This time I am going to buy a second hand bike for myself and explore a bit more.

Cant wait.

P.S. Did you know that in some of these small villages they sell you petrol by the whiskey bottle and just pour it in the tank for you.

How many do you want?

Heaps of fun.

[khon kaen boy]

I too work on a rotational basis & like to relax when I come home and that means wearing what I want i.e. most days shorts and t-shirt, sandals....to me it is more comfortable.

In all my 4/5 years of living here in Khon Kaen (near airport/army base) I have never had anyone comment on my dress code and have many Thai friends.

Sometimes I think people read too much into what Thais require from us and how we should act with them, by no means do I disrespect them and do try to absorb the culture but taking things too far on how we act with them I think is reading into something that just ain't there i.e. too many misconceptions

KK Boy

[ray23]

Dress up in issan is levi's and button shirt Ain't life grand

The bike riding lots of hilly and even mountian area to explore as well. Have fun with it. Ride what you are comfortable with thats the only thing that really counts.

But a 400 plus Klms run on a 125 would be a little rough for me. LOL

[Lickey]

ray

I'll be following your posts I'm hoping to make the move out to LOS sometime over the next couple of years and am a keen biker too, havent visited Isaan yet but have strangely already fallen in love with the place

May get to Isaan somewhere later this year for a few weeks to see what its like, and am thinking of seeing some parts of it by bike

I too will be coming over as a single person so its good to know theres some nightlife and drinking places, but also thousands of rai of undisturbed countryside too

Looking forward to the simple life already...

Beeing a keen biker myself {Yamaha XJR1200} i must tell you that the biking season in Issan is more or less over now, winter has finished and temp day and night is rising rapidly, 38c day, 23c nights, and i certainly would never ride my bike at night, because of the rough roads and walking tractors,trucks,cars, other small bikes that do not have back lights!!!As for day riding, its ok, but the heated wind gusts hit you and near leave you breathless, also big bikes are same price as UK, if you want to import your own, about 130% import tax,thats a downer!! i wanted to bring my ZZR1100, {faired bikes will cook you alive!! } an upper is tax and insurance is about 12quid ayear and petrol is 20p a litre, I live in Namsom, about 100ks NW of Udon Thani, if you are around this way, would be good to have a sherbet together,,

[glenbat]

Couple of great replies here guys, afraid I'm stuck in Blighty for a year or so yet but as soon as I'm over no doubt I'll post up on ThaiVisa for some ideas where to go. I ride over here but dont fancy my GSXR600 on dirt roads and 38c so will definately look for something a little different

Even thought I've never been I'm already looking forward to it and can imagine what its like....