Motorcyclists In Chiang Mai

[vagabond48]

I just got back to CM and my wife and I have passed a number of these checkpoints but today, we got caught red handed, wearing our helmets and with my legal MC driver's license. I feel so bad for our local constables, no tea money from me today.

[amexpat]

Only someone that never rode a motorcycle anywhere else would think that motorcycles are somehow "dangerous" in Thailand,

Or someone who can read and understand reports, or lives in Thailand.

Thailand motorcycle riders are among the best in the world, from my observations.

Observe further. Some have good riding skills. Judgement, not so much.

BTW, I don't have to quote entire post(s) in order to reply, do I?

[qdinthailand]

When I first started riding a HD in Thailand, a 25 year veteran gave me this advise ...

Think of Thai traffic as a flow of water. It will quickly fill any empty space.

And from my own experience earned riding on the road since 1968 - act like every other driver, both other bikes and cars and trucks, is out to kill you.

I'm driving a Honda. Does the same rules apply?

Not at all, because "you meet the nicest people on a Honda"!

[sysardman]

When I first started riding a HD in Thailand, a 25 year veteran gave me this advise ...

Think of Thai traffic as a flow of water. It will quickly fill any empty space.

And from my own experience earned riding on the road since 1968 - act like every other driver, both other bikes and cars and trucks, is out to kill you.

I'm driving a Honda. Does the same rules apply?

Yes my old Master taught me 'When you can lide honda lice paper and not leave skid mark then you are one with motosai'

[TheVicar]

Agree with most of the other punters, I will always use the bike instead of the car except for special trips. If riding a bike you cannot drift off, you beed to stay focussed all the time, be suspicious of every vehicle as they often will do stupid things. Because a trafic light changes to green also doesn't mean you can go, check the red light runners before moving off. Remember that many Thais on bikes and cars don't use their indicators, they allso park and ride up the road the wrong way. The death toll for bikes is high as many simply ride dangerously and get themselves killed, the rest are cleaned up by the lunatics in cars, Fortunas, minivans, buses and trucks (the last 4 being the most aggressive).

As to the OP if he feels uncomfortable on a bike then nest not to ride one, the Mazda will get caught in traffic a bit but will be a safe and comfortable ride.

It's not only the Thais who seem to drive badly in CM; it's also the farangs. I drive a car, motorbike, and ride a bicycle and I have seen any number of lunatic motorbike drivers who are farangs: usually without helmets, sometimes without license plates, speeding and weaving through traffic lanes. There seems to be almost no enforcement (police) on the road to nab these kind of people and until there is, this will continue.

57 year old "Lunatic" here: personally, I enjoy the "almost no enforcement (police) on the road", I enjoy the fact when caught without my helmet (like I used to do in California for 20 years before the Police State Republican gov made us wear them because of nannystaters like you whining) by a BIB needing beer money, I pay 200 baht, wish him a good day, hop back on by DS1000 Multistrada and zoom around your slow behind. I call that FREEDOM. Try it in California, and a cop will treat you like they just caught a mass murderer. I guess you are one of" those kind of people" that wish that police state mentality in Thailand. Please leave.

Only someone that never rode a motorcycle anywhere else would think that motorcycles are somehow "dangerous" in Thailand, and not everywhere else in the world. I've ridden north to south, east to west, and staying alert, not drinking alcohol, keeps me upright and smiling, in Thailand like everywhere else.

Thailand motorcycle riders are among the best in the world, from my observations.

Perhaps when your unprotected head hits the road it won't be a bad thing! Splat. You might get to meet T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) who had the same fate. I once saw this happen in Vietnam and the unprotected motorcyclists head hitting against the concrete curb sounded like the cracking open of a coconut. He died on the spot.

Of course, others will have to clean up after you but that's probably the story of your life.

Edited November 8, 2012 by TheVicar

[CBR250]

I too love the freedom (and practicality) of motorcycle riding, and dread the day that Thai BIB discover the unlimited income that can be generated by a speed camera.

However, I always wear a helmet (a good quality one too), and for high speed runs also jacket & boots & gloves. I do not resent those who prefer not to do so, but strongly advise that body protection is worthwhile - I spent 2 months on antibiotics etc after a low speed scrape of a bit of skin. Tropical bugs are nasty.

BTW, why is it some posters seek mainly to inflame / insult? Not just on TV, but many forums. Gets in the way of helpful discussions. Are they suffering from such repressed aggression in normal life they can't help but rage in the relative safety and anonymity of a forum?

[funcat]

Riding a motorcycle is fun..but you need skills !...common sense !!...and BRAIN (protected by a quality helmet) !!!

[eek]

Off Topic but,

A few folks have mentioned no license plates now in this thread.

It should be noted that license plates are on hold for more than half a year now.(actually I hear some have waited a year already)

seems some sort of disagreement between the manufacturer & what ever branch of govt

sets/awards the contract.

it was initially claimed it was a problem with the white paint used on the background color of the plates.

But obviously it is something much bigger. Some have mentioned the factory was damaged during the BK floods too?

so all these newer bikes you see with no plates are not illegal they just have not gotten a plate yet.

Registration & taxes have been paid & even license plate number is issued on the reg.

Just no plate

I'm sorry but I don't buy your argument. I know lots of people who have new vehicles who have gotten their plates. And red plates should be issued with new vehicles automatically on purchase. Yet, I see lots of vehicles here without them; this is not so much the case in Bangkok by the way. It appears to be greater in CM.

CRF 250L's have a backlog of reregistration plates in bkk. I imagine many other bikes too.

Edit: ooops just saw kwaibah's post with link saying the same thing.

Edited November 8, 2012 by eek

[FolkGuitar]

Be sure you know how to countersteer a bike.

I was first taught this rule in the 70's when racing.

Having grown up racing I was already a proficient rider but,,, naturally.

I had never hear this explained till the mid 1970's by a great teacher name Keith Code

It is not in fact something you learn to do because anyone who rides a two wheel vehicle does it already.

They just don't KNOW they are doing it.

Understanding it by hearing it explained can save your life though. Because in a split second decision your brain

will KNOW it & not be over ridden by fear & the reflex to turn left for instance to go left.

To sum it up simply it is this.

On a two wheel vehicle you push the bar forward for the direction you want to turn to.

Not pull as your mind would think.

Meaning to go right you push the right bar away from you.

Your mind would think immediately no that cannot be because if I push the right bar forward I am turning left.

But on a two wheel vehicle that is what initiates the right turn.

It is basically causing the bike to fall into a right turn.

Anyway

The best advice I can give is go out tomorrow to a nice parking lot or empty area & try it. See & prove it to your mind.

Go 5-10 miles an hour & gently push the right handlebar forward. You will have initiated a right turn.

Now push the left bar forward & you will initiate a left turn.

After all bikes are not steered by turning left or right at all. Except for when going very very very slowly.

You turn a bike by initiated a turn via counter steering then you lean the bike to complete/continue the turn

while the wheel is actually pointing straight ahead.

Most folks already know how to ride & do it instinctively, They have to as it is the only way to

turn a bike going above 1 mile an hour.

But KNOWING this in your mind can save you in an emergency reflex situation.

I think most bikers use their body and shifting of the weight to begin a turn; not turning the bars which is done only by beginners.

Keith Code fabricated a bike with which a rider could hold onto 'handlebars' that weren't connected to the front fork, just to demonstrate that shifting your balance on a motorcycle does virtually NOTHING to cause a turn... You can see this for yourself in his video, "Twist of the Wrist." The rider was almost hanging off the side of the bike and it was just making a very shallow turn. With precise counter steering, you can easily run a slalom and still keep your weight centered properly on the seat. The only time it's necessary to move your weight off-center is in high-speed racing turns, but it's being done to counter act the centrifugal forces trying to cause the bike to come out of it's lean, not to make the bike turn.

For the people who continue to think that they ARE turning the bike by shifting their weight, what is actually going on is that when you shift your weight to the left, you are ACTUALLY pushing the left side of the handlebar forward (in fact starting the wheel to turn right...) This creates the 'counter-steering' action that actually makes the bike turn left.

Anyone who has ever attended any sort of motorcycle school learns this on the first day of riding. Those who believe that the shifting of their weight is causing the turn have never learned to ride correctly. They just learned how to get from point A to point B on a bike without crashing, and 'think' they know how to ride.

[Semper]

They just learned how to get from point A to point B on a bike without crashing,

Isn't this the main point?

[mania]

Those who believe that the shifting of their weight is causing the turn have never learned to ride correctly. They just learned how to get from point A to point B on a bike without crashing, and 'think' they know how to ride.

Yes this is why I say even if someone thinks they know or even rides well instinctively.

KNOWING this principle can save you in a emergency reflex situation

[mania]

They just learned how to get from point A to point B on a bike without crashing,

Isn't this the main point?

Sure but most riders know the more time you spend on a bike the more

chance you will encounter a situation. The difference between those that survive situations

& those that don't relies heavily on experience/technique.

Another simple technique worth knowing/practicing

look where you want to go not where you do not.

Sounds simple yes? But most folks who go skidding into a pole or car do so because they are fixated

to the point they do not know brakes will not save them at this point as they have usually locked both wheels.

Then they fixate on the object they will hit & do so.

Instead they could have looked for an alternative got off the locked up brakes & probably accelerated to the new point rather than

helplessly skidding into what they were transfixed on

Edited November 10, 2012 by mania

[mcgriffith]

The term for that is "target fixation"

Big rock in the middle of the road on a corner, you are committed to a certain line and are leaned over and at a speed where braking and coming to a full stop is out of the question.

Do not look at the rock- you will hit it and crash.

Apply countersteering to vary your line, keep eyes on horizon, and look where you want to go (the exit from the corner).

Back on topic, it is a biatch riding a motorcycle in CM.

[funcat]

The term for that is "target fixation"

Big rock in the middle of the road on a corner, you are committed to a certain line and are leaned over and at a speed where braking and coming to a full stop is out of the question.

Do not look at the rock- you will hit it and crash.

Apply countersteering to vary your line, keep eyes on horizon, and look where you want to go (the exit from the corner).

Back on topic, it is a biatch riding a motorcycle in CM.

...dam_n hot too

[FolkGuitar]

They just learned how to get from point A to point B on a bike without crashing,

Isn't this the main point?

No, the main point is learning how to get from point A to point B 'safely and enjoyably' without crashing, and having options about how to achieve this.

[markandpar]

looking for a big bike for a restoration project something around 400cc wood be good if you no of

bike with green book or with no green thank you ??????????????

[rene123]

. I've also noticed that most Thai motosi drivers are very fine operators.

There can be a huge difference between being a fine operator on a motorbike and actually riding safely. I've seen riders that could do marvelous things on a motorcycle, but were maniacs when riding in traffic. They might be able to keep a motorbike upright in crazy situations, but the person who didn't see them coming at a high rate of speed might turn in front of them and cause a chain reaction accident that might involve me.