Weekend Riding Groups

[saramsland]

Guys,

I am looking for a decent group or individuals to go for the occasional bike ride with out of Bkk.

Currently on a Ducati 1000DS and ordering a Panigale 899.

Keen to ride with anyone with a decent sized bike so pls no 250's, or 400's.

[ll2]

we have a group.

pm sent.

[Gweiloman]

OP, are you planning relatively high speed rides that would be difficult for smaller displacement bikes to keep up with?

[saramsland]

OP, are you planning relatively high speed rides that would be difficult for smaller displacement bikes to keep up with?

Only average riding speeds.. 100-140km/h

Nothing special.

[DualSportBiker]

Day rides or overnighters??

[Gweiloman]

Anyone keen to ride down to Pattaya this Friday afternoon?

[saramsland]

Day rides or overnighters??

Just day rides for me mate.. Usually leave my young fella with a friend while I'm out.

How about yourself?

[DualSportBiker]

I have less free time than in previous years so day rides make more sense. However, I rarely do day rides... How bad can it be? Where are you based? I am on the NW side of Bkk, perfect for rides to Karn and the north...

[saramsland]

I have less free time than in previous years so day rides make more sense. However, I rarely do day rides... How bad can it be? Where are you based? I am on the NW side of Bkk, perfect for rides to Karn and the north...

Righto.

I live in Rama 3 but my GF lives at Muang Thong so i occasionally stay there.. If your keen, I don't mind riding to a convenient meeting point.

[saramsland]

What bike are you riding?

[ll2]

well stranger, post a photo of your bike as well!

[DualSportBiker]

What bike are you riding?

I ride a 2007 BMW F650GS (profile pic). I am comfortable riding at the speeds you state. Edited August 18, 2014 by DualSportBiker

[Gweiloman]

Day rides or overnighters??

Just day rides for me mate.. Usually leave my young fella with a friend while I'm out.

How about yourself?

For day only rides, the options are very limited. Nakhon Nayok is ok but will get boring after a few times. Khao Yai is a much longer ride so that would mean earlier starts and higher speeds to get back before sunset. Si Sawat District is too far for a day's ride.

[ll2]

we do Sunday rides and my other riding buddies also sometime go for weekend tours around but i work on Saturdays.

Mostly riding around Bangkok. The best route is Kanchanaburi side, the most curvy around Bangkok.

But, as long as you dont reply your PMs, cannot help you.

[saramsland]

Day rides or overnighters??

Just day rides for me mate.. Usually leave my young fella with a friend while I'm out.

How about yourself?

For day only rides, the options are very limited. Nakhon Nayok is ok but will get boring after a few times. Khao Yai is a much longer ride so that would mean earlier starts and higher speeds to get back before sunset. Si Sawat District is too far for a day's ride.

How many hrs do you limit your day ride to?

Previously some of my day rides have gone for over 12hrs as long as Im having fun and the occasional coffee stop to remove any numbness.

[saramsland]

What bike are you riding?

I ride a 2007 BMW F650GS (profile pic). I am comfortable riding at the speeds you state.

I will PM you soon.

[H1w4yR1da]

OP, if you're getting a Panigale 899, keeping it under 140 kph is going to be tricky. These bikes are designed to be ridden fast. That's why people buy them in the first place.

Under 140 on the highway, you'll be worrying what's coming up from behind.

Anyway, give II2 a shout and we'll add you to our Line group. We also have a rider getting an 899.

Edited August 18, 2014 by H1w4yR1da

[DualSportBiker]

I guess I have ridden for up to 12 hours with 'more' frequent stops, but that is close to the limit!! Longest ride of over 800 from Mae Sot to Mae Hon Song via Tak and Li; twisties all the way... Totally poll-axed after that day!

I think Si Sawat is doable on a day-ride. Sorry Gweiloman, it is a push, but within limits.

Cheers

Day rides or overnighters??

Just day rides for me mate.. Usually leave my young fella with a friend while I'm out.

How about yourself?

For day only rides, the options are very limited. Nakhon Nayok is ok but will get boring after a few times. Khao Yai is a much longer ride so that would mean earlier starts and higher speeds to get back before sunset. Si Sawat District is too far for a day's ride.

How many hrs do you limit your day ride to?

Previously some of my day rides have gone for over 12hrs as long as Im having fun and the occasional coffee stop to remove any numbness.

Edited August 18, 2014 by DualSportBiker

[Gweiloman]

Day rides or overnighters??

Just day rides for me mate.. Usually leave my young fella with a friend while I'm out.

How about yourself?

For day only rides, the options are very limited. Nakhon Nayok is ok but will get boring after a few times. Khao Yai is a much longer ride so that would mean earlier starts and higher speeds to get back before sunset. Si Sawat District is too far for a day's ride.

How many hrs do you limit your day ride to?

Previously some of my day rides have gone for over 12hrs as long as Im having fun and the occasional coffee stop to remove any numbness.

I don't like early starts (can't wake up due to going to bed late). So usually start around 9 am. I like to finish before 6 pm as I don't like riding in the dark due to the inherent dangers of riding in Bangkok. So, I would say that 8-9 hours in total (including stops) would be about the limit for me. I have of course done 12 hour rides out of necessity but ideally 6-8 hours.

As my usual speeds are between 100-140 kmh, that limits it to 400 km round trips for day rides.

[DualSportBiker]

I don't like early starts (can't wake up due to going to bed late). So usually start around 9 am. I like to finish before 6 pm as I don't like riding in the dark due to the inherent dangers of riding in Bangkok. So, I would say that 8-9 hours in total (including stops) would be about the limit for me. I have of course done 12 hour rides out of necessity but ideally 6-8 hours.

As my usual speeds are between 100-140 kmh, that limits it to 400 km round trips for day rides.

Each to their own of course, but IMHO early starts is where it's at. Cooler air, emptier roads, morning sunlight. If I hit the road by 06:00 (Chaeng Wattana) I can be in Kanchanaburi town by 7:30. Getting the flat and boring out the way gives me the option of Si Sawat by lunch and over the pass and either back to Kanchanaburi town for a night of revelry, or back home. For 'full disclosure' I've never done Bkk-Si Sawat-Bkk in a day, but I've ridden there (anti clockwise), and checked into a hotel in Kanchanaburi by 15:00, so I'm pretty sure getting home by sundown is not an issue

[Gweiloman]

I don't like early starts (can't wake up due to going to bed late). So usually start around 9 am. I like to finish before 6 pm as I don't like riding in the dark due to the inherent dangers of riding in Bangkok. So, I would say that 8-9 hours in total (including stops) would be about the limit for me. I have of course done 12 hour rides out of necessity but ideally 6-8 hours.

As my usual speeds are between 100-140 kmh, that limits it to 400 km round trips for day rides.

Each to their own of course, but IMHO early starts is where it's at. Cooler air, emptier roads, morning sunlight. If I hit the road by 06:00 (Chaeng Wattana) I can be in Kanchanaburi town by 7:30. Getting the flat and boring out the way gives me the option of Si Sawat by lunch and over the pass and either back to Kanchanaburi town for a night of revelry, or back home. For 'full disclosure' I've never done Bkk-Si Sawat-Bkk in a day, but I've ridden there (anti clockwise), and checked into a hotel in Kanchanaburi by 15:00, so I'm pretty sure getting home by sundown is not an issue

You are right of course. Those times when I've had to start off early, I've enjoyed the cooler air and emptier roads, especially on weekends. Except for extremely hot days, I don't mind the heat too much as long as I'm moving (I wear mesh textile, can't imagine how hot it would be in full leathers).

Ultimately, it's a compromise, starting earlier and then finishing the day's ride by around 3 pm, rest relax and revelry (I like your choice of words ) or starting slightly later and finishing by around 5 pm, time for a quick shower followed by good food and drink and in bed by midnight for the next day's ride.

The group that a couple of posters have referred to above are planning a ride to Si Sawat for the end of this month. It will be a toss up between a day ride or an overnighter. However, I still believe that a day ride, even with an early start, cannot be done at cruising speeds below 140 kmh. There will always be traffic holdups, slightly longer than expected rest stops, slow service during lunch etc etc. Cruising and top speeds are one thing, actual average speeds are something else altogether.

Longest ride I've done in a day is Bkk - Chiangmai, about 700 km. Riding two up, not pushing it, stopping frequently for the Amazon Extra iced coffee plus other nice looking coffee shops en-route, it took me about 10-11 hrs. Top speeds were around 160-180 kmh (two up, panniers, fully loaded bike), cruising speeds around 140-150 kmh but ultimately, the average speed over the whole journey was approx 70kmh.

Have a mate who did a 1000 km round trip from Bkk to Maha Sarakham and back in one day but then he was on a MultiStrada and is a quick rider in any case.

[ll2]

early start is fine unless you dont work and wake up six days a week at 07.30. so my only sleeping day is sunday and i am even OK for a ride to slide to dark if i can sleep and start a bit late

but i totally understand the early wake ups and rides.

idiom is clear: 'Who wakes up earlier goes a longer way in life.'

Edited August 18, 2014 by ll2

[dave_boo]

Don't know what the hate for small bikes is....mbox and I have done the Nakhon Sawan to Umphang and back trip on a pair of 250 (Ninja and Boxer). Eating lunch there and still got home after 12.5 hours. And I'm not that good of a rider.

[saramsland]

Don't know what the hate for small bikes is....mbox and I have done the Nakhon Sawan to Umphang and back trip on a pair of 250 (Ninja and Boxer). Eating lunch there and still got home after 12.5 hours. And I'm not that good of a rider.

No disliking of small bikes but from previous yrs some small bikes fall behind on any hills and the riders occasionally try to make up for that with some ridiculous speeds. More or less, i consider myself a sensible rider and welcome anyone of the same nature...

[dave_boo]

Don't know what the hate for small bikes is....mbox and I have done the Nakhon Sawan to Umphang and back trip on a pair of 250 (Ninja and Boxer). Eating lunch there and still got home after 12.5 hours. And I'm not that good of a rider.

No disliking of small bikes but from previous yrs some small bikes fall behind on any hills and the riders occasionally try to make up for that with some ridiculous speeds. More or less, i consider myself a sensible rider and welcome anyone of the same nature...

Don't blame the bike; blame the rider.

I've seen good riders on little bikes keep up and embarrass the big bikes through the hills. I've seen bikers that had much bigger bikes than I, but similar skill level as me, fall behind.

As the old Ninja 250 runs 133 km/h (GPS verified) with my fat ass siting bolt upright, the straights aren't much of a problem for the little bikes to run at supra-legal speeds.

[DualSportBiker]

That's 900 k.m.! Holy crap! That is some ride!

Don't know what the hate for small bikes is....mbox and I have done the Nakhon Sawan to Umphang and back trip on a pair of 250 (Ninja and Boxer). Eating lunch there and still got home after 12.5 hours. And I'm not that good of a rider.

[saramsland]

Don't know what the hate for small bikes is....mbox and I have done the Nakhon Sawan to Umphang and back trip on a pair of 250 (Ninja and Boxer). Eating lunch there and still got home after 12.5 hours. And I'm not that good of a rider.

No disliking of small bikes but from previous yrs some small bikes fall behind on any hills and the riders occasionally try to make up for that with some ridiculous speeds. More or less, i consider myself a sensible rider and welcome anyone of the same nature...

Don't blame the bike; blame the rider.

I've seen good riders on little bikes keep up and embarrass the big bikes through the hills. I've seen bikers that had much bigger bikes than I, but similar skill level as me, fall behind.

As the old Ninja 250 runs 133 km/h (GPS verified) with my fat ass siting bolt upright, the straights aren't much of a problem for the little bikes to run at supra-legal speeds.

Yep.. As I said, welcome anyone of the same nature.

[dave_boo]

That's 900 k.m.! Holy crap! That is some ride!

Don't know what the hate for small bikes is....mbox and I have done the Nakhon Sawan to Umphang and back trip on a pair of 250 (Ninja and Boxer). Eating lunch there and still got home after 12.5 hours. And I'm not that good of a rider.

Was actually over 1000 for me as the distance from the house to the meet up pushed it into that range. Perhaps if I was as good of a rider as mbox (and not addicted to nicotine) that time could have been significantly cut down.

I've done many 1000+ km day trips, but that's the only one I have a witness that can corroborate the story. However the other rides weren't as physically demanding; going down the 1090 and back up (and then getting rained upon during the Kamphaeng -> Nakhon Sawan leg) sure is rough.

I'm currently in the process of planning out a real Iron Butt trip for November. There are several options available, but I'm leaning towards sticking to major highways so I can be sure I meet the goal. When I started planning it was looking like a run up through Tak->Lom Sak->Ubon and back was in the cards. But running the numbers, there's too much traffic and curves in the beginning to make good time, as well as having at least 350km of unknown roads after dark pretty much precluded that.

[DualSportBiker]

Personally, I'd rather do 500 k.m. of twisties than 100 k.m. of highways, let alone 1,000! At very least I feel sorry for my tires (and the poor bugger that bought them).

Riding at night here is to be avoided, but you know that already. I have done so only once; departed Hua Mark at 15:00 sharp and rode to Nong Khai by 21:15 with dinner at Chumphae (I took the 201 from Sikhio through Chaiyaphum rather than the 'main' highway. If I did not have 3,000 additional lumens upfront, and reflectors on my panniers I'd not even think about it!

Was actually over 1000 for me as the distance from the house to the meet up pushed it into that range. Perhaps if I was as good of a rider as mbox (and not addicted to nicotine) that time could have been significantly cut down.

I've done many 1000+ km day trips, but that's the only one I have a witness that can corroborate the story. However the other rides weren't as physically demanding; going down the 1090 and back up (and then getting rained upon during the Kamphaeng -> Nakhon Sawan leg) sure is rough.

I'm currently in the process of planning out a real Iron Butt trip for November. There are several options available, but I'm leaning towards sticking to major highways so I can be sure I meet the goal. When I started planning it was looking like a run up through Tak->Lom Sak->Ubon and back was in the cards. But running the numbers, there's too much traffic and curves in the beginning to make good time, as well as having at least 350km of unknown roads after dark pretty much precluded that.

[saramsland]

Personally, I'd rather do 500 k.m. of twisties than 100 k.m. of highways, let alone 1,000! At very least I feel sorry for my tires (and the poor bugger that bought them).

Riding at night here is to be avoided, but you know that already. I have done so only once; departed Hua Mark at 15:00 sharp and rode to Nong Khai by 21:15 with dinner at Chumphae (I took the 201 from Sikhio through Chaiyaphum rather than the 'main' highway. If I did not have 3,000 additional lumens upfront, and reflectors on my panniers I'd not even think about it!

Was actually over 1000 for me as the distance from the house to the meet up pushed it into that range. Perhaps if I was as good of a rider as mbox (and not addicted to nicotine) that time could have been significantly cut down.

I've done many 1000+ km day trips, but that's the only one I have a witness that can corroborate the story. However the other rides weren't as physically demanding; going down the 1090 and back up (and then getting rained upon during the Kamphaeng -> Nakhon Sawan leg) sure is rough.

I'm currently in the process of planning out a real Iron Butt trip for November. There are several options available, but I'm leaning towards sticking to major highways so I can be sure I meet the goal. When I started planning it was looking like a run up through Tak->Lom Sak->Ubon and back was in the cards. But running the numbers, there's too much traffic and curves in the beginning to make good time, as well as having at least 350km of unknown roads after dark pretty much precluded that.

Been along that road many a times at night by in the car... Totally agree its not a nice road for night riding!