Expert bikers please help this noob: Chiang Mai-Pai

[Zlabermacht]

Hi there, I am planning a holiday trip from Chiang Mai to Pai, go one day and back the other day, by motorbike.
I am a good small scooter driver, but I never drove anything more powerful than Honda click 125i (on two wheels) and have little experience with gears (but I learnt them at 14 years, so I can make it). Currently I am driving a dear old Honda click 110.
First of all: is the road any difficult?

Do you think I can make it with my current bike or should I get a newer/more powerful one?
I have literally no idea about the road, just googled it and look like a simple 140 or so kilometers, but I guess it will be quite mountainous: can I make it with an automatic or will I definitely be going to over stress the bike?

I would like to hire a big comfortable scooter, like a Forza 300 or a 250 something, but I never even tried to ride these kind of bikes: should I try or better not to, and in this case stick on a Honda Click 125i, which I know good and which I guess can make pretty easily the road (if that is correct) ?
Thank you for any suggestion. Chok dee
PS. would you call stupid the idea to make it with a Kawasaki KLX 150?

[PoorSucker]

Moved to Chiang mai forum.

[JulieM]

A low power bike is best. There is no opportunity to go fast. The road had so many twists and turns. Consider taking travel sickness medicine before you start off. Slow and easy and you will be fine. Try to take a turn too fast and you will wipe out.

[JimShortz]

The poor little 110 will make it, but on the steeper parts you would really appreciate having at least a Click 125, or better still something like the Yamaha Nouvo 135cc or PCX 150cc.

[naboo]

Did the whole loop on a 100cc Wave a couple of times, the hills were slow going, would recommend a PCX 150 for you. Don't take that road to learn how to ride with gears.

The best stretch of the loop is Pai to Mae Hong Son, consider extending.

Edited November 11, 2014 by naboo

[terminatorchiangmai]

Did it on a fino 115cc last month , easy ride and most enjoyable.

[amexpat]

A low power bike is best. There is no opportunity to go fast. The road had so many twists and turns. Consider taking travel sickness medicine before you start off. Slow and easy and you will be fine. Try to take a turn too fast and you will wipe out.

Travel sickness meds are good for passengers in a car but for a bike rider probably unnecessary and they can cause drowsiness. Not good. If you feel anything but fine, just stop and enjoy the views for a while.

The whole loop is a great ride. I like Mae Hong Song to Mae Sariang.

[craigt3365]

That section of road is very curvy and hilly. And quite dangerous if you are not a very good rider. I'd take public transport to Pai and rent a scooter once you get there. Lots of places around to check out.

Like mentioned above, once you get past there, it's a very nice road and very scenic. Before that, all you'll be doing is concentrating on the hills and the curves! 5555

If you do go, make sure you've got proper insurance. Many policies don't cover scooter accidents here. And hospital bills can run very high.

[Gsxrnz]

Whatever scooter you take, make sure the tyres are in OK condition and properly inflated. Check the brake pads are ok, and if you're overdue for an oil change, do it first or at least check the oil level. Wear a helmet, shoes - and sunscreen.

Don't hire/buy a clutched bike, as another poster has said it's the wrong road to learn on.

Brake early, ride within your capabilities, watch out for sand/dogs/potholes etc., and ride on the assumption that every car/bus/truck/bike on the road is out to get you.

It's always good to arrive at your destination with the shiny bits in the same condition as when you left home.

[lexilis]

Yes, everything gsxrnz said. A PCX 150 may be a good choice. But dont rent the bike and take off for Pai the next day. Have the bike at least a week before to get very used to how it responds. Ride up and down the mountain here a couple of times. And hell no to any type of medication.

[daveAustin]

The 110 will be just ok (unless you weigh like 150kgs), but better to go on the 125cc. Like naboo, I've also done the complete loop (coming back through MHS, Mae Sariang, Doi Inthanon etc) on a 100 Wave, WITH PASSENGER, though you could really do with some torque for the hills. IMO, the 250 D-Tracker is the best thing for that route, with its hybrid tyres and low gearing... eats up those twisties in no time and you have the option of going offroad from Samoeng.

[gc777]

Did the trip recently on a 110 cc, there were two of us + luggage, we struggled up some of the hills but it only took about three hours to get to Pai with a stop for lunch. As said above the road from Pai to Mae Hong Son is spectacular, I agree that it is defiantly worth extending at least to Soppong.

Re safety, I found traffic coming down hill too fast and often crossing on the wrong side of the road to be the biggest hazard. Also, it gets pretty cold when it rains on the higher parts of the route so I'd recommend taking some decent waterproofs.

[onthedarkside]

An unhelpful post has been removed.

[Zlabermacht]

Thanks everyone, this forum is just great.
I forgot to mention that I once went up to Doi Pui with passenger with a 110 click, and a couple of times up to Doi Suthep: the road is much different, easier or what? Thanks
PS> Doi Pui was an hell, and coming down our engine did pass out every time. That was being dangerous haha

[CMKiwi]

Ive never done that trip or the loop but its on my wish list of to do before the end of the year. Gotta try and talk the missus into doing it on her bike, and by the sounds of it it is a great route.

My be advisable to do it before all the loopy tourists turn up..... saw a couple of Italian guys yesterday on scooters going like the clappers thru the roadworks on the way into Mae Rim. I was rather shocked at their speed and zig zagging outta the traffic. When in Rome huh? Maybe they will change their ways when they wipe out, and just wearing shorts and flip flops aint going to save much skin if they do crash.

Anyways getting back to the OP; enjoy the trip and hopefully you can provide some feedback when you return.

Cheers

[Dellboy218]

Be wary of minibuses, they are the most dangerous thing on that road. It is unfortunate for the decent drivers but some of them are downright dangerous. On the hairpins just before Pai I have had them driving within 1/2m alongside me. A friend of mine recently returned from Pai in a minibus, in 2-1/2 hours! She tells that several were sick and the driver refused to slow. Whatever size bike you ride, stay well to the left on blind corners, dont try and take a fast line. Sure as hell there will be two cars/buses coming round the corner side by side. A face mask of some kind might be handy just in case you get stuck behind one of those badly smoking trucks on the steep sections as you probably will not have enough power to pass them. Do it in our own time, not someone elses and enjoy the view!

[sharktooth]

The road is very twisty, in some areas poor surface, in others a lot of moss so you will get a few wobbles. Trucks can be a nightmare as well. Some good views though

[Beetlejuice]

That section of road is very curvy and hilly. And quite dangerous if you are not a very good rider. I'd take public transport to Pai and rent a scooter once you get there. Lots of places around to check out.

Like mentioned above, once you get past there, it's a very nice road and very scenic. Before that, all you'll be doing is concentrating on the hills and the curves! 5555

If you do go, make sure you've got proper insurance. Many policies don't cover scooter accidents here. And hospital bills can run very high.

To the OP: Please take our craigt3365 advice.

Firstly a small motorbike/scooter will do the trip, but it`s a long and uncomfortable drive and as our craigt3365 says; much of it is via hills and curves, plus it could seem like it will take forever to get there and back on a low powered motorbike and if you do make it home, your bum will feel like it`s been riding a horse for the day and you`re probably end up walking like John Wayne for several months afterwards. Also taking into consideration it can be quite cold up north this time of year, especially early morning and evening, so if you do the trip, take some warm clothing you you, including a pair of warm gloves.

I have done that trip many times over the years, but I have a high powered motorbike that can cruse at speeds of 100kph plus. But riding a high powered heavy motorbike requires a lot of experience and if you have never used a motorbike above 125cc, than you would be taking a huge risk, especially on such treacherous roads.

You do this trip at your own risk and discretion, and like our craigt3365, I would advise have a good think about it first.

Chiang Mai to Pai route 1095 in 7 minutes:

Chiang Mai to Pai, on Route 1095

[cloudhopper]

Some of the potholes are getting pretty deep. Trees are beginning to flower and the Mexican sunflowers are in full bloom. Have a nice ride.

[PETDCAT]

One thing worth mentioning is if you will be riding in the evening it can be cold. Bring a jacket or heavy sweatshirt.

[godden]

The bike should be ok and you having little experience a bigger bike might be dangerous, rode from Uttaradit to Mae Sai some yrs ago over the mountains in 1 day a total of 385 k on a Honda 100cc wave.

[mynameisphil]

The road definitely seems to have gotten worse in the past year or so, a lot more potholes.

The Chiang Mai - Pai is the most difficult section of the loop but it's not too bad if you drive carefully. I do it a Honda Wave every time (semi-auto, automatic will be a nightmare for some hills I imagine) and it's easily fast enough for that section, anything more is overkill unless you're a full on biker.

Watch out for the last few km, there's some nasty downhill hairpins, about 5 in a row. Last month I went to Pai for a few days, on the way back a truck had crashed on one of them, just left mangled in a ditch there. Pretty crazy.

Edited November 14, 2014 by mynameisphil

[Mangkhut]

Any motorbike 100/110/125/150/250 ccm and upwards will make the trip easily. What do you think the local people uses up there? The same small bikes that are used everywhere else in Thailand.

Do it on a bike that you are familiar with. The 1864 curves, many of them hairpins are not a place you should start learning to drive a new vehicle.

As mentioned earlier in the thread - check tyres, tyre pressure, brakes, oil level etc before taking off.

Do consider to extend your tour:

Day 1. Chiang Mai - Pai

Day 2. Pai - Mae Hong Son (visit the Tham Lof cave and Ban Rak Thai village on the way, intetesting places.

Day 3. Mae Hong Son - via Doi Inthanon - Chiang Mai.

Happy trip and safe riding!

[Paul jacobs]

I've heard there is a scooter school opening in Chiang Mai. Anybody else got info on this?

[robertson468]

Did the whole loop on a 100cc Wave a couple of times, the hills were slow going, would recommend a PCX 150 for you. Don't take that road to learn how to ride with gears.

The best stretch of the loop is Pai to Mae Hong Son, consider extending.

If you want to use a bike with gears, would recommend that youn ride it around for about six weeks or so and get used to changing up and down, particularly down as when you hit the steep parts and the engine starts labouring you need to change down quickly and make sure you don't have some lovely Thai Plantationer in his 30 year old pick up belching smoke and half way up your exhaust pipe. Good luck and have fun.

[Strangebrew]

Dude get the fastest rice rocket made Floor it to the max cause your lost cause now.

[nithisa78]

Call my friend Reed, 080-493-1012 .It is what he does.

Tell him Gus from Suvarnabhumi refered you. He is HQ , Chiang Mai.

Safe journey.

[KonaRain]

150 sounds good..135 also..ridden my whole life, but Thai roads are a challenge.

Lived on the road to Pai last year ?

Practice counter steering to help lean the bike over.

Can kinda yank the bars over also. I had a 500 interceptor, and 750-700's.

Guys?

[scorpio1945]

Do not switch to a manual without experience. Missing a shift on an uphill hairpin can be anything from embarrassing to deadly.

[rikki]

Do not switch to a manual without experience. Missing a shift on an uphill hairpin can be anything from embarrassing to deadly.

Especially 2up