Riding safe in Thailand - what's a safe speed?

[speedthrills]

^

Errr, i know some members here who do this in Thailand. But it doesnt need 250 to kill yourself. Imo everything above 200 is a death wish in Thailand.

The rider in this video has balls. Not because he is going at such speeds, but for sharing this video with the public

And your opinion counts for squat.

The rider in the video, who's a riding buddy, made a mistake. But does he continually need to be bashed over the head with it? Especially by some halfwit on a scooter who doesn't have the desire, ability, skill or yes, balls, to ride a big bike here.

some people of course ride their bikes for years and years....and learn nothing!

And some people never ride.

yes for sure he made amistake as it is he up big time by such a hugge errer of crazy speeding and neely took out the other bike as well as himselve with the truck but the best errer was having put it up on yourtube for all the people to see.so yes H1w4yR1da,he deserves to be continually bashed over the head with it

Edited January 11, 2015 by speedthrills

[teutonian]

I got my first motorbike when I was 7 years old, and have been riding ever since....however in Thailand I limit my bike ownership to a 110cc step-through.

The reasons?

one - I don't like riding unless I can wear full protective clothing. Although I could splash out on the latest carbon-fibre technology, the cost and other reasons add up to not getting involved.

The other reasons? - roads here are extremely badly built (surfaces,potholes etc) and designed (junctions, camber, curves etc.) - in Thailand billboards obscure vision at junctions trees overhang bends etc etc - the chances of other motorists not seeing a car are bad enough but the chances of your m/bike not being seen are in my opinion unacceptably high.

Then there's what happens if you DO come off - the final and overriding reason for me however is the Thai (emergency) healthcare service. If you have an accident in Europe there are specific times by which an ambulance and paramedics will get to you. ........ and once in hospital you get the best treatment, no questions asked.

NONE of this is available in Thailand. What happens is a lottery - an "ambulance ca be just about anything from a pickup to a van that resembles and ambulance - is it equipped? Are they properly trained paramedics? I and others have witnessed accident victims being shoved and pushed and loaded - NO SIGN OF A NECK BRACE!!!!! please! In a country where the chances of coming off are considerably higher than my home country why would I ride a bike when the emergency services are in the dark ages - in fact they probably wouldn't have cut mustard in the days of the Great Plague itself!

With all due respect

1/ proper big bikes are quite a bit safer to ride than when you were 7 years old. ABS. ASC. Amazing suspension, good tires, brakes and lots of horses to pull you out of trouble.

2/ a 110cc step through isn't a motorbike. It's a local soi toy.

3/ it would appear you have neither technical nor experiential authority to even comment on the issue of speed and the nuances of when speed is safe and when not.

I said it before and say it again. The reasons I feel safer to ride in Thailand is because for the most part, drivers respect big bikes. People driving stupidly makes one have to pay attention. And some of the roads are gorgeous nobody has ever tried to push me off the road in Thailand. I can't say that for North America.

Riding 60kmh on an open road in nice condition is dangerous. Can we keep discussion about those two wheeled motorized fisher prize toys out of this?

[teutonian]

I think some posters here need to read the aptly named Hurt report. Published in 1981, it is to motorcycling what Kinsey was to sex.

There have been studies since but none so thorough or wide-ranging.

It should be noted that in the States, the general trend for motorcycle deaths has been upwards over the last 2 decades, only in the last couple of recorded years has there been a slight drop.

There are some interesting observations on speed in the report too....... although "Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle size", low speed is little to no protection against death or injury on a motorcycle..

(to get an idea imagine falling head-first of a small step onto concrete - that's at ZERO mph!)

The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph-

Whereas the actual figures may have changed slightly now, the principle was established by this report..

a glance over this and the MAIDS report (EU 2000) might also give the lie to some of the nonsense posted on this thread

+1

[wilcopops]

I got my first motorbike when I was 7 years old, and have been riding ever since....however in Thailand I limit my bike ownership to a 110cc step-through.

The reasons?

one - I don't like riding unless I can wear full protective clothing. Although I could splash out on the latest carbon-fibre technology, the cost and other reasons add up to not getting involved.

The other reasons? - roads here are extremely badly built (surfaces,potholes etc) and designed (junctions, camber, curves etc.) - in Thailand billboards obscure vision at junctions trees overhang bends etc etc - the chances of other motorists not seeing a car are bad enough but the chances of your m/bike not being seen are in my opinion unacceptably high.

Then there's what happens if you DO come off - the final and overriding reason for me however is the Thai (emergency) healthcare service. If you have an accident in Europe there are specific times by which an ambulance and paramedics will get to you. ........ and once in hospital you get the best treatment, no questions asked.

NONE of this is available in Thailand. What happens is a lottery - an "ambulance ca be just about anything from a pickup to a van that resembles and ambulance - is it equipped? Are they properly trained paramedics? I and others have witnessed accident victims being shoved and pushed and loaded - NO SIGN OF A NECK BRACE!!!!! please! In a country where the chances of coming off are considerably higher than my home country why would I ride a bike when the emergency services are in the dark ages - in fact they probably wouldn't have cut mustard in the days of the Great Plague itself!

With all due respect

1/ proper big bikes are quite a bit safer to ride than when you were 7 years old. ABS. ASC. Amazing suspension, good tires, brakes and lots of horses to pull you out of trouble.

2/ a 110cc step through isn't a motorbike. It's a local soi toy.

3/ it would appear you have neither technical nor experiential authority to even comment on the issue of speed and the nuances of when speed is safe and when not.

I said it before and say it again. The reasons I feel safer to ride in Thailand is because for the most part, drivers respect big bikes. People driving stupidly makes one have to pay attention. And some of the roads are gorgeous nobody has ever tried to push me off the road in Thailand. I can't say that for North America.

Riding 60kmh on an open road in nice condition is dangerous. Can we keep discussion about those two wheeled motorized fisher prize toys out of this?

Tip - Firstly why not address the issues I posted about? - secondly don't make assumptions, present the reasoning behind your 3 statements (which in your case, are quite irrelevant to anything I posted) - I think you should read the reports....you don't appear to be able to formulate a coherent argument - concentrate on the message first, eh?

Unfortunately, it's fairly clear though by the assumptions you make and illogical conclusions you come to that a coherent argument is unlikely to come from you. If your ability to have a rational discussion is anything to go by I don't rate you abilities to read the road and ride a bike. I suspect like many motorists your grossly overestimate your own abilities and believe that it is in fact everyone else who is to blame...sound familiar?

Edited January 12, 2015 by wilcopops

[teutonian]

I got my first motorbike when I was 7 years old, and have been riding ever since....however in Thailand I limit my bike ownership to a 110cc step-through.

The reasons?

one - I don't like riding unless I can wear full protective clothing. Although I could splash out on the latest carbon-fibre technology, the cost and other reasons add up to not getting involved.

The other reasons? - roads here are extremely badly built (surfaces,potholes etc) and designed (junctions, camber, curves etc.) - in Thailand billboards obscure vision at junctions trees overhang bends etc etc - the chances of other motorists not seeing a car are bad enough but the chances of your m/bike not being seen are in my opinion unacceptably high.

Then there's what happens if you DO come off - the final and overriding reason for me however is the Thai (emergency) healthcare service. If you have an accident in Europe there are specific times by which an ambulance and paramedics will get to you. ........ and once in hospital you get the best treatment, no questions asked.

NONE of this is available in Thailand. What happens is a lottery - an "ambulance ca be just about anything from a pickup to a van that resembles and ambulance - is it equipped? Are they properly trained paramedics? I and others have witnessed accident victims being shoved and pushed and loaded - NO SIGN OF A NECK BRACE!!!!! please! In a country where the chances of coming off are considerably higher than my home country why would I ride a bike when the emergency services are in the dark ages - in fact they probably wouldn't have cut mustard in the days of the Great Plague itself!

With all due respect

1/ proper big bikes are quite a bit safer to ride than when you were 7 years old. ABS. ASC. Amazing suspension, good tires, brakes and lots of horses to pull you out of trouble.

2/ a 110cc step through isn't a motorbike. It's a local soi toy.

3/ it would appear you have neither technical nor experiential authority to even comment on the issue of speed and the nuances of when speed is safe and when not.

I said it before and say it again. The reasons I feel safer to ride in Thailand is because for the most part, drivers respect big bikes. People driving stupidly makes one have to pay attention. And some of the roads are gorgeous nobody has ever tried to push me off the road in Thailand. I can't say that for North America.

Riding 60kmh on an open road in nice condition is dangerous. Can we keep discussion about those two wheeled motorized fisher prize toys out of this?

Tip - Firstly why not address the issues I posted about? - secondly don't make assumptions, present the reasoning behind your 3 statements (which in your case, are quite irrelevant to anything I posted) - I think you should read the reports....you don't appear to be able to formulate a coherent argument - concentrate on the message first, eh?

Unfortunately, it's fairly clear though by the assumptions you make and illogical conclusions you come to that a coherent argument is unlikely to come from you. If your ability to have a rational discussion is anything to go by I don't rate you abilities to read the road and ride a bike. I suspect like many motorists your grossly overestimate your own abilities and believe that it is in fact everyone else who is to blame...sound familiar?

Indeed I do. You are right. That's why I ride the safest bike money can buy. And stay away from traffic as much as I can.

Now. If those pesky scooters would bother looking in the mirror before crossing the road...

[RubberSideDown]

^

Which bike do you ride?

[teutonian]

^

Which bike do you ride?

I ride BMW 1200 GSAs on both sides of the pacific

[RubberSideDown]

It's a nice bike- I've been eyeing touring bikes, and it's on the list, along with the new MTS and KTM. Of course, then I'd need to find the time to actually tour...

[mikebike]

I think some posters here need to read the aptly named Hurt report. Published in 1981, it is to motorcycling what Kinsey was to sex.

There have been studies since but none so thorough or wide-ranging.

It should be noted that in the States, the general trend for motorcycle deaths has been upwards over the last 2 decades, only in the last couple of recorded years has there been a slight drop.

There are some interesting observations on speed in the report too....... although "Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle size", low speed is little to no protection against death or injury on a motorcycle..

(to get an idea imagine falling head-first of a small step onto concrete - that's at ZERO mph!)

“The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph-“

Whereas the actual figures may have changed slightly now, the principle was established by this report..

a glance over this and the MAIDS report (EU 2000) might also give the lie to some of the nonsense posted on this thread

OK - I'll bite...

Just what exactly are you trying to say with this post?

What I get from it is: the majority of motorcycle accidents in the USA happen at 30 mph (50 kmph) or less; and that only one in a thousand happen at 90 mph (145 kmph) and presumably less above that...

Also stating that, 'in the States, the general trend for motorcycle deaths has been upwards over the last 2 decades' is meaningless unless we know whether it refers to TOTAL deaths or deaths relative to the number of licensed riders.

​Objectively and rationally motorcycling is unsafe at any speed. Subjectively, for some, its hard to get through the day without throwing the leg over a bike...

[teutonian]

It's a nice bike- I've been eyeing touring bikes, and it's on the list, along with the new MTS and KTM. Of course, then I'd need to find the time to actually tour...

It's for sale. PM me if you are interested.

[RubberSideDown]

^^

One important factor in the increased death rate is that several states (i.e. Iowa, Florida, and Michigan among others) repealed their helmet laws since the report was written, which really had a big effect on road fatalities.

Edited January 12, 2015 by RubberSideDown

[RubberSideDown]

It's a nice bike- I've been eyeing touring bikes, and it's on the list, along with the new MTS and KTM. Of course, then I'd need to find the time to actually tour...

It's for sale. PM me if you are interested.

Thanks, but I wouldn't be seriously looking for several months at least as I'm currently planning on a move up north. My current bike is being a bit neglected, and a tourer would only gather dust at the moment.

[mikebike]

Have done that - don't underestimate someone's riding experience either......i learned from experience, study and reason - something that seems to have eluded some bikers here.

I too have 'learned from experience, study and reason', yet I have come to a conclusion diametrically opposed to yours; for myself, accepting a calculated risk is part and parcel of being a passionate motorcyclist - something I expect to be and do until they have to pry my arthritic hands off the bars!!

[mikebike]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t05RQvAwGbk

He was so close to being taken out by that pick up truck.

IMO he wasn't giving it the attention it warranted from the moment it appeared on the left.

If he saw it early he didn't react until near 4 seconds later, at the last possible second, when it crossed his bows.

Maybe he assumed it would just slide out and stay in the left lane instead of crossing

A split second misjudgement like this is possible at any time, by any of us.

Comes down to luck in the end and the old " not his time to go yet"

He was very lucky.

I may disagree...

Until the rider was 100% sure of the truck driver's intentions his best move was what he did: stay neutral and ready and not assume anything. Given those extra couple of seconds to analyze his situation he was able to safely avoid a potentially dangerous outcome. I believe that experience and not luck was the determining factor.

[speedthrills]

^^ ^^

no doubting you also are a ridding buddy of the guy as are rsd and hiwayguy,defending his stupitity by saing his skill saved him whatabout the poor guy on scooter fe also near cleaned up?

here a video promotion for car drivers to be aware wich is always good to see. but in this case this thread the rider was 100 per cent wrong on so many levels!!many crashes are the bikerideres fault! we all need to to aware when on road on any choioce of transport

Cliff Clark - Look Twice | Facebook

Edited January 12, 2015 by speedthrills

[mikebike]

^^ ^^

no doubting you also are a ridding buddy of the guy as are rsd and hiwayguy,defending his stupitity by saing his skill saved him whatabout the poor guy on scooter fe also near cleaned up?

here a video promotion for car drivers to be aware in this case this thread the rider was 100 per cent wrong on so many levels!!many crashes are the bikerideres fault!

Cliff Clark - Look Twice | Facebook

You did, of course, note that I made no comment or conclusion as to whether I believe the rider in the video (I have no idea who he is) was travelling at a reasonable pace (I do not). Also, his proximity to the scooter earlier in the video has no bearing on the encounter with the truck. My sole comment was that once he was in that situation he did everything right which, to me, points to experience, not luck.

But feel free to draw more ridiculous conclusions without fact...

EDIT: BTW - I love the video! Very well done.

Edited January 12, 2015 by mikebike

[speedthrills]

^^ ^^

no doubting you also are a ridding buddy of the guy as are rsd and hiwayguy,defending his stupitity by saing his skill saved him whatabout the poor guy on scooter fe also near cleaned up?

here a video promotion for car drivers to be aware in this case this thread the rider was 100 per cent wrong on so many levels!!many crashes are the bikerideres fault!

Cliff Clark - Look Twice | Facebook

You did, of course, note that I made no comment or conclusion as to whether I believe the rider in the video (I have no idea who he is) was travelling at a reasonable pace (I do not). Also, his proximity to the scooter earlier in the video has no bearing on the encounter with the truck. My sole comment was that once he was in that situation he did everything right which, to me, points to experience, not luck.

But feel free to draw more ridiculous conclusions without fact...

EDIT: BTW - I love the video! Very well done.

the only ridiculouse conclusion is that byou saw the scoot earlier in the vidoe and of coarse that has no bearing on truck enconter duuh.look at the 1.33 point and think about whose ridiculous.yes thoough the video is weell done.we can agreement to that.

[RubberSideDown]

^^

Right as usual...

I've spoken to the rider over the phone and exchanged emails, but I've never met or ridden with him (though I certainly would and probably will in the near future).

A while back that video was shown on a US-board populated by guys that are all veteran riders- while pretty much all said the speed was a poor choice in that environment, most saw the evasive move as one of skill rather than luck, and they know that the ability to save yourself from a a close-call is an extremely important part of any rider's skill-set.

Yes, I think he made a poor choice, but that doesn't detract from the split-second we're referring to.

Edited January 12, 2015 by RubberSideDown

[mikebike]

the only ridiculouse conclusion is that byou saw the scoot earlier in the vidoe and of coarse that has no bearing on truck enconter duuh.look at the 1.33 point and think about whose ridiculous.yes thoough the video is weell done.we can agreement to that.

Try not to loose the plot Mr. Thrills!! Ridiculous conclusions: 1. That I am a "riding buddy" of the guy in the video; and 2. That I condone his pace in that video; 3. That the proximity of the bike to the scooter earlier in the video somehow affects the situation between the bike and the truck. Those would be the definition of 'ridiculous conclusions' without basis in fact.

Regardless of how the rider got himself in that situation, do you have any comment, that actually relates to my post, on what, if anything, the rider could (or should) have done differently once he was in that position?

[speedthrills]

the only ridiculouse conclusion is that byou saw the scoot earlier in the vidoe and of coarse that has no bearing on truck enconter duuh.look at the 1.33 point and think about whose ridiculous.yes thoough the video is weell done.we can agreement to that.

Try not to loose the plot Mr. Thrills!! Ridiculous conclusions: 1. That I am a "riding buddy" of the guy in the video; and 2. That I condone his pace in that video; 3. That the proximity of the bike to the scooter earlier in the video somehow affects the situation between the bike and the truck. Those would be the definition of 'ridiculous conclusions' without basis in fact.

Regardless of how the rider got himself in that situation, do you have any comment, that actually relates to my post, on what, if anything, the rider could (or should) have done differently once he was in that position?

donnot get off a youre bike, mike.calm down.point [3] you say That the proximity of the bike to the scooter earlier in the video somehow affects the situation between the bike and the truck..look at 1.33 not earliey in the vid as you keep mistakenly drawing attenshen to but look at ONE MINUTE andTHIRTY THREE and you can inform me that this crazy outa control jo- doe didnot near take out the scooter when he at the last moments LUCKILY swerved around the pickup..are you kidden or blind he was just so LUCKY to miss the pickup and not hit the scooter.he was inches awy from that rider at a breakneck speed.LUCKY again.PS sorry for imsinuating youre a riding buddy,i would also deny knowing someone so out of control.other than that no much else to say isthere

Edited January 12, 2015 by speedthrills

[JonnyF]

^ Decent move to avoid the pickup although not that tricky IMO. It always looks closer/crazier/faster on the GoPro. He probably saw it long before we saw it on the video and the driver was consistently slow in his move which is a good thing, the truck didn't suddenly swerve to one side like when someone misses a u turn and tries to make it at the last minute.

Where he was lucky was that his "out" route was clear. The scooter on the hard shoulder could have easily been cutting across the road himself, or there could have been another vehicle coming along the hard shoulder against traffic (in the wrong direction) which would have forced the scooter to move to the right into the "out" route etc. Such a scenario is not unusual here as most of us know.

This is my greatest worry riding in Thailand. 2 idiots at the same time almost got me a couple of times. I can avoid one idiot, but when the path to avoid idiot number 1 is blocked by idiot number 2 then it's all over. In this case however, had there been a collision I think the poster of the video would be responsible as riding that fast on that type of road was reckless given the consistently poor local driving habits that he is no doubt aware of.

Glad it ended with a cool video instead of something much worse...

[DualSportBiker]

It's a nice bike- I've been eyeing touring bikes, and it's on the list, along with the new MTS and KTM. Of course, then I'd need to find the time to actually tour...

It's for sale. PM me if you are interested.

Thanks, but I wouldn't be seriously looking for several months at least as I'm currently planning on a move up north. My current bike is being a bit neglected, and a tourer would only gather dust at the moment.

Well, RSD, if you buy it, I will keep it running for you, it's really not an issue for me

[wilcopops]

Have done that - don't underestimate someone's riding experience either......i learned from experience, study and reason - something that seems to have eluded some bikers here.

I too have 'learned from experience, study and reason', yet I have come to a conclusion diametrically opposed to yours; for myself, accepting a calculated risk is part and parcel of being a passionate motorcyclist - something I expect to be and do until they have to pry my arthritic hands off the bars!!

"I too have 'learned from experience, study and reason',

All your posts would seem to contradict that.

as for you risk assessment skills I think you will eventually find they are not up to par.

[teutonian]

Have done that - don't underestimate someone's riding experience either......i learned from experience, study and reason - something that seems to have eluded some bikers here.

I too have 'learned from experience, study and reason', yet I have come to a conclusion diametrically opposed to yours; for myself, accepting a calculated risk is part and parcel of being a passionate motorcyclist - something I expect to be and do until they have to pry my arthritic hands off the bars!!

"I too have 'learned from experience, study and reason',

All your posts would seem to contradict that.

as for you risk assessment skills I think you will eventually find they are not up to par.

So based on experience one should ban motorbike riding.

This thread is asking about safe speeds. Not whether riding is safe or should be banned.

It's a risky hobby but risks can be mitigated, although not eliminated by taking appropriate measures.

[Gweiloman]

Just back from a 10 day 3,000+ km ride, safe and sound, glad to say. Didn't check the forum much while on the road, was doing the next day's route planning instead.

I see the usual suspects are still active on this thread which is good as I believe this thread would be useful for riders new to Thailand roads.

My top registered speed on this ride was 163 kph, as recorded by my GPS. This was on the AH123 / Route 323 from Thang Pha Phum towards Kanchanaburi. Any of you who have ridden this road on a big bike will be laughing at how slowly I went. I reckon this must be the longest stretch of road where one can travel at a fairly brisk pace, safely.

@wilcopops - I appreciate your contribution to this thread but in all honesty, what are your "points"? You have countered me and at least one other poster for not replying to your "points". As far as I can recall, you made, 4 points - protective clothing, road conditions, emergency services and leaving behind loved ones. I had responded to all the above. Your other posts merely state that we are ignorant of safety and that you are a safety expert but you don't actually give any examples nor suggestions. I really would like to hear what your experience and studies have taught you.

[wilcopops]

Just back from a 10 day 3,000+ km ride, safe and sound, glad to say. Didn't check the forum much while on the road, was doing the next day's route planning instead.

I see the usual suspects are still active on this thread which is good as I believe this thread would be useful for riders new to Thailand roads.

My top registered speed on this ride was 163 kph, as recorded by my GPS. This was on the AH123 / Route 323 from Thang Pha Phum towards Kanchanaburi. Any of you who have ridden this road on a big bike will be laughing at how slowly I went. I reckon this must be the longest stretch of road where one can travel at a fairly brisk pace, safely.

@wilcopops - I appreciate your contribution to this thread but in all honesty, what are your "points"? You have countered me and at least one other poster for not replying to your "points". As far as I can recall, you made, 4 points - protective clothing, road conditions, emergency services and leaving behind loved ones. I had responded to all the above. Your other posts merely state that we are ignorant of safety and that you are a safety expert but you don't actually give any examples nor suggestions. I really would like to hear what your experience and studies have taught you.

no you haven't and you've made some very rash assumptions too.......

"Your other posts merely state that we are ignorant of safety and that you are a safety expert" - no they don't.\however this statement is lot more revealing about yourself than anyone else.

Why ask about me? it's the mesage that's important - as I said before.

[wilcopops]

Have done that - don't underestimate someone's riding experience either......i learned from experience, study and reason - something that seems to have eluded some bikers here.

I too have 'learned from experience, study and reason', yet I have come to a conclusion diametrically opposed to yours; for myself, accepting a calculated risk is part and parcel of being a passionate motorcyclist - something I expect to be and do until they have to pry my arthritic hands off the bars!!

"I too have 'learned from experience, study and reason',

All your posts would seem to contradict that.

as for you risk assessment skills I think you will eventually find they are not up to par.

So based on experience one should ban motorbike riding.

This thread is asking about safe speeds. Not whether riding is safe or should be banned.

It's a risky hobby but risks can be mitigated, although not eliminated by taking appropriate measures.

As Isaid at the start if you have to ask what speed then you shouldn't be o a bike.

[wilcopops]

Just back from a 10 day 3,000+ km ride, safe and sound, glad to say. Didn't check the forum much while on the road, was doing the next day's route planning instead.

I see the usual suspects are still active on this thread which is good as I believe this thread would be useful for riders new to Thailand roads.

My top registered speed on this ride was 163 kph, as recorded by my GPS. This was on the AH123 / Route 323 from Thang Pha Phum towards Kanchanaburi. Any of you who have ridden this road on a big bike will be laughing at how slowly I went. I reckon this must be the longest stretch of road where one can travel at a fairly brisk pace, safely.

@wilcopops - I appreciate your contribution to this thread but in all honesty, what are your "points"? You have countered me and at least one other poster for not replying to your "points". As far as I can recall, you made, 4 points - protective clothing, road conditions, emergency services and leaving behind loved ones. I had responded to all the above. Your other posts merely state that we are ignorant of safety and that you are a safety expert but you don't actually give any examples nor suggestions. I really would like to hear what your experience and studies have taught you.

Oh yes, and my little trip came to 4300 km and although I'm quite capable of exceeding 160, i don't because I have respect for the road, its users those who live nearby (including the wildlife) and the environment - I also have a generally considerate perspective on the lives of others.

Edited January 16, 2015 by wilcopops

[Gweiloman]

Just back from a 10 day 3,000+ km ride, safe and sound, glad to say. Didn't check the forum much while on the road, was doing the next day's route planning instead.

I see the usual suspects are still active on this thread which is good as I believe this thread would be useful for riders new to Thailand roads.

My top registered speed on this ride was 163 kph, as recorded by my GPS. This was on the AH123 / Route 323 from Thang Pha Phum towards Kanchanaburi. Any of you who have ridden this road on a big bike will be laughing at how slowly I went. I reckon this must be the longest stretch of road where one can travel at a fairly brisk pace, safely.

@wilcopops - I appreciate your contribution to this thread but in all honesty, what are your "points"? You have countered me and at least one other poster for not replying to your "points". As far as I can recall, you made, 4 points - protective clothing, road conditions, emergency services and leaving behind loved ones. I had responded to all the above. Your other posts merely state that we are ignorant of safety and that you are a safety expert but you don't actually give any examples nor suggestions. I really would like to hear what your experience and studies have taught you.

Oh yes, and my little trip came to 4300 km and although I'm quite capable of exceeding 160, i don't because I have respect for the road, its users those who live nearby (including the wildlife) and the environment - I also have a generally considerate perspective on the lives of others.

Wow! How many days did that take you on your 110cc step-through? And what mods have you done to it for it to be capable of exceeding 160? How about clothes? What sort of protective clothing were you wearing? Long sleeved T-shirt, denim jeans and tennis sneakers with socks?

Just asking as you had previously written "I got my first motorbike when I was 7 years old, and have been riding ever since....however in Thailand I limit my bike ownership to a 110cc step-through. The reasons?

one - I don't like riding unless I can wear full protective clothing. Although I could splash out on the latest carbon-fibre technology, the cost and other reasons add up to not getting involved."

[Gweiloman]

Just back from a 10 day 3,000+ km ride, safe and sound, glad to say. Didn't check the forum much while on the road, was doing the next day's route planning instead.

I see the usual suspects are still active on this thread which is good as I believe this thread would be useful for riders new to Thailand roads.

My top registered speed on this ride was 163 kph, as recorded by my GPS. This was on the AH123 / Route 323 from Thang Pha Phum towards Kanchanaburi. Any of you who have ridden this road on a big bike will be laughing at how slowly I went. I reckon this must be the longest stretch of road where one can travel at a fairly brisk pace, safely.

@wilcopops - I appreciate your contribution to this thread but in all honesty, what are your "points"? You have countered me and at least one other poster for not replying to your "points". As far as I can recall, you made, 4 points - protective clothing, road conditions, emergency services and leaving behind loved ones. I had responded to all the above. Your other posts merely state that we are ignorant of safety and that you are a safety expert but you don't actually give any examples nor suggestions. I really would like to hear what your experience and studies have taught you.

no you haven't and you've made some very rash assumptions too.......

"Your other posts merely state that we are ignorant of safety and that you are a safety expert" - no they don't.\however this statement is lot more revealing about yourself than anyone else.

Why ask about me? it's the mesage that's important - as I said before.

Still have no idea what are your "points". Care to do us a favour and reply without deflection?