First dream ride of the year

[Gweiloman]

Hi guys,

Planning a 3,000 km round trip from Bkk and hoping for opinions and advice on which roads to avoid, which ones not to miss etc etc. Also, if each segment is too short or too long.

D01 Bkk – Uttaradit 482km
http://goo.gl/maps/3sf9G

D02 Uttaradit – Nan 239km
http://goo.gl/maps/tlm9s

D03 Nan – Chiang Khong 320km
http://goo.gl/maps/S5IpL

D04 Chiang Khong – Mae Sai – Chiang Rai – Chiang Mai 351km
http://goo.gl/maps/BeZbJ

Might spend an extra night in CM here

D05 Chiang Mai – Mae Hong Son – Mae Sariang 416km
http://goo.gl/maps/D9XRz

D06 Mae Sariang – Tak – Kamphaeng Phet 385km
http://goo.gl/maps/2YQN8

D07 Kamphaeng Phet – Si Sawat 350km
http://goo.gl/maps/EWxzV

D08 Si Sawat – Bangkok 277km
http://goo.gl/maps/cKHxl

[Chwooly]

What will you be riding and who will you be riding with?

[Gweiloman]

What will you be riding and who will you be riding with?

2 Versys 650, one will be two up with panniers and top box. The other will be well streamlined with a duffel back strapped to the pillion seat.

[DualSportBiker]

Fantastic!! I have a route planned in the opposite direction I hope to kick off before February...

Seems like a rational route to me - not pushing too far each day... Buffer for a rest day. Locked and loaded I would hope.

[dave_boo]

Gweiloman.

Instead of going to Uttradit the first day, stay at Sukothai. Some interesting ruins there if you've never been. It's only 484 km. You also get in a 5 baht ferry ride.

https://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=Route+3&daddr=Route+346+to:Route+340+to:Route+3265+to:Route+3319+to:Route+3005+to:Route+1293+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=15.337167,100.722656&spn=4.919945,8.453979&sll=17.028063,99.735432&sspn=0.152482,0.264187&geocode=Fdub0QAdXW7-BQ%3BFRtu1QAdFTD_BQ%3BFdMs3gAdbwj4BQ%3BFY6I6QAduxX3BQ%3BFUQr7QAdc2P2BQ%3BFWZN7wAdTHL3BQ%3BFXwJAQEdNN30BQ%3BFfGvAwEdrF_xBQ&dirflg=t&mra=mi&mrsp=7&sz=13&t=m&z=8

Day 2 looks good to me, although a little short. Staying in Sukothai means you're looking at 322 km ride.

Day 3-5 I have no comment.

Day 6, stay on the east side of the Ping. Nicer scenery and a bit better road. Plus fewer trucks that means you won't be sucking down fumes.

Day 7 you're on my home turf. You should follow the below. I've done it down to where the [4016] turns onto the [3086].

https://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=Kamphaeng+Phet&daddr=16.3658021,99.6308512+to:Route+1084+to:15.6882115,99.5530016+to:15.2186192,99.4671106+to:14.9451363,99.5402022+to:Si+Sawat+District,+Kanchanaburi&hl=en&ll=15.56219,99.678955&spn=2.468425,4.22699&sll=14.953741,99.583168&sspn=0.309472,0.528374&geocode=FdyB-wAdZpjuBSktYEmXPB_eMDFgSwiwVPsEAQ%3BFeq4-QAdAz_wBSm9HYWUKyHeMDHpzvQNLaOPjg%3BFZA49QAdGcjzBQ%3BFRNi7wAd6Q7vBSnZIMchZOfgMDEi0-qj7caUtQ%3BFbs36AAdZr_tBSkLB1uOTz_hMDHsRip6_9WBvg%3BFXAL5AAd6tzuBSktACjV8F3hMDFsnHtXnY6VjQ%3BFZk04QAdpiroBSlvW3f2GQbkMDHwegiwVPsEAw&dirflg=ht&mra=dpe&mrsp=5&sz=12&via=1,3,4,5&t=m&z=9

Edited January 2, 2015 by dave_boo

[ll2]

all good gweiloman. just road to bkk - uttaradit - nan is a bit boring.

sukhotai is a nice place to stop as dave said and from there chiang mai to nan os a better ride.

man, envy you. i am away from my bike for nearly two weeks and wanna cry:(

so f....ing cold here, cannot even ride the bike of my friends. but ride a scooter a couple of days ago which evdn that was a treat!

lets do some more rides this year bro!

[taninthai]

7 days ,can see it going little longer than that...?

[Shurup]

When are you going???

[Gweiloman]

When are you going???

I need to wait for Kawasaki to reopen on 05 Jan as I need to replace my rear brake lever. I wouldn't do so many twisties without a rear brake, especially on the downhill switchbacks between Pai and MHS.

If all goes according to plan, we will hit the road on 06 or 07 Jan.

[Gweiloman]

Gweiloman.

Instead of going to Uttradit the first day, stay at Sukothai. Some interesting ruins there if you've never been. It's only 484 km. You also get in a 5 baht ferry ride.

https://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=Route+3&daddr=Route+346+to:Route+340+to:Route+3265+to:Route+3319+to:Route+3005+to:Route+1293+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=15.337167,100.722656&spn=4.919945,8.453979&sll=17.028063,99.735432&sspn=0.152482,0.264187&geocode=Fdub0QAdXW7-BQ%3BFRtu1QAdFTD_BQ%3BFdMs3gAdbwj4BQ%3BFY6I6QAduxX3BQ%3BFUQr7QAdc2P2BQ%3BFWZN7wAdTHL3BQ%3BFXwJAQEdNN30BQ%3BFfGvAwEdrF_xBQ&dirflg=t&mra=mi&mrsp=7&sz=13&t=m&z=8

Day 2 looks good to me, although a little short. Staying in Sukothai means you're looking at 322 km ride.

Day 3-5 I have no comment.

Day 6, stay on the east side of the Ping. Nicer scenery and a bit better road. Plus fewer trucks that means you won't be sucking down fumes.

Day 7 you're on my home turf. You should follow the below. I've done it down to where the [4016] turns onto the [3086].

https://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=Kamphaeng+Phet&daddr=16.3658021,99.6308512+to:Route+1084+to:15.6882115,99.5530016+to:15.2186192,99.4671106+to:14.9451363,99.5402022+to:Si+Sawat+District,+Kanchanaburi&hl=en&ll=15.56219,99.678955&spn=2.468425,4.22699&sll=14.953741,99.583168&sspn=0.309472,0.528374&geocode=FdyB-wAdZpjuBSktYEmXPB_eMDFgSwiwVPsEAQ%3BFeq4-QAdAz_wBSm9HYWUKyHeMDHpzvQNLaOPjg%3BFZA49QAdGcjzBQ%3BFRNi7wAd6Q7vBSnZIMchZOfgMDEi0-qj7caUtQ%3BFbs36AAdZr_tBSkLB1uOTz_hMDHsRip6_9WBvg%3BFXAL5AAd6tzuBSktACjV8F3hMDFsnHtXnY6VjQ%3BFZk04QAdpiroBSlvW3f2GQbkMDHwegiwVPsEAw&dirflg=ht&mra=dpe&mrsp=5&sz=12&via=1,3,4,5&t=m&z=9

Thanks a million Dave. Will follow your suggestions!

[Gweiloman]

all good gweiloman. just road to bkk - uttaradit - nan is a bit boring.

sukhotai is a nice place to stop as dave said and from there chiang mai to nan os a better ride.

man, envy you. i am away from my bike for nearly two weeks and wanna cry:(

so f....ing cold here, cannot even ride the bike of my friends. but ride a scooter a couple of days ago which evdn that was a treat!

lets do some more rides this year bro!

I'm going to take the 1339 as this is a road to nowhere haha. It ends at a pier where there's a couple of restaurants floating on the reservoir. Will take lunch then go over on the barge (about 30 mins) and continue onto Nan. Good thing about this road is that there's very little traffic although I believe that there are a few potholes since this road was completed about 2 years ago.

[dave_boo]

Gweiloman.

Instead of going to Uttradit the first day, stay at Sukothai. Some interesting ruins there if you've never been. It's only 484 km. You also get in a 5 baht ferry ride.

https://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=Route+3&daddr=Route+346+to:Route+340+to:Route+3265+to:Route+3319+to:Route+3005+to:Route+1293+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=15.337167,100.722656&spn=4.919945,8.453979&sll=17.028063,99.735432&sspn=0.152482,0.264187&geocode=Fdub0QAdXW7-BQ%3BFRtu1QAdFTD_BQ%3BFdMs3gAdbwj4BQ%3BFY6I6QAduxX3BQ%3BFUQr7QAdc2P2BQ%3BFWZN7wAdTHL3BQ%3BFXwJAQEdNN30BQ%3BFfGvAwEdrF_xBQ&dirflg=t&mra=mi&mrsp=7&sz=13&t=m&z=8

Day 2 looks good to me, although a little short. Staying in Sukothai means you're looking at 322 km ride.

Day 3-5 I have no comment.

Day 6, stay on the east side of the Ping. Nicer scenery and a bit better road. Plus fewer trucks that means you won't be sucking down fumes.

Day 7 you're on my home turf. You should follow the below. I've done it down to where the [4016] turns onto the [3086].

https://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=Kamphaeng+Phet&daddr=16.3658021,99.6308512+to:Route+1084+to:15.6882115,99.5530016+to:15.2186192,99.4671106+to:14.9451363,99.5402022+to:Si+Sawat+District,+Kanchanaburi&hl=en&ll=15.56219,99.678955&spn=2.468425,4.22699&sll=14.953741,99.583168&sspn=0.309472,0.528374&geocode=FdyB-wAdZpjuBSktYEmXPB_eMDFgSwiwVPsEAQ%3BFeq4-QAdAz_wBSm9HYWUKyHeMDHpzvQNLaOPjg%3BFZA49QAdGcjzBQ%3BFRNi7wAd6Q7vBSnZIMchZOfgMDEi0-qj7caUtQ%3BFbs36AAdZr_tBSkLB1uOTz_hMDHsRip6_9WBvg%3BFXAL5AAd6tzuBSktACjV8F3hMDFsnHtXnY6VjQ%3BFZk04QAdpiroBSlvW3f2GQbkMDHwegiwVPsEAw&dirflg=ht&mra=dpe&mrsp=5&sz=12&via=1,3,4,5&t=m&z=9

Thanks a million Dave. Will follow your suggestions!

No problems. As a side note, the restaurant, Baan Issarn, at 15.679336, 100.10297 is a pretty good place to eat lunch your first day. You'll also go by Wat Tha Sung at 15.327420, 100.071597 which I believe is the biggest temple (covers some 50 rai of grounds in Thailand). Keep an eye on your right as it's go some mirrored wats there also. Day 7 has a pretty good noodle shop at 15.637014, 99.554506. Other than that your kinda SOL because of the remoteness of the area.

[dave_boo]

all good gweiloman. just road to bkk - uttaradit - nan is a bit boring.

sukhotai is a nice place to stop as dave said and from there chiang mai to nan os a better ride.

man, envy you. i am away from my bike for nearly two weeks and wanna cry:(

so f....ing cold here, cannot even ride the bike of my friends. but ride a scooter a couple of days ago which evdn that was a treat!

lets do some more rides this year bro!

I'm going to take the 1339 as this is a road to nowhere haha. It ends at a pier where there's a couple of restaurants floating on the reservoir. Will take lunch then go over on the barge (about 30 mins) and continue onto Nan. Good thing about this road is that there's very little traffic although I believe that there are a few potholes since this road was completed about 2 years ago.

The condition of the 1339 is as you expect a rural Thai road...some ok parts and others...not so ok.

Just be careful when you get to the end of the 1339 before the ferry. As you can see where the truck is parked, put your bikes there as the road completes the "S" (you can only see the bottom 1/2 of the "S" in the picture) and pretty much drops 10 meters in the space of 50(?). If you take your bikes down to the ferry and they are heavily laden it can be a problem keeping them upright...don't ask how I know.

https://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=Uttaradit&daddr=17.5697036,100.32818+to:17.902493,100.624452+to:Nan+Airport+Nan&hl=en&ll=18.047501,100.69128&spn=0.002142,0.008256&sll=17.550427,100.349808&sspn=0.576773,0.617294&geocode=FXncDAEd3mT3BSmdpL0aT6vYMDHQSor6xUYDAQ%3BFacXDAEd9OL6BSlD2-YQPkbfMDEdt_EUKLs9AQ%3BFZ0rEQEdRGj_BSkxbh6mKlYnMTHhqRFGVmoc1A%3BFeL7HgEd5dQBBiHFPV9Q36CYkSlpqW_qk40nMTHFPV9Q36CYkQ&oq=Nan&dirflg=ht&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=11&via=1,2&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=18.047501,100.691278&panoid=igBvZD6x2z2TFizaGKuTOA&cbp=12,17.79,,0,23.51

Edited January 2, 2015 by dave_boo

[taninthai]

so this trop is under way ......

DAY ONE

bangkok to sukothai nothing to exciting a blast up mainly highways 470km covered speeds 120-160

got myself a yellow versys this time 2 new brand new tyres and new front pads more than happy.

depart bangkok

arrive sukothai 5pm

DAY 2

sukothai to nan via resevoir crossing some great roads not to fast 60-100kmr.......330km covered

left nan first stop 7/11 breakfast soy milk and toasted tuna sandwich....555

hit the 1339

great lunch before river crossing

cat and dog joined us for lunch

and the river crossing

back onto the 1339 again some great roads and views

and bed for the night in nan........

[dave_boo]

Hey! I think I was involved in the planning for this trip....

I see gweiloman is using his Airhawk pads underneath the stretchy seat cover.

Wish you guys a safe trip and if y'all stick to my recommendations may even join you for a leg of it. Just give me a heads up when you get to Kamphaeng Phet.

[Shurup]

Great trip, I can't wait till I go on my trip North in a few weeks time!

In the main time I'll make a short trip to some place that kind of looks like US Grand Canyon... Wife said it looks so and can't stop talking about it. Departing in a few days.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Shurup

[taninthai]

think we was at that place shurup on the trip before xmas your wife is right it does look like the grand canyon.....mind you don't fall over the edge......

dave yep i think we have followed some of your advice been great day today and we are still planning hitting kamphaeng pet be good to meet up.....

will try to update daily.....

[dave_boo]

think we was at that place shurup on the trip before xmas your wife is right it does look like the grand canyon.....mind you don't fall over the edge......

dave yep i think we have followed some of your advice been great day today and we are still planning hitting kamphaeng pet be good to meet up.....

will try to update daily.....

Ah, ok.

Gweiloman has my phone number.

[taninthai]

ride still going strong had a couple of days of rain but all good now stopped chang kaem,chang khong,pai and now at main saring been some great riding on great roads.

hit the 108 today wow what a road think your struggle to find better than that.

decided to give chaing am and chiang rai a miss as everyone does that we wanted something a little different so tracked along the border with laos and burma before heading to pai ....

pai to mai hong son

check out the mountain road

view into burma

coffee break after doing part off the loop from pai to mai hong son,a pretty technical road certainly can't afford to make any mistakes on it ,a great ride.

[Shurup]

How technical the pai to mai Hong son is? It's part of my planned route I'll be going in a week. Can be done on a Diavel?

[cornishcarlos]

I did it on a PCX with my missus.. We met a group of Thai guys, 3 on Diavels... It's a great road

[Shurup]

Sorry pai doesn't seems to be a part of my route, please ignore.

[Shurup]

Sorry for the confusion. I will be going through Pai.

Couldn't find it on a map until my wife pointed it's whereabouts, I had to zoom in a lot to find it. Yes it's on my way from chang mai to Mae Hong Son.

Glad to hear it can be done on a scooter so not too technical then.

[taninthai]

Thought you would ,it seems the only way ,some pretty tight turns ,average road conditions not pot holes but a little bumpy in places.

[DualSportBiker]

Thought you would ,it seems the only way ,some pretty tight turns ,average road conditions not pot holes but a little bumpy in places.

You are correct for a road route, but one can also get to MHS from CM via Mae Chaem (spelling??...) but that route is not paved, but is quiet and scenic. I had to miss out on that route 4 years back, but my buddy enjoyed it plenty...

[Gweiloman]

think we was at that place shurup on the trip before xmas your wife is right it does look like the grand canyon.....mind you don't fall over the edge......

dave yep i think we have followed some of your advice been great day today and we are still planning hitting kamphaeng pet be good to meet up.....

will try to update daily.....

Ah, ok.

Gweiloman has my phone number.

Hi Dave,

We are staying in Mae Sot tonight. Original plan was to overnight in Kamphaeng Phet but we got set back by the weather.

From Mae Sot to Si Sawat is 500 km - a bit too far for a days ride considering the roads. Any suggestion as to where to overnight? Nong Prue?

Do you want to just us for a section of the ride? We will leave from Mae Sot at 8.30 am tomorrow

[dave_boo]

think we was at that place shurup on the trip before xmas your wife is right it does look like the grand canyon.....mind you don't fall over the edge......

dave yep i think we have followed some of your advice been great day today and we are still planning hitting kamphaeng pet be good to meet up.....

will try to update daily.....

Ah, ok.

Gweiloman has my phone number.

Hi Dave,

We are staying in Mae Sot tonight. Original plan was to overnight in Kamphaeng Phet but we got set back by the weather.

From Mae Sot to Si Sawat is 500 km - a bit too far for a days ride considering the roads. Any suggestion as to where to overnight? Nong Prue?

Do you want to just us for a section of the ride? We will leave from Mae Sot at 8.30 am tomorrow

As you're going to be going through Ban Rai, why not stay there? It's 375km from Mae Sot.

Remember the little restaurant we ate at when we went to the temple? That would be a good place to stay. Here's their website. GPS 15.085042, 99.526186.

There's also a pair flanking the 3282 about 300 meters before the 3011. Don't know their prices. If you follow the 3011 down there is also the Phukeangduan resort with basic rooms, but with Wifi, for 450 baht.

If you want a bit more distance under your belt, you have to wait until Lake Krasiao. Quite a few around there. Danchang Greenview starts at 500 baht.

I'll see if I can make it up to you. Perhaps a meeting at Ban Rai would be the best?

[taninthai]

a little video from yesterdays ride mai sairing to mai sot with a little detour to ride magic hill in tak.

the scenery was amazing with a little stream and mountains on our right.

The 105 really is a road to rival the 108 although the tarmac disappears at some points but then other parts is brand new tarmac also been widened.

shurup be careful if you are heading onto this road the diavel definitely won't like the unpaved parts...

http://youtu.be/mi4N4h7bQGc

and a few pics

splashed out on dinner...

[Shurup]

Taninthai, noted, thanks. I should be fine as long as the dirt road is dry. With my Rosso tires I could easily loose traction if it's wet dirt.

[Shurup]

Beautiful scenery, can't wait to go there.

My trip to "grand canyon" got canceled as my wife and myself both got sick with cold or flu or whatever else it was (hope no ebook. 555).

So my first trip of the year will be North.