Small motorbikes and travel in Thailand, with photo's.

[chrissables]

Day 44. I stayed another day in Vientiane, just relaxing.

Day 45. I crossed back into Nong Khai. There was an issue regarding paperwork for the bike, but eventually all was ok, I paid a 100 baht welcome home fee (bribe) and rode to Ta Baw to see my friend there.

Days 46 until 51 were spent with friends near Nong Khai and on trips out with them to the mountains, (Phu Hin Rong Kla, where I was at the start of the trip!) but in a car this time. A bike is far more fun!

Day 52. I rode from near Chum Phae to see a friend in Buriram for the night, I got totally smashed and drank a whole box of big Leo beer and slept very well!

Day 53. I rode from Buriram back to my home in Pattaya. To be met by a jungle of a garden needing some serious work doing to it! 455km, 6hrs.

The whole trip was 9,818km, 750km in friends cars give or take. So 9068km on the bike.

The cost was an unbelievable 1300 baht per day if averaged out for the whole trip. But I usually spend 500 baht a day on food and beer at home, so only an additional 800 baht a day.

This was one of the best trips of my life, mainly due to seeing many new places, and riding in some extremely remote areas. The riding was not too hard mainly because of getting the bike as comfortable as possible before leaving.

The highs and lows that really stand out are the puncture at the summit of Doi Inthanon, the brake failures, crossing into Burma in such remote places. Sliding backwards down the track at Doi Wow, scratching my head and wondering how to cross the river in Laos and the kind Chinese man who helped me out.

I made a few friends on the trip and I hope to make another trip again, but it will be hard to match this one.

[Rob8891]

Absolutely fantastic! Furthermore, inspirational....I really must get off my butt and errrrm....sit it on the bike more!! Thanks for sharing....I can see Mrs R being p'd off shortly when I start planning more and longer trips!!

[chrissables]

Absolutely fantastic! Furthermore, inspirational....I really must get off my butt and errrrm....sit it on the bike more!! Thanks for sharing....I can see Mrs R being p'd off shortly when I start planning more and longer trips!!

Thanks, it was inspirational for me too! Now i must plan a new trip!

[Rob8891]

In that case, I'm looking forward to hearing what you plan....and after that, another trip report!

[chrissables]

In that case, I'm looking forward to hearing what you plan....and after that, another trip report!

Really not sure at the moment, but i will post here when i do.

[Lancashirelad]

Wow great TR & pics, thanks. Think you're very brave.

Are these little motorbikes automatic? Brake fade is common with them when descending mountain roads as its not possible to use the low gears to achieve engine engine braking. I've just stayed in Chiang Mai a month and heard a few mentions of this when descending Doi Suthep with auto bikes.

[Bruce404]

LancashireLad,

Are you sure about the absence of engine braking on automatic-transmission (A-T) motorbikes? The phenomenon is described well at the URL hotlink below, but with some ambiguity about A-Ts. In the 1st paragraph of its "Applications" section, it says a torque converter might disconnect engine from wheels. But in the 4th paragraph, it says engine braking is available "regardless of transmission type":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_braking

I have not yet taken my A-T Yamaha Nouvo 135cc up to Doi Suthep (perhaps subconsciously worried about what you mentioned during the long, steep ride down). So I have no idea whether it will have any significant engine-braking effect.

But unless this bike and similar A-T ones are in some kind of full-time freewheeling mode (as my old two-stroke, oil-injected, Saab 850 car could select optionally, to save fuel on downhill coasts), I would imagine (and hope) even A-T bikes will have some braking effect from the engine, in addition to friction on the brake disks and drums.

Maybe the safest answer to the question is to go up only a km or so on a modest hill, and look for engine-braking on the way down.

[Bruce404]

LancashireLad,

Are you sure about the absence of engine braking on automatic-transmission (A-T) motorbikes? The phenomenon is described well at the URL hotlink below, but with some ambiguity about A-Ts. In the 1st paragraph of its "Applications" section, it says a torque converter might disconnect engine from wheels. But in the 4th paragraph, it says engine braking is available "regardless of transmission type":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_braking

I have not yet taken my A-T Yamaha Nouvo 135cc up to Doi Suthep (perhaps subconsciously worried about what you mentioned during the long, steep ride down). So I have no idea whether it will have any significant engine-braking effect.

But unless this bike and similar A-T ones are in some kind of full-time freewheeling mode (as my old two-stroke, oil-injected, Saab 850 car could select optionally, to save fuel on downhill coasts), I would imagine (and hope) even A-T bikes will have some braking effect from the engine, in addition to friction on the brake disks and drums.

Maybe the safest answer to the question is to go up only a km or so on a modest hill, and look for engine-braking on the way down.

LancashireLad seems to be right about potential braking problems coming down long and steep grades. Nothing like actual experimentation to inform opinion.

I tested engine breaking today on an automatic-transmission Yamaha Nouvo in a multi-story parking garage with pretty steep down ramps (perhaps a 10% grade at estimated 1 meter drop for 10 meters horizontal).

There was but very modest engine breaking. In fact, it seemed a bit more giving it just a touch of throttle. But certainly nothing as strong as in either a manual or A-T automobile in one of their lower gears.

So maybe the Doi Suthep descent will need frequent stops to admire the views and cool the brakes. Or perhaps pulling behind a drag chute, as on the space-shuttle landings, might help.

[Bruce404]

Darn computer too smart by half. Keeps thinking it is correcting my spelling from engine "braking" to "breaking". (Although the latter may actually happen to the engine, and me, if the brakes fail.)

[samuijimmy]

I get this loss of braking problem when doing some of the Samui back roads, which have some pretty steep hills...

Scary the first time, but I soon figured just to let the bike sit for a few minutes and the pressure comes back... Pump the brake leavers a bit too....

[Keesters]

Wow, Pattaya to Nong Khai in one day on a scooter

For me that's a distance more than enough by car!

I thought exactly the same. Pattaya to Trat is too far for me in one day preferring to halfway at Chantaburi. Biking is supposed to be fun not torture.

[CLW]

Day 17. From Pai to Chiang Mai City, roads 1095 and 107, another great motorbike ride, with a fair few big bikes riding past me. 142km

Day 18. I left Chiang Mai heading South on road 108, turning off right towards Mae Wang on road 1013 which leads to road 1284 and the back way to Doi Inthanon, the highest point in Thailand. Unfortunately I got a puncture just as I arrived at the summit, so I did not take any photo’s this trip. I had a canister of spray foam for the repair, so was soon on my way. But due to not knowing if I would get another flat I curtailed my plan to ride to Omkoi and headed for Mae Sariang (again). 286km 8hrs 15mins.

Day 19. I stayed in Mae Sariang, had my bike serviced, and changed the drive belt which was on its last legs.

Day 20. I left Mae Sariang Northwards until a right turn on road 1263, then a left towards Nam Tok Mae Surin National Park, great views and the mountains covered in Mexican sunflowers. Then continued on to Mae Hong Son, again. Such good fun riding here! 294km 8hrs.

Great report of a great trip!

I've done a small part of your route on a rented PCX from Chiang Mai last new year.

What I wanted to ask is about the road conditions of the 1284 between Mae Wang and Doi Inthanon?

At the time I was there the road was unpaved but under construction...

Thank you and always safe riding!

[chrissables]

Day 17. From Pai to Chiang Mai City, roads 1095 and 107, another great motorbike ride, with a fair few big bikes riding past me. 142km

Day 18. I left Chiang Mai heading South on road 108, turning off right towards Mae Wang on road 1013 which leads to road 1284 and the back way to Doi Inthanon, the highest point in Thailand. Unfortunately I got a puncture just as I arrived at the summit, so I did not take any photo’s this trip. I had a canister of spray foam for the repair, so was soon on my way. But due to not knowing if I would get another flat I curtailed my plan to ride to Omkoi and headed for Mae Sariang (again). 286km 8hrs 15mins.

Day 19. I stayed in Mae Sariang, had my bike serviced, and changed the drive belt which was on its last legs.

Day 20. I left Mae Sariang Northwards until a right turn on road 1263, then a left towards Nam Tok Mae Surin National Park, great views and the mountains covered in Mexican sunflowers. Then continued on to Mae Hong Son, again. Such good fun riding here! 294km 8hrs.

Great report of a great trip!

I've done a small part of your route on a rented PCX from Chiang Mai last new year.

What I wanted to ask is about the road conditions of the 1284 between Mae Wang and Doi Inthanon?

At the time I was there the road was unpaved but under construction...

Thank you and always safe riding!

Thanks! It was great fun!

From memory i did not use much of the new road (i am sure the new big road is a bypass and road 1013), except by accident after which i did a U turn.

But all the roads were ride-able, just take it slow if wet.

I carried on that day to Mae Sariang, so also you could ride to the top of Doi Inthanon and return to Chiang Mai easily in a day.

Another trip well worth doing would be the whole Mae Hong Son route, or if time is short a ride to Pai,, and back the next day.

Thanks, planning my next trip at the moment, another long one i think. Malaysia down the east coast, up the west coast and along the Burmese / Thai border again.