Motorcycle Training And Testing / Licencing

[fanciman]

Hello!

Who would be qualified / able to teach motorbike riding in Chiang Mai in English? What is the system here?

In some countries the police are happy to help people learn to ride well, and they offer courses, i believe.

When it comes to getting a proper licence to ride a largeish motorbike, what is the procedure in thailand?

Already hold a car licence valid for europe...

[Richb2004v2]

Hello!

Who would be qualified / able to teach motorbike riding in Chiang Mai in English? What is the system here?

In some countries the police are happy to help people learn to ride well, and they offer courses, i believe.

Someone would have to teach the police first.

When it comes to getting a proper licence to ride a largeish motorbike, what is the procedure in thailand?

Hand over the correct amount of money to the correct person and your away, I would think. Otherwise don't bother. Just get on or in what ever vehicle it it that you want to drive and go. As long as your Thai that is.

[fanciman]

Hello!

Who would be qualified / able to teach motorbike riding in Chiang Mai in English? What is the system here?

In some countries the police are happy to help people learn to ride well, and they offer courses, i believe.

Someone would have to teach the police first.

When it comes to getting a proper licence to ride a largeish motorbike, what is the procedure in thailand?

i couldn't believe it. About 6 seconds after posting, six people had read my thread and one person had replied!

[PeaceBlondie]

How largeish is largeish? members on here might teach a complete novice to handle something around 150cc, or even 400cc. But a novice isn't ready for a Harley, usually (I learned alone on a Triumph 700 kickstart).

[Ta22]

Can you ride a bicycle .

if you can .. a small Honda bike 100 cc would be a good start .

is just basically understand the Control .

if you can control the bike is like riding a bike without padding .

[PeaceBlondie]

Can you ride a bicycle .

if you can .. a small Honda bike 100 cc would be a good start .

is just basically understand the Control .

if you can control the bike is like riding a bike without padding .

Exactly, except the right hand does the throttle/accelerator, and the right foot does the rear brake, and the left hand does the clutch, and the left foot shifts the gears up and down, and it weighs 8 times as much as a pushbike, and you've got turnsignals, and you go a lot faster....but the right hand also does the front brake; that's the same. Otherwise, it's exactly identical...

[Ajarn]

If you've never ridden, I would suggest that you not learn here. Too dangerous for newbies here, in my opinion.

[BlackArtemis]

I learned in an empty parking lot in under 3 minutes on a honda dream. Now thats what I have and I am looking at getting a steed or CBR400. But I am going to have a friend give me some lessons. How to work a clutch is easy, using a clutch while driving and avoiding people on the road is the challenge. But I would say its perfectly fine to learn here.

[Ta22]

One good suggestion .. is Start with 2nd or 3rd gear ..

The first 1st gear on the Small bike is way too powerful .

any panic will send you flying . .. leave to move off slowly .

and then slowly change between 3rd and 4th gear ,.. and also between 3rd and second gear .

do not jam on the hand holding the brake .

instead .. use the Brake on your Foot .. softly !!!!

any Jamming of brake would send you flying ..

- Is like a Bike really .

.

IF You going to ride very very slow

on the ROAD>.

i suggest you BUY A BICYCLE >>

is safer for you and you get the work out .

Good luck

[PeaceBlondie]

If you didn't need a front brake, they wouldn't put one on the bike, or you could disconnect it. Often, going through traffic, I use both brakes. It's not as if you're on a 1950's British bike; you won't go over the handlebars, usually. When I hit a dog at around 30kph, head-on, we stopped instantly and I didn't go over the handlebars, even though the bike jacknifed. However, the tiny man on the pillion went flying over the entire crash scene, several meters in the sky, earning himself the new nickname, Nok Lek.

Likewise, first gear is not too powerful; it's there to be used. It's rough on the clutch to start out in 2nd or 3rd gear.

Don't do things too slowly. Shift gears smoothly but rapidly, and don't be poking along in the gutter.

Ta22, can we agree to disagree? Grandmothers drive fully loaded 1979 Honda 100 Dreams differently than this impatient grandfather drives a 2003 Honda CBR150 sportbike.

More on topic: if you don't know how to ride a bike, Chiang Mai is a dangerous place to learn, and gtrider might know of a qualified instructor.

[Ta22]

all advice is importance for starter and learner..

The reason why i suggested the 2nd and 3rd gear is so .. the bike had less power to move off .

and i had seen learner panic the 2st gear is too powerful for them and flal off the bike .. suffering injury .

so a second gear is a softer start ..

in fact when i ride .. someone even when i am at a redlight i am just lazy to shirt to 1st gear , a 2nd gear move off is still possible . on my old honda dream 100cc . is just much slower . ..

Riding in chiangmai is really much safer then bangkok .. and in many country . in my view .

people know there is alot of rider ..

Is the time you choose to rise ..

Avoid . 7-9 am - 11am - 1 pm 4pm - 7 pm .

this is the peak hour .. and people is rushing .. so a slow rider may cos problem as well as danger to one self .

outside the city is a nice place to learn .. .

rent a bike once you know how and irde out city to the country side .. less traffic also . and have great view .

wear a helment and have sun tan lotion ready .

i got serious sun burn before when i ride out to the country side ..

[fanciman]

I have been on and off bikes for a while now.

Lots of experience on a bicycle.

Motorbikes on ly in THailand:

A couple of months on a 100cc

A couple more months on a 125cc

3 more months on a 125 with a clutch.

Then tried a 200 cc Phantom: it was fantastic! I loved it. I couldn't believe the difference.

Then many months on a 125.

A few more times on a 200 cc phantom.

Then a bit on a 400cc and then a couple of times on a 600cc.

All in thailand.

What is a good website for learning how to ride / theory?

And what about test centres in chiang mai?

If riding in thailand, gotta be ultra defensive!

[Ajarn]

I have been on and off bikes for a while now.

Lots of experience on a bicycle.

Motorbikes on ly in THailand:

A couple of months on a 100cc

A couple more months on a 125cc

3 more months on a 125 with a clutch.

Then tried a 200 cc Phantom: it was fantastic! I loved it. I couldn't believe the difference.

Then many months on a 125.

A few more times on a 200 cc phantom.

Then a bit on a 400cc and then a couple of times on a 600cc.

All in thailand.

What is a good website for learning how to ride / theory?

And what about test centres in chiang mai?

If riding in thailand, gotta be ultra defensive!

For some safety issues in Thailand, check out http://asiarecipe.com/larry/motor.html

Edited January 3, 2007 by Ajarn

[Renegade912]

There is a test centre near the airport

I took my test there about 7-8 weeks ago

the fee for the Motorbie license is 55 b

you will need two 1" photo's

photographer on site

there is what they call a written test

30 multiple choise questions done on a computer in English or Thai

pass is 23 correct answers

there is also a practical which takes about 2 mins round a simple course watched by the tester

(while he also watches several car drivers no one failed though perhaps some should have)

there are details of the highway code outside the test room should you need to do some revision before hand

the license allows you to ride any size ofBike!

as I am new to bikes my honda 100 wave will do untill I have a suitable level of experience

Good Luck

[Rasseru]

as I am new to bikes my honda 100 wave will do untill I have a suitable level of experience

A wise person.

[fanciman]

as I am new to bikes my honda 100 wave will do untill I have a suitable level of experience

A wise person.

Thanks for the good info, people.

The received wisdom of yore was to get *off* a 125 asap, and onto a 200cc... Why? You tell me!

[JimsKnight]

Hello!

Who would be qualified / able to teach motorbike riding in Chiang Mai in English? What is the system here?

In some countries the police are happy to help people learn to ride well, and they offer courses, i believe.

When it comes to getting a proper licence to ride a largeish motorbike, what is the procedure in thailand?

Already hold a car licence valid for europe...

Are you serious!?

This is not Europe or the USA my friend, if you need to learn to ride a bike out here you need to reconsider your options. Unless you pick it up quickly you may end up in trouble.

If your from the UK you've got a head start as they drive on the correct side of the road, otherwise your on the wrong side to begin with.

Thailand style biking is more of an organised chaos approach to traffic and general road craft in general.

A good taster to what biking is like here is to go to the Greek Islands.

Rather than the organised structure you'll be used to back home here its more of a free for all with bikes scurrying through gaps and cross-filtering through traffic.

If you have NEVER ridden a motorcycle I advise you take a course back in your hometown to get your license. Thailand can be very harsh on the inexperienced rider and I've seen the aftermath of too many tourist bikers in strife.

If your a thai they often don't bother with a thai drivers license for bikes. For cars this is more likely, in your case an International Drivers license would be a boon.

As a beginner you shouldn't even touch big bikes yet! Stick with the smaller ones like 100 to 125 cc.

In answer to your question there is no-one, but the rental place may give you a few pointers, the police will just laugh! Although a couple of thousand baht may get him to ride around with you.

Good luck, you'll need it.

[JimsKnight]

There is a test centre near the airport

I took my test there about 7-8 weeks ago

the fee for the Motorbie license is 55 b

you will need two 1" photo's

photographer on site

there is what they call a written test

30 multiple choise questions done on a computer in English or Thai

pass is 23 correct answers

there is also a practical which takes about 2 mins round a simple course watched by the tester

(while he also watches several car drivers no one failed though perhaps some should have)

there are details of the highway code outside the test room should you need to do some revision before hand

the license allows you to ride any size ofBike!

as I am new to bikes my honda 100 wave will do untill I have a suitable level of experience

Good Luck

He'll need a non-immigrant 'o' visa to get that. Thailand doesn't like tourists having a thai drivers license