Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Pictures of your scooter, ride reports, and day trips.

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FritzPinguin
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by FritzPinguin »

This is a very short post, just to tell everybody that I arrived back home well after a small marathon ride from Prachuap Khiri Khan to Patong Beach. It might qualify for a province race, in total the trip went through Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Ranong, Phang Nga and finally Phuket. Is there any price for 5 provinces a day on a PCX?
Pictures and Tracks will follow tomorrow, and I will post a summary of the trip. Isn't it amazing that I did not pay any bribes to the police on more than 4000 kms?
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Arrived well just before sunset  :D
Arrived well just before sunset :D
2015-03-24-2630_q1.jpg (14.96 KiB) Viewed 2161 times
Bike history: Germany: Staiger 50cc 2-stroke, BMW 250 (from 1952, my age), Honda Dax ST70, Honda CB 125 (Twin), Honda CB 750, Kawa Z400j
Thailand: Kawa Zephyr 400, Honda Wave 110 S, Kawa ZX130, PCX 150 (as far as I can remember)
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FritzPinguin
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by FritzPinguin »

Yes, it is done. I arrived safely back home in Phuket, on the whole way there was more or less just one critical situation. A dog crossed the road just in front of me, but the PCX's brakes were good enough... nothing happened except both of us got a shot of adrenalin. Red Rat took the encounter really cool.

The day took me from one of my favorite places (Prachuap Khiri Khan) down south, about 200 km on boring highway 4. Near Chumphon it is a right turn to fun. Beautifully paved road, curves without end, green mountains right and left. You really have to try this road whenever you get the chance to do it. First I planned to stay in Ranong for the night, but since I arrived the about midday, I decided to go on. The next good place to stop would have been Khao Lak, but that is too near to home.

Red Rat smelled the home already, and she wanted to ride on. I just convinced her to stand model for a picture with the police boat 813. The Tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 took the boat and carried to it's current and final position, more than one kilometer from the coast. This shows the mighty power of the sea! The location is now a memorial for all of those who perished in this catastrophic event.

The remaining way down to Phuket is not very exciting, I have been doing it many times already, be it with a car or the motorbike.

Ok, this was the last day. I will put together a summary about the equipment statistics of the trip and post it later.
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Scenery on the way through the mountains
Scenery on the way through the mountains
Day 16, Ranong, Through the mountains.jpg (89.87 KiB) Viewed 2143 times
A short rest
A short rest
Day 16, Ranong, Isthmus.jpg (108.05 KiB) Viewed 2143 times
The other side is Myanmar
The other side is Myanmar
Day 16, Ranong, Border traffic.jpg (92.21 KiB) Viewed 2143 times
About as near as you can get
About as near as you can get
Day 16, Ranong, Near border.jpg (200.32 KiB) Viewed 2143 times
That's the way I like it
That's the way I like it
Day 16, Ranong, Curves, curves.jpg (94.96 KiB) Viewed 2143 times
The Red Rat and the police boat
The Red Rat and the police boat
Day 16, Khao Lak, 813.jpg (81.19 KiB) Viewed 2143 times
The boring beginning
The boring beginning
Day 16, Part One.jpg (53.3 KiB) Viewed 2143 times
The run is getting interesting
The run is getting interesting
Day 16, Part Two.jpg (61.22 KiB) Viewed 2143 times
The Final of the Marathon
The Final of the Marathon
Day 16, Part Three.jpg (71.22 KiB) Viewed 2143 times
Day 16, Part One.zip
Food for Google Earth
(16.84 KiB) Downloaded 110 times
Day 16, Part Two.zip
Food for Google Earth
(18.35 KiB) Downloaded 93 times
Day 16, Part Three.zip
Food for Google Earth
(55.61 KiB) Downloaded 101 times
Bike history: Germany: Staiger 50cc 2-stroke, BMW 250 (from 1952, my age), Honda Dax ST70, Honda CB 125 (Twin), Honda CB 750, Kawa Z400j
Thailand: Kawa Zephyr 400, Honda Wave 110 S, Kawa ZX130, PCX 150 (as far as I can remember)
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FritzPinguin
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by FritzPinguin »

Here comes the final comment on the tour. The trip was a bit shorter than planned, but anyway... it was
enjoyable, everything went smoothly, and the PCXs all performed flawlessly.

In total my Red Rat, who covered the complete part of the tour, gulped down 110 liters of gasoline
to get over the 4,176 kilometers. This gives an average of about 2.6 liters per 100 kilometers. Not
bad, given the work she did. Especially on the way back home, she took me 1,526 km in three days,
which is more than you would normally expect from a scooter of her size.

In Nong Khai I had the chance to "test-sit" a Forza 300 and I really do not believe I would have
made it on that torture-chair. I like my PCX like it is now, and I really do not want to change to
another scooter in the foreseeable future. Lets see what the 2016 model will look like, an ABS might
be nice, I would like to have the LED headlights of 2015, and a few more ccs would be lovely.

Another enhancement would be some air circulation under the seat. My tablet was running extremely hot
while capturing the trip and constantly updating the glympse while we were going. Sometimes the battery
was getting really hot, so charging was suspended to save the CPU from overheating. When I took the
tablet out to check at a short pause, it was sometimes too hot to hold it in the hand.

What else? Thailand is regarded as the second most dangerous country regarding accidents in traffic. On
the whole trip I had one "narrow encounter" with a dog, all other situations were not too bad. If you
are used to driving carefully and always keep the idiocy of the others in your mind, you are on
the safe side. If you come here on holiday and don't have experience on two wheels, forget about renting
anything smaller than a tank, a Sherman or a Leopard II might be OK. Always remember, on two wheels you
are quite low in the food chain. Do not insist on your right of way, you don't have any. At night be
careful about vehicles without lights, such things are considered to be decorative items and of no
use to enhance security. Normally you are expected to drive on the left hand side of the road, but
this is not always what you can expect from other motorists...

On more than 4,000 km I saw 7 check-points. I was asked to show my driving license twice. The first
time was on the first day after about 5 km. When I told the officer about the planned tour he started
a wide grin. Only foreigners can be that stupid!

Would I do the tour again? Well, yes and no. The route included quite a few boring parts, but that's
the way. I really would like to tour the north, but I guess I would send the Red Rat by mail to an
interesting starting point and then after a lengthy trip, send her back again. It is possible to send
a motorbike by standard mail from one post-office to another here, which might be very helpful. For the
next year a trip down south is being planned, along the west coast down to Malaysia...

Thanks to all forum members and my friends who enjoyed the trip with me - here or on-line. I hope you
had fun following the tour, comments are welcome!

Take care and always ride safely, and give your PCX a nice friendly pat once in a while,
she definitely earns it.
Bike history: Germany: Staiger 50cc 2-stroke, BMW 250 (from 1952, my age), Honda Dax ST70, Honda CB 125 (Twin), Honda CB 750, Kawa Z400j
Thailand: Kawa Zephyr 400, Honda Wave 110 S, Kawa ZX130, PCX 150 (as far as I can remember)
mpe
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by mpe »

thanks a lot for letting me be part of this gorgeous trip.

I really enjoyed driving down from Nong Khai to Pattaya alone (only having some friendly people glympsing me all the time ;-)). I never did such a thing before in my life.
And it was an absolute pleasure to have three red PCXs running side by side smoothly from one location to another.

My statistics are:
2246 km
53.8l of fuel (nearly all the time using E20)
2.39l/100km average on this tour

Thanks again, Fritz, for having this wonderful trip...

and I might join the next one ;-)
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kramnala58
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by kramnala58 »

Thanks for sharing. This has been one of the better threads in a while.
2010 Honda PCX 125 in Thailand (White) - "White Lightning" Sold in Sept 2017 :(
2009 Yamaha Majesty YP400 in USA (Metalic Titanium) - "The Throne" Sold in June 2020 :(
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FritzPinguin
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by FritzPinguin »

kramnala58 wrote:Thanks for sharing. This has been one of the better threads in a while.
Thanks for the virtual flowers :D :D :D
Bike history: Germany: Staiger 50cc 2-stroke, BMW 250 (from 1952, my age), Honda Dax ST70, Honda CB 125 (Twin), Honda CB 750, Kawa Z400j
Thailand: Kawa Zephyr 400, Honda Wave 110 S, Kawa ZX130, PCX 150 (as far as I can remember)
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enthuesd
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by enthuesd »

Great trip report. I was glad to watch it live.

What made you cut the trip a bit shorter than planned?

If you were going to do it again would you take more side roads and take more time? Or did it feel good to get, say, from Nong Khai to Korat, in a single day?
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FritzPinguin
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by FritzPinguin »

enthuesd wrote:Great trip report. I was glad to watch it live.

What made you cut the trip a bit shorter than planned?

If you were going to do it again would you take more side roads and take more time? Or did it feel good to get, say, from Nong Khai to Korat, in a single day?
I wanted to be back in Phuket for the birthday of a friend, so I did the way from Nong Khai to Phuket in three days. It was no problem for the PCX, and I had found the right position for me and the luggage on the second day already. It was a nice ride, definitely.
Bike history: Germany: Staiger 50cc 2-stroke, BMW 250 (from 1952, my age), Honda Dax ST70, Honda CB 125 (Twin), Honda CB 750, Kawa Z400j
Thailand: Kawa Zephyr 400, Honda Wave 110 S, Kawa ZX130, PCX 150 (as far as I can remember)
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wangsuda
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by wangsuda »

Oh man! I want in on one of these rides! Thank you so much for sharing!
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enthuesd
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by enthuesd »

What about a comparison of the main highways that give the most direct connection between the major cities/towns, versus the side roads, like through the forests and very small towns? I am planning my trip now, and I plan to use the small, possibly "old" side roads for 90% of the journey. But perhaps this is a mistake if they're ill maintained. Google maps shows hit or miss with conditions of these roads. Then again, the main highways seem a bit daunting with the high speed vehicles constantly passing, and cars coming out of small sois, and the notorious u-turns.

In sum, do you think going on a trip using the main highways for only ~10% of the journey is a good idea?
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by FritzPinguin »

enthuesd wrote:In sum, do you think going on a trip using the main highways for only ~10% of the journey is a good idea?
In about 20 years of driving in Thailand (car and motorbike) I found most of the "numbered" roads to be in good condition. These are maintained by the Highway Department, not by local authorities. It should not be a problem using the smaller roads, but for your own sake, keep in your mind:
  • Avoid driving in the dark. Many vehicles on rural roads have (almost) no lights.
    Try not to rush. Drive carefully with untrained drivers in mind, especially in or near villages.
    Fill up early. You might have stretches of more than 60km without a gas station.
    Even if you know your way, a navigator can be very helpful. I like to see on the moving map which curves are waiting for me.
    Start looking for a place for the night about 4 pm. The first one is not always the best one. We always stayed at places for 500 Baht per night or less.
    Use plenty of sun screen, and keep a bottle of water handy.
Traveling by bike in Thailand is fun, but be aware of traffic on the wrong side of the road. On highways use the shoulder lane. Always keep the traffic behind you in your eyes, clean your mirrors regularly.

Have fun! :D
Bike history: Germany: Staiger 50cc 2-stroke, BMW 250 (from 1952, my age), Honda Dax ST70, Honda CB 125 (Twin), Honda CB 750, Kawa Z400j
Thailand: Kawa Zephyr 400, Honda Wave 110 S, Kawa ZX130, PCX 150 (as far as I can remember)
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by enthuesd »

Thank you for the great tips for riding in Thailand. I've never been on a motorbike journey before. I'm trying to do as much as possible to ensure it's safe and enjoyable, with a balance of planning and spontaneity. Your thread has helped a lot in this regard, so thank you.
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FritzPinguin
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand - Final C

Post by FritzPinguin »

Today I took my Red Rat in for a check-up. The doctor told me, she is healthy as can be. The total amount for the service at 29296 km was:
Oil Change 160 Baht
Gasket 20 Baht
Air Filter 180 Baht
Total sum, almost killing me :-) ---- 360 Baht, at the current exchange rate that's about 10 Euro.
Bike history: Germany: Staiger 50cc 2-stroke, BMW 250 (from 1952, my age), Honda Dax ST70, Honda CB 125 (Twin), Honda CB 750, Kawa Z400j
Thailand: Kawa Zephyr 400, Honda Wave 110 S, Kawa ZX130, PCX 150 (as far as I can remember)
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by Ben2talk »

FritzPinguin wrote:Here comes the final comment on the tour. The trip was a bit shorter than planned, but anyway... it was
enjoyable, everything went smoothly...

On more than 4,000 km I saw 7 check-points. I was asked to show my driving license twice. The first
time was on the first day after about 5 km. When I told the officer about the planned tour he started
a wide grin. Only foreigners can be that stupid!

Take care and always ride safely, and give your PCX a nice friendly pat once in a while,
she definitely earns it.
Something I learned about 7 years ago... when the police started doing regular grabs (like 6-12 of them walking across 3-4 lanes of traffic to grab bikes) and I got bored with the hassle, I just didn't stop any more. IF you don't stop, do you know what happens? I found out, because I stopped at a red light for 5 minutes just 150 metres on from where they tried to grab me off the bike ;)

Nothing happens. You pass them, they just look for the next one.
Image

[URL=http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/honda/pcx150/2015/bennn/389324]
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by waspmike »

Fritz,

FYI the motorbike restriction signs have been removed from the Bhumibol Bridges and there is another ferry at 13.682595 100.586784
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by Oyabun »

Me envy. Last time I've visited Thailand was over ten years ago. When I get back there, I'd like to get a nice round trip like yours. Thank you for sharing.
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FritzPinguin
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Re: Experimental report of a trip through Thailand

Post by FritzPinguin »

waspmike wrote:Fritz,

FYI the motorbike restriction signs have been removed from the Bhumibol Bridges and there is another ferry at 13.682595 100.586784
Hey, thanks! I put a landmark in my HERE maps for this place. Maybe on the next trip it will be the ferry of my choice. Actually I prefer the ferry to a ride on a bridge full of lunatics in their minibusses and heavy trucks. (And the view is much better...)
Bike history: Germany: Staiger 50cc 2-stroke, BMW 250 (from 1952, my age), Honda Dax ST70, Honda CB 125 (Twin), Honda CB 750, Kawa Z400j
Thailand: Kawa Zephyr 400, Honda Wave 110 S, Kawa ZX130, PCX 150 (as far as I can remember)
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