Saxonator's Sick Enduro Video Diary

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
About 30 years ago I came to Thailand's North. At that time you could only rent MTX 125. At that time there was endless off-road here and in the rainy season, the red clay would turn into one big mud bath. Enduro was everywhere and having a street bike was overkill. It was an exciting time and I was happy to grab an almost brand new Suzuki TS200 plated and with green book. With this great machine it all started. The never-ending adventures in the Jungle. After a couple of years riding with this bike I swapped the bike for a Honda XR250L, ever since that time I was mainly on the same model. I tried out different dirt bikes but always came back to the XR250, I am currently riding with a Honda XR250L 2003 which is in great condition and hopefully will last me another couple of years.

Over the years I recorded a lot of videos from my trips and are happy to post them here. All of them are unique and most have original music from me (don't know if you like it). Some good memories. So today I will post one of those videos and will continue in no particular order to this thread. Hope you enjoy, have a good one
 

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,455
5,287
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com
Great stuff Rudi. ..the music is interesting & cool.
A shame you don't have any old MTX Vdos eh - those were the days.
BTW I'm amazed how you just keep going & going...it keeps getting better I guess.
 
  • Like
Reactions: saxonator

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
Great stuff Rudi. ..the music is interesting & cool.
A shame you don't have any old MTX Vdos eh - those were the days.
BTW I'm amazed how you just keep going & going...it keeps getting better I guess.

Yes I agree David, would be nice to see some MTX's in action, but at that time with those cameras, almost impossible. Sometimes it amazes me too, that I just keep going as time wouldn't exist, it keep's me young and in good spirits I reckon
 
  • Like
Reactions: Biggles

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43

This is what some call Erzberg Chiang Mai, it is for sure, one of the most difficult tracks out there, not so long, but some very technical stuff and very steep, sorry for the shaky camera
 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
I just found this video again, when I still had my Africa Twin, it broke down near Ban Mae Kamphong, luckily Joe had the side car and we could load that bike and get it back to Chiang Mai
 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43

Nice to be out there again, the track I was on, some call Rock Tower, the condition was bad, but that I guess makes it more fun. We left with two riders, but one had to return, after his chain split. The ruts were nasty and deep and the wrong line landed me in one of those deep ruts. It took me about 1 hour to get the bike out of there again, but it was just not enough to make it to the top. So had to back off again about 100m which took again about 30 Minutes. The I found the perfect line and could go up there in more or less one go. Happy I made it all the way up to Kritsada Doi, enjoyed the view over the valley and the cold breeze. On my way home it started pouring down like there was no tomorrow.
 

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,455
5,287
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com

Nice to be out there again, the track I was on, some call Rock Tower, the condition was bad, but that I guess makes it more fun. We left with two riders, but one had to return, after his chain split. The ruts were nasty and deep and the wrong line landed me in one of those deep ruts. It took me about 1 hour to get the bike out of there again, but it was just not enough to make it to the top. So had to back off again about 100m which took again about 30 Minutes. The I found the perfect line and could go up there in more or less one go. Happy I made it all the way up to Kritsada Doi, enjoyed the view over the valley and the cold breeze. On my way home it started pouring down like there was no tomorrow.

Oh man, that's not the rock tower road I remember. 55
Glad it was you out there doing that & not me.
Awesome fun no doubt.

Thanks for the clip.
 
  • Like
Reactions: saxonator

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43

Finally out with Mr. G. again. After a long pause of almost 6 month it was good to join forces again. As much as I love riding with the newer bikes and fast riders, I also enjoy riding with XR250's guys. There' nothing that can beat the sound of two bikes humming in synchronicity. The sounds reminds me a lot of chanting mantras from Tibet, maybe just my imagination going wild....555. Not expected to ride over 300 km today, but still enjoyed it to the very last bit, even I couldn't see much on the way home. The LED headlight was just not bright enough for the pitch dark roads of Samoeng.
 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43

Good to get together with some of the best riders around Chiang Mai here. Many of them have trials background or race downhill. Hard to keep up to there speed with the XR250. The Mae Jo Loop is getting more difficult every time I ride and it is a fun loop with many different sections of different skill levels. Enjoy!
 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
Looks like some form of masochism.... haha... damn hard work too. Keeps you fit, no doubt....
Yeah Ian you are absolutely right. it is a fight against yourself, the nature and the bike. Sometimes I think I am getting too old for this and the next day I sit on the bike again...555
 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
21371406_10203399746271781_7704294171228170092_n.jpg
21430462_10203399743551713_2030730873371983675_n.jpg
21462418_10203399743031700_8959873122479253476_n.jpg
21462511_10203399745551763_5775929907881512904_n.jpg
21462914_10203399742151678_531620292751051634_n.jpg

Great riding today around Pabong/Mae Hiar Area. Went up the famous "Last Man Standing" track but had to turn around on the very top. The condition was mad and the grip almost zero, wasted about an hour moving back and forth until we could get out again. Tried a different route connecting to Doi Phui, the track was good in the beginning but turned into one big mud slide later uphill. Nevertheless it was a great day out in the Jungle. This time no music to the video.
 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
Today a few of us out there, traction was not too good today, but overall a lot of fun




 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43

Great riding with Erich from Austria. Close to 60 now he is still a very skillful rider and likes the technical stuff as much as me, never boring riding with this guy. Lots of fun and never-ending tracks, always find something new, like this track here, it is actually a dry waterfall
 
  • Like
Reactions: Goran Phuket

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
I am still playing around with the settings in the GoPro Studio, but so far it's working great on my old mini mac, nice to be able to record in higher resolution (1080/60), seems to be good enough for me now. Didn't try 2.7k and 4k yet, my mac is too slow for this. The GoPro 5 is a neat camera, didn't want to buy the GoPro 6, probably too advanced for me. There's a few glitches in the video, they came out after rendering for almost 3 hours.



 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
Absolute fantastic ride once again. Today I was joined by two regular competitors of the Red Bull Hare scramble series, both Austrians and very good riders. They are used to ride KTM's or Husqvarna's but had to settle with CRF250L Honda. Even on those bikes they managed to go through all terrain without problems, only the very steep section, clutch fanning was applied and shortly the CRF250L had a fried clutch, but no problem, when you ride with a great mechanic in your team. Hopefully I can do one more ride with those guys before they take off again. Here's the video
 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43

Great fun again with some very good riders. The Austrian Enduro Wizard always surprises me with new technical staff that demands everything from man and bike.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Goran Phuket

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
The older I get, the more crazy I become. My mate Erich and me hit out together with Mitch, who is here for just two month. The Mae Rim waterfall section have become our house track. Surprised how good the Mitas tyre is for grip over those slippery rock sections. I myself stick with Quick, but obviously the Mitas better -also much more expensive. Mitch is 66 years young and hadn't ridden for 8 month due to injury. He's been doing fantastic considering his age. Erich is a machine and never gives up. Good fun with those dudes

 
  • Like
Reactions: DavidFL and Oddvar

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
This is what I call the "Dragon's Gate" Track, one of the most beautiful areas for riding around here. You cruise on a dirt road thru rose fields and are surrounded by stunning views of the near mountains. I love this track a lot even if it is not very technical in the first part. Got to be careful with the traffic on the small foot path we are riding, the locals and hill-tribes use this track for transporting flowers and vegetables. You gotta watch after every corner, they don't expect anybody around here, so if you go to fast here you might as well take a deep dive when traffic comes your way... just a reminder..ride safe...take care.









 

saxonator

0
Subscribed
Jun 1, 2003
443
145
43
So the New Year has kicked off well and even I am very busy with my Visa and the renovation of a restaurant I still find some time to play with my Off - road buddies. Today was not so hard as usual but more fun and more riders. At 6:45 one of the guys took a dive down from the cliff, lucky there was a tree and he jumped of the bike in time. Lucky to capture this very strange moment on camera and lucky no one got injured and we got the bike up in one piece without too much effort. Shortly after that we sat down on the huge rocks and enjoyed the stunning views. Just minutes later we were joined by some mountain bikers from Singapore. One of the guys told us, that they have put up a lot of yellow signs that would not allow mountain and dirt bikes up certain trails around Doi Suthep/Doi Phui. Later I found out that this was caused by the foreigners who rode up the monk trail to Wat Palaad not so long ago. I saw this coming a long time ago. More and more people come to enjoy here nad use all kind of apps on their smart phones and navigate on all marked tracks.

Let's hope that this is a temporary ban and that in future the people take a little more care when riding. Stay cool and have fun :)

 
Last edited by a moderator: