I have been researching and planning this ride for almost a year for my local riding group and finally this has come to
pass. All this is made possible with the wealth of information gathered from this forum and the various tips provided by
individuals here to whom I am thankful. This ride took place from 11/12/2010 to 23/12/2010 with 7 bikes travelling from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. There were 2 gtr1400, 4 er6f and a z1000 in our party and the following is the ride report.
Day 1 : KL to Hua Hin(1287km)
We all met up at Jejantas at midnite 10/12/2010 and after some brief introductions and pre-ride photos we were soon off on our ride with myself sweeping at the rear. The weather was good and we were dry all the way. We rode at moderate speed on the north-south highway and we were at Changlun around 5:30am. After a quick breakfast, bike insurance and changing RM to Bahts, we made our border crossing at Bukit Kayu Hitam (there was already a line at immigration) and soon we were riding our Thailand leg.
We made Hua Hin around 8:30pm and after a bit of searching around we settled for a less than perfect motel to spend the nite (could not even remember the name of the motel). We were all tired out from the day's hard riding which for some in our group was their longest one day ride ever!
Group pic before departure for this epic ride
Pic of night scene in Hua Hin
Day 2 : Hua Hin to Chiang Mai (916km)
This was a "Ha!Ha!" day for me personally as I was almost an hour late on my wake up alarm (set the wrong time alarm on my phone ... rats!!) and after some frantic washing up and packing etc I sheepishly made my way to the bike park where the group was all ready to go! Sorry about that guys!
We made our way out from Hua Hin and headed towards Cha'am riding through some nice beach front areas (lots of nice beach resorts here). This leg took us through Ratchaburi and after Nakhon Pathom we were on route 321, 3260, 329 before joining 32 heading towards Nakhon Sawan (to bypass the BKK traffic). We hit a bit of wet weather today after Nakhon Sawan and also some road resurfacing works at some stretches approaching Chiang Mai while riding in the night. After another long and exhausting day of hard riding we settled at Chang Hotel for the next 2 nights.
Enroute to Chiang Mai
Day 3 : Chiang Mai Free n Easy
Today was a rest day for the group and everyone had a free and easy day in Chiang Mai. The green chilis (er6f's) went for a bike tour and pilgrimage at a mountain top temple (to pray real hard for divine help in facing MHS challenge). Bro Jerry, Kelly and myself went for a tuk-tuk ride to outskirt long neck village and elephant sanctuary at Mae Taman. It was an enjoyable and relaxing day out and we had ourselves a splendid northern thai dinner at a fancy restaurant which had a very charming setting.
Pic with a pretty lass at the long neck village
Elephant sanctuary at Maetaman
a disclaimer ..
Day 4 : Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son (305km)
Today is THE day where we will get to experience the famous MHS corners and everyone was all pumped up and excited. We made our way out of Chiang Mai (which is confusing for us first timers) and after several wrong turns found 108 and onwards to Doi Ithanon which is a national park and also The Highest Point In Siam.
The ride up the mountain was exhilirating and cold too. The road conditions was very good and everyone had a warm-up for the MHS corners yet to come. Our temperature reading at the top of the mountain in bright sunshine was 17degC but with the strong winds blowing it felt more like 14degC! After the mandatory pics we made our way down the mountain to the by-pass road to Mae Chaem. During this journey through some really narrow, gnarly and twisty downhill route, we had our first crash of the ride. (Post Ride Comment : This particular stretch of road should be traversed very carefully)
The Z1000 threw the rear wheel and slid under a crash barrier. Everyone's soaring enthusiasm was brought to the reality of these roads. Though the crash was not too serious but it was bad enough to curtail our bro's ride due to bike damage and body being bruised. Thanks to a lorry load of bypassing workers, the bike was extricated and retrieved (again evidence of the friendliness of the people of LOS). A long hospital check-up and x-ray at Mae Chaem Hospital determined that no broken ribs and internal injuries had occured and we were all relieved. Rider and bike had to head back to Chiang Mai for repairs to both bike and person. The rest of the group then proceeded to face MHS.
Now these famous MHS corners are really something to experience. I just dont know how to relate this in words as the
sensation of endless corners is just mind blowing. There were several very sharp dips with hairpin corners that were really something we wont ever see in Malaysia! If you can dream up a corner with any manner of elevation change included ... you will find it here at MHS! There were many heart stopping moments I can tell you and I am pleased to write here that all of us made it through and finally arrived at Mae Hong Son around 5:30pm. It was a triumphant feeling everybody had ... but little did the rest know that they had to undergo similar number of corners getting out of Mae Hong Son the next day ... Heheh!
We stayed the night at Ngamta Hotel which is just next to the post office and there is a night market just a long the street.
A mandatory pic ...
A little sign along the road fronting Post Office
Nothing beats a good foot massage under the stars ...
pass. All this is made possible with the wealth of information gathered from this forum and the various tips provided by
individuals here to whom I am thankful. This ride took place from 11/12/2010 to 23/12/2010 with 7 bikes travelling from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. There were 2 gtr1400, 4 er6f and a z1000 in our party and the following is the ride report.
Day 1 : KL to Hua Hin(1287km)
We all met up at Jejantas at midnite 10/12/2010 and after some brief introductions and pre-ride photos we were soon off on our ride with myself sweeping at the rear. The weather was good and we were dry all the way. We rode at moderate speed on the north-south highway and we were at Changlun around 5:30am. After a quick breakfast, bike insurance and changing RM to Bahts, we made our border crossing at Bukit Kayu Hitam (there was already a line at immigration) and soon we were riding our Thailand leg.
We made Hua Hin around 8:30pm and after a bit of searching around we settled for a less than perfect motel to spend the nite (could not even remember the name of the motel). We were all tired out from the day's hard riding which for some in our group was their longest one day ride ever!
Group pic before departure for this epic ride
Pic of night scene in Hua Hin
Day 2 : Hua Hin to Chiang Mai (916km)
This was a "Ha!Ha!" day for me personally as I was almost an hour late on my wake up alarm (set the wrong time alarm on my phone ... rats!!) and after some frantic washing up and packing etc I sheepishly made my way to the bike park where the group was all ready to go! Sorry about that guys!
We made our way out from Hua Hin and headed towards Cha'am riding through some nice beach front areas (lots of nice beach resorts here). This leg took us through Ratchaburi and after Nakhon Pathom we were on route 321, 3260, 329 before joining 32 heading towards Nakhon Sawan (to bypass the BKK traffic). We hit a bit of wet weather today after Nakhon Sawan and also some road resurfacing works at some stretches approaching Chiang Mai while riding in the night. After another long and exhausting day of hard riding we settled at Chang Hotel for the next 2 nights.
Enroute to Chiang Mai
Day 3 : Chiang Mai Free n Easy
Today was a rest day for the group and everyone had a free and easy day in Chiang Mai. The green chilis (er6f's) went for a bike tour and pilgrimage at a mountain top temple (to pray real hard for divine help in facing MHS challenge). Bro Jerry, Kelly and myself went for a tuk-tuk ride to outskirt long neck village and elephant sanctuary at Mae Taman. It was an enjoyable and relaxing day out and we had ourselves a splendid northern thai dinner at a fancy restaurant which had a very charming setting.
Pic with a pretty lass at the long neck village
Elephant sanctuary at Maetaman
a disclaimer ..
Day 4 : Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son (305km)
Today is THE day where we will get to experience the famous MHS corners and everyone was all pumped up and excited. We made our way out of Chiang Mai (which is confusing for us first timers) and after several wrong turns found 108 and onwards to Doi Ithanon which is a national park and also The Highest Point In Siam.
The ride up the mountain was exhilirating and cold too. The road conditions was very good and everyone had a warm-up for the MHS corners yet to come. Our temperature reading at the top of the mountain in bright sunshine was 17degC but with the strong winds blowing it felt more like 14degC! After the mandatory pics we made our way down the mountain to the by-pass road to Mae Chaem. During this journey through some really narrow, gnarly and twisty downhill route, we had our first crash of the ride. (Post Ride Comment : This particular stretch of road should be traversed very carefully)
The Z1000 threw the rear wheel and slid under a crash barrier. Everyone's soaring enthusiasm was brought to the reality of these roads. Though the crash was not too serious but it was bad enough to curtail our bro's ride due to bike damage and body being bruised. Thanks to a lorry load of bypassing workers, the bike was extricated and retrieved (again evidence of the friendliness of the people of LOS). A long hospital check-up and x-ray at Mae Chaem Hospital determined that no broken ribs and internal injuries had occured and we were all relieved. Rider and bike had to head back to Chiang Mai for repairs to both bike and person. The rest of the group then proceeded to face MHS.
Now these famous MHS corners are really something to experience. I just dont know how to relate this in words as the
sensation of endless corners is just mind blowing. There were several very sharp dips with hairpin corners that were really something we wont ever see in Malaysia! If you can dream up a corner with any manner of elevation change included ... you will find it here at MHS! There were many heart stopping moments I can tell you and I am pleased to write here that all of us made it through and finally arrived at Mae Hong Son around 5:30pm. It was a triumphant feeling everybody had ... but little did the rest know that they had to undergo similar number of corners getting out of Mae Hong Son the next day ... Heheh!
We stayed the night at Ngamta Hotel which is just next to the post office and there is a night market just a long the street.
A mandatory pic ...
A little sign along the road fronting Post Office
Nothing beats a good foot massage under the stars ...
