Hi all - I snuck in through the back door because I usually don't make it past the review board when applying for Country Clubs! I found this site from my friend Rhodie who is a member of many Triumph Motorcycle Forums in the USA. He is a major Contributor to much of the deeper Technical stuff that the average Triumph enthusiast is not capable of understanding. It's people like him who have the knowledge and patience to break technical stuff down into simple instructions and include many pictures to convey his clear-cut directions!
OK - so now you know how I got here. Your next question is why am I here all the way from Stamford, CT in the USA. Fair enough question! I am 50 years old and married to my wife who is 42 years old and we have traveled to Thailand about 12 times since 1989. I came to your country first in 1989 - 91 and fell deeply and passionately in love with Thailand, Thai people, your food, your beaches, your crystal clear water, your perfect climate (never been to Thailand during monsoon season) but most importantly to me was the utter complete friendliness of the Thai people and Thai culture! I brought my wife in 92 and she immediately fell in love with Thailand as well. We have traveled all over the world but we keep coming back to Thailand. We have decided that we will retire to Thailand when we are done working which unless we become lucky earlier, will be in approximately 15 years from now. Meanwhile we keep coming back.
So Hedge, that's pretty interesting so far . . . tell us where you've been in Thailand. Well, my wife and I are historically beach people and love the salt water so we have literally been everywhere from Ko Cheng, Ko Samet, Ko Samui, Ko Lanta (back when it was an Island of red clay, Motorcycling from one end to the other would cover you RED!), Ko Phi Phi, Krabe, Railay Beach and Phuket. However, we have never traveled North into the Mountains.
Like I said, I met John "Rhodie" on a Triumph Motorcycle Forum and started to become friends with him there. I own a 2007 Triumph Bonneville Special Back Edition which currently has a tad over 4000 miles on her. I have modified her slightly to have a bit more bark and I have bought everything necessary to quickly change her from one up riding to 2 up riding if the wife decides to come along. She has had no previous experience with riding so i am her ambassador and completely responsible for her experience. She likes to go slow, between 40-50 mph so she can look around and not feel anxious that we will have an accident. If I do this she enjoys herself and wants to ride more. So riding more means I can spend my Sundays doing what I love to do and sharing my passion with her.
So why am I here? Well, John said that the riding in the North is spectacular and it can only truly be fully understood and appreciated by doing it instead of reading about it. I felt it was an excellent idea and ran it by her and she is open to this kind of adventure. So I am currently in research mode and going to be reading through the back posts, asking questions and making plans. I hope along the way I make a lot of friends here so that when we finally arrive and begin our adventure we will be able to meet many of you and put faces to the names!
Hedge
Some pix I want to share so you get a better Idea who I am -
This is a picture of my bike after the first 50 miles driving home from the dealership -
Here is another shot 6 months later with some modifications -
Here's me -
Here's me and Mrs. Hedge with my old 930 Turbo -
Better shot of the Turbo -
Disclaimer on the Intercooler -
Here's the Bonne and Mrs. Hedge configured for 2-up riding -
Here's my Bonne with my good friend UncleCharlie's BA -
Here's my headers and cans after I got them Ceramic Coated last November -
So I think that pretty much covers my introduction. I will reveal some other stuff as we get to know each other better and I will update you all with the latest pictures as soon as I get my lazy ass outside to properly clean her and bring her back to that exact spot where I took the first pictures of her after putting on the first 50 miles!
OK - so now you know how I got here. Your next question is why am I here all the way from Stamford, CT in the USA. Fair enough question! I am 50 years old and married to my wife who is 42 years old and we have traveled to Thailand about 12 times since 1989. I came to your country first in 1989 - 91 and fell deeply and passionately in love with Thailand, Thai people, your food, your beaches, your crystal clear water, your perfect climate (never been to Thailand during monsoon season) but most importantly to me was the utter complete friendliness of the Thai people and Thai culture! I brought my wife in 92 and she immediately fell in love with Thailand as well. We have traveled all over the world but we keep coming back to Thailand. We have decided that we will retire to Thailand when we are done working which unless we become lucky earlier, will be in approximately 15 years from now. Meanwhile we keep coming back.
So Hedge, that's pretty interesting so far . . . tell us where you've been in Thailand. Well, my wife and I are historically beach people and love the salt water so we have literally been everywhere from Ko Cheng, Ko Samet, Ko Samui, Ko Lanta (back when it was an Island of red clay, Motorcycling from one end to the other would cover you RED!), Ko Phi Phi, Krabe, Railay Beach and Phuket. However, we have never traveled North into the Mountains.
Like I said, I met John "Rhodie" on a Triumph Motorcycle Forum and started to become friends with him there. I own a 2007 Triumph Bonneville Special Back Edition which currently has a tad over 4000 miles on her. I have modified her slightly to have a bit more bark and I have bought everything necessary to quickly change her from one up riding to 2 up riding if the wife decides to come along. She has had no previous experience with riding so i am her ambassador and completely responsible for her experience. She likes to go slow, between 40-50 mph so she can look around and not feel anxious that we will have an accident. If I do this she enjoys herself and wants to ride more. So riding more means I can spend my Sundays doing what I love to do and sharing my passion with her.
So why am I here? Well, John said that the riding in the North is spectacular and it can only truly be fully understood and appreciated by doing it instead of reading about it. I felt it was an excellent idea and ran it by her and she is open to this kind of adventure. So I am currently in research mode and going to be reading through the back posts, asking questions and making plans. I hope along the way I make a lot of friends here so that when we finally arrive and begin our adventure we will be able to meet many of you and put faces to the names!
Hedge
Some pix I want to share so you get a better Idea who I am -
This is a picture of my bike after the first 50 miles driving home from the dealership -
Here is another shot 6 months later with some modifications -
Here's me -
Here's me and Mrs. Hedge with my old 930 Turbo -
Better shot of the Turbo -
Disclaimer on the Intercooler -
Here's the Bonne and Mrs. Hedge configured for 2-up riding -
Here's my Bonne with my good friend UncleCharlie's BA -
Here's my headers and cans after I got them Ceramic Coated last November -
So I think that pretty much covers my introduction. I will reveal some other stuff as we get to know each other better and I will update you all with the latest pictures as soon as I get my lazy ass outside to properly clean her and bring her back to that exact spot where I took the first pictures of her after putting on the first 50 miles!
