HONDA NV400SP
Then big bike grey imports came. My first big bike in Thailand was the fabulous Honda NV400SP.
Vtwin, shaft drive. A fabulous reliable "tractor" touring bike for the road conditions & network of the time.
91-92 Doi Larng or on R1089?
In 93 I got hit by an orange crush public bus on R11 North of Uttaradit.
(
The Bus Crash)
However, the Snail was able to do a superb rebuild, and it lasted several more years until I started riding regularly in Laos and bought a Honda 250 Baja for riding on the rough Laos roads.
94 at Doi Mae Salong with my son Jason.
94 the floods in Chiang Mai.
1995 Chiang Mai - KL MotoGP Ride
Then when Laos first opened up I bought a nice 250 Baja.
I only had the Baja for a short time & got an offer for what I'd paid for it, in exchange for the Africa Twin, plus a few more baht.
I jumped at the chance & kept the AT for 15 years. God's gift to RTW bikers & adventure riders.
That red - white - blue livery on the AT was a sensational chic puller every time!
That AT became famous all-over North Thailand & Laos.
Loaded up for a map delivery run through Laos.
The AT also went to Hanoi & back in March 2010.
As the high kms rose above 300,000 kms there were a few frequent electrical shorts as connectors & fuses burned out.
The solution was to hard wire as many as practical.
Eventually the fuel bill for the AT became too much @ 3 baht a kms when fuel was expensive, so I with great reluctance I sold the AT ang got a Versys 650 in November 2012.
The AT 3rd time round the clock 20.11.2011.
I still miss that bike, the greatest motorcycle made IMHO.
(
The Africa Twin goes around again.)
Kawasaki Versys 650
Bought from Gary Schack on 15.8.12 with 21,400 kms for 235,000 baht.
Black was the colour.
# 1 was the number.
I don't like black coloured bikes, so soon tarted the bike up to look like a mini AT.
100,000 kms was clocked up on the Versys, and it too went all over Laos.
The Versys wasnt great on snot.
(
Snot on Doi Phukha)
I learned from the AT that red & white bikes pull in the chics.
I clocked up 100,000 kms on the Versys
It started to burn oil; so rather than spend money on stripping it down, sold it & started my Suzuki Vstrom love affair(s).
Before selling the Versys I had it restickered, so it did not look so tired,
The bike was sold on 22.05.15 with 101,500 kms for 130,000 baht.
I dropped the Versys once on R118, heading to Laos.
(
Ooops done it yet again - another spill)
See My Versys History
(
Tweaking my Versys)
Versys vs the Africa Twin
(
The Versys vs The Africa Twin)
