The GTR Bikes in Thailand

[DavidFL]

Honda NV400SP

This is the first big bike I was able to get in Thailand after a series of Honda Wing 125s, for which I will post photos later.
I purchased it from a squash-playing buddy in Chiang Mai.
It had a legit rego & lasted me for several years around North Thailand and Esarn.
It was ridden Chiang Mai - KL for MotoGP twice.
It got hit by an orange crush bus at Uttardit and was beaten up nicely. 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.

 

[DavidFL]

My first bike in Thailand, the mighty Honda Wing 125.
R1148 March 1986

From the Honda Wing I moved to a Honda NV400SP.

In 93 I got hit by an orange crush public bus on R11 North of Uttaradit.

(The Bus Crash)

Then a Baja 250 for tours in Laos, when Laos first opened up.

I only had the Baja for a short time & got an offer for what '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 got the AT a Versys 650 in November 2012. I still miss that bike, the greatest motorcycle made IMHO.

(The Africa Twin goes around again.)

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.

See My Versys History
(Tweaking my Versys)

Versys vs the Africa Twin
(The Versys vs The Africa Twin)

The 1st VStrom came in May 2019

& Im on # 3 now.

To be continued.