What is adventure motorcycling on Thai roads really like? The amount of farang’s I see coming to Thailand or anywhere in Southeast Asia looking for a 2 wheeled adventure holiday is staggering.
With this in mind, many privately owned companies offering adventure motorcycling in Thailand have sprouted up, allowing you to live that dream.
The ability to get off an international flight, load up a motorcycle for an adventure is quiet easy, with the option to either self hire and ride by yourself, on join into one of the many group tours, the options are endless.
But this is only the start of start of your motorcycle holiday in Thailand. Here’s some things worthy of a mention to keep you safe and out of trouble.
Make sure you have travel insurance: This might sound like an obvious one, but the amount of people who can afford to come to Thailand for a holiday, pay for accomodation, motorcycle rental and then fall short and not have travel insurance is astounding. Considering your having a holiday in such a way that presents considerable risk, with potential to end up in a hospital here, ask yourself, is the risk worth the savings?
Bring your own helmet: This might seem like overpacking, but do you really want to ride wearing an ill fitting helmet, that has an unknown history, ie it may have been involved in an accident, be cracked or worse. Your helmet will fit in your suitcase, but remember you cannot bring a helmet as carry on luggage with some airlines.
Protective clothing: Thailand is HOT, when your riding in the sun, in 38-40 deg days, where the wind passing you feels like your in a convection oven, having a decent jacket, gloves and long pants on sounds like the last thing you would want to be doing.
But with the sad statistics the way they are in Thailand, potential for you to be skiding down the blacktop on your skin is very high so make sure your well protected.
Check the rental bike over: Considering your renting a ‘big bike’, the rental conpanies with these tend to be a little more responsible than say a scooter rental mob. But in saying this, always inspect the bike fully before you set off, no matter if your in a group tour or not. Make sure everything works, and take shit loads of photos of the bike before setting off. If there is any damage to the bike, bring it to their attention, and also take close-up photos so that on the return, your not accused of damaging the bike.
Motorcycle License: In Thailand you are allowed to ride and drive on your country of origins drivers licence, but with the misinformation what it is with the local police, having an International Drivers Licence (IDP) can sometimes make things easier.
In saying that, I have been pulled over, presented my Australian drivers lic, only to be told I must pay a fine because of not having an IDP, so I then pulled out a copy of my IDP, then I got told I must pay a fine because I don’t have a Thai drivers license.
Sometimes it simply a case the police are looking to fine you with something and no amount of correct paperwork will do.
Always remember, the road rules in Thailand are effectively the same as western countries, but they are not followed, so expecting people to giveway to you won’t happen.
Ride with confidence, go with the flow and keep your speed down as the unexpected can happen before you know it, ask me, I know only too well!!
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