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The FactsThailand and the Thai people
The Thai people are extremely friendly and good natured, and whilst keen to sell you their wares are mostly easy to deal with. They are keen to sell you a variety of things you don’t necessarily need or want, but they are gracious in your bargaining and accepting of a firm but polite “no”. Political events caused the main airports in Thailand to be shut down for 10 days in November 2008. Whilst this was an inconvenience for many travellers it was totally peaceful and polite, almost apologetic to those who had their travel plans disrupted. However it did achieve the objective of causing the unpopular prime minister to resign. Just recently the "other side" have attempted to have the former Prime Minister reinstated. We, like 99% of the Thai population avoid politics and the areas of discontent. In the North where we spend our time, there are no signs of the military or the police. Trip Logistics 
Our trips are organised well in advance and may be likened to an Iceberg: what you see above the surface represents just a small part nof the logistics which have been arranged well in advance. For this reason, much of our logistics and planning are well structured and we have our route, accommodation and activities well refined and organised. You will find every day is different in terms of what you see and what you do. This brings variety and interest to all. You will meet some interesting people such as a German Hotelier running an amazing resort in what appears to be the middle of nowhere, and a retired Canadian schoolteacher passing his latter years in comfort with his new Thai wife. Our local guides are enthusiastic outgoing local people with motorcycle and guiding experience as well as intimate local knowledge.Our Thai guides accompany us, bring our luggage in the support vehicle, speak good English and assist us on our travels in a variety of ways. Occasionally we may visit locals' homes and perhaps enjoy a real home-cooked traditional Thai meal, and get a good insight into how ordinary Thai people live. Motorcycling in Thailand
We have recently changed our hire bikes to modern low mileage cruising type Kawasakis and Hondas. The mainstay of the fleet is the modern Kawasaki ER650 with ABS brakes, which participants enjoyed either 1 or 2 up. We even had a 3 up ride recently for a few kilometres, which you can see in the photo gallery. The alternative is the Honda CBR 250cc single, which is also a modern bike, or even a Kawasaki KLX 250. Both these smaller bikes come with a $200 price reduction. We no longer use the older CB 400 or CB 750, 4 cylinder bikes. In Thailand any bikes over 200cc are reasonably rare and subject to high import taxes. Whilst in the locals’ eyes we are viewed as kings of the road, the bikes are maintained to a lesser quality than they are at home. They are still capable of good speed and great fun and have the potential to get you into trouble if you aren’t careful. We recommend that you ride in proper protective clothing including Draggin' jeand, sturdy boots which cover your ankles, gloves and arm protection. We have seen minor spills with guests in shorts and T shirts, which have given skin scrapes that don't heal well. We also recommend an open faced Helmet. It is very, very uncomfortable riding in leathers, or heavy protective clothing in 30 degree heat. If you prefer to be well covered, make sure your riding gear has lots of air vents. Past experience has proven that proper motorcycling clothing will protect you in the event of a tumble. Pillion riders or partners are no problem on this trip, and they can travel in the air conditioned support vehicle whenever they want. Our optimum group size is 12. The weather in April as well as October and November is mostly fine and balmy, but our spring is the end of the Thai rainy season. We would anticipate that there may be a few days where it might rain for an hour or so when we are riding, so we recommend you bring a rain-proof suit for this event. Some riders prefer to have full wet weather gear and waterproof boots. The other option of course is to stop at the nearest bar or café, and relax while the rain passes. In any event, the hotel swimming pool at the end of the riding day is a very welcome spot. 
The Ride….We are on the bikes for 10 days and cover around 1600km. This may not sound a lot but we are generally on the road for 6 or so hours each day. The roads are not dissimilar to NZ West Coast or Coromandel Peninsula, but in slightly poorer condition. We tend to ride at around 90kph, due to road conditions, traffic, and also the desire to see what we are riding past rather than racing to the next destination. In Thailand we ride on the left as in NZ. In the north there is not a lot of traffic (other than 125cc Honda scooters) especially as we are going to somewhat remote country areas. Virtually all the riding is on sealed roads, but for twisty fans, there will be lots of fun. Our bikes are capable of passing most traffic which is fairly light, except around major towns such as Chiang Mai. In the towns the bikes are easy to manoeuvre but are sufficiently large and different not to be a target for thieves, since bikes over 200cc are imported and rare. As tour leader, I am equally happy on the 250cc phantom as on the big ER 650. As a result of past experience we have riding guidelines which will minimise the risks of getting lost and also form the basis of a safe and enjoyable riding experience for everyone. 
What’s included in the $4500 Cost…Our price for the trip includes:
Should you choose to opt for the CBR 250 or the KLX 250, the total trip cost is reduced by $250 for all the items above. We are happy to assist you to make travel arrangements to / from Chiang Mai, which are sone at cost. There are many choices of airlines and fares some starting as low as $1200 for the return trip to Chiang Mai. The items which are not included in our fee above are:
Other optional extras may include Chiang Mai cooking school ($35), scooter hire ($10per day), elephant training camp with ride in the jungle ($30), entry visa to Myanmar ($10 US). To give you an idea of personal costs, the following may help:
Add a few extra days at the Beach......You may also choose to add a few extra days at a Thai Beach resort or spa at either end of the tour. This would cost around $650 for a 2 night stay including quality accommodation with breakfasts, and transport to / from Bangkok on a share twin basis. 
Single Supplement.....Should you wish to have a single supplement and not share accommodation with a mate, a partner or another member of the group, we can arrange single accommodation for you. Historically this has added aroud $650 (approximately $40 per night) to the trip cost. Payment Terms.....Our trips fill quickly. We require a $500 non-refundable deposit with a further $1500 payable 3 months prior to departure date. If you want to extend your trip, or make changes to airline bookings, this can be arranged but at extra cost. The final pricing and payment will be required 6 weeks before departure and may include adjustments due to any major $NZ currency adjustments greater than 5%. However once final payment is received, the price will not change, nor will there be any refunds for cancellation, so we advise you to have the trip cost covered by your travel insurance. Email us if you have any queries - we are happy to answer your questions > |
Thailand is a kingdom and the King is the most revered person by all the population. Despite this the politics are somewhat mixed with a military coup overthrowing the elected Prime Minister in 2008, on the grounds of his alleged corruption. The military coup was not evidenced in any way by soldiers on the street. The only political unrest has historically been in the south near Malaysia where Muslim activists have stirred up trouble. We don’t go further south than Bangkok.