Motorbike trip around SE Asia; advice, links etc appreciated.
Replies: 19 - Last Post: Feb 4, 2013 7:44 PM Last Post By: GoodWorld
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Motorbike trip around SE Asia; advice, links etc appreciated.
HiI am planning a motorbike trip around SE Asia starting in Hanoi on 9th January 2013 and would appreciate any advice from anyone who has done the trip on things like what kind of bike is needed (min engine size etc), names of good road maps or whether iphone offline maps are a better option, any recommended roads or routes, good websites for info (i hear GT Rider is a good site?) what the border crossings are like and any recommended sites, accessories to pack, documents i should carry etc.... as you can see, i am just starting out but would appreciate advice or links to where i can find the info. In the meantime i will be finding out what i can. To summarise the trip here is a rough plan:
1. Buy motorbike, helmet and accessories in Hanoi
2. Travel south towards Dalat, Vietnam and cross in to Laos at the nearest border crossing.
3. Travel north and cross in to Thailand to start in Isaan territory in the North
4. Drive down through Thailand down the east side and down through south Thailand
5. Enter and drive down east Malaysia
6. Possibly visit Singapore
7. Possibly go to Sumatra
8. Either sell bike or drive up west borders Malaysia and Thailand to China (if can take bike in to China) alternatively sell bike here, fly to china and buy a bike in China)
9. Travel on to Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal and India either by motorbike or by public transport.
Thats the rough plan and at the moment i am in the UK, arranging a CBT motorbike test (upto 125cc) to then get insurance cover. I will also get an international driving license but i am not planning on taking the time to get a motorbike driving license in each country i visit.
Thanks in advance, Wix
1
I'd try to start in another country if possible. Traffic in Vietnams' cities is quite something. Would be easier to adopt to SE-Asian driving in, say Malaysia.I assume here that you never been to these places before and/or have never driven there before.
2
West Sumatera especially Mentawai island, natural to explore the natural beauty of the surf and the beauty of the forest. There are two options to be able to go there first with wooden boats and iron ship / ferry. many options that can be done in the main Mentawai is the beauty of its natural forests.There is also to just relax while enjoying the natural beauty in the highlands surrounding the Bukitinggi. the city became a great selection of foreign tourists who love to spend time relaxing in the cool of the city and beautiful. a city full of history and hospitality values into its own attraction and binding that make this city a decent place to live for a few days.3
West Sumatera especially Mentawai island, natural to explore the natural beauty of the surf and the beauty of the forest. There are two options to be able to go there first with wooden boats and iron ship / ferry. many options that can be done in the main Mentawai is the beauty of its natural forests.There is also to just relax while enjoying the natural beauty in the highlands surrounding the Bukitinggi. the city became a great selection of foreign tourists who love to spend time relaxing in the cool of the city and beautiful. a city full of history and hospitality values into its own attraction and binding that make this city a decent place to live for a few days.4
loads odf bikes for sale in Hanoiborder crossings to Laos are no where near dalat, and lately some folks have reported not being able to get bikes into Laos, some say it is possible, best border to try would LaoBao, west of Dong Ha, just north of hue, a few hundred kms north of dalat
how long you gotm this is a very long tripo you r planning, months, not weeks
Seems to me that
You r just now doing a bike license, so you have NO experience in riding them,
You have not been here b4, roads here are not like the UK...
average daily long distance is about 35 kms / hour on the bike... about 150 to 200 kms per day, 250 kms is a long way ... sure you may get longer days, but a 300 or 400 kms day will wear you out and you will need to stop for a couple days very quickly
That tv show with the bike trip in vietnam was just that a tv show, not at all close to reality ...
crossing into another country is a big deal with a motorbike ...
buy or rent a bike in hanoi, sell or return in hcm, this will give you loads of kms under your belt, then decide where to go next ... or see what the crossings are like as you go ... Lao bao into laos or keep going ... if you get in ... good for you
but if you ask me , you are thinking about way too much ...
holidays are for just that holidays, relax have fun enjoy life, not to race about in foreign countries like them idiots on tv ...
believe me, after 1 month or so driving in vietnam, you'll be ready for relaxation without a bike for a while ...
be careful on the road !
5
In all probability you are biting off way more than you can chew. This would be a long and dangerous journey for a veteran biker. You would at minimum want a few years experience on a bike and have at least some general mechanic understanding and ability. It is also going to be alot more trouble than you are expecting especially taking bikes over borders and very dangerous ... even the best rider in the world will die when a drunk/terrible driver does something crazy.6
Thanks everyone for your replies, I appreciate all the advice.First off yes I do have motorbike experience both in the UK and Asia. I had a 125cc motorbike for two years in the Uk and have travelled SE Asia already and regularly hired motorbikes for smaller journeys for a week or two at a time. So I believe I have enough experience, I know exactly what the roads are like in these countries, know the risks but am ok to make the decision whether to do this trip or not...
Ok So back to my query, I have a crossing point north if Dalat so thanks for that and so if anyone has any other advice, tips, info I would appreciate it...
Oh and thanks for the post about Sumatra, that is somewhere I was looking forward to and plan to have a rent and camp on most of this trip So if anyone has any routes, roads, camping spots etc for Sumatra that would be great.
7
The Sumatra dude is a tout. Posted the exact three comments in three different threads all of em rather off-topic.Sumatra is great. Roads are Okay and it should be easy enough to drive there, but distances can be long and remote, so make sure your bike is in good condition. Lake Toba and Bukitingi are both great places to go. I have no idea how easy it is to get your bike over to Sumatra from Malaysia/Singapore, though.
10
I see no reason to have a big bike, as you cannot go fast anyway most of the times.I did a 5000km raodtrip through India once on a 125 and it was perfectly fine.
Of course, it is key to keep your backpack as small as possible. Bring as little as possible and no more than a 35 L backpack. Your in the tropics-you don't need much stuff.
11
I see so many people going on these mopeds, 100 cc, no worries, 1 and 2 passengers and gear all over the place, is just slower125's are nicer, able to drive at lower rpm's, less tiring
i loved my honda Win 100cc, was hard to put it aside but then got to really like my suzuki 125, but now with honda custom 250, it is a whole new affair, way more enjoyable ...
sorta like back in canada, when i went from a Toyota 4 wheel drive with a small 4cylinder to the crewcab dual rear axles with a 454 engine ion it ... night and day...
12
I guess you can try the border crossings as you come upon them, if you get across, go for it, otherwise keep going south, the very last one at HaTien is easy to get through lately, but then you r in Cambodiaenjoy , have fun
be careful
see how far you get ...
