The JWs Tours Indochina - Post 1

12 April 2011

It's my 7th day on the road since we left KL on Weds. Well on the road would not be the right thing to say cause I can safely say we're gonna be marooned in Chiang Mai until the 16th at least. Why? well it's Songkran! I've heard so many things about it but gonna find out first hand what it's all about. It's a religious festival, though I guess the allure is the water throwing fest that will escalate into a full blown water war tomorrow. They have started early and trust me, it hurts to hit a wall of water when you're doing 100km hour. So as of today, I've parked my bike and that bad boy is staying put until this madness boils over. Whatever it is I got my GoPro for taking pictures of the festivities tomorrow, so wait for that post.

In the mean time let's catch up with the past week shall we. Ok first the map.

View Larger Map

Now that I'm staying put in CM for next few days I can finally get the damn blog updated. It's a lazy man's trick but I'll be using the pics to illustrate. I know....I know....such a slacker! then again no one is paying me......just saying.

Was raining when we left Wunderlich at 5pm...ya damn late. You can see David is happy to see us go...haha

11pm by the time we reached Hat Yai

Hmm...pretty sure I ordered roti telur.

Mad rain on the way to Surat Thani, had to detour due to flooded roads

Heavy mist in the morning as we're about to leave Surat Thani

Evidence of floods everywhere we pass.

It's really weird weather this time around, heavy rain and floods in Southern Thailand almost made us change our plans. We were pretty much modifying our plans every other minute depending on the information that's trickling through to us. 

How the hell did we end up in Australia?

Hot hot hot......more ice.....more ice!

Onwards to Kanchanaburi

The ride up to Kanchanaburi is just damn hot....not funny, yes we did choose to go up in at what is pretty much the hottest part of the year. After a long ride into Kanchanaburi, I was dissapointed that the gueshouse that I booked couldnt find my booking. Hmmm, heard this sort of shit happening to others before so nothing new there. It's a blessing in disguise of some sort coz we found Ploy Guesthouse, really nice place with prices ranging from 600 - 800 baht.

with your own private garden outside the window

It was only 3 months ago that I was in Kanchanaburi, so here I am again. Of course I did the whole Death Railway bridge again, though this time there was more time to check out the new museum and cemetery.

Violin man has a fan...

Read the left....

You can't take pictures at the museum...there are exceptions though.

It was really cool to ride up and have our pics taken with the bridge in the background. Yes, we're just a bunch of camwhores!

Bridge and bikes = priceless

Next stop Mae Sot and Chiang Mai.

Picking up a fallen F650GS

14 April 2011

Sorry for not updating. It's a combination of things really. OK OK I've been lazy. There I said it.

I'm in Chiang Mai now, "marooned" for a week due to Songkran, more on that in my post later. In the mean time, I'm privileged to meet Simon and Lisa Thomas of the 2ridetheworld.com fame here. They've already been on the road for 8 years. It's meeting these people that makes what I'm doing seem quite pussy, but they've been really cool. In fact Simon thought me a valuable lesson on picking up my bike. You know, as riders we hope that we're never faced with a situation where we would have to pick up a dropped bike, though in reality that's what most of us will face. It's well and good if you're riding with friends when this happens as you can actually get them to pick it up while you supervise...hehe, but if you're all alone then how?

I've seen this done on youtube, though there's nothing like practicing it on my own bike to have a feel. So here goes, how to pick up a bike weighing 220 -230kgs.

You may have heard of the turning the bars and lift method, trust me shit would come out my shorts before it'll go up.

Then Simon shows me a better way.

And the third is moi picking it up, minus streak marks in the shorts. The vein in forehead popping is unavoidable though....hehe.

OK enjoy and I'll get on to getting the blog updated.

Trip Preparation

04/04/11, mileage 26262

Nice numbers ain't it? I mean the date and mileage.

Good god, I've only had this bike for 8 months and I'm already on my second set of tyres. It sucks that there's still some life in the old set, but definitely would not be able to last the expected 10,000km for this trip, and keeping that set as spare also does not make sense considering that I have my original Battlewings at the shop. Oh well....

Once the new set goes in, dang what a difference. I didn't realise (noob mah) that I was constantly adding preload as the tyres wear as the bike was understeering. Now that the new set is in I gotta back off on the preload as it turns in easily. Hey! learn something new everyday.

Fresh set vs 18,000km

Can see the old set is flat in the middle

New set for the front as well

While I'm at it, changed the rear wheel bearings as well, new front pads, fresh oil and rear brake fluid. They're all still ok, but I changed it for peace of mind. 

Replacement bearings

Fresh blood

Still life in the old pads but what the heck!

We're shooting off to Hat Yai tomorrow and asses the flooding situation from there before we continue North. So I guess tomorrow I'll start post no 1 of The Jobless Wanderers Indochina Tour. 

Another Trip - Indochina 6 April to ? May 2011

I'm off again next week on my motorbike for another month or so to Thailand/Laos/Cambodia. If you've been following the Indochina series of blog postings it'll be fair to ask, "Didnt you just got back?" My last trip, I left on 19 Nov 2010 and came back on 8 January 2011, a solid 51 days of touring.

Why so soon?

Let me give a bit of historical brief leading up to the above. In 2008 I had planned to drive up all the way to Chiang Mai and pretty much tour Thailand within 14 days. Coincidently, that was in April as well, so that I'll be celebrating my birthday on the road. I wanted something new, a new experience, an adventure, though being the pussy that I am, I wanted it to be manageable. Weeks of preparation, mapping the route, researching accommodation, putting in the leave, battling anxiety and I was all geared up for it and guess what happened?

Riots broke out 2 days before I was supposed to leave. It pretty much crippled the country and closed of Suvarnabhumi airport. Shots were fired at protesters, a journalist was killed. Friends and of course family, very concerned requested that I not proceed with my plans and I conceded. Though disappointed, I tell myself that it was not meant to be. Though the thought was still there I never did pursue it in the same  vigorous manner as I did before. No better way to describe it than, "memang potong stim abis".

Fast forward to 2010 and circumstances revolving around work(or lack of it) pushed the idea, that was long buried back up. I got myself a bike in July 2010 after not riding one for more than 10 years and the rest as they say is history. Cliche as it may be, the 51 days of touring was supposed to be my platform to discover myself and think about what next. Unfortunately, it was such an overwhelming experience that I forgot to do both haha. What I did discover though was that I felt free. I found peace of mind, a feeling I last felt when I was a student. A time when my only responsibility was to down 6 cans of Livita and cram as much as I can the night before an exam. So I'm off again to discover what I felt was real or fluke? Have I been bitten by the travel bug or was it one off?

What's new with this upcoming trip?

So what's different this time around? I'm still going to the same countries though there'll be new routes, new places to go, places that I missed last time around for one reason or another. I'll be updating the blog as I go along so you won't miss it.

There's gonna be 3 of us doing the entire loop, Capt Nik on a GS12, Ivan on a GSA and I on my trusty steed the 650GS. We're not gainfully employed(by choice I'd say but truthfully no company in their right mind would hire a serial slacker like me haha) at the moment hence the name "The Jobless Wanderers". Though I've not ridden long rides with them, the harmonics of the group seems good, an important element if we're to ride together for the next 30 days. One thing for sure, both of them being camera/photog buffs I'll have better pics for my blog....hehe. Maybe I can finally fulfill my secret ambition of being a camwhore.

We plan to cross the border on 6 April. Right now the weather is wrecking havoc over South Thailand with rain and flooding in many parts. We're hoping it clears up by the time we leave. Wish us luck and stay tuned for updates.

Singapore - Another Frontier

March 4 - 7, 2011

With Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam and Laos under the belt, the other border on the South beckons. If you need me to spell it out, yes I am talking about Singapore. It's another country crossing for me and I get to chill out with my friend over there.

I left about 10am from KL, as there was no rush and the idea was to cross before 5pm, when the rush hour starts. Used the boring but dependable PLUS highway and other than some showers here and there the trip was uneventful. I was in JB by 3pm and after a quick change of currency I'm crossing Woodlands.

Little did I know, of all the border crossings I've done, this was going to be the toughest. I know that I need Autopass as I've driven to Singapore countless times, but unlike cars, bikes traveling in Singapore needs to have I.U. unit installed to go through ERP. Now this is tricky coz if you go through the ERP without the I.U. and cashcard the fine is SGD70 PER OCCURRENCE! I tell you, hearing that was enough to make my blood go upstairs la. The unit cost SGD155 but I've been told that I could rent it at the crossing. 

With the above in mind, I went through Malaysian immigration followed by the Singapore side. I kid you not, the bike lane and immigration booth is so small I wonder how a GSA with panniers go through. Even with my unexpanded varios I'm squeezing my way through. As I don't have an Autopass yet, I asked the immigration officer where to get it, she tells me, at block B in front. So onwards I go looking for block B and the next thing I know I'm already at Customs. I asked the lady where is block B, and she tells me I've missed it and it's just behind me. I asked, can I turn back? she tells me No!, I asked can I park my bike and walk there? She tells me No!!....Aiyaa....my stress levels going up already and I'm not even in the damn country yet.

She tells me to get my Autopass at Greenhill, or Greenpoint or Green Centre, she's so freaking vague plus I'm so highstrung that images of me spending a couple nites in a Singapore jail is flashing before my eyes. Oh ya, just to add to my already bursting blood vessels, failure to have an Autopass will result in a minimum SGD200 fine upon exit. Yes...it's a damn Fine country alrite.

So there I was, with no Autopass and I.U. unit trying to look for this place that I can get it. When I did find it, I knew that I was screwed. It was actually a small booth for topping up Autopass la. The lady there was far more helpful though. She tells me that I need to go to Land Transport Authority(LTA) to get my Autopass and I.U. unit. They close at 4.30pm and it was already 4pm at that time. She gives me this booklet on ERP with maps that shows you where the ERPs are and warns me to avoid them like the plague if I don't want to get fined. Well lady, I know under certain conditions (very poor lighting or pitch black even) I may look like Matt Damon, but Jason Bourne I'm not. I can't scan the bloody booklet for 2 seconds and memorise where the hell the ERPs are...

Jason Bourne would fail this 

Where the ERPs are

I reached LTA at 4.25 and I'm amazed that they still let me in. No way would a Government agency in Malaysia allow you to take a number 5 minutes before closing time. On a Friday somemore. A quick check of the passport and the bike and I have my Autopass. This is when I discovered that you can't rent an I.U. unit anymore. You have to buy and have it fixed on the bike, and considering that I may only go to Singapore this one time it is definitely not worth it to spend the money. 

LTA 

The dreaded ERP. BTW there is NO way of going to Orchard RD without passing one.

Then I remembered that the Garmin can be set to avoid tolls, and I'm really putting my faith in it that it'll work to get me to my friend's place which is pretty much right smack in the middle of town. That last 15km was just so nerve wrecking that I do not relish doing this again. Amazingly I made it to his place without passing a single ERP and that's where the bike stayed until I left on Monday. Not that I mind anyways as it's pretty easy to just use the MRT.

Here's some of the scene in Singapore.

Vandals!! 

Skate park behind Somerset MRT

They think of everything

Bikers would know of this place

I like the look of the Fazer with HB panniers

Looks good

I can't help it if chicks gets excited and touch themselves when they see me.

New casino = new problem

If you happen to be there do pop by 1 Altitude in Raffles Place. There's a bar/club/restaurant on the 62nd floor of the tallest building in Singapore. Pretty similar concept to Luna Bar or Sky Bar in KL. Brilliant 360degree view of Singapore though I wished the music was a bit more chilled out type.

I wanted to get some riding gear as well in preparation for my next trip but was pretty disappointed with the lack of choice this time around. Off course the Liv vs ManU match wrapped up the weekend well for me.

I made a move back to Malaysia at 6.30am on Monday coz the ERP's starts at 7am or 7.30am in some places and I can't be bothered to try and avoid em. 

So there you have it, the 5th country under my F650GS, though I have a feeling the next time I go there I think I'd drive.....

Golok to Betong - Don't tell my mother

11 - 13 Feb 2011

Yes....less than a week after coming back from Phi Phi, I am up again, this time towards the restive South of Thailand. There's still ongoing conflict between the predominantly Kelantan speaking Thai Muslim and the Government. Heavy military presence has limited the skirmishes into small pockets though it is definitely still there. Does add to the already heightened  sense of adventure.

It's a pretty big group of 14 bikes and 1 4x4, so there's some sense of safety in numbers, plus I'm on the cheapest bike, so if we do get kidnapped I'm hoping they'll hold the rest for ransom and send me back(small value fry) to inform the family and Government...haha.

Assembled in BHP at 7.30am

Going up Golok

Last fuel stop before crossing into Thailand. I'm pretty chuffed to do a total 370km before refilling in Pkln Hulu.

Rantau Panjang-Golok holds the distinction of being the 4th border that I've crossed into Thailand on my bike, and I just realised that I've not entered into Thailand and cross back to Malaysia via the same border. This trip, go in Golok and come out Betong, last trip enter Wang Kelian and cross back Padang Besar. Though this time abit notti la, didn't declare the bike with customs before entering...haha.

Rantau Panjang

It's been more than 10 years since I was last in Golok and was pleasantly surprised to see the city has not turned into some abandoned cowboy town. I guess it did for a while as there were numerous bombings in 2003/04.

We're in Golok

Golok at night

No tuk tuks here, but plenty of kapchai taxi

The good thing about being in this part of Thailand is that 1. They speak Kelantan, so can (probably) understand em 2. Never worrying where to find halal food.

Rolling out after b'fast

I'm attaching the map though it may not be exact but it'll give you an idea of the route. 

View Larger Map

As this is an exploratory route there we're occasions that we had to double back, but that's all part of the fun. The army checkpoints adds to the thrill. You can see that they have no idea what the hell is going on here when a bunch of big bikes came rolling through. We pretty much went through each and every one without a hitch and amazingly my limited Thai came in handy at these checkpoints. None of the soldiers are local, so you can throw speaking Kelantan out of the window. I just told them where we were from and where we're headed to and that pretty much seals the deal for us. 

Not sure whether the army actually allows it due to sensitivity but being the cam whores that we are, we took the opportunity to snap photos with them and the soldiers happily oblige as well. 

Soldier may be smiling but Capt was actually employing his Jedi death grip handshake to get us through.

Go Betong....stutter stutter...big motorsai....stutter stutter....pls don't hurt us

Me: That's a pretty necklace
Soldier: I think you need a tight slap

Group photo

Some sections of the road are unpaved though it's hardpacked earth so that pretty much is a non issue for our bikes. What I found surprising going through these roads and passing by villages is how life goes on as normal over here. Shops and schools are open as usual, kids are playing by the roadside. It didn't give that uneasy feeling that may accompany in knowing that you're riding through troubled areas. The locals that we met were friendly and helpful and the food was aroi (that's delicious in Thai).

Regardless where you are, kids will always be curious

Kids from a religious school

We tried to go off the beaten track as well by using trail roads, after all that's what a DP bike is for, though as I was to painfully find out, there are limitations to what the bike can do. One of the proposed trail was definitely not suitable for big bikes, it's a steep climb with rocks and deep ruts that just makes it all very tough.

Husref put on knobbies for the occasion 

Didn't look that tough at first

Bike: Allo boss.....kenot la...

Though in order to satisfy our "off roadin" desires, Capt took us through a loop 20km out of Bannang Sata enroute to the 410 to Betong. Though not much of a trail left, I think it was only about 7km compared to when Capt came 3 months ago. Most of the trail is now paved.

This gravel road will disappear soon

Group photo of those crazy people.

We made it to Betong just as night falls, so it's a brilliant 300km ride. Some sections of the road reminded me of the curves in North Thailand, and I definitely missed that. This ride is a good learning experience as not many has done it. I would definitely want to do it again.

Note: 90% of the pics courtesy of Capt. Nik

2011 First Farkle - Suspension

It's 2011 and I have clocked 23,000km on the bike in 6 months.....and you thought that I'd leave the bike alone huh? Well fat chance. 

OK confession time, normally this is where you'll hear lines such as:

A) "my riding has improved and I feel that my suspension is not keeping up" or 

B) "I feel I need to make the change in order to feel more of what the tyres and the bike is doing"

as means and/or justification for the change.

Let me just say it straight.....that's just utter rubbish. The truth is, I have little(if any and if I'm feeling generous towards myself) or no skills whatsoever and as such decided to plonk on an aftermarket rear shocks to assist in keeping the bike upright. If you've never heard of YSS Suspension you can check them out here.

YSS vs stock....it's beefier

All CNC'd nicely

Nice rebound adjustment vs stock

Straight out of the box, you can see that it's well constructed and machined, the pistons and springs are larger vs stock which means it'll take longer to heat up and faster to cool down when it's working hard. You can only adjust the preload and rebound rate, there's no compression adjustment, though that's fine with me, cause the more I can adjust the higher the chances for me to screw it up.

I managed to install this in time for my Golok-Betong ride (report coming up later), and my first impression is that it feels firmer than stock though at no time was the ride hard or jarring. It did take me a while to tweak the settings as I had my panniers on, but once I got it right it was saaaweeeet!

Definitely happy with the first farkle of the year.