The GTR Bikes in Thailand

My first bikes in Thailand were Honda Wing 125s because that was all you get.
They were a joy to ride & my bet times riding in Thailand will always be with the Honda Wing, because they were small, you couldn't go fast enough to hurt yourself, you could step off one anytime and let it drop. And when everyone had the same bike the "races" were always even, just like in Moto3!

My first Honda Wing. R1148 March 1986


I had multiple Wings over the years.


1986 R1148.




R1149 Doi Tung




When everyone had the same bike the "races" were always even, just like in Moto3!



1989 Doi Larng, Mae Ai. R1314

HONDA NV400SP

Then big bike grey imports came. My first big bike in Thailand was the fabulous Honda NV400SP.


Vtwin, shaft drive. A fabulous reliable "tractor" touring bike for the road conditions & network of the time.

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



(The Bus Crash)

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.

94 at Doi Mae Salong with my son Jason.


94 the floods in Chiang Mai.


1995 Chiang Mai - KL MotoGP Ride


Then when Laos first opened up I bought a nice 250 Baja.


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.