Hot 'n Greasy Road Warning

[DavidFL]

Well hot season's here if you weren't aware of it. My Vapour gauge showed 42 celsius air temp on R118 today.

AND SO

the roads are greasy & slippery.

The twisties north of Mae Suai are treacherous

The Doi Mae Salong road R1130 is scary on the very steep twisting descents. You can feel your bike just skating through the corners with little grip, so don't leave your braking till late & hard, back right off way in advance.

On the R118 twisties watch out getting on the gas in the corners, not a lot of grip & you will run wide going into corners or just skate through them.

You've been warned!

Good stuff on R1130 late afternoon.

Trying to keep up with the local experts was tricky.

These guys swamped me coming in from Thoed Thai & I had a hard time keeping up with them in the tighter corners.
They turned off into the Yao village Pa Dua & I thought great, got the roads to myself. Then 3 kms later I caught up to them again - there's a brick paving short cut through the village. Ha. Ha.

If you're feeling the heat & want a less hot place to hang out at for a few days, then check any of these out.
1. Doi Mae Salong
2. Chiang Khong / Chiang Saen by the Mekong
3. Rim Taan Guesthouse by the stream in Thoed Thai.
4. Apples Guesthouse, Tha Ton
5. Chiang Saen Lake.

 

[Ally]

Thanks David :wink: You are a real sweetheart, caring for your flock.

Nice light in those pics.

Ally

 

[feejer]

This is no joke. I experienced the same thing on the 1130 when there in Nov. Puckered me enough to mention it in my trip report. That stretch could be trouble if you're a newb (like me) and don't know what you're in for.

 

[PICO-PICO]

Very helpful, David. One thinks only of wet surface being slippery.
now I understand why my front wheel slipped away even at low speed. I checked if the front tire tread was bad but no. You gave the explanation.
Pico

 

[tonykiwi]

Is it specifically the heat and the humidity combination which makes the road dangerous right now?

Is it more dangerous now than say in the rain and wet season?

Are any styles of bike safer than others (tyre types, dirt V cruiser etc)

T

 

[KZ]

I wrote this about a week ago in the "tire" thread:
"I'm not happy with my Dunlop GT501s - maybe it's the dusty/dirty streets, but these tires don't inspire much confidence. I'm riding mostly in town and sometimes have the feeling I'm drifting a bit if I go into a turn a bit fast, and when I brake the wheel locks up abruptly and way too early. It's not an old tire, the two last digits are 07, but it feels like one.
Next time I'll go with something better - can't expect much from the GT501 since the price for the pair is the same as for a hi-quality front tire."
This should have been posted here since I realized I was fairly happy with the tires for the last 5000km, only when it got hot they got slippery. So it must have been the heat, not the tires.
But I'll go for better tires next time anyways.

 

[feejer]

KZ wrote: I wrote this about a week ago in the "tire" thread:
"I'm not happy with my Dunlop GT501s - maybe it's the dusty/dirty streets, but these tires don't inspire much confidence. I'm riding mostly in town and sometimes have the feeling I'm drifting a bit if I go into a turn a bit fast, and when I brake the wheel locks up abruptly and way too early. It's not an old tire, the two last digits are 07, but it feels like one.
Next time I'll go with something better - can't expect much from the GT501 since the price for the pair is the same as for a hi-quality front tire."
This should have been posted here since I realized I was fairly happy with the tires for the last 5000km, only when it got hot they got slippery. So it must have been the heat, not the tires.
But I'll go for better tires next time anyways.

Funny you mention this. The SuperFour I rented had the 501's on it and they were shyte. Hard as nails and lousy grip, but inexplicably wore out fast too????

I was an Avon man for years and loved the Azaro's and then the Storms on the FJR and LT. But just fitted some Pirelli Diablo Stradas on the FJR last week. Amazing dry adhesion, but ignores wet tar snakes, and very neutral too. Bike seems 50 pounds lighter. If you can find them over there, I highly recommend.

 

[Franz]

Guys, that's where I got mine for the FJR, find them also quite neutral and do hope they are not wearing so fast than the original Bridgestones and the slightly longer lasting Diablo Rosso's.

http://www.competizioni-moto.com/

Cheers, Franz

 

[feejer]

Franz,

Was that site about tires? I clicked on the paddock girls photo gallery and got lost.

I now live about 30 minutes from Laguna Seca so should be a nice easy trip to MotoGP this year. But the paddock girls here all look like skank porn stars. Cant hold a candle to those Thai lovelies. You guys are lucky......but you know that already.

 

[Franz]

Feejer, right only about tyres :lol: , unfortunately most is in Thai but easily to contact them, think they are the main importer of Pirelli mocyc tyres into THA. Guy is very responsive and quick, recommended shop !!
I didn't click on Paddock's so far not seen the beauties..... , cheers, Franz

 

[beattheswiss]

David, this is truly interesting! Two years ago we did an extensive trip all over the North. It was high up on Doi Mae Salong that we experienced exactly the conditions you described! That was in February though, and it was still quite cool out there. I should add that the villagers had started setting the woods ablaze in places. The corners were shiny and horribly slippery; I truly had a hard time keeping the bike in the left lane. At that time I attributed the trouble to my Dunlops, but I suppose I did them wrong.
Thanks for the timely warning!

 

[DavidFL]

beattheswiss wrote: David, this is truly interesting! Two years ago we did an extensive trip all over the North. It was high up on Doi Mae Salong that we experienced exactly the conditions you described! That was in February though, and it was still quite cool out there. I should add that the villagers had started setting the woods ablaze in places. The corners were shiny and horribly slippery; I truly had a hard time keeping the bike in the left lane. At that time I attributed the trouble to my Dunlops, but I suppose I did them wrong.
Thanks for the timely warning!

MONDAY 9TH MARCH 2009: Route 1089 Tha Ton - Kiu Sataa

Interesting.......................

note the hot 'n greasy sap on the road

this appeared only where the bamboo was beside the road!

 

[DavidFL]

Hot 'n smoky where the fires have burnt on R107

south of Fang & north of Chiang Dao hill resort

 

[johngooding]

Hi David,
Appreciated the warnings and kept a careful look out on recent journeys up North. Saw some greasy areas but managed to stay on even colour tarmac.
Maybe not acclimatised but found the 107 up to Chiang Dao, very hard on the eyes with the smoke in the air, also very little to see in the mountain areas. Same thing, if anything worse, going home down 11 via Lampun and Lampang, seemed to gradually improve, south of Lampang.
At least clean air when back in Isaan.
Wont stop me coming back for more in a few weeks tho
cheers, John

 

[ray23]

Baet same experince this year, but it was foggy in the mornings roads didnlt really dry out till afternoon, was briefed ahead of time before about it by David and he other guys So no surprises just took it easy and enjoyed the scenery.

I've experienced the same thing on the road around Loie when the heat starts. Shiney side up