Kawasaki Big Bike Caravan BANGKOK - LUANG PRABANG.
- Thread starter TonyBKK
- Start date
Tony
Interesting translation eh?
Hmmh.
Now what I reckon....
4 nights 5 days (exclude "rest" day = 3 nights 4 days).
Bkk - Udon - Vte - LPQ - Vte - Bkk.
44? bikes high speed cruising
2 days / 800 kms riding in LAos on twisting mountain roads on the wrong / other side side of the road
Sounds a bit like a 24 hr Le Mans race, alright if you're experienced & done it before.
But more like a potential recipe for disaster if you ask me.
Good luck to Kawasaki & all participants.
Regarding the insurance: maximum 3rd party for 12 months costs me approx 1,500 baht - what are you getting for 1,800 baht (180? baht) for 3 days in Laos? Or does it cover Laos + Thailand?
You all take care now - ride safe, enjoy & come back in one piece.
Please let us know how you go. Get lots of photos if you have time.
Interesting translation eh?
Hmmh.
Now what I reckon....
4 nights 5 days (exclude "rest" day = 3 nights 4 days).
Bkk - Udon - Vte - LPQ - Vte - Bkk.
44? bikes high speed cruising
2 days / 800 kms riding in LAos on twisting mountain roads on the wrong / other side side of the road
Sounds a bit like a 24 hr Le Mans race, alright if you're experienced & done it before.
But more like a potential recipe for disaster if you ask me.
Good luck to Kawasaki & all participants.
Regarding the insurance: maximum 3rd party for 12 months costs me approx 1,500 baht - what are you getting for 1,800 baht (180? baht) for 3 days in Laos? Or does it cover Laos + Thailand?
You all take care now - ride safe, enjoy & come back in one piece.
Please let us know how you go. Get lots of photos if you have time.
It's too fast but there have been riders going between LPQ - VTE in less than 6 hours...
The price is about right but the hotel is pretty out of the way for LPQ. The road conditions, if raining or foggy - - - will slow this group down a lot. Seems like a long ride for going to a village the following day.
Too fast, poor hotel choice, Price good, LPQ tour limited.
The insurance could be a special deal for Full Comprehensive from AGL for the trip on a limited basis. Not just 3rd party at the upper limit. I'd be interested if I were a participant to see the coverage amounts...
Should be fun but a slick Hwy 13 and 40 road bikes, yikes.
The price is about right but the hotel is pretty out of the way for LPQ. The road conditions, if raining or foggy - - - will slow this group down a lot. Seems like a long ride for going to a village the following day.
Too fast, poor hotel choice, Price good, LPQ tour limited.
The insurance could be a special deal for Full Comprehensive from AGL for the trip on a limited basis. Not just 3rd party at the upper limit. I'd be interested if I were a participant to see the coverage amounts...
Should be fun but a slick Hwy 13 and 40 road bikes, yikes.
Thanks for your feedback guys! Much appreciated.
Certainly there may have been something lost in translation regarding both itinerary and costs. (I just ran the thai text through Google Translate which is never 100% accurate.)
I'll try to stop by Kawasaki next week to make sure I've understood the details correctly.
One point of clarification - the trip as posted on the Kawasaki site BEGINS from Udon Thani, not Bangkok and I think it ends in Nong Khai.
So obviously those of us going from Bangkok or other parts of Thailand will need to add an extra day BEFORE and AFTER the Kawasaki planned ride.
I've been on a few Kawasaki organized rides and they've been very well planned and organized in the past. Of course this will be the first international ride, so who knows if they really know what they're doing :wink:
I'll hope for the best and am very excited to finally be headed to Laos.
Wish us luck!
Happy Trails,
Tony
Certainly there may have been something lost in translation regarding both itinerary and costs. (I just ran the thai text through Google Translate which is never 100% accurate.)
I'll try to stop by Kawasaki next week to make sure I've understood the details correctly.
One point of clarification - the trip as posted on the Kawasaki site BEGINS from Udon Thani, not Bangkok and I think it ends in Nong Khai.
So obviously those of us going from Bangkok or other parts of Thailand will need to add an extra day BEFORE and AFTER the Kawasaki planned ride.
I've been on a few Kawasaki organized rides and they've been very well planned and organized in the past. Of course this will be the first international ride, so who knows if they really know what they're doing :wink:
I'll hope for the best and am very excited to finally be headed to Laos.
Wish us luck!
Happy Trails,
Tony
Tony-
My first question is WHY?? You have more than enough experience traveling in Thailand to do Laos on your own. It's not that much different as far as traveling. So many things to see and do on that route and in the cities themselves. I think you would enjoy it a lot more doing it on your own, at your own pace (fast or slow), and stopping and staying where you like. Sounds like just a big, dangerous, parade to me. :?
My first question is WHY?? You have more than enough experience traveling in Thailand to do Laos on your own. It's not that much different as far as traveling. So many things to see and do on that route and in the cities themselves. I think you would enjoy it a lot more doing it on your own, at your own pace (fast or slow), and stopping and staying where you like. Sounds like just a big, dangerous, parade to me. :?
I never ridden in Laos but from what I see the experienced riders there state it brings some serious questions up regarding the tour. I've been in Cambodia and the roads there can be great, to absolute horror. To ride it with a lot of unknown riders would not be my choice...
Laos does not go anywhere Tony, you can always go there by yourself or in a small group of people you know how they ride. Smaller group is more fun anyway you can stop wherever you want, take photos etc. It's your call mate but I would seriously consider the advice from Dave and SilverhawkUSA.
Just my 2 cents...
Bard
Laos does not go anywhere Tony, you can always go there by yourself or in a small group of people you know how they ride. Smaller group is more fun anyway you can stop wherever you want, take photos etc. It's your call mate but I would seriously consider the advice from Dave and SilverhawkUSA.
Just my 2 cents...
Bard
Hi All,
I definitely value and respect your advice and it sounds like the consensus is that this trip is going to try to do too much in not enough time.
As luck would have it, it sounds like there may be a fun group that will ride down to Malaysia for the MotoGP which takes place on the same weekend.
So, I'm now thinking, based on your advice, to skip this trip to Laos and ride down for MotoGP instead.
Like Bard said- Laos isn't going anywhere!
Thanks again guys!
Happy Trails,
Tony
I definitely value and respect your advice and it sounds like the consensus is that this trip is going to try to do too much in not enough time.
As luck would have it, it sounds like there may be a fun group that will ride down to Malaysia for the MotoGP which takes place on the same weekend.
So, I'm now thinking, based on your advice, to skip this trip to Laos and ride down for MotoGP instead.
Like Bard said- Laos isn't going anywhere!
Thanks again guys!
Happy Trails,
Tony
Hi Tony,
I too would like to get into Laos, my problem has been both my bikes on finance and difficult to get permission to use them. Of course I could now go on the Ninja, so when you decide you want to go, I may be interested in joining you.
A friend of mine and Franz's went on a BMW sponsored trip to Laos. He concluded next time he would go with a smaller group. Very fast travel between the towns and organised trips to local attractions. No time to stop and enjoy things that may be of particular interest to him.
Anyway its good that Kawasaki are organising this type of thing and I hope it goes well.
I too would like to get into Laos, my problem has been both my bikes on finance and difficult to get permission to use them. Of course I could now go on the Ninja, so when you decide you want to go, I may be interested in joining you.
A friend of mine and Franz's went on a BMW sponsored trip to Laos. He concluded next time he would go with a smaller group. Very fast travel between the towns and organised trips to local attractions. No time to stop and enjoy things that may be of particular interest to him.
Anyway its good that Kawasaki are organising this type of thing and I hope it goes well.
Hi David,
I think the Bangkok-based riders are riding home today. I haven't found too many pictures yet. Not quite sure if I can copy and paste these pics but let's give it a try.
Here is the gathering in Udon Thani-
Registration-
Nice luggage truck! :shock:
This was a 3 day trip- check out the size of some of those suitcases! 555!
(Do have to like the big drinks cooler in the back though) :mrgreen:
Looks like mostly Ninja 250Rs and ER6n's but I believe there were some D-Trackers and KLX 250's on the trip along with one Ninja ZX6R! :shock:
Kawa Lovely
Yummy!
Off they go!
Quite a mix of bikes!
I'm guessing this is at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge?
That's about all I've found so far- will post more pics as they become available.
Happy Trails!
Tony
I think the Bangkok-based riders are riding home today. I haven't found too many pictures yet. Not quite sure if I can copy and paste these pics but let's give it a try.
Here is the gathering in Udon Thani-
Registration-
Nice luggage truck! :shock:
This was a 3 day trip- check out the size of some of those suitcases! 555!
(Do have to like the big drinks cooler in the back though) :mrgreen:
Looks like mostly Ninja 250Rs and ER6n's but I believe there were some D-Trackers and KLX 250's on the trip along with one Ninja ZX6R! :shock:
Kawa Lovely
Yummy!
Off they go!
Quite a mix of bikes!
I'm guessing this is at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge?
That's about all I've found so far- will post more pics as they become available.
Happy Trails!
Tony
A bunch more pictures here: http://www.er6thailand.com/board/index.php?topic=1593.0
From the trip report it looks like the guys from Bangkok sent their bikes up on a truck.
Looks like they had a good trip!
I see they had a support truck with flashing lights bringing up the rear- good idea!
I notice there is one pale face in the crowd :wink:
Some guys tested their skill on dirt-
Nice!
Heading back to Thailand-
Back in Udon Thani- loading the bikes on the truck to Bangkok-
Seems they had a great trip. I'm rather regretting my decision not to go... Ah well looking forward to visiting Laos in the dry season.
Happy Trails!
Tony
From the trip report it looks like the guys from Bangkok sent their bikes up on a truck.
Looks like they had a good trip!
I see they had a support truck with flashing lights bringing up the rear- good idea!
I notice there is one pale face in the crowd :wink:
Some guys tested their skill on dirt-
Nice!
Heading back to Thailand-
Back in Udon Thani- loading the bikes on the truck to Bangkok-
Seems they had a great trip. I'm rather regretting my decision not to go... Ah well looking forward to visiting Laos in the dry season.
Happy Trails!
Tony