Rhodie, thank you for your advice and encouragement. You are right that the best way to visit DAK is thru Arunothai and its inhabitants are mostly KMT chinese descendants from the retreating armies during WWII. They speak very similar mandarin like me (I am a 3rd generation Malaysian chinese descent). It was fun learning about their history and I can see fantastic mountainous valley at the back of the guesthouse that I was staying. If only I could afford more time, I could really document my trip well but due to earlier delay, mishap and subsequent derailment of ride plan, I short cut a lot on equipment usage and being extra cautious did put unnecessary pressure on my ride.
During DAK, I did see a few guest houses at the market area. I enquired from one (other than DAK Nature Resort) and was told no room availabe and that very likely all guest houses nearby were full. It was drizzling then, I was getting tired and the sweaty bodily odour trapped by goretex aint helping much. I got edgy and so I moved on to Arunothai. I guess if I can speak thai, it would have been helpful but that wasnt the case.
Route 1095 was very heavy trafficked that particular day when I was on it. I was feeling tired then as I had been riding everyday for the past 6 days and compounded by my load of close to 50kgs, GSA felt like an elephant at certain points. IMO, GSA handled well as how all GSs' handling was amongst the best there were in that class if not the best but weight is weight, height is height other things being equal. Going up & down the bike, tracking for a while taking pics etc were slowly becoming a liability and I regretted my bike choice. The engine guards worked well too as not a scratch was done to the valve cover despite the topple.
If I could have had any indications of what to come, I would have brought my KTM which was easily 50kgs lighter. That will certainly make a difference. In fact 1/3 of my loads was meant for parts & special tools for the 3 GSs. It was a lesson learnt for me. For me coming from GS1100 background for years and having clocked 140k kms on it, when I purchased the GSA, I wasnt too concerned of its weight (which was almost similar to 1100GS). I was basically more motivated by the parts value on a GSA then. For rather docile malaysian paved roads usage, GSA is without equal in its class. A full tank will give easily 450kms before refuel on the basis of cruising at 6500rpm (160-170km/hr) and it can handle a significant offroad ride (provided no loose dirt and deep soft sand trails). But when long distance enduro ride is the game, GSA becomes a liability. It just too heavy, tall & bulky and definitely a wrong choice when the trip gets longer and the roads get tougher.
Without any intentional offense to any GSA owners, I'd say that most owners bought it simply becos of its rugged look and top of the range of the GSs' bike hype. It's good in whatever limited advantages it can offer its rider like the elements protection is class above standard GS, larger tank (good for solo rider who is rushing for time), reinforced subframe, broader footpegs, more versatile panneirs frame, etc., but other than that it is really limited in its practicality when enduro ride is concerned becos of its weight, bulkiness and 890-910mm seat height. It simply wont do when longer and harder trails are expected. More so when a smaller asian stature happens to be the rider and all hell may break loose! LOL..But I guess not all GSA owners plan to use their bikes for the purposes it was intended. In kuala lumpur, many GSA owners will parade their bikes fully geared up with riders in full goretex suits mostly at starbuck cafes parking lots every weekend...well to each his own I guess.
The Penangcopbikers club was well known in Malaysia at one time. The late Suhaimi Joleman was the reason I ended up with my 1st GS1100 years ago. He was a very prolific long distance rider...using 1100GS mostly and KTM LC4 Adv for tougher terrains....in fact we use the same mechanic for our bikes till this very day. I thank you for sharing this, it is refreshing to see information on this club again after some time. For future rides, I would post it in GT rider.. I agree with your suggestion that I may just find a lot of like minded bikers to join in the trip. In fact, Sam from Sam River House in Kanchanaburi had told me to do a rafting trip starting from the river source of river kwai in Umphang somewhere near Theelorsu. He claimed that at certain points, the river source will flow underground and reappear in another section of the mountainous valley where the tracking on foot through the jungle & camping will begin. Rafting will start in Umphang, end in river kwai at Kanchanaburi for about 14-16 days...it may not sound like a full biking trip, but I got really excited hearing this from Sam. I will do some research on this and will post any information in due course. In the meantime, any updates from forummers here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.
During DAK, I did see a few guest houses at the market area. I enquired from one (other than DAK Nature Resort) and was told no room availabe and that very likely all guest houses nearby were full. It was drizzling then, I was getting tired and the sweaty bodily odour trapped by goretex aint helping much. I got edgy and so I moved on to Arunothai. I guess if I can speak thai, it would have been helpful but that wasnt the case.
Route 1095 was very heavy trafficked that particular day when I was on it. I was feeling tired then as I had been riding everyday for the past 6 days and compounded by my load of close to 50kgs, GSA felt like an elephant at certain points. IMO, GSA handled well as how all GSs' handling was amongst the best there were in that class if not the best but weight is weight, height is height other things being equal. Going up & down the bike, tracking for a while taking pics etc were slowly becoming a liability and I regretted my bike choice. The engine guards worked well too as not a scratch was done to the valve cover despite the topple.
If I could have had any indications of what to come, I would have brought my KTM which was easily 50kgs lighter. That will certainly make a difference. In fact 1/3 of my loads was meant for parts & special tools for the 3 GSs. It was a lesson learnt for me. For me coming from GS1100 background for years and having clocked 140k kms on it, when I purchased the GSA, I wasnt too concerned of its weight (which was almost similar to 1100GS). I was basically more motivated by the parts value on a GSA then. For rather docile malaysian paved roads usage, GSA is without equal in its class. A full tank will give easily 450kms before refuel on the basis of cruising at 6500rpm (160-170km/hr) and it can handle a significant offroad ride (provided no loose dirt and deep soft sand trails). But when long distance enduro ride is the game, GSA becomes a liability. It just too heavy, tall & bulky and definitely a wrong choice when the trip gets longer and the roads get tougher.
Without any intentional offense to any GSA owners, I'd say that most owners bought it simply becos of its rugged look and top of the range of the GSs' bike hype. It's good in whatever limited advantages it can offer its rider like the elements protection is class above standard GS, larger tank (good for solo rider who is rushing for time), reinforced subframe, broader footpegs, more versatile panneirs frame, etc., but other than that it is really limited in its practicality when enduro ride is concerned becos of its weight, bulkiness and 890-910mm seat height. It simply wont do when longer and harder trails are expected. More so when a smaller asian stature happens to be the rider and all hell may break loose! LOL..But I guess not all GSA owners plan to use their bikes for the purposes it was intended. In kuala lumpur, many GSA owners will parade their bikes fully geared up with riders in full goretex suits mostly at starbuck cafes parking lots every weekend...well to each his own I guess.
The Penangcopbikers club was well known in Malaysia at one time. The late Suhaimi Joleman was the reason I ended up with my 1st GS1100 years ago. He was a very prolific long distance rider...using 1100GS mostly and KTM LC4 Adv for tougher terrains....in fact we use the same mechanic for our bikes till this very day. I thank you for sharing this, it is refreshing to see information on this club again after some time. For future rides, I would post it in GT rider.. I agree with your suggestion that I may just find a lot of like minded bikers to join in the trip. In fact, Sam from Sam River House in Kanchanaburi had told me to do a rafting trip starting from the river source of river kwai in Umphang somewhere near Theelorsu. He claimed that at certain points, the river source will flow underground and reappear in another section of the mountainous valley where the tracking on foot through the jungle & camping will begin. Rafting will start in Umphang, end in river kwai at Kanchanaburi for about 14-16 days...it may not sound like a full biking trip, but I got really excited hearing this from Sam. I will do some research on this and will post any information in due course. In the meantime, any updates from forummers here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.
