The Elephant Trail on a Honda Wave continued

[skeedary]

Made it to Wat Chan and the skies were threatening so refuelled and kept going. The Elephant Trail is just a double trail over the mountains with big drop-offs into dense escarpments. And very little traffic. The Wave is the choice of locals but the first steep incline proved that the trail needs to be ridden, now wish I had given attention to tyres before leaving. I stopped halfway up as I didn’t approach it hard enough and slid backwards under brakes until finding rest in the gutter between vehicle tracks. My tyres are worn down street so let the pressure down to get some grip. From then on it was full blast up the hills all the way.

New home construction happening



Fresh graded clay slippery on the front wheel, pleased bike only weighs 100kg



Fellow road users, many cattle in the area



Wat Chan



Great views to be had



Caught up in a rut



Time to reduce tyre pressure




Met up with a group of 4 on small similar bikes, looked to be farmers also enroute to Mae Hong Son. They were having plenty of stops, as each long incline was soon followed by a similar descent. I now need to mention that although I have done many road miles on my V Strom in Laos and Thailand, I am not an experienced off roader so this proved to be character building to me.






So on to Mae Hong Son, check-in to a hotel, sunset beers at the Sunflower overlooking the lake and on to great food at the Fern Restaurant. Tired but knowing that the little Honda Wave is up to it.



Day 2 tomorrow

 

[lakota]

Great Report and on a wave. I think the local 125cc are underestimated. very capable with some knobblies and light enough to help along with foot power if needed.
I have a Honda Sonic 125 that has been previously modified for Offroad. it has a clutch, and a large carburettor, I think it will be a 'Giant Killer'

what's with the Umbrella ? ..... it's a gentleman thing right !?

 

[bsacbob]

Great stuff Gary looking forward to the next instalment nicely done mate

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[Captain_Slash]

Those Waves will go anywhere Gary and as you are finding out they are a lot easier to pick up and paddle through mud with than a much taller heavier bike

 

[KTMphil]

Those Wave's with some tires with a little tread in them will embarrass a lot of enduro bikes, great report Gary!

 

[LivinLOS]

Those Wave's with some tires with a little tread in them will embarrass a lot of enduro bikes, great report Gary!

Another aspect is a better connection with locals, especially places where they may be less friendly to outsiders than Thais are (think java or southern PI), when you rock up on some big tour bike or big dirtbike, something they cant afford or own, in loads of gear and luggage.. It emphasizes your difference to them.. Rock up on a little sonic / raider / underbone, and they can associate with it more and your more like them, it gives common ground.

Waves, dreams, sonics, if your going slow and travelling light, they can pull you over all kinds of stuff. One ill advised day my brother and I, plus 2 girls, went mountain climbing up some dirt trails on the back edge of the Bali volcano and managed to drag these 2 beater rentals up the mountain, over the corona and down the other side on these sand trails. Great fun.

 

[skeedary]

Another aspect is a better connection with locals, especially places where they may be less friendly to outsiders than Thais are (think java or southern PI), when you rock up on some big tour bike or big dirtbike, something they cant afford or own, in loads of gear and luggage.. It emphasizes your difference to them.. Rock up on a little sonic / raider / underbone, and they can associate with it more and your more like them, it gives common ground.

Waves, dreams, sonics, if your going slow and travelling light, they can pull you over all kinds of stuff. One ill advised day my brother and I, plus 2 girls, went mountain climbing up some dirt trails on the back edge of the Bali volcano and managed to drag these 2 beater rentals up the mountain, over the corona and down the other side on these sand trails. Great fun.

You have a good point there as you do seem to be quite acceptable to the locals that are riding similar sized bikes. Even the hilltribe girls in the back of pickups show a special smile. For a small bike they do have good torque and the slower pace compared to a big bike is not a worry to me, i am there for the enjoyment not the destination.

 

[skeedary]

Great Report and on a wave. I think the local 125cc are underestimated. very capable with some knobblies and light enough to help along with foot power if needed.
I have a Honda Sonic 125 that has been previously modified for Offroad. it has a clutch, and a large carburettor, I think it will be a 'Giant Killer'

what's with the Umbrella ? ..... it's a gentleman thing right !?

Mark i did get some offroad tyres fitted the next day in Khun Yuam and they made a big difference particularly the front which then ran true. You can ride the clutch on the Wave by depressing the foot gear selector a little for that extra power.

The brolly... does come in handy for the sun and rain.

 

[The Bigfella]

Great stuff Gary.

I did a ride with a Wave over the last two days... tight stuff... and we were similarly paced except on the hills and open stuff.

That Elephant Trail is a lovely ride.... and its definitely better on two wheels (I've done it on 2 and 4).

 

[LivinLOS]

I much prefer the sonic to be honest, silly as it sounds comparing them to ADV bikes, I really think they make solid little things for exploring small back country villages. You just need to travel light.

 

[Captain_Slash]

Those Wave's with some tires with a little tread in them will embarrass a lot of enduro bikes, great report Gary!

Yes Phil both Marcus and myself found that out in Nan when we were caught offroad with a storm, it was rather embarrassing watching the Thais ride on while we got stuck and kept falling off

 

[lakota]

I much prefer the sonic to be honest, silly as it sounds comparing them to ADV bikes, I really think they make solid little things for exploring small back country villages. You just need to travel light.

The Sonic is awesome. feels like it has a lot more ponies than the Wave, put's my KLX250 to shame

 

[2wheels]

Speaking of the Sonic; I was at Big C Hang Dong today and saw Sonics there with a sign attached to them advertising 5 baht deposit!!!!
Didn't enquire about the terms!

 

[Gnasher328]

+1 re small bikes. I think we get used to bigger and bigger as we get older and richer and forget what small bikes have to offer. Always a bit of a revelation when I ride one. On a recent trp to Wales two friends dropped their bikes on a nasty uphill off camber acute angle junction. One was a top heavy Triumph Adventure and the other a big old Yam FJ1100 two up.
Also agree on the more down to earth appearance to locals.

 

[2wheels]

"Older and richer"?
I wish Tim!

 

[2wheels]

Again on the topic of riding smaller bikes, this article by Dr Greg Frazier is interesting reading.
"ADVENTURE WITH CHARACTER" by Dr. Gregory Frazier, Contributing Editor, MOTORCYCLE USA.


Dr. Frazier: Adventure with Character - Motorcycle USA

 

[skeedary]

Again on the topic of riding smaller bikes, this article by Dr Greg Frazier is interesting reading.
"ADVENTURE WITH CHARACTER" by Dr. Gregory Frazier, Contributing Editor, MOTORCYCLE USA.


Dr. Frazier: Adventure with Character - Motorcycle USA

Thanks 2 Wheels Ron for that read, it was enjoyable and inspires me more on my enjoyable travels on the Wave while my larger bike gathers more dust

 

[bikesncats]

Again on the topic of riding smaller bikes, this article by Dr Greg Frazier is interesting reading...

Thanks for the link, I wona reed it when I get a minute and decent connection.

FYI Greg is in Chiang Mai at the time. He was involved in organizing the January International bike festival...

 

[DrGMIA]

Sometimes I've got to google where I am and what I am doing LOL. Not in Chiang Mai at this time, instead on the road around the USA and later to Central America, possibly as far as Colombia:

Dr. Frazier Offers Free Adventure Seminar - Motorcycle USA

Met a fellow on the Cannonball Baker Re-Ride across the USA this week who had made a dozen rides across America over the last 50 years. He said the best trip he made was on a small motorcycle, a Hodaka Wombat (125cc, from the mid 1970's). He claimed it was "The most fun and adventure."

I am involved, as an organizer, in the July "International bike festival," in Colorado, USA, which is called a Horizons Unlimited Campout (day rides in the Rocky Mountains, riding and travel seminars at night, camping in an upscale private campground.) Come on over and join us - bring a small adventure bike and be a center of attention amongst all the big bikes there :-) I've a 50cc two-stroke Suzuki you can borrow if you'd like at attend....

Cheers, from across the Big Waters, where snow is expected later today

 

[2wheels]

G'day Greg.
All Aussies know about the Wombat.
It eats roots and leaves.

 

[2wheels]

Father and sons on their scoot (wearing bald tyres) we encountered on the Trail back in February.
They were returning from a shopping spree in MHS.

 

[skeedary]

Father and sons on their scoot (wearing bald tyres) we encountered on the Trail back in February.
They were returning from a shopping spree in MHS.

View attachment 28875

The front not doing much for the kids' future but he invested in a good rear.