The new "paved" back way from CNX to Pai

[KTMphil]

I was hunting for a a way to cut the corner by road from Chiang Mai to Pai

The old, well known way, is the back route via Wat Chan (below). This route involves quite a bit of trails & from Chiang Mai to Pai is around 200km



Chiang Mai - Wat Chan - Pai below

 

[KTMphil]

I was looking for a way through that would be fun for say Honda CB 500 x's / Versys / Super Motard's etc..... After spending some time looking at various maps i came up with this idea

Off R 1096 (Samoeng Loop Rd), take the steep Mon Cham / R 4027 road north

Superb views from up there

 

[KTMphil]

R 4017 with its brand new concrete

Approaching Ban Mae Tung Ting

 

[KTMphil]

Lots and lots of grading going on about 1/2 way north to R 1095, it was a smooth as a bar girls bikini line, 80km/h on the Hypermotard and not a twitch on the bars

Any street bike could do this route in the roads current condition, there isnt that much graded surface and any there is, is super smooth. It does look like the plan to seal this all the way through with the effort they've put into the grading and the continual concreting

A lot of it is concreted with a layer of packed bull dust

This is a really fun afternoon ride

A huge produce collection depot in the middle of nowhere

 

[KTMphil]

Big junction and lots of signs for villages in all directions

Left will take me north, lets go see

More super smooth graded stuff

The northern part of the route is below and shows where the back road meets up with R 1095 at Ban Pa Pae

 

[KTMphil]

This looked like it had just been cut, it was not slippy at all (looks slippy)

More graded stuff'

Plenty of villages along the way, flat tires and fuel shouldn't be an issue

Typical sections like this are part of the course

 

[KTMphil]

The small road north intersects with R 1095 here at Ban Pa Pae, it's quite non-descript

There's a crematorium which would be a good waypoint

 

[KTMphil]

Headed south back to Chaing Mai - cut the corner and take the beautiful rural R 3009

Not super twisty but one of the most quaint roads near to Chaing Mai

 

[Captain_Slash]

Its looking good out there now Phil, its been a year or so since I last rode through Mae Tung Ting, a lovely area.
I agree with you on the 3009 too, a lovely ride back

 

[Vancouver Man]

Really great trip report, Phil. Very detailed. Thanks for that. I like poking around in that area, but have yet to make the full loop.

 

[LivinLOS]

Spent an hour or so with the maps and on the computer as planning to do a couple of days that way after this weeks ride (isaan again).