Our little Honda PCX150 was never meant to be a cruiser or dirt bike but yesterday it showed us its capabilities at tackling just about everything this area has to offer in terms of riding. We recently joined a newly formed motorcycle club and headed out into the mountains with at least a couple dozen riders for a few hours. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought this was some type of initiation as we encountered steep winding mountain roads, washed out gravel, rain, fog, mud, and road construction. With our 60 000 km or so of motorcycle cruising experience around North America on our Kawasaki 1500 and in China on our CJ750, we managed to emerge unscathed and fairly clean at the end of the day. I was especially proud of the fact that my runners were mud-free at the end of the day, especially after tackling a long stretch of ankle deep mud without having to put my feet down!
The group has been recently sanctioned (this week) as a branch of the Ulysses Club, a club for motorcyclists over age 40, that originated in Australia. The Friday ride was only the second organized group ride but the large number of folks that turned up for the event are a good indication of the interest in town regarding this type of activity. There was a good variety of larger bikes present along with a few scooters for good measure.
We headed out on Highway 108 from Chiangmai towards Doi Inthanon National Park. This first jaunt was a typical highway that could be found anywhere else in the world and we were able to make very good time. Our little Honda kept up with the best of them at an average speed of about 100km/h. This is about as fast as I would want to go on a scooter! They are just too small and light to feel really stable at higher speeds and I find the wind blown effect increases exponentially very quickly. About an hour from town we took a right onto 1009 and headed up into the park. 
Located in Chiang Mai Province, Doi Inthanon National Park encompasses the highest mountain In Thailand, Doi Inthanon, as well as several lesser summits. The park covers an area of 48,240 ha. Its lowlands below 800 meters in elevation are warm and very dry during the rain-free season, but the summit of Doi Inthanon, at 2565 meters, has a climate more like Canada than Thailand. The temperature has been known to drop as low as -8 degrees C. and frosts are not unusual during the cool, dry season. January is the coldest month: an average nighttime temperature is 5.5 degrees C. At any season, Doi Inthanon is a comfortable reprieve from the heat of the lowlands. At altitudes above 1000 meters, rainfall exceeds 2500 mm, considerably more than at nearby Chiang Mai. Even in the dry season, November to April, there is rare but occasional rain or the summit may be shrouded in cloud for a part of the day; persistent mist is an important factor in the maintenance of moist forest there.
It didn’t take long before we were climbing some very steep mountainous roads with great views and plenty of switchbacks to navigate as smoothly as possible. I have to admit we were left behind on most of the uphills as the poor little Honda did its best to get us to the top. We slowed down to 40-50km/h on the steepest grades but other than that, the ride was more than doable. I have no idea when and where we were at any given point after that so won’t even try to put any of our adventures in chronological order. I can say that we ran into some fog and showers at one point. There were many challenging bits along the way, to say the least. On some of the downhill stretches, along with the s-turns and gravel on the road, we had to slosh our way through a good section of deep mud where some roadwork was taking place. There was quite a long distance of concrete road, which is never a picnic since there is always a nice bumpy seam every few meters. A little more air in my back tire would have helped Nancy’s back as she bounced along on the rear seat. Yes, I know, I was supposed to do that before we left! The best photo-ops would have been during the worst part of the ride, in the rain and heavy mud. However, we didn’t have any waterproofing on our cameras, didn’t want to risk using it in those situations and were using all our concentration to stay upright. 
The scenery was beautiful, despite the bit of rain along the way. We passed through several villages up in the mountains which were interesting to see. It was really nice being away from the tourist trails and seeing the real Thailand up close and personal. After a great lunch at a large, roadside restaurant, we headed back to Chiangmai. All in all, a great day out and we are looking forward to the next ride! After almost a year of being fairly antisocial and doing our own things, it was nice getting out and beginning to meet some interesting people!
Further info:
For the adventurous bikers holidaying in Northern Thailand, you can rent big bikes in Chiangmai at several locations for an average fee of 1000 baht per day. You will obviously need a valid drivers license and enough cash for a refundable deposit.
Surviving on a Scooter in Thailand
Getting My Thai Driver’s License
The route we followed (approximately!)
More pics!
Interesting blog. Really nice countryside.
Once again, beautiful! So glad to hear you’re socializing…we were wondering how you were making out in that regard. You’re having a fun retirement, that’s for sure!
A good read, looks like it was a great day out, hope to ride with you guys on the 5th of September.
Yo Steve/Nancy;
Love your blog. Watching your jaunt makes me sooooo envious. It’s nice to live like you are doing, even if it is vicariously. Motor on, I am with you! Paul.
Great description of the ride!!!!!!! Also, really liked the pictures. Kathy had a good laugh at her picture with the fish.
As a 64yr. old. soon to be expat, who has not been without a motorcycle since 1976, who was looking for the perfect place to visit in Thailand……….I believe you have helped me select my destination. P.S. I have read a few of your articles, GREAT STUFF.
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, the area around Chiang Mai is great for biking. You can rent scooters for $10 per day and big bikes for $30-40 per day.