The Road to Prachuab Khiri Khan

[Jimiherf]

I'm planing to go from HH to PKK by motorbike and I was wondering how the road to there is ... Appart from the Thai strange driving behaviour, is it "safe" to ride it (holes ...) and can the return trip be done in a day time ?

Thanks, Gentlemen

[lomuamart]

I would say that a lot depends on the size of your bike. If it's one of the 100cc efforts, I wouldn't be happy making the journey. You'll be stuck in the "bike/breakdown" lane having to avoid all the drivers who use it to park.
There's a stretch about 20 km north of PKK which has always been bumpy all the way to the main turn off for the town.
Reckon you could make the trip in about 1.5 hrs one way.
Still reckon it's risky.

[JW]

Hi Jimi,

For me its too far too ride. Pranburi is as far as i would consider riding. When you get there all of the trucks with the drug induced drivers joining it gets double dangerous. Take a taxi mate - stay safe.

[SHADOW]

Driving from Hau Hin to Pranburi has got to be one of the scarest experiences of your life. I've riden bikes for donkies years and I still hate that stretch of road, at night it's like death race two thousand. If you are new to two wheels take great care and stay on the back streets as much as possible and stay off the PISS. T shirt shorts and saddles are not tarmac friendly. Saw a bike crash in Spain a few years back where two girls fell off on gravel the girl on the front had the manifold on her leg and the other girl could not lift it off I stopped and got the bike off her. That burn was very bad and she won't need a photo album to remeber that holiday.

[Bamboo Grove]

If you drive to Pranburi (or most other places) do it during the daytime. Actually, you only have to do the stretch between Khao Takiab and Khao Tao on the main road. If you turn to left around the km marker 13, you can take a small and quiet by-road which will take you past Haat Sai Noi and Milford areas, then to a small nature park where you can walk in mangrove forest, then among the fields and seashore to Pran. Quite a scenic trip.

[Guess]

Jimi,

BG is right. To take it further once you get to Pran Buri via the back roads take the raod to Sam Roi Yot National Park. Go right through the park and you will come back onto Petchkasem having missed all the shit bits.

The journey then to PKK is a breeze.

Must be done in daylight though and will cost you 200 baht for the park unless you can speak Thai and convince them that yuou have left you Thai licence at home.

Great bike journey. Very nice scenery.

[Norseman]

Jimiherf; what kind of motorbike will you make use of?
As lomuamart point out, it's not a Honda Wave trip.
You should use something bigger. At least a Phantom class bike, not only to be able to keep up your speed but also as the thais do have more respect for bigger bikes.
Use a helmet with face shield and dress like a member of Hells Angels, Bandidos, Outlaws or what ever.
Just look cool.

[linktolinh]

Make it an off-road 250

[Norseman]

Make it an off-road 250

Then you'll for sure need a body belt to keep your kidneys from beeing retrieved from your your ass.
Concussion springs and shock absorbers are much harder than on touring bikes.
Why not try?

[Gin tonic - no lime]

Norseman beg to differ... The suspension on off road dual purpose bikes like lihn mentions is much more compliant and softer than the average street type motorcycle. The offroad models have at least twice the suspension travel (probably more like 3 times) and the initial compression dampening is very soft. If you are talking race setup on a motocross bike then I would agree!! I have first hand experience here, doing an 11,000km trip from Brownsville Texas to the Panama Canal and return over 5 weeks in 2001. This trip was done by myself and 3 of my Canuck buddies on Honda XL650 dual purpose machines. Although this averages 385km a day, with stops for sanuk :-) and such we put in quite a few 600 km days. My kidneys are just fine thanks, more than I can say for my back due to 10 years of motocross in the late 60's and 70's !!!

[Norseman]

[quote="Gin tonic - no lime"]Norseman beg to differ... The suspension on off road dual purpose bikes like lihn mentions is much more compliant and softer than the average street type motorcycle.

Hi Gin.
Long time ago I had the privilege of driving a Honda XL 500 R, 79 or 80' model.
1) I went off road, because after hitting a small gap in the road, I was flying. Softer suspension would have prevented that.
2) After a 600 km roundtrip I caught a problem with my back, and no, not with the kidneys.
Had to wear a kidney belt to shore up my back.
Bone breaking experience.
A little, but no pleasant memory with off roaders for me.

[Gin tonic - no lime]

Maybe my 20 years or so of offroad riding and racing has given me a different perception!! But I've logged probably 500,000 km on road bikes too, 100 k of that on my last Honda ST1100 (pan european), I'm going to get a decent size bike when I get there in Dec, so I can tour the country a bit...
If I try HARD, maybe I can log as many miles as lihn does in a year !!

[linktolinh]

He he Gin, I didn't ride much this year. Anyway sold my Honda Degree and now only have a 110 left.

I also did ride a moutain round trip with my Suzuki 110 for total 700km and I had no problem with my back it's because I'm Vietnamese side. Since you are Farang you should find something your size. A 100 - 110 is absolutelly out of question---> too small. The XL 500 R or XL 500 S are a bit hard I thought.

If you go with a Cruiser or a Sport Touring like Honda ST ---> hey! that's cool, but make sure yourself or the repair shops on your way (you will drive out in nature) can treat it if something happend. for example if you drive a Saab for long touring trip in Thailand and it break down, you need spare part ( ) you can not do anything then!

Take a look:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/734 ... 5028IGUfQy

Enjoy!