FREQUENTLY ASKED

Yes — bring your motorcycle licence from home. An International Driving Permit is recommended. There's no small-bike exemption: Thailand treats mopeds as motorcycles, so a 110cc scooter needs the same licence as a 650. And if your home licence doesn't already carry motorcycle entitlement, an IDP can't add it. Riding with us, you're with a registered Thai tour operator and a Thai-speaking guide, so checkpoints are routine and we handle them. Not sure your paperwork works here? Message us before you book — it takes five minutes to check, and it's cheaper to find out now.

Two things, and the second is the expensive one. A police check is usually a fine. But most travel insurance policies expect you to hold the correct licence for what you're riding, and not holding it is a standard reason for a claim to be refused — the UK Foreign Office says so in plain words. Around nine in ten standard travel policies exclude motorbikes altogether, and no helmet or any alcohol voids cover as well. A rental shop not asking to see your licence changes none of this — it was never the shop's decision to make. On our tours you're additionally covered by our own Bangkok Insurance accident policy (below). But your personal travel insurance is your own, and we'd rather you knew before you got here than after.

An International Driving Permit can't add an entitlement your home licence doesn't have, so a car-only licence stays a car-only licence here. That leaves two honest routes. The clean one is to get the motorcycle entitlement at home before you travel — worth doing anyway if you're going to keep riding. The other is to come as a passenger: the Pillion Tour is a trip in its own right, same route, same stops, same nights, no licence and no experience needed. And if you're somewhere in between — a provisional, a category whose wording you can't read, a licence nobody at a checkpoint will recognise — send us a photo of it before you book and we'll tell you honestly where you stand.

Yes. Every rider is covered by our own Travel Accident policy for tour operators, underwritten by Bangkok Insurance, a Thai insurer since 1947 — ฿1,000,000 per person for death or permanent disability, and ฿500,000 per person for medical expenses per accident, with no exclusion for motorcycling and no age limit. The policy covers you, not the bike, and it won't cover you if you ride after drinking. We still recommend your own travel insurance for your belongings and your trip — where you're covered twice, ours pays the difference.

Low-speed drops aren't dramatic, and your guide will be right there to help pick the bike up. We don't take a security deposit and we don't hold your passport. If you'd rather know your worst case before you book, you can cap it: an optional damage waiver runs ฿50 a day to cap your liability at ฿5,000 on a Click 125, ฿100 a day for ฿15,000 on a Click 125 or PCX 160, and ฿200 or ฿400 a day to cap it at ฿30,000 or ฿50,000 on any bike from 200cc up. A ฿1,000 excess applies to each claim, and damage above the cover you pick is still yours to make good. The waiver covers our bike — you're covered yourself by our tour accident policy either way.

Riders need to be 18 or over. That's our rule, not the insurer's — our accident policy has no age limit at all, at either end, so there's no upper age and nobody has ever been too old to ride with us. A younger rider travelling with family is a conversation rather than a no: tell us their age and what they've ridden, and we'll tell you honestly whether the tour you're looking at is the right one. There's no age limit on the Pillion Tour, where you ride as a passenger behind a guide.

Accommodation on the multi-day tours is in twin or double rooms, and that is what the tour price covers. If you'd like a single room to yourself, it's USD 50 per day of the tour on top, subject to availability — tell us when you book and we'll arrange it.

Enough to be comfortable on a bike. You don't need to be an expert, but the mountains aren't the place to learn from scratch. If you're not sure where you sit, start with the Samoeng Loop — one day, 147 km, and the gentlest proper mountain road we run. Tell us what you've ridden before and we'll point you at the tour that fits.

You ride your own ride. A guide leads the way, nobody gets pushed, and on the longer tours a mechanic rides with the group.

The bikes come out of our own workshop and our own mechanics are on hand — it isn't a phone call to somebody else's garage. On the long tours a mechanic rides with the group, so it gets sorted there and then.

Usually nothing at all. You're riding with a registered Thai tour operator and a Thai-speaking guide, and checkpoints tend to wave a guided group straight through. If anything does need sorting out, your guide sorts it. It's one of the quieter reasons people ride with a company instead of on their own.

Mid-November to early February is the best of the year: cool, dry and the longest mountain views. The one window we flag is late February to early April, when farmers burn off their fields and some days the valleys turn hazy, so the big views aren't guaranteed. Riders still come then and have a great trip — we start early, keep the days shorter and pick routes that suit the week. Every other month has its own reasons to ride. Tell us your dates and we'll tell you honestly what that week usually looks like.

Yes. They ride pillion behind one of our guides — same route, same stops, same trip, no handlebars. It's a tour in its own right: the Pillion Tour.

Yes. Samoeng is Chiang Mai's most beginner-friendly mountain loop — the curves are gentle, the surfaces are paved, and you ride at your own pace behind a guide who knows every corner. We do a full safety briefing before we roll out.

Wat Umong is a 700-year-old forest temple on the edge of Chiang Mai, built into a hillside with a network of meditation tunnels still in use today. Quiet, shaded, completely different in feel from the gold-and-tourists temples downtown. We stop for around 30 minutes — long enough to walk the tunnels and the surrounding woods.

Local Northern Thai at a small family-run place — usually a riverside or hillside spot along the loop, not a tour-bus restaurant. Khao soi, hill-tribe greens, fresh fruit, that kind of thing. Tell us about allergies or preferences when you book and we'll match the stop.

Experienced guide, all meals, fuel, full safety gear, entrance fees, plus an NBT t-shirt and buff to take home. Just bring your licence and your sense of adventure.

We depart from our base at 9 AM and return by late afternoon — usually around 4–5 PM, depending on stops and pace. It's a full day, not a rushed one.

Same general route, very different ride. We take the backroads most tourists miss, hit a 700-year-old tunnel temple and a hidden cave on the way, and skip the crowded stops. You'll see why locals call this the loop with a twist.

Yes. Solo, couple, or small group — we'll adjust the stops, pace, and meal style to your party. Just let us know what you want when you book.

The Royal Enfield Bear 650 — a 648cc scrambler twin making 46.8 HP and the strongest peak torque of any 650 Royal Enfield builds, on Showa upside-down forks with a 19-inch front wheel and switchable rear ABS. It's the bike for the kind of broken tarmac and gravel our back roads are full of, and it's included at no extra cost — no upgrade fee, no supplement, the tour price is the tour price. We only have two of them, and we ride in groups of about five, so ask for one when you enquire rather than on the morning. On the tours it doesn't run, you'll be on an NX500 or CRF300L-class bike — lighter, and easier work on the tight stuff.

You should be comfortable on a motorcycle — used to leaning into curves, comfortable on loose surfaces, and able to handle a heavier bike on uneven roads. It's not technical off-road, but it isn't paved highway either. If you've toured before, you'll be fine.

Some sections are unpaved dirt and gravel through jungle and farmland — short stretches, not full days of enduro. The rest is quiet paved backroads. We pick routes most riders never see, but nothing that requires dirt-bike specific skills.

We supply modern adventure bikes — typically a Honda CRF300L or NX500-class machine — geared for mixed surfaces. Matched to your size and experience when you book.

A Hmong coffee-growing village high in the mountains above Chiang Mai (about 1,400m). Cool air, terraced coffee fields, and very few tourists most days. In late January and February the cherry blossoms come out — one of the few places in Thailand you'll see them. We stop for coffee and to stretch.

Guide, all meals, fuel, full safety gear, entrance fees, NBT t-shirt and buff.

Long pants and a light long-sleeve — sun and dust protection matter on this one. We supply helmet, gloves, and armoured jacket. Closed-toe shoes (preferably ankle-high boots) are essential for the off-road sections.

Yes — we run this for any group size, and can dial the off-road percentage up or down to match the group. Tell us when you book.

Yes. The roads east to Mae Kampong are paved, the climbs are gentle, and the pace is yours. We've taken complete first-time riders up and back without trouble. Full safety briefing before departure.

It's a small mountain village with a community-tourism model that actually works — local families run the homestays, the tea plantation, and the cafés. Walking trails to the waterfall, lookouts over a mist-filled valley, and the kind of slow rhythm that makes you stop looking at your phone. The ride up is half the reward.

Cooler than Chiang Mai, especially in cool-season mornings (Nov–Feb) when the village sits in real mist. Bring a light layer. We provide armoured jackets either way.

We arrive on the backroads, skip the busy entry routes, and time our café and waterfall stops away from the tour-bus rush. On two wheels you see the village the way locals do — slow, scenic, calm.

Proper part. We give you real time at the market — for the handmade snacks, the tea-and-coffee tasting, and a wander through the village before lunch. It's not a five-minute drive-by.

Lunch in or near the village — usually a small family-run spot with views over the valley. All meals included.

Yes. Solo, couple, group, all welcome. We'll adjust stops, café choices, and pace to your party.

If you can ride a motorbike, you can ride this. We rate it intermediate: paved the whole way, and you ride your own pace behind a guide. Most riders are first-time visitors to Thailand. The curves are famous, not technical. Day two is the long one; the other three days are short. Unsure? Message us and we'll tell you honestly.

For multi-day mountain tours we run mid-size adventure bikes (Honda NX500, CRF300L, similar) — light enough for the curves, strong enough for full luggage and a passenger. Matched to your size and experience when you book.

Comfortable mid-range hotels and lodges: night one near Doi Inthanon, night two in Ban Rak Thai, night three in Pai. Hot shower, real bed, breakfast included. All accommodation is in the tour price, in twin or double rooms; a single room to yourself is USD 50 per day on request.

A Yunnanese-Chinese village set against the Myanmar border, founded decades ago by Kuomintang refugees and still feels like a piece of southern China dropped into Thailand. Tea plantations on the hillsides, a small lake at the centre, traditional Chinese architecture, and cool mountain air. We spend night two there — Chinese tea for breakfast included.

We monitor it daily. Mae Hong Son weather in cool/dry season (Nov–Feb) is reliable. In green season (Jun–Oct), we may flip a day's order to dodge afternoon storms — itinerary is flexible.

20% booking deposit reserves your spot. Fully refundable up to 21 days before departure. After that we keep the deposit, but we can move you to another date within 12 months.

Yes — group size is flexible (solo through to larger parties) and we can swap, extend, or compress stops to fit your schedule and interests. Talk to us when you book.

Usually 3–5 hours in the saddle, broken up by viewpoints, temples, coffee stops, and lunch. The point is to enjoy the road, not race it. We never rush.

Mid-size adventure bikes for the full 6 days — Honda NX500-class or similar — chosen to handle Phu Chi Fa's tight switchbacks and Route 1081's long pulls without fatigue.

Mid-range hotels in Chiang Rai, Chiang Khong (Mekong-side), near Phu Chi Fa, Pua, and Lampang. Hot showers, comfortable beds, breakfast included. All in the tour price, in twin or double rooms; a single room to yourself is USD 50 per day on request.

They look more intense in photos than they ride. The corners are tight but the surface is good and the traffic is light. Your guide takes the lead and demonstrates the line. Most riders say they were the highlight of the trip.

Absolutely. Solo riders are most of our bookings. You'll have a guide, a route, and good company at dinner each night.

Honest answer: a little, the first two mornings. After that your body adjusts. We build in proper breakfast, stretching opportunities, and the pace gives your hands and back regular rest.

A traditional Lanna (Northern Thai) shared meal on Day 5 in Lampang. You sit on the floor around a low pedestal tray (khan tok), with small dishes of curries, sausages, dips, and seasonal greens shared family-style. Usually with traditional music or dance. It's included in the tour.

Yes — group size and itinerary both flex. Want an extra night in Nan? Skip a stop? Add a side trip? Tell us when you book.

Most Western passports get visa-on-arrival at the Lao border (about $30–40 USD cash, one passport photo). We brief you on the exact requirements based on your nationality before the tour.

Bring USD cash for the visa and emergencies. Lao Kip and Thai Baht both work for everyday spending in northern Laos. ATMs exist in larger towns (Luang Prabang, Mueang Xai) but not in the remote stops.

Lao border officials accept your home-country motorcycle licence and International Driving Permit (IDP) — bring both. We handle the bike paperwork as the tour operator.

Yes — Laos has long stretches of dirt highway, river crossings, and remote mountain trails. We rate this Intermediate: you should be comfortable on gravel and loose surfaces, used to a heavier bike, and confident handling a drop. It's not technical enduro, but it's not paved touring either.

Dual-sport adventure bikes built for Lao conditions — Honda CRF300L is our go-to: tall enough for the river crossings, light enough to pick up, fuel-efficient enough for the remote stretches.

Your guide carries tools and basic spares, and we route to stay within reach of help. For anything bigger, we have contacts on both sides of the border. Our guides have ridden these Lao roads for over a decade — across every tour we've run, no rider has ever been left stranded.

Yes — solo riders are common on this tour. The shared experience of remote-Laos riding builds quick bonds with the group.

Patchy. Pick up a local Lao SIM at the border for basic data in towns. Many sections have no signal — that's part of why we call it the last frontier.

Slower than our Thai tours, by necessity — the roads demand attention. Two built-in rest days (Nong Khiaw, Luang Prabang) let you recover, explore, and enjoy these places properly.

Yes — for private groups we can adjust the route or extend the rest days. Solo seats on the published dates are open-itinerary by design.

Usually 4–6 hours in the saddle, with a built-in rest day in Chiang Rai (Day 6) and another natural-stop afternoon in Pai. The pace is built so you arrive somewhere new every evening without feeling wrung out.

Soft side luggage on the bike for daily essentials; you can leave a main bag with us in Chiang Mai. Most hotels offer same-day laundry, and the rest day in Chiang Rai is the natural time to catch up.

Mid-size adventure bikes — Honda NX500, CRF300L, or similar — chosen to balance comfort over 11 days, mountain handling, and fuel range between remote villages.

We can sometimes accommodate partial joiners depending on group composition — talk to us before booking. The published dates are the main runs; for private groups, we can also run the Super Loop on custom dates.

Mostly: sleep in, do laundry, get a Thai massage. The bold ones rent a scooter and visit the White, Black, and Blue Temples on their own pace, or hit the cafés around the clock tower. Your guide gives you the rundown the night before so you can choose.

Yes — group size is flexible (solo to small group), and we can adjust stops or add rest days. For private bookings we can also reshape the loop.