Bringing the Ducati home to Riders Corner

[The Bigfella]

I'd bought a Ducati Multistrada 1100S, sight unseen, before leaving Australia. Grant, the previous owner, had moved back to Oz already and I needed to get my feet on the ground in Chiang Mai to settle down the Riders Corner operation.... and then back to Bangkok to collect the bike.

Picking up the bike and heading out to the Transport office was, well, ughh. My GPS has always been hotwired... and, as it turns out, the internal battery is shot. Found that out the hard way... and without a phone mount, I thought it easier to just grab a courier driver and follow him. Bad move. He got us booked at a flyover... not that I saw the sign that plod said prohibited bikes. 300 baht later, we were at the Transport office. No... a Power of Attorney doesn't work... but we've been given, I believe, a note saying we can get this transfer done.

Leaving Transport at a tad before 1.30... I headed for Phetchabun. Right into the face of a storm

She's a grey old city in the wet

Having some AA's in the Garmin helped and I was soon blatting past the Porsches

The scenery improved, but the road was a bit boring. The price we pay to reach the good stuff

Got into Phetchabun half an hour after sundown. Need to do some work on the lights on that bike. The room was cheap, but good.

Away early. Hadn't checked the route... but who cares. It was headed for CNX.

Discovered that I over-use the rear brake, stopping at this air force base for a quick shot of the bike

 

[The Bigfella]

My old Coolpix still does what I ask of it. It hangs from my jacket and it's there when needed

Route 12 is just delightful

The 1100S reminds me a lot of my KTM Super Enduro - albeit with better brakes. I think they have equally bad seats

There's every chance that Photoshop got involved here

I rode into this town and was reminded instantly of a road trip through here with Auke. I couldn't find the same restaurant, but had a lovely breakfast and cleaned my pockets clear of coins with the tip. Lovely people.

So, does this sign mean no speed limit? :-)

Lovely riding

Hell, even the Kombis were into it. This guy overtook a truck and car over the yellows

I managed to test the Ducati's limits on the turn for the Lampang bypass. The rear let go big time in the dust. She's a lovely, controllable thing. Cricked a few muscles, pulling her back into line... but hey, its what they are there for.

The Lampang / CNX twisties were all rain... but I needed a bit of relaxation.

Got to Chiang Mai and had my reflexes tested when some idiot tourists pushed a baby in a pram through the traffic near Tha Phae Gate. I'm very, very thankful I ride with two fingers over the brake lever. I probably should have, in an ideal world, got off and thumped the parents... they sure deserved it.

The pristine old girl is a tad dirty.... but I've lined up a certain resident of Riders Corner on a mutually beneficial deal. Not only does he do the nightly maintenance clean of the new espresso gear.... he's lined up to detail my bikes.

 

[bsacbob]

NIce looking bike Ian, hope its a trouble free relationship.

 

[2wheels]

Very handsome bike.

 

[2wheels]

I'd bought a Ducati Multistrada 1100S, sight unseen, before leaving Australia. Grant, the previous owner, had moved back to Oz already and I needed to get my feet on the ground in Chiang Mai to settle down the Riders Corner operation.... and then back to Bangkok to collect the bike.

Picking up the bike and heading out to the Transport office was, well, ughh. My GPS has always been hotwired... and, as it turns out, the internal battery is shot. Found that out the hard way... and without a phone mount, I thought it easier to just grab a courier driver and follow him. Bad move. He got us booked at a flyover... not that I saw the sign that plod said prohibited bikes. 300 baht later, we were at the Transport office. No... a Power of Attorney doesn't work... but we've been given, I believe, a note saying we can get this transfer done.

Leaving Transport at a tad before 1.30... I headed for Phetchabun. Right into the face of a storm

View attachment 64700

She's a grey old city in the wet

View attachment 64701

Having some AA's in the Garmin helped and I was soon blatting past the Porsches

View attachment 64702

The scenery improved, but the road was a bit boring. The price we pay to reach the good stuff

View attachment 64703

Got into Phetchabun half an hour after sundown. Need to do some work on the lights on that bike. The room was cheap, but good.

Away early. Hadn't checked the route... but who cares. It was headed for CNX.

View attachment 64704

View attachment 64705

Discovered that I over-use the rear brake, stopping at this air force base for a quick shot of the bike

View attachment 64706

I'm not a Porsche guy but number plate GG 69 might indicate that it's a 1969 911?

 

[The Bigfella]

I'm not a Porsche guy but number plate GG 69 might indicate that it's a 1969 911?

I'm guessing so. There is a possibility that it's hobby related though....

 

[brake034]

I think it is a much later Carrera so it must be hobby related.......