- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Bikes
- KTM 613 EXC, BMW R90S & Dakar, MZ250, Norton 16H, Honda - 500 Fs & Xs, DRZs, XLs XRs CRFs CT110s etc
Road Reports as at Feb 2026
The following road reports have been submitted by multiple riders contributing. I've traveled many of these roads again in the last 3 months, and many more over the last year. I've updated where I can.
Conditions can change rapidly, so please provide any more up to date content you may have to assist your fellow riders.
11 Chiang Mai - Lampang – Uttaradit – boring and a lot of traffic
101 - is perfect.
105 – Mae Sariang to Mae Sot – enjoyable ***
106 Thoen to Li – great fun twisties. Done late 2025 by a friend who said conditions were fairly good.
106 – Li to Chiang Mai – I do not normally do it; it is far too open. I get onto the 1274 at Li and then turn onto the delightful 1184 at Don Mun (Ian – multiple trips). I did do that section late one afternoon and into the night in late 2024 as we were late back from a lond day ride - definitely less fun than the 1184
107 – the corners about 55km north of Chiang Mai (just before the Ban Kaeng Panta Police checkpoint) are worth treating with caution. They can be quite slippery, particularly in the wet.
108 – Mae Hong Son – Chiang Mai via Mae Sariang - from MHS south to Mae Sariang and across to Hot is delightful. Normally a lot of trucks on the Mae Sariang to Hot section. From Hot to Chiang Mai is shitful and we normally get off it and follow the Ping River on back roads or the 119/121 canal road combination . (Ian Feb 2026) **
109 - Fang - Mae Suai – delightful scenery and plenty of curves. Had the option of doing it again today, but chose the 3037 / 5047 alternative instead. 109 better for bigger bikes, the 3037 etc is a ball tearer on smaller machines ****
118 – roadworks in the northern half, ie south from Chiang Rai are horrible at the moment - dusty and lots of diversions. Still some sections of shared use of one side of the road. Southern section near Chiang Mai is most enjoyable. Until the roadworks are finished, far better to use the Phayao option, including the 118, onto the 120 and 1193 back roads or straight onto the 1 - heading north that is. (Ian Feb 2026) ****
120 - Mae Khachan - Wang Nuea - R1 near Phayao – the Phayao end is best, with the section through the hills always providing enjoyment. (Ian Feb 2026)
1001 Chiang Mai to Phrao – nice open road – a good alternative to the 107 when heading north - use 1001 – 1150 – 1346 to come out just south of Fang. 1346 has some narrow and tight sections but is a sweet ride.
1009 -the Doi Inthanon Road – a fair few tourists and songthaews on the road but an enjoyable climb with an interesting rainforest walk at the top. Temperatures can be significantly lower at the top. ***
1021 - northern part was bumpy as hell in Dec 2025
1026 from Na Muen to Ban Pak Nai.
1081 – Don Chai – Bo Kluea - Always a favourite. Brilliant views. Could use an update please... several friends have ridden it lately *****
1089 – Tha Ton to Mae Chan - with a divert to Doi Mae Salong via the 1130 – good condition – beautiful area, but not an exciting road. More suited to a romantic weekend than spirited riding. ** / *** for the 1130
1090 – nicknamed the KY Highway back in 2012. Haven’t ridden it since 2025, when we came across a mate who'd just slid off on an otherwise good corner. Lots of trucks going slowly.
1091 Chiang Muan – Nan – lovely road that some describe as “best” (but not me). Good surface.
1093 Chiang Kham - Chiang Khong - I've deleted the old info - anyone got an update?
1095 Mae Rim (Ki Lek) - Pai - Mae Hong Son – note, many people use the more rural but narrower 3009 to take the corner off. I've done it three times in January 2026 and had about 6 close calls across those trips with fuckwits in trucks and silver buses overtaking around blind corners. We, without fail, tell newcomers to go the back way (1269 to Samoeng, 1349 to Wat Chan, 1265 to Pai). One who ignored that advice came back to tell me that his father had hit a truck, head-on (he survived).
1096 Mae Rim & 1269 near Samoeng – add in the 107 and Canal Rd (121) and you’ve got the Samoeng Loop. One of the most popular tourist loops, easily done in half a day, with lots of stuff to see. ***
1099 Om Koi road – nice open road, good enough to stop and fly the drone. Lovely pine forests. Best part of it is further on, from Omkoi to Mae Tuen (and then onto my favourite road, the 3054) ***
1130 – Doi Mae Salong – a lovely road but with some big unprotected drops. Don’t over-cook the corners. Pretty much a hilly alternative that runs parallel to the 1089 ***
1148 - Chiang Kham - Tha Wang Pha - again, many call this their favourite road in Northern Thailand. ****
1149 - Mae Sai to Huai Khrai at Hwy 1 via Doi Tung - Most of the road is good but very steep in sections although does get quite broken up at times – not suitable for scooters. You may not get through the checkpoints... some do, some don't. ***
1150 Ping Khong 107 end – Phrao 1001 junction - Wiang Pa Pao 118 end – some bumpy bits at present with some broken areas at the eastern end. Steep in parts. Lovely road. ***
1155 - Chiang Khong – Thoeng / Chiang Kham – open transit road in many areas with little of interest, but then it’s beautiful along the Mekong River. Did it in the truck, at night, on a bike recovery in Dec 2025 and it was shitful - many landslides and bridge replacements underway - lots of first gear stuff. ***
1162 -
1169 – Nan to Don Chai – simply the access road from Nan to the start of the fun on the 1081 **
1175 - Ban Tak to the 105 - northern alternative to Route 12. Much twistier and quite enjoyable. Recent reports of Farangs heading east on it being stopped and turned around at the western checkpoint. Not everyone, but makes it difficult to know who and why they are being turned around.
1184 – the occasional bump in the hills, but a delightful ride on anything 250 and above. The southern part is the best. ****
1192 Doi Inthanon - Mae Chaem – Very steep. Nice scenery. **
1216 -
1229 - delightful link over the hills from Mae On to the 1230 / 2031 junction - medium traffic levels, but a very enjoyable tight section ***
1230 - Cowshit Road - delightful road with very low traffic, but covered with cowshit and leaf litter. Some potholes at the northern end, but not too bad. Watch out for cows on the road... and knock a tenth or two off your efforts, because you will encounter significant lumps of cowshit on blind corners. Sopt up top and climb up off the road to take in the Mae On view ***
1243 – one of the most fun and challenging road rides I've done here yet. Awesome tarmac, gravel, potholes around blind corners, chickens, dogs, a cobra, and an awesome little mom and pop restaurant for lunch. Reading this again in 2026, I was thinking, where the hell is this.... but now I remember. Coming back from Laos, crossed at Phu Doo (near Pak Lay on the Mekong) and the 1243 runs through the wilderness, parallel with the border, north towards Nan *****
1249 – excellent condition since re-surfacing some years ago. Steep enough to slow a 2-up Forza to 25 kph (not advisable to take automatics on steep roads for any length due to lack of engine braking and the likelihood of boiling brake fluid - and there are now signs saying they are banned) On to a super cool village near a Thai Army base in Doi Ang Khan Burma /Thai border. Back down a very steep curvy road with some of the most amazing views I’ve ever seen. ***
1252 – Chae Son to the 118 - tight but scenic road that connects to several other interesting areas. Good road to take to do the delightful loop to Lampang, including the 1335. Can be slippery due to leaves on the road in wet season.
1256 - Pua - Bo Kluea - was crappy when last reviewed, but I believe now resealed. Anyone got a recent update?
1259 -
1263 / 1088 – Khun Yuam to Mae Chaem – nice, good condition Feb 2026 ***
1268 - Na Heao through Ban Khok - more twists and turns than even the MHS loop. I'm not sure I kept the bike straight up for more than a km at any given point of the 7.5 hours we spent in the saddle. ****
1269 Sanpasak – Samoeng – delightful road once past the urban spread with a few steep spots that can have rough and bumpy corners to catch out the novice riders ***
1290 - Chiang Saen to Chiang Khong – superb condition and fun road. ***
1322 - Wiang Heng – Mae Cha - that's the southern part - haven't done it for a while, but enjoyable the times I have. Wiang Heng - Mueang Na - the northern leg to where it joins the 1178 again. Shitful. Has some lovely mountain climbs and descents, but long sections of it are broken up entirely. Road crews were filling 300mm deep potholes yesterday with rock/clay mix. I'm recommending it to be added to the "no hire bikes, other than CRFs" list of roads. (Feb 2026)
1328 Loop through the Phu Suan Sai NP -
1333 - a great road but in some sections, it is barely better than a full-on dirt road. If they ever resurface it, it will be one of the best roads.
1335 – one of Northern Thailands most fun roads. Mostly open with very little traffic or farm entrances. Smile inducing. Open sweepers, lots of mixed stuff and good surface *****
1340 Arunothai - Doi Ang Khang – lovely scenery but atrocious surface conditions at present, badly broken and potholed (Ian April 2020)
1346 Chai Prakarn to Phrao
1349 Samoeng to Wat Chan – much safer route used to get to Pai - with 1269 from Chiang Mai to Samoeng and 1265 from Wat Chan to the main Pai road at the 1095 junction 12km from Pai, Currently (Feb 2026) about 30km of broken surface south of Wat Chan, but they are working on it. Some nice viewpoints ***
2263 – boring – straight and lots of traffic – get off it onto the 4048 which is fun and no traffic
3037 - delightful but tight and twisty - nice alternative to and north of the 109. Joins onto the 5047
4018 - Phaya Phipak lookout road aka "The Big Dipper"
5028 – “hand in your licence if you don’t love this road” (Captain Slash) *****
5032 / 5035 – the Elephant Trail - During the wet season the 30km or so of the 85km trail from Wat Chan to Mae Hong Son that is dirt/red clay is as slippery as hell, but beautiful and fun on the right bike. Several sections of the concrete road in the steepest areas can get badly broken. Last done Dec 2025 and there were a couple of muddy bogs, but easily doable *****D
5047 - Doi Chang - becoming a hip coffee / homestay area. Fantastic views make it worth doing rather than anything about the road itself
Pai to Wiang Heng - narrow, steep concrete road at the Pai end. Once you get to the dirt, chances are you are going to find one or more of ruts, corrugations and mud or bulldust, depending on the season. It was 150mm thick bulldust in places in Feb 2026. Yes, its not that hard if you are used to riding dirt and are on the right bike. But, it's another one going on the list as a CRF-only list for Tum's hire bikes.
Singapore Road – steep but fantastic views if not smoky ***
The following road reports have been submitted by multiple riders contributing. I've traveled many of these roads again in the last 3 months, and many more over the last year. I've updated where I can.
Conditions can change rapidly, so please provide any more up to date content you may have to assist your fellow riders.
11 Chiang Mai - Lampang – Uttaradit – boring and a lot of traffic
101 - is perfect.
105 – Mae Sariang to Mae Sot – enjoyable ***
106 Thoen to Li – great fun twisties. Done late 2025 by a friend who said conditions were fairly good.
106 – Li to Chiang Mai – I do not normally do it; it is far too open. I get onto the 1274 at Li and then turn onto the delightful 1184 at Don Mun (Ian – multiple trips). I did do that section late one afternoon and into the night in late 2024 as we were late back from a lond day ride - definitely less fun than the 1184
107 – the corners about 55km north of Chiang Mai (just before the Ban Kaeng Panta Police checkpoint) are worth treating with caution. They can be quite slippery, particularly in the wet.
108 – Mae Hong Son – Chiang Mai via Mae Sariang - from MHS south to Mae Sariang and across to Hot is delightful. Normally a lot of trucks on the Mae Sariang to Hot section. From Hot to Chiang Mai is shitful and we normally get off it and follow the Ping River on back roads or the 119/121 canal road combination . (Ian Feb 2026) **
109 - Fang - Mae Suai – delightful scenery and plenty of curves. Had the option of doing it again today, but chose the 3037 / 5047 alternative instead. 109 better for bigger bikes, the 3037 etc is a ball tearer on smaller machines ****
118 – roadworks in the northern half, ie south from Chiang Rai are horrible at the moment - dusty and lots of diversions. Still some sections of shared use of one side of the road. Southern section near Chiang Mai is most enjoyable. Until the roadworks are finished, far better to use the Phayao option, including the 118, onto the 120 and 1193 back roads or straight onto the 1 - heading north that is. (Ian Feb 2026) ****
120 - Mae Khachan - Wang Nuea - R1 near Phayao – the Phayao end is best, with the section through the hills always providing enjoyment. (Ian Feb 2026)
1001 Chiang Mai to Phrao – nice open road – a good alternative to the 107 when heading north - use 1001 – 1150 – 1346 to come out just south of Fang. 1346 has some narrow and tight sections but is a sweet ride.
1009 -the Doi Inthanon Road – a fair few tourists and songthaews on the road but an enjoyable climb with an interesting rainforest walk at the top. Temperatures can be significantly lower at the top. ***
1021 - northern part was bumpy as hell in Dec 2025
1026 from Na Muen to Ban Pak Nai.
1081 – Don Chai – Bo Kluea - Always a favourite. Brilliant views. Could use an update please... several friends have ridden it lately *****
1089 – Tha Ton to Mae Chan - with a divert to Doi Mae Salong via the 1130 – good condition – beautiful area, but not an exciting road. More suited to a romantic weekend than spirited riding. ** / *** for the 1130
1090 – nicknamed the KY Highway back in 2012. Haven’t ridden it since 2025, when we came across a mate who'd just slid off on an otherwise good corner. Lots of trucks going slowly.
1091 Chiang Muan – Nan – lovely road that some describe as “best” (but not me). Good surface.
1093 Chiang Kham - Chiang Khong - I've deleted the old info - anyone got an update?
1095 Mae Rim (Ki Lek) - Pai - Mae Hong Son – note, many people use the more rural but narrower 3009 to take the corner off. I've done it three times in January 2026 and had about 6 close calls across those trips with fuckwits in trucks and silver buses overtaking around blind corners. We, without fail, tell newcomers to go the back way (1269 to Samoeng, 1349 to Wat Chan, 1265 to Pai). One who ignored that advice came back to tell me that his father had hit a truck, head-on (he survived).
1096 Mae Rim & 1269 near Samoeng – add in the 107 and Canal Rd (121) and you’ve got the Samoeng Loop. One of the most popular tourist loops, easily done in half a day, with lots of stuff to see. ***
1099 Om Koi road – nice open road, good enough to stop and fly the drone. Lovely pine forests. Best part of it is further on, from Omkoi to Mae Tuen (and then onto my favourite road, the 3054) ***
1130 – Doi Mae Salong – a lovely road but with some big unprotected drops. Don’t over-cook the corners. Pretty much a hilly alternative that runs parallel to the 1089 ***
1148 - Chiang Kham - Tha Wang Pha - again, many call this their favourite road in Northern Thailand. ****
1149 - Mae Sai to Huai Khrai at Hwy 1 via Doi Tung - Most of the road is good but very steep in sections although does get quite broken up at times – not suitable for scooters. You may not get through the checkpoints... some do, some don't. ***
1150 Ping Khong 107 end – Phrao 1001 junction - Wiang Pa Pao 118 end – some bumpy bits at present with some broken areas at the eastern end. Steep in parts. Lovely road. ***
1155 - Chiang Khong – Thoeng / Chiang Kham – open transit road in many areas with little of interest, but then it’s beautiful along the Mekong River. Did it in the truck, at night, on a bike recovery in Dec 2025 and it was shitful - many landslides and bridge replacements underway - lots of first gear stuff. ***
1162 -
1169 – Nan to Don Chai – simply the access road from Nan to the start of the fun on the 1081 **
1175 - Ban Tak to the 105 - northern alternative to Route 12. Much twistier and quite enjoyable. Recent reports of Farangs heading east on it being stopped and turned around at the western checkpoint. Not everyone, but makes it difficult to know who and why they are being turned around.
1184 – the occasional bump in the hills, but a delightful ride on anything 250 and above. The southern part is the best. ****
1192 Doi Inthanon - Mae Chaem – Very steep. Nice scenery. **
1216 -
1229 - delightful link over the hills from Mae On to the 1230 / 2031 junction - medium traffic levels, but a very enjoyable tight section ***
1230 - Cowshit Road - delightful road with very low traffic, but covered with cowshit and leaf litter. Some potholes at the northern end, but not too bad. Watch out for cows on the road... and knock a tenth or two off your efforts, because you will encounter significant lumps of cowshit on blind corners. Sopt up top and climb up off the road to take in the Mae On view ***
1243 – one of the most fun and challenging road rides I've done here yet. Awesome tarmac, gravel, potholes around blind corners, chickens, dogs, a cobra, and an awesome little mom and pop restaurant for lunch. Reading this again in 2026, I was thinking, where the hell is this.... but now I remember. Coming back from Laos, crossed at Phu Doo (near Pak Lay on the Mekong) and the 1243 runs through the wilderness, parallel with the border, north towards Nan *****
1249 – excellent condition since re-surfacing some years ago. Steep enough to slow a 2-up Forza to 25 kph (not advisable to take automatics on steep roads for any length due to lack of engine braking and the likelihood of boiling brake fluid - and there are now signs saying they are banned) On to a super cool village near a Thai Army base in Doi Ang Khan Burma /Thai border. Back down a very steep curvy road with some of the most amazing views I’ve ever seen. ***
1252 – Chae Son to the 118 - tight but scenic road that connects to several other interesting areas. Good road to take to do the delightful loop to Lampang, including the 1335. Can be slippery due to leaves on the road in wet season.
1256 - Pua - Bo Kluea - was crappy when last reviewed, but I believe now resealed. Anyone got a recent update?
1259 -
1263 / 1088 – Khun Yuam to Mae Chaem – nice, good condition Feb 2026 ***
1268 - Na Heao through Ban Khok - more twists and turns than even the MHS loop. I'm not sure I kept the bike straight up for more than a km at any given point of the 7.5 hours we spent in the saddle. ****
1269 Sanpasak – Samoeng – delightful road once past the urban spread with a few steep spots that can have rough and bumpy corners to catch out the novice riders ***
1290 - Chiang Saen to Chiang Khong – superb condition and fun road. ***
1322 - Wiang Heng – Mae Cha - that's the southern part - haven't done it for a while, but enjoyable the times I have. Wiang Heng - Mueang Na - the northern leg to where it joins the 1178 again. Shitful. Has some lovely mountain climbs and descents, but long sections of it are broken up entirely. Road crews were filling 300mm deep potholes yesterday with rock/clay mix. I'm recommending it to be added to the "no hire bikes, other than CRFs" list of roads. (Feb 2026)
1328 Loop through the Phu Suan Sai NP -
1333 - a great road but in some sections, it is barely better than a full-on dirt road. If they ever resurface it, it will be one of the best roads.
1335 – one of Northern Thailands most fun roads. Mostly open with very little traffic or farm entrances. Smile inducing. Open sweepers, lots of mixed stuff and good surface *****
1340 Arunothai - Doi Ang Khang – lovely scenery but atrocious surface conditions at present, badly broken and potholed (Ian April 2020)
1346 Chai Prakarn to Phrao
1349 Samoeng to Wat Chan – much safer route used to get to Pai - with 1269 from Chiang Mai to Samoeng and 1265 from Wat Chan to the main Pai road at the 1095 junction 12km from Pai, Currently (Feb 2026) about 30km of broken surface south of Wat Chan, but they are working on it. Some nice viewpoints ***
2263 – boring – straight and lots of traffic – get off it onto the 4048 which is fun and no traffic
3037 - delightful but tight and twisty - nice alternative to and north of the 109. Joins onto the 5047
4018 - Phaya Phipak lookout road aka "The Big Dipper"
5028 – “hand in your licence if you don’t love this road” (Captain Slash) *****
5032 / 5035 – the Elephant Trail - During the wet season the 30km or so of the 85km trail from Wat Chan to Mae Hong Son that is dirt/red clay is as slippery as hell, but beautiful and fun on the right bike. Several sections of the concrete road in the steepest areas can get badly broken. Last done Dec 2025 and there were a couple of muddy bogs, but easily doable *****D
5047 - Doi Chang - becoming a hip coffee / homestay area. Fantastic views make it worth doing rather than anything about the road itself
Pai to Wiang Heng - narrow, steep concrete road at the Pai end. Once you get to the dirt, chances are you are going to find one or more of ruts, corrugations and mud or bulldust, depending on the season. It was 150mm thick bulldust in places in Feb 2026. Yes, its not that hard if you are used to riding dirt and are on the right bike. But, it's another one going on the list as a CRF-only list for Tum's hire bikes.
Singapore Road – steep but fantastic views if not smoky ***
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