Rescuing Gerrard's abandoned CRF

KTMphil

KTMphil

Senior member
Joined
Jan 11, 2011
Location
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Bikes
2007 KTM 990 Adventure Suzuki DRZ 400
Gerrard has been staying with us & has been exploring some of the trails around north Thailand on a rented Honda CRF 250 L. He's been the "backway" to Pai & many other trails too.

He came back yesterday without the bike, having to abandon it, after taking a wrong turn off the observatory/ soi 1 trail.



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Gerrard was smart enough to waypoint where the bike had been left & luckily managed to walk out to the observatory and get a ride back down Doi Suthep.
 
Neil & I said we'd go help him get it out, he told us it was only 300 meters in from R 1004 that goes up Doi Suthep, he lied of course!


Parking at the observatory, armed with a tow rope, fuel (in case the locals stole the fuel in the bike overnight) & some basic tools, we ventured off into the jungle

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Luckily no rain, it was single track, steep & slippy

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So you're mounting a rescue mission today? C'mon Phil, strapping chap like you, stick it on your shoulder!
 
Going in from the observatory, after about 400 meters you reach a stream at the bottom of the valley, in dry season this would be interesting to try on powerful, small enduro bikes (250cc etc..)

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We finally get to the abandoned bike, Gerrard is pretty relieved that the bikes hasn't been messed with overnight

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Now to get the bike out of this nasty, steep, rooty, slippy bit of single track, back up on the main trail. This section below is what beat Gerrard, it took 3 of us to get the bike up it.


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The last few pushes and he's back on the observatory main trail, mission accomplished.

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Is just me... i can`t see any of the pics in the last 2 posts?
 
Phil attachments 10749 and 10750 don't seem to show a trail at all. You guys go off trail, just busting through the wilderness? Or do you stick to trails an' I just can't see it?

Just askin' like, coz I care about our environment and unspoilt jungles....... sometimes play the Devils Advocate!
 
We stick to trails that are already there.



MartinThai said:
Phil attachments 10749 and 10750 don't seem to show a trail at all. You guys go off trail, just busting through the wilderness? Or do you stick to trails an' I just can't see it?

Just askin' like, coz I care about our environment and unspoilt jungles....... sometimes play the Devils Advocate!
Click to expand...
 
So the CRF met its match there.
Do you think other bikes would have got through?
Just interested to know the limits of the CRF in those conditions (acknowledging that riding skills are also a main factor).
(Not saying that Gerrard isn't a fine rider mind you).
 
That looks suspiciously like the track Luke and I did years ago. When you were pushing it back onto the trail were you pushing it back up the way he came down in pic#10751? And were there nice 2-3 foot root ledge, dropoffs? If so, its the same track. Yes Martin its an existing track but we first named it the Scorpian Tail due to that last section getting onto the 1004 was a real stinger. Luke and I were jumping off the back of the bike and launching it up the ledges to get to the 1004 that start about 50 meters behind where you are standing in pic 10751. Much easier going straight up the trail instead of taking what looks like a shortcut to the 1004.

Hats off to him for giving that shortcut a shot this time of year :).

Good on you Phil and Neil for getting the bike rescued. Very generous.
 
2 Wheels I beleive if you could get traction the CRFL would make it with a good rider. Average skill gimme a proper enduro bike.
 
Thanks Justin.
So maybe a more serious set of tyres for that type of riding and the originals for general purpose 'softer' stuff.
 
I saw the back tyre on that CRF when it was at riders corner and thought it had seen better days.....
 
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