Ride - Kyaing Tong (Myanmar) - Mong Lar (Myanmar) - HUGE group ride

[KTMphil]

This is the first time EVER this has been done as a huge motorcycle group ride. From the Mae Sai (the Thai international border crossing with Myanmar), close to 200 motorcycle's will cross into Tachileik, Myanmar, then ride NW to Kyaing Tong, Myanmar. The next day, they will then ride further north to Mong Lar, Myanmar, which is the border town with China.


The Golden Cherry Hotel (what a name?), Tachileik, Myanmar, has filled up and is now full of rider's




DSC_2067_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

The meeting point for the group ride to Mong Lar, Myanmar was at the Myanmar Bike Week in Tachileik, Myanmar, just across the border from Mae Sai, Thailand. There wasn't much information given as to the procedure at the border. We had submitted all of our documents in advance and were told that a Myanmar visa wasn't needed, nor Myanmar permits for the motorcycles. Therefore with no one around at the border post, there was some confusion whether we needed a temporary export for Thai registered bikes at all.




Malay & Singapore rider's re-grouping at the Mae Sai border

Bob & I trying to figure out what we're supposed to do

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Eventually we find the cute fixer & things are more organized than we initially thought and the Thai Customs temporary export documents have already been printed. 300 bikes coming across, will be a busy day for them.

Finally all figured out

 

[KTMphil]

Myanmar border post, lots of excited officials - especially when we told them all crossing fees had been paid in advance. Phone calls and arm waving was everywhere, quite funny

The organizers are opening a biker bar in Tachileik called the "Eagle Cafe". Looks like they tried to get it ready for this event, but not quite finished

 

[KTMphil]

We found the Bike Week show ground, they were still frantically setting up but it seemed well organized


DSC_2026_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




More on the Myanmar Bike Week show/ event in the link below:


http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-...-myanmar-tachileik-bike-week-5.html#post49708

 

[KTMphil]

A free day, so we had a ride around Tachileik and drove as far out as we could until we hit the Army checkpoints and were sent back, there's a link below about riding around Tachileik:


http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-forum/myanmar-ride-reports/6564-exploring-tachileik.html



A few more Tachileik morning market photo's



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Shan number plates


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She's got it all


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Yangon registered


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A Vigo nicely set up


DSC_2093_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

Just back from this historic, fantastic event - 160 bikes to the Mong-Lar, Myanmar, China, border .... Below, a group photo at the Mong Lar, Myanmar, border with China

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Lots of photo's to come.

 

[KTMphil]

The aftermath of the Myanmar Bike Week Party, Tachileik, Myanmar & a lot of sore heads!

Then the task of rounding up 160 bikes

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[KTMphil]

Things were coming together slowly, so we had a poke around Tachileik

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[KTMphil]

Tachileik is well worth a poke around

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[KTMphil]

The gathering was coming together, time to have a look at what would be riding up with us




DSC_2123 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




- lots and lots of fully dressed Harley's which was eye opening


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Nice looking KTM 990 Adventure


DSC_2125 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

And of course, almost 100 BMW 1200 gs's with every bit of Touratech bling they could get their hands on


DSC_2128 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




The 160 bikes were split up into 6 color groups, looked like it was coming together nicely, but after tallying up numbers, there were 6 Germans still missing who were massively hung over, they had to be awakened from their rooms



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Waiting around for an hour for the Germans


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Waddy, the fantastic organizer, who kept her cool at all times


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Finally the Germans started appearing


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Can't wait to see this on the unmade section


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Miss Tuk, controlled on the chaos in super classy style


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Jai, the main man that pulled all this together


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Miss Tuk with her mountains of paperwork


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& it finally starts to happen, close to mid day, blue group start your engines


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There was a lot of "GS standing " going on


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& lots of Harley thumbs up


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1.6km, then we stopped for lunch! But now everyone was penned in their groups, all well organized


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[KTMphil]

Out of the free zone and into real Myanmar

DSC_2159 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr






30th Ann. BMW F 800 gs, one of the best color schemes for that model ever




DSC_2161 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

This is how the locals are getting around in the dirt

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The kids were fascinated


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120km & our first 160 bike group fuel stop


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160 bikes.... say 3 minutes each bike to fill up & pay - Do the math!



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One Harley went straight on in a gravel corner into a ditch, apart from that pretty drama free to Kyaing Tong


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Magnificent temples


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We were a bit apprehensive how the feeding would go, but like everything else it was done very efficiently


DSC_2172 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




Food was good quality, no pork around as there were so many Muslims on the ride


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Whole chicken soup, great quality


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The money changer might have had her best day ever



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[KTMphil]

They managed to get us ALL into one hotel in Kyiang Tong, we didnt think that was going to be possible

DSC_2178 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr



It was flashy from the outside, rooms were typical Chinese minimalist style, they did have slowwww wifi. We were praying for 2 beds in the room and there was


DSC_2179 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




A bit of confusion the next morning, we were supposed to go to the Pagoda for photo's, didnt happen in the end


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160 bikes for gas again


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Kodak moment north of Kyaing Tong


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Road ahead


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Almost liked this beauty


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BMW 1000 RR


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The good old XR


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Myanmar registered Hypermotard


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One of the many checkpoints, I think we only had to stop at 4 the whole trip


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Lunch stop south of Mong Lar


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Shan police car


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Again superbly organized


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& another 90 minute fill up ready for the early start the next day

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There's a 10km broken road section south of Mong Lar ... We didnt understand all the washing as we'd be going back through thr dust again in 12 hours


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Sai, one of the guides


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....More to come

 

[KTMphil]

Some more photo's from the 160 bike ride to Mong Lar & back to the Myanmar/ Thai border


Yellow group road capt./ guide - lots of standing up on the pegs on the tarmac roads


DSC_2279 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

Finally at the China border in Mong Lar


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The Pagoda that over looks the China gateway


DSC_2218 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr'




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Looking north to the China border post


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China checkpoint in the distance



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Mr. K



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Singapore riding lady at the China border tombstone



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One chance for a photo here, who knows when you'll get back there



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Great group shot


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[KTMphil]

Then herding 160 bikes up to the Pagoda


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DSC_2232 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[oldbloke]

I'm SO f*****g jealous!! - of the route, anyway... I would enjoy more with maybe 10 bikes and more flexibility, but that's the price you've paid for being part of the trailblazing group...
I had to go to Kyaing Tung in a car with driver , but thought at the time it would be a great run by bike. Even better if you could get off the the main road on a capable bike.
I bet there was plenty of discussion about how cool it'd be to keep on riding into China, and up the G214 or similar

 

[bsacbob]

I'm SO f*****g jealous!! - of the route, anyway... I would enjoy more with maybe 10 bikes and more flexibility, but that's the price you've paid for being part of the trailblazing group...
I had to go to Kyaing Tung in a car with driver , but thought at the time it would be a great run by bike. Even better if you could get off the the main road on a capable bike.
I bet there was plenty of discussion about how cool it'd be to keep on riding into China, and up the G214 or similar

Your right myself and Phil cursed the whole way, so many things to see but we couldn't stop. We felt like royalty all the way there and back people came out and waved taking our pictures or video as we rode by, it was amazing.

 

[KTMphil]

A few more shots from the Pagoda at the Myanmar/ China border

DSC_2241 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




Overlooking Mong Lar town




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DSC_2233 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

Looking north over China - the China border can be seen


DSC_2247 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

Now to round up 160 bikes again, 3 hotels were booked, getting people to the correct one will be a chuckle


DSC_2259 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr


As expected it turned into total confusion


After about 30 minutes it was all figured out. the group colors were getting out of control!!



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My GF for the night and myself's room in Mong Lar. Clean, new and everything worked, except no wifi, typical Chinese setup



DSC_2261 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

Mong Lar is a very fun place, highly recommended.

Bikes ready the next morning


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Cleaning staff wanted some photo's


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The Suzuki GSXR 1300 Hayabusa's all ready to go on the 10km of unmade road


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Breakfast went off without any major hickups


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Little Chinese lady very confused by it all


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Then back off southbound. here at the big Myanmar, military base about 25km south of Mong Lar



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...........More to come

 

[razino]

As promised Phil...some of the pics I'd like to share...most of the trip were already covered by you...Mong Lar the Chinese look alike city in Myanmar....me and the soldier, me and the gals, me and the police, me and my favorite marshal the passport and lastly at the organizer club house...

 

[KTMphil]

What a great event, thanks for posting the photo's Razin

 

[KTMphil]

This couple on the black cruiser in front of us, came seriously 1mm from going over the edge. Pillion then slapped him to slow down


DSC_2273 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr





Locals


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Not locals


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Re-grouping


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Yellow group CRF's - the only 250cc bikes out of 160!


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Beautiful Myanmar Temple's


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Food was clean and good quality for the whole trip, great job arranging that

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All meals were Myanmar delicacies. I'm a picky eater and likes most things


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Interesting racks, think it was a Yamaha WR 250

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Back to the Tachileik checkpoint and out of "real" Myanmar, back into the free zone


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Tachileik checkpoint ahead


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That's it.



Was a great trip, well organized, would do it again for sure.