Hello,
Hi Lacrosse,
Sounds like a great idea but....
I have been a biker for some years now and I would'nt recommend in the wet if your not used to it. First of all get some biking experience. The roads will be greasy, visibilty limited. If you do go for it make sure you have all protective equipment on and that you get a decent safe bike to ride.
Take care
Kaz
PS
Check out our website below
[snip]
Hi Kaz,
Thanks for your advice. I'm planning on doing the CBT thing before I go, and maybe get a small bike for a month or so to practice on.
As for the rain I'm hoping I can avoid it. Does anyone know what time of day it usually rains? Or is it just random?
Hi Lacrosse,
Sounds like a great idea but....
I have been a biker for some years now and I would'nt recommend in the wet if your not used to it. First of all get some biking experience. The roads will be greasy, visibilty limited. If you do go for it make sure you have all protective equipment on and that you get a decent safe bike to ride.
Take care
Kaz
PS
Check out our website below
[snip]
The problem isn't that the roads are greasy, they are non existent with parts washed out and parts buried under mud.
I wouldn't bother with safety gear other than a helmet. Its a pain in ass to get your gear there. The proper stuff is really expensive to buy there. No amount of gear is going to stop you getting wet, and no amount of gear is going to help if truck runs over you. You'll be hot as hell, as its not only raining its hot too, so you'll be really uncomfortable and most of the time your not going to be going speeds that gear is going to be that much of a benefit.
Other than that I'll let you know since I'll be there next week!
[ link removed ]
Hi Kaz,
Thanks for your advice. I'm planning on doing the CBT thing before I go, and maybe get a small bike for a month or so to practice on.
As for the rain I'm hoping I can avoid it. Does anyone know what time of day it usually rains? Or is it just random?
Its pretty random. Mostly in the afternoon, but I can rain all day too, then other days no rain. You wont avoid it. But as I said in the other post, its not the riding in the rain thats a problem, it the damage it does over the whole season.
these maybe of interest.
Even this has some good info
[ 21-Apr-2010, at 16:04 by Dodger ]
...was thinking of buying a bike
Before thinking what gear to take for the wet season, are you sure it's even possible to buy a bike as a foreigner in Vietnam? I guess it's not that easy!
I am going to vote "NO!" to your idea of riding a motorbike up to Hue. It is just too dangerous out on their roads. I rented bikes in DaLat and Nha Trang. Had a great time and was never hurt. But, I was frequently afraid for my life. The VN drivers just do not obey the rules most of us expect. The roads are narrow and filled with: dogs, ox carts, school kids, bicycles, motorbikes, cars, vans, buses and large trucks. Size matters and a motorbike is pretty far down the food chain. You end up riding on the far right edge of the pavement. I went off the pavement when a large truck or bus roared up behind me. Even worse is when a truck or bus is coming right at you when they pass slower traffic. You yield, not them. A newbie rider on the roads of VN is recipe for an unhappy ending IMO. Here is an on road deaths in VN.
Dodger: Thanks for your replies, the link to that motorbike forum is especially useful. Maybe once I get out there I can have a look at the roads myself and judge how ridable they are.
Yvekes : I'm sure it's possible, many people do it, tourists often buy bikes and then sell them to other tourists once their trip is over. Here's a good article on it http://www.travelfish.org/feature/94
vegasmike6: From what I've read the rules (or perhaps customs) of the road are very different in vietnam. I read a great article on how to survive the perils of Vietnam's roads, if i can find it i'll post it on here
this has some information on the law and insurance at the bottom of the page: http://www.minskclubvietnam.com/therides.htm
Found the article i was looking for http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/1051
[ 22-Apr-2010, at 06:00 by lacrosse ]
You asked about the weather not permission. Let the Vietnamese do the worrying.
Happy roads!
I've not ridden in Vietnam but I have done a tour round Cambodia in November, it was an awesome experience but.....I'm not sure I would recommend it to a complete newbie...in fact I definately wouldn't!
If its anything like Cambodia the roads in the city will be fairly mental and outside the cities in the wet season may be virtually impassable!
Happy to tell you about the kit which we wore but we were well off tarmac or even graded dirt roads for most of the trip so you might consider it to be overkill, whatever you do make sure your insurance covers you...most won't for any bikes higher than a 125cc and if you haven't got a full licence at home.
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