BEFORE YOU RIDE

The things worth settling before you book — what you need to bring, what you're covered for, what a drop would cost you, and what happens the day before you leave.

NEVER RIDDEN A MOUNTAIN ROAD?

That's most of the people who ride with us. And being uneasy about it is the right instinct — it means you're thinking about it properly.

So here's what we'd honestly tell you: don't start with the four-day Mae Hong Son Loop. Start with the Samoeng Loop. One day, 147 km, the first proper mountain road most riders here ever meet. It's the ride this whole valley recommends first, and it's where you find out what you actually think of corners.

When you come back for Mae Hong Son, we run it clockwise on purpose. Route 108 out of Chiang Mai is the famous 1,864 curves — long, open, sweeping. The hard 762 are on Route 1095 through Pai, and going clockwise puts them on your last day instead of your first. By day three the corners have stopped being a problem and started being the point.

And no, you won't be slowing anyone down. We ride in groups of about five — there's no pack to keep up with, and nobody is watching the clock.

YOU'RE COVERED WHILE YOU RIDE

Every rider on an NBT tour is insured under our own Travel Accident policy for tour operators, underwritten by Bangkok Insurance — a Thai insurer since 1947.

  • ✓฿500,000 per person, per accident — medical expenses
  • ✓No exclusion for motorcycling. Every age, every rider.

The policy covers you, not the bike, and it won't cover you if you ride after drinking. We still recommend your own travel insurance — it covers your belongings and your trip, and where you're covered twice, ours pays the difference.

NO DEPOSIT. NO PASSPORT.

We don't hold your passport, and we don't take a damage deposit before you ride. You ride with our guide, and the bike comes out of our own workshop with our own mechanics behind it — that's our security, not your documents.

Would you rather cap what a drop could cost you? We can add a damage waiver to your booking. Ask us when you get in touch and we'll walk you through it.

HOW WE CHOOSE YOUR BIKE

The right bike up here isn't the biggest one. A Click 125 can't climb the Mae Hong Son passes; a CT125 can — and a CT125 doesn't belong in a group of NX500s unless you've booked privately. So we match the bike to the road and to you.

  • ✓Every bike comes out of our own workshop — current models, low mileage, and set up for touring: upgraded rear suspension, hand and engine protection, luggage racks.
  • ✓Lowered and adjusted bikes for shorter riders, down to around 155 cm.
  • ✓Riding your own bike? Ask us — the tour price comes down.

BOOKING, PAYING, AND THE DAY BEFORE

A 20% deposit reserves your place, and it's fully refundable up to 21 days before departure. The balance is due when you come in the day before your tour — or earlier, if you'd rather have it done.

Come in the day before wherever you can. That's when we fit your jacket and helmet, put your name on the tour insurance, and make sure the bike suits you before it matters. Tours leave the shop at 08:30 sharp — be with us by 08:00.

WHO YOU'RE RIDING WITH

  • ✓We hold our own TAT tourism licence. A registered Thai tour operator — not a rental shop that also runs trips.
  • ✓Groups of around five. Small enough that nobody rides alone and nobody waits.
  • ✓Our own workshop, our own mechanics, our own service vehicle. Not a contractor we called — and on the long tours a mechanic rides with the group.
  • ✓Women ride with us regularly — including groups that book the whole tour as a ladies-only ride.
  • ✓Tours run whatever the numbers. One rider is enough for us to go.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

+Do I need a motorcycle licence?
Bring your motorcycle licence from home, and an International Driving Permit as well if you have one. The good news is that you're riding with a registered Thai tour operator and a Thai-speaking guide, so checkpoints are routine and we handle them. Not sure whether your paperwork works here? Message us before you book and we'll let you know what you need.
+Am I insured on the tour?
Yes. Every rider is covered by our own Travel Accident policy for tour operators, underwritten by Bangkok Insurance — ฿500,000 per person for medical expenses per accident, with no exclusion for motorcycling and no age limit. The policy covers you, not the bike, and it won't cover you if you ride after drinking. We still recommend your own travel insurance for your belongings and your trip.
+What happens if I damage the bike?
Low-speed drops aren't dramatic, and your guide will be right there to help pick the bike up. We don't hold a damage deposit or your passport. If you'd rather cap what a drop could cost you, we can add a damage waiver to your booking — ask us when you get in touch.
+How much riding experience do I need?
Enough to be comfortable on a bike. You don't need to be an expert, but the mountains aren't the place to learn from scratch. If you're not sure where you sit, start with the Samoeng Loop — one day, 147 km, and the gentlest proper mountain road we run. Tell us what you've ridden before and we'll point you at the tour that fits.
+Do I have to keep up with the guide?
You ride your own ride. A guide leads the way, nobody gets pushed, and on the longer tours a mechanic rides with the group.
+What if something goes wrong with the bike?
The bikes come out of our own workshop and our own mechanics are on hand — it isn't a phone call to somebody else's garage. On the long tours a mechanic rides with the group, so it gets sorted there and then.
+What happens if we're stopped at a checkpoint?
Usually nothing at all. You're riding with a registered Thai tour operator and a Thai-speaking guide, and checkpoints tend to wave a guided group straight through. If anything does need sorting out, your guide sorts it. It's one of the quieter reasons people ride with a company instead of on their own.
+When shouldn't I come?
Late February to early April. That's burning season in Northern Thailand — the air in the valleys turns thick and hazy, and the views you came for disappear behind it. We'd rather tell you now than have you spend days riding through smoke. Every other month of the year is fair game. If those are the only dates you have, message us and we'll be straight with you about what you'd be getting.
+Can someone come who doesn't ride?
Yes. They ride pillion behind one of our guides — same route, same stops, same trip, no handlebars. It's a tour in its own right: the Pillion Tour.

STILL GOT A QUESTION?

Ask us before you book. We'd rather answer it now than have you wonder about it on the road.

Get in Touch