Korean Job Discussion Forums

[macosie]

Hi Folks,
It's winter here in Korea, and it's damn cold. So, even though I am still riding my handy Motorbikes (I'm Pabo and have 2), I'm dreaming of the nice warm(hot) summer here when I can ride my Africa Twin(a Honda) without my testiculars hiking up into my stomach... nice intro eh?

Anyway, I'm planning a trip around the Peninsula next summer, as it may be my last here. I know a few nice little roads down here in Jeollanamdo, specifically around Yeosu. I want to do the coastal route to Busan, and uo to the North. THen I'll skirt along the DMZ, and down the West coast, hop a ferry to Jeju, and then back to Yeosu. Of course I plan to take a few detours if I can.

Has anyone done any riding here in Korea? If you have some choice riding destinations, I'd welcome the advice.

If you didn't know, you can only ride on the auxilary highways. I challenged the rumour that motorbikes aren't allowed on the expressways. I hopped on the Expressway from Suncheon to Kwangju, making it through the automated toll both, and onto the highway. Seemed fine, no worries for over an hour. Then, about 3/4 of the way from to Gwangju, I was pulled over by the highway patrol, and later escorted off the highway by the police. I got away with a warning, because there are no signs with English or pictures saying no motorcycles, and they were just amazed that I survived the ride. Trust me, it was the safest riding in all of Korea, lots of space, no buses or taxis... beautiful fast riding (I was in a ruch and didn't have time for the twisties of the aux. roads.)

Ocassionally, the smaller highways turn into normal roads, which turn into concrete roads, which turn into dirt roads which turn into some seriously fun trails. Unfortuantely, roads like this are not well documented, and it's lucky to find one that has an actual destination. Maybe some of us can change that, and post some of those here.

Most of the riding I'm going to be doing will likely be on the paved roads, but if I can have a few off road adventures I'm up for that too.

So, if you want to give me some advice please do. Tell us about your Adventure Motorcycling in Korea too.

Cheers

[Grotto]

Talk to Captain Kirk...he is a bonified cycle nut and probably knows more about riding in Korea than most others.

[IlIlNine]

I've done a little... and I definitely plan on doing Jeju next year when it gets a little warmer.

Tip: Be careful on the smaller roads. Often they have speedbumps that aren't marked... if you're going quickly, they can be hard to see sometimes. (especially when conditions aren't ideal).

[Leslie Cheswyck]

I love my 125cc. A friend offered to sell me his 250, but I remained faithful.

[macosie]

[gdimension]

I got a 125cc when I first arrived, then a couple of years later moved up to a 600cc Honda. Finally, I got a HD Sportster which I loved riding, but not spending all of my waking moments taking care of. Finally sold that a year or so ago.

I really miss it, but I don't miss constantly worrying about where to park it and trying to keep the salt water off of it (I'm on Jeju, and that proved to be especially difficult).

Memories...

[macosie]

OK... I've got a Honda Africa Twin. The week I went to get it in Seoul, I had a weeee bit of a fender bender with my VF125. I had pretty much sold the VF before I bumped into that Korando... (my stupidity... cruising down a side street, a huge truck was blocking the road, so I didn't slow down as much as I should have... amazingly enough, a Koreando squeeked by the rig, and oput in fron of me... I hit the breaks, but didn't stop before hitting the SUV... fortunately I the only one really hurt in the incident was the VF.)
Anyway, I love that I still have the VF. Its pretty much fixed. It takes about a day to get the hard to find parts for the VF. It's never been off the road for more than a day or two, even with the accident.
The Honda is a different story. In Yeosu there isn't anyone I trust to do any work on it. Parts take 2 weeks to get here from JApan or Europe. A chain set for the VF cost 50 000 on, for the Twin 200 000.
That said... Honda means:
never slowing down on a hill.
never not having enough power to pass. (excuse the double negative)
being able to ride for more than an 1.5 hours without getting saddlesore.
Not looking like a character in Mario Cart. (the Daelim is smallish)

I'm happy owning both... and boy do people look at you like you are on crack when you tell them you have two bikes...

[IlIlNine]

I like the 250 I have.

It's a great size. I too don't have to slow down on hills. It's fast enough to pass almost anything.

Sure, it doesn't compare to ... well .. any bike back home (let's be honest) - but for Korea it's perfectly adequate for even longer trips (the 125s are not - I tried!)

But it also has advantages -- parts are still not expensive, service is quick, and they're not that expensive.

I could see myself moving up to the 650 hyosung later on.

[ratslash]

dude, i having nothing constructive to add apart from your plan sounds awesome and good luck!!!

[sadsac]

The little Daelim is sitting under its cover and waiting for the warmer weather.