Motorcycle Cambodia

California 2 conveniently located on Phnom Penh's riverfront has become a meeting spot for tourist and expat motorcycle riders alike. We have Cambodia Travel Maps, photos and plenty of insight on local and extensive rides, local tour guides, rental and repair shops. If we haven't been there, chances are someone having a beer in our lobby has. Periodically people will also post a motorbike for sale at our location. As the country develops so does the motorcycle of choice. When Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki 250 cc two and four stroke motorcycles once ruled, road work has allowed bigger BMWs and Harley Davidsons to break into the riding scene here.

Few Riding Tips:

Medical treatment is primitive and non existent in many areas of the country. Ride safe. Ride with a partner. It’s always fun to team up on your other friends and tell them what a great ride they missed. Carry appropriate cash for emergencies and small riel to support the local economy. That sugar cane vendor won’t have change for a 20 and sure as hell don’t take mastercard. Have your bike maintained before you go. Take appropriate tools, spare inner tubes, sunscreen or raingear.

Remember there are plenty of land mines in the country. Don’t trail blaze in unfamiliar areas.

Respect the villages and rural people. Remember you are treading on their turf. They still welcome you and smile at you, so don’t screw it up for the next guy. When possible try to feed their local economies even if its just a sugar cane drink. They enjoy having strangers visit.

This is Cambodia...it's illegal to drive with your head lights on in the day time, however to drive at night with out them....NO PROBLEM!

Cows will find themselves in the middle of the road at any time of the day (so will the local people). Ox carts, cyclos, motos and cars are not always illuminated at night. Don’t expect them to be. Don’t be in a hurry. You left the city to get away from the rat race and enjoy the slower pace in countryside. Most of all have fun. October 2005 I took a ride that ended in disaster for one of the riders. Read about the trip in the November 2005 Bayon Pearnik.

	Adventure Cambodia Travel Guide book is geared to the Motorcycle Enthusiast. Author Matt Jacobson "Jake" has covered the country and has many exclusives in his second edition. Many out of the way places marked with GPS coordinates. Available at Monument book outlets in Cambodia, Amazon.com, Bookazine in Thailand and Silkworm Books
	Surreal concrete road in Kampong Chhnang Province. From Kampong Chhnang is a great ride. Cross the river to Kampong Leng then make the loop around the mountain. 3 ancient prasats on this route.
	Ferry Crossing in Prey Veng Province. Nice seasonal day ride from PNH. Head north on the 6 22k cross the ferry, go to Vimean Suor then head east to the 11. From there North to Kampong Cham or South to Prey Veng. This was the same day Srey Yeein became a star (Surf Cambodia). Read more about a journey back to Srey Yeein's village in the Bayon Pearnik March 2004 issue.
	Caution Mines! When Posted do not stray from the path! Mostly prevalent in the North and Northwest.
	Ferry Crossing in Pailin Province. Pailin to Poipet along the Thai border, not marked on some maps but a very scenic route. Passes border towns, mine fields and beautiful mountains and valleys. Also out of place Central Asian (politically correct?) guys walking througj villages trying to sell watches out of brief cases.
	Giving way to an ox cart some where between Beng Melea and Preah Khan in Preah Vihear Province. This is Route 66. It takes you over ancient bridges, through sand, mud, jungle and high grass. A must do ride in Cambodia. Read more in the Bayon Pearnik November 2004 issue.
	I'll take the low road! Phnom Aoral. A good over niter in the country side and some real challenges for the extremist!
	Testing the waters. The waters won.
	School kids, villagers, merging bikes from any direction, ox carts and vehicles and I'm the idiot taking the picture while driving. What a great place!
	The locals said they knew a short cut and we took the bait hook line and sinker! I had taken photos of Chanthy (Info Page) and her friends working away off the side of the road Highway 3 in Kampot Province. Having planned a trip back to the area a few weeks later I thought we would drop off some photos, but this time the delivery was 2 k away from the road doubled and tripled up with guides to the village on rice paddy single track embankments. The short cut was actually a better option. Read more in the Bayon Pearnik December 2004 and February 2005 issues.
	A trip to the north in Odar and Banteay Meanchey Province. Employing locals to show you around can save you a lot of time and not to mention having a photographer to take your picture. Savuang from the town of Ta Pen south of Samrong really did his best to find and show us what we were looking for. It was probably one of the more memorable days he (as well as us) has had. We knocked out 6 ancient bridges, 2 good prasat sites and some minor damaged ruins that day. Read more in the Bayon Pearnik June and July 2004 issues.
	Cambodia has a lot of great rides that even the girls can enjoy! Here was a rainy season ride up Bokor Mountain, Kampot and Kep. On the way to Kampot we took a country road paralleling NR 3 but ran into deep water and had to cut over. We dodged the rain most of the trip. On the way in we shot over to Kep and enjoyed kilos of fresh crab. The next day went up Bokor Mountain then hit the coastline. One small shower on the way back into Kampot gave us a rainbow over the green rice fields. When traveling prepared, rainy season is some of the best riding in Cambodia. People are out in force working the rice fields and the country is tropically lush. Read more on Kampot and the rainy season in the Bayon Pearnik February and September 2004 issues
	One thing about Cambodia; All roads lead to Rome. Out in the jungle paths get recut then rejoin the main path again. You get across a river or stream and you will join a path headed your way soon enough. Sometimes its not the desired route but forward progress sometimes dictates. It' s ironic that a culture that could build major bridge structures in ancient times produces these rickety structures. Actually many were destroyed by war and temporary structures continue to wait for upgrading. Use caution approaching country road bridges. Single boards sometimes traverse a large hole in a large structure. Not the place to fall in or get injured.
	Repairs on the road. Towns and even remote villages are equipped to fix a flat tire. Look for the air compressor. Welding shops in most towns can mend a broken frame. Major repairs....nurse the bike to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap in the northwest. Ox cart operators love your income as well as truck and boat operators. Eventually someone will come along in the event you need to load your bike up and transport it. Some rental companies will even come out and rescue you. Try to carry essential tools and equipment that villagers might not have.
	BMW 1150 in Cambodia is a little overkill. Though too big for many trails and muddy roads, Ken came to PNH over land through Koh Kong then up to Angkor Wat then back to Thailand via Poipet. Major road construction through out Cambodia will be more accommodating. The Best road in Cambodia, National Route 4 between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville is one of Cambodias most dangerous. Paved roads=on coming gas truck in your lane passing another gas truck or opposing shared taxis with steering wheels on the wrong side swinging wide into your lane.
	California 2 Cambodia MC supporting village communities, cultural awareness and various charities such as Operation Smile which repairs cleft palates and lips. We are also an annual sponsor of Team Klaiklahan from Kampong Cham. A group of 70 oarsmen who come to Phnom Penh for the Bon Om Tuk Waterfestival and race their dragon boat for the 3 day event that marks the end of rainy season. We believe in giving back to the community that has given us so much. When you support us, you support the people of Cambodia who need your help the most.

Photos Galore

I have taken many motorbike trips around the country with locals and visitors. I have taken many pictures and have written accounts of my travels for a local magazine called the Bayon Pearnik. Adam Parker the Editor in Chief of the Magazine has been kind enough to post my photos on his website. I have many pictures on this site but if you want to read my written accounts or see about 3000 photos, visit The Bayon Pearnik website at www.bayonpearnik.com Many accounts and rides that I have taken (as well as good accounts from other locals) since the above posted rides.

Motorcycling Information

The Most Comprehensive regional motorcycle updates

can be found at Golden Triangle Riders. Find out before

you go from current accounts by riders who have just taken

the trip you are planning.

http://www.gt-rider.com

MOTORCYCLE RENTAL IN PHNOM PENH

The Bike Shop Street 302 near Monivong

http://www.motorcyclecambodia.com

Adventure Moto Street 136 just off the riverfront

http://www.adventure-moto.com

Angkor Dirt Bikes on Street 51 and 172