MotorbikeNorthVietnam.com

This section will give you succinct descriptions of the roads to various destinations we have experimented for you. Enjoy the drives…

Helmets are law and enforcement of wearing them is getting stricter. Make sure you carry wet weather gear. All major intersections have signs. Vietnamese uses Roman Script so you will understand them. Sign posts are generally obvious. In general the provincial highway you are on will pass straight through any city or town so just go straight and follow the flow.

Petrol

Most roads in Vietnam have kilometer stones so knowing how far you have got to go or working out whether you are on the right road or not is a piece of cake. Vietnamese will tell you the right direction if you ask them. The best thing to do is to show them the Vietnamese name of the place you want to go and they will sort you out. Expect to only getting 20-40 kilometres per hour. It is easy to buy half decent road maps. Three hundred kilometres is a long, long day.  The tank holds 10-11 litres. You get 250-300 km per full tank. The reserve tank switch is under the tank on the left hand side. The least populated section is Lai Chau to Tam Duong, but even here there will petrol every 40km. The petrol is two stroke, which means there is oil mixed in it. The Minsk requires 4-5% oil, which equates to about 500ml water bottle’s worth for ten litres. In most cases the oil is added separately to the petrol. All stations have oil. All town centres will have someone selling petrol. Look for 2-litre petrol bottles on the sides of the road. Even though all petrol stations will mix oil in your petrol when they see your Minsk, always make sure. If the bike starts to get weak and hot, you know a mistake has been made. Immediately pour more oil in.

Starting your Minsk

Minsks, all of them, are easy to start. But, they are also easy to start wrong. Once you have started them wrong and got the sparkplug wet, then they will be even harder to start. So, learn how to start your Minsk and do the right procedure every time. The key to starting a Minsk is to prime the carburetor first. This means you need to make sure the carburetor has petrol in it, kick start the bike, get the petrol/air mix into the cylinder, while the bike is turned off. Then you turn it back on and kick start it into life. Got it?

Check that the engine start/stop switch on the right hand side of the handle bars is up i.e. off.

Ensure there is petrol by looking in the tank or by pulling out the tube running from the tank to the carburettor.

If your carburettor is the taller, square version then push down the petrol pump switch on the left-hand side of the carburettor until petrol seeps out of the carburettor through its overflow hole, kick-start the bike once or twice without touching the accelerator throttle, push down the engine stop switch (i.e. turn the bike on), turn the accelerator throttle a quarter of a turn, and kick-start the bike.

If your carburettor is the smaller, round model then push down the choke lever, kick-start the bike once or twice without touching the accelerator throttle, flick the choke lever up, push down the engine stop switch (i.e. turn the bike on), turn the accelerator throttle a quarter of a turn, and kick-start the bike.

If the bike doesn’t start then repeat the above mentioned procedures a few times, and try to vary the number of times you kick-start the bike both before and after you turn on the engine start/stop switch. If the bike still doesn’t start then open the accelerator handle completely for around 30 seconds. This gives the sparkplug a chance to dry out. Then repeat the above procedure. If the bike still doesn’t start then push/bump-start the bike. To do this, put the bike in second gear, hold in the clutch lever, push the bike until you are running and then let the clutch out at the same time as pushing down on the handle bars (this will increase the friction under the tyres making it harder for them to slip). Doing this on a hill makes it much easier. If the bike still does not start then it is time to look at the bike more thoroughly by checking either the electrical system or the air/petrol system. Once you have worked out a system to starting your Minsk, stick to it. All Minsks are different and have their own personalities.
How to use motorbike (Minsk) on the road of Vietnam

You drive on the right-hand side on the road in Vietnam. Use your horn a lot. There are Minsk mechanics in all population centres. Unless you crash, the police will take no interest in you. Carry tyre repair tools and a pump. Don’t give riders after you a bad rap. Smile and wave at all the people on the road. Wave back to all other tourers driving Minsks. Don’t quibble about small prices. Accept that most disagreements occur due to misunderstandings on your part because you do not speak Vietnamese. While on the road, show all respect and courteousness to the people you meet and pass. Don’t give bikers a bad name. Wave, smile and be friendly. If there is a problem then assume that you are the one who is most likely in the wrong. People in the countryside are very honest and helpful.

Minsk are very easier to repair. You will not have to wait long before someone drives past and helps you. Still, it is a good idea to be able to fix a flat try and change/clean the sparkplug, as these are your most likely problems. Take a conversation translation booklet. Very few people speak English in the countryside. Make sure you have all the basics like a lighter, first aid kit, Swiss Army knife, cape and waterproof pants, torch (night-time bike repairs) sunglasses/goggles, toilet paper, plastic sheet to cover bags in case of rain, mosquito repellent and sun-screen lotion. Pick up some contour maps on Trang Tien St at the south end near Hoan Kiem Lake. If you strap your back pack to the back of the bike, then strap it perpendicular to the seat. This will provide much better balance.

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