French · 7 years on Samui
French motorcycle tour guide living on Koh Samui for 7 years. Marc leads group rides across southern Thailand and knows every road on the island.
Updated: May 2026
At Nathon pier last March at 7:30 a.m. - the CB500X on the vehicle deck, the sun still low above the eastern ridge - I watched Samui recede as the ferry crossed toward Donsak. From Donsak at 9:00 a.m. I turned north on the dual carriageway at 100 km/h. The CB500X in sixth gear at that speed produced a relaxed, windscreen-protected touring rhythm that the CB300R cannot approach on highway sections. In Surat Thani city by 10:00 a.m., parked at the riverfront market, engine off - 55 kilometres from the ferry, 85 kilometres from Chaweng.
On the Tapi River waterfront last March - the old town's shophouse street, the morning fresh market, the pier where overnight boats to Bangkok depart - I rode the CB500X at town speeds through the market area. The bike's weight and length require more attention in tight market streets than the CB300R; I parked and walked the covered market sections. The Surat Thani morning market is worth the ferry crossing alone: local produce, dried seafood, and prepared food that Samui's tourist-oriented markets do not stock. Allow 90 minutes for the market before continuing the road circuit.
From Surat Thani city last March, I took the road south toward Khao Sok National Park - 75 kilometres of dual carriageway transitioning to two-lane mountain road at the park approach. The CB500X at 70 km/h on the mountain road sections - third and fourth gear, consistent gradient - covered the approach in under an hour. At the Khao Sok park entrance I stopped for lunch and turned back. The return to Donsak via the western route adds 15 kilometres but provides a different road profile - quieter, more forest canopy, the same road quality. Total mainland day: 210 kilometres, 7 hours including stops.
On the mainland day last February I filled the CB500X at the Donsak PTT station immediately after the ferry - a 15-minute stop, full tank before the highway. I carried no additional fuel. With 17.5 litres at departure and 30 kilometres per litre on highway-weighted riding, the effective range was 525 kilometres - three times the day's planned distance. No midday fuel stop was required. For a mainland day above 200 kilometres, one fill at Donsak and one in Surat Thani covers the circuit comfortably. The CB500X's tank range removes fuel logistics from the mainland day planning equation.
At the Donsak pier last March at 3:45 p.m. - the 4:00 p.m. ferry, the day's last crossing - I arrived with 15 minutes to spare after a 210-kilometre mainland circuit. I had planned to be there by 3:30 p.m. and arrived on schedule. Ferry departure from Donsak is strict; missing the last crossing means an overnight in Donsak or a fast ride to the alternative Ko Samui-Tha Thong pier connection. The conservative approach: plan the turnaround point to guarantee Donsak arrival 45 minutes before the last ferry. With the CB500X's pace on highway sections, that buffer is achievable on any circuit below 220 kilometres.
Seven years of Donsak ferry crossings and mainland riding on the Honda CB500X has produced a consistent planning approach: depart Nathon on the first ferry, fill at Donsak, plan the turnaround for a Donsak arrival by 3:30 p.m., and book the 4:00 p.m. return. That structure fits a 200 to 220-kilometre mainland day circuit without time pressure. The CB500X's 471cc twin, windscreen, and fuel range all contribute to making that distance comfortable rather than ambitious. No other bike in the Samui rental fleet makes the mainland day circuit as accessible and comfortable as the CB500X.
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