"I think Avalon Tours and BJ (the tour leader) are the greatest. In my opinion, BJ is an old-world-type gentleman who enjoys interacting with his clients and ensuring they have memorable experience. I've been on two motorcycle tours in northern Vietnam, and although they were well organized, I think BJ was more thorough in the planning and execution of the routes, lodging, meals, etc. As you know, even small details can make or break the overall enjoyment of exploring new horizons.
As far as old coots, although I don't feel like one, when reality sets in I realize I am one. I went on the Grand Tour with BJ about a year ago, and he didn't treat me any differently than the much younger guys who also rode with us. I believe another senior was planning on riding with us, but a last minute medical problem caused him to cancel. If not, there would have been two old codgers on that tour.

When I went on the Grand Tour a year ago, I found the Honda motorcycles more than adequate for cruising in Thailand (much better than the Belarusian Minsk bike I rode in Vietnam). I found it to be comfortable, and since then he has added more padding to the seat, so it should be almost like your favourite TV chair at home. My wife doesn't ride, and she doesn't care to ride pillion on a tour...a little too much togetherness.

I didn't find the rides to be the least bit tiring as we usually rode from about 0830 until 1630 or 1700 hours with frequent coffee/rest and sightseeing stops during the day. We always had breakfast at the hotel, and BJ always knew the best places to eat good Thai food for lunch and dinner and away from touristy places. Another thing that made the ride less tiring was the fact that the roads are very good in Thailand. In Vietnam, it seems like most roads were either muddy, gravel or under construction...these conditions often caused delays so we sometimes arrived at our destinations well after dark. That made for long days and on those days I was especially happy to dismount, shower and have a cold beer. The panniers are certainly adequate for carrying your clothing, etc., since BJ schedules a laundry layover every 3 to 5 days or so. But I also carried a small bag over my shoulder for things I wanted to have easy access to, such as water, snacks, etc.

I had planned on taking the Mekong River tour with BJ last October, even had my airline ticket and hotel reservations in Bangkok. But due to medical condition had to bail out of that tour. I fully intend to take the Mekong River tour this December.

The bottom line is that I can recommend BJ and his Avalon Tours without reservation. So book your tour and mount up".