Accidental Exploration
KR Motors Chat 110
Testing a New Sprocket in the Asan Mountains
The plan was simple: ride the exact same hills as last time to see how the new 16-tooth sprocket handled the terrain. No grand ambitions, just a quick technical diagnostic on the KR Motors Chat 110, my Korean-made Honda Super Cub clone.
Instead, a pair of open gates and a questionable dirt trail turned a routine test ride into a 70-kilometer mountain adventure. Here is how a quick gear check evolved into an off-road scouting mission through South Korea’s rugged interior.
Part 1: The Upgrades & The Interconnected Ridge
The 16T sprocket proved to be an absolute game-changer right out of the gate. On flat pavement, it bumped the little bike’s top speed from 76 km/h to a comfortable 85 km/h (that’s 47 mph to 52 mph for you US folks), making the journey out to the hills much less stressful. More importantly, the impact on climbing torque was almost imperceptible.
Reassured by the extra breathing room in the top end, I kept moving past the usual turnaround point.
Soon enough, the asphalt gave way to gravel.
Local mountain roads here are usually gated off, but today was my lucky day; the gates were wide open. I pointed the front wheel uphill and started climbing.
One mountain road seamlessly led into another, and before long, I was navigating an interconnected network running straight across the ridges.
The isolation was brilliant. Down in the valleys, I could glimpse farmers working their fields and small, quiet villages tucked into the hillsides, Asan city far in the distance. Up on the ridge, it was just me and the machine.
Part 2: Pushing the Limits on a “Questionably Legal” Trail
At the absolute highest point of the network, the road ended, and a narrow trail began. It bore all the hallmarks of a hiking or mountain biking path, but a quick scan revealed fresh tire tracks and a distinct lack of “No Motorized Vehicles” signs.
Naturally, I rode right in.
The trail quickly turned technical: deep ruts, loose dirt, sharp rock gardens, and a few sections barely wide enough for a single pedestrian to squeeze through.
This is where the little bike’s true colors shined. Despite running pure street tires and lacking heavy horsepower, its lightweight footprint made it an absolute asset. It crawled up the steepest sections in first and second gear without missing a single beat.
The real challenge wasn’t going up; it was coming back down. With cable-actuated drum brakes, descents require strategy. To keep everything under control on the steep, loose drops, the key was keeping the bike firmly in gear to let engine braking do the heavy lifting while carefully modulating both the front and rear levers.
One kilometer deep into the thick forest, I hit a massive stone pile: a classic marker indicating a popular local hiking route. Realizing I still had 1.5 kilometers of increasingly rough terrain to reach the mountain fortress signs I’d been tracking, I decided to call it a day.
I cut the engine, took a break to cool off, drank some water, and resolved to return on a quiet Monday when the trail would be completely clear of hikers.
Part 3: Döner and Data
Exiting the dense canopy, the trail dropped me right back into civilization.
Thirty minutes north brought me to the bustling perimeter of Camp Humphreys, the largest US Army base in Korea. To wrap up the ride, I pulled over at Nazar Kebab for a turkey döner. The area is an incredible cultural crossroads, a vibrant street-corner mix of American, Russian, Uzbek, Turkish, and Filipino influences, and the food was the perfect reward for a hot afternoon in the dirt.
By the time I pulled back into the garage, the bike was surprisingly clean, and I was completely intact.
The Ride by the Numbers:
Total Distance: 69.72 km
Total Time: 3 hours, 19 minutes (Moving time: 2h 34m)
Total Ascent: 619 meters
Max Speed Achieved: 85.7 km/h
The new sprocket is officially verified, the scouting mission is complete, and the mountain fortresses are locked in as the next target.
Have you ever taken a commuter bike way past its comfort zone? Let me know in the comments below!