This makes for a great ride and a good stay. I shy away from Cameron Highlands these days simply because after they improved the road into the Camerons, well, all the crowds go there. It's still a nice place to visit but too many folks, especially on weekends. It was better when the old "hazardous" road was still in operation as it kept a lot of people away.
Frasers, on the other hand, well, if you go up via the normal western approach, you're still confronted with the one-laner for the top ascent. Here traffic flows up/down on alternate hours. This section has countless hairpins but on a superbike, it'll just be too tight. It's still a worthy ride and one thing for sure...there won't be any oncoming traffic!
The first bike I rode into Frasers was my ZX1100 Kawasaki - as you might say wrong tool for the job. The Kawasaki liked the NS Ekspressway but not really the tight twisties of Frasers. The next bike I road into the Highlands was my Suzuki TL1000s. It's thumping Vee-Twin filled each valley with thunder - nice! When I got the Ducati, my friends said it would never run long enough to enjoy - eat dirt, it's done 50,000 miles on Malaysian, Singaporean & Thai roads and never missed a beat. The Ducati might not be as quick on the highway as some of the Japanese machines, but it sure is more accurate on the brakes and that's what counts on the testing back roads! Without the standard issue Brembo brakes, am sure I wouldn't be here today to waffle on!!
On the lower reaches, it's a narrow two-laner, complete with oncoming cars and trucks! The last time I was mid-corner only to be confronted by a huge semi-trailer with a trailer far too big for the road, so take it easy on this bit. It's a nice road that winds up about a 1000m so it gets nice & cool.
The main thoroughfare has big sweeping curves following an undulating path around a huge lake. It makes for a great getaway from city life. Frasers was a British retreat and still has the charm of an English Village, not that I would know what one of those are like but I guess it's something like Frasers!
It's a good idea to go up on the western side and then come down via the back road - out to the southeast. This side is more prone to landslides than the drier west side. I counted 5 on my last road trip, but that makes it so much more exciting. Anyway, they're just small landslides!! Again this is a 2-lane road with tight 1st and 2nd gear corners for most of the descent and you'll feel it warming rather too soon. Once on the lowlands again, there's a few paths you can take so you'll need to look at a map or just follow the GPS. Either way will take you through some small towns and then dump you back on the Karak Highway.
While you can hop on the Karak, I prefer the road which parallels the Karak. This is the old road hidden in the jungle at points about 200m higher than the Highway. There's a big 'H" shaped intersection right where the Highlands intersection MacDonalds is. If you stay on the southern side of the Rest Area, you'll find the old road. It does eventually lead back into KL and makes for a good blast i.e. out of KL...onto the Karak...get to the Rest Stop...peel off and head south on the old road. This route will give you a mix of every type of road, speed and corner as well as some cool weather! The old road gets a few rogue trucks so keep an eye out for them!
Frasers itself is a peaceful place that is so nutrient-rich that every conceivable colour of flower has made its home there. Choice place has to be Ye Old Smokehouse. It's a charming old homestead that the Red Cross used as a retreat for ex-servicemen. Today, it's a great place to stay charmed by the old setting and even has a fireplace.
Frasers comprises just a few roads pretty much in a ring fashion. So you really can't get too lost (well, not for long) unless you wander off into the rainforest that is thick and lush! What's there to do? Soak up the atmosphere, enjoy the peace and absorb all that nature has on display. I did chance upon some professional bird watchers, but for the love of me, I can't figure that 'sport' out! !
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