AllanB

 This year I planned on getting a Triumph Spitfire for my fun vehicle, however I soon dicovered that the 1500 is reeeeealy boring, so my thoughts have moved to bikes for our European tourer. 

A number a years ago I looked at a Vulcan in Thailand and thought it just up my street, it fitted me, felt good and looked good, the thing that killed it was that I hate highway riding and I needed something that will go on the back of my 4 door pickup.

In Europe, howeve, I will be buying a trailer so anything will fit on that, so I am considering 2 bikes, the Vulcan and a Triumph Bonneville and would like to here from someone who has a Vulcan, or who has riden one and has an objective opinion.

650cc is just about right for me and the Mrs as I am not a fast rider, just like to chill and cruise the mountain twisties.

In Thailand the seller is king, I wonder how long before that changes, in the west it is the customer and bearing in mind he has the money and the seller wants it, it is the logical order of things.

I have both, A Yamaha Filano and a Vespa GTS, paid B51K in Thailand for the Yammy and B140K for the Vespa in the UK, the Vespa is a much, much nicer scooter to ride, handles and looks great.

Did long trips on both, the MHS loop on the Yamaha and UK-Portugal on the Vespa, both pretty easy, but now I love the 8km e/w ride through the twisties every morning to the shops to get bread and milk.

You decide whether it is worth the difference in dosh. You only live once.

I think the biggest stress is the inability to get get a test ride, I first bought the Lifan GY200 and that ran like a pig, I felt a real fool, but a little spannering and 500km running in and I had a peach.

Next came the CRF250, a real disappointment that has remained so..and what can you do, modify and hope it works out, or sell and lose money?

Last year I bought a virtually new Vespa GTS, had a spin up the road, no problem. I could have tried a CRFRally in the UK, they kept asking me, a few months before I bought in Thailand, coulda woulda shoulda.....bugga.

Sold my Lifan X-Cross 200 to a Russian guy, he arrived to collect it with his GF and they each had a 25kg rucksack with them and I was shocked to think they were going to ride home, a 500km trip.

Anyway, I fitted the old pannier rack i had made, back on the bike and they strapped everything on, front wheel almost off the ground and they set off on their .....3,500km tour of Loas and southern Thailand.

Got an email from them a couple of weeks later sayiny "2,000+km in and bike is fine."

Crazy Russian!! A good 200kg payload with not a great weight distubution......

The reason I sold it, not enough power for 2, bought a CRF250, but that's another story.

2 hours ago, Rdrokit said:

Everyone has their opinion. I have been riding since I was 14 and am 71 now. Had my Stallions 400 Scrambler for 2 years now and nothing is rusting unlike the rust on my wife's 1 year old Honda Scoopy's rims. It's a fun bike, not fast but not slow and very maneuverable at 160 kgs. Paid 116,000 baht for mine and I think one of the bargains out there for motorcycles.

Is that all it is 160kg, that would go on my 4 door truck, cause I hate highways. Wish I had known that before I bout the CRF. 

TIT!!! What day of the week do you plan on going out?

My mate refused to hand over his 500 Bullet, but no big deal, it would have cost me a fortune to do it up compared to a ready-to-go and in my situation I need a pre 1980 bike (no MOT needed).

So I keep looking on Ebay, I would love to ride one back to Portugal from the UK, with a bag of spanners, maybe find a side car later. I wonder if there are many Indian mechanics in France and Spain?

Someone said they don't look cool, some whippersnapper most likely, not shaving yet...

Just looked a couple of Youtube videos and the look a bit awkward, hard steering, but then the guy said he got used to it and found it big fun.

They are purpose built for the sidecar (I think) they even have reverse, so not sure if the bike goes on it's own, like most.

I assume they are built, LHD or RHD as the one in the photo is RHD and the home market would be LHD.

When my Vespa gets to the age where it needs an MOT (meaning I have have to take it to the UK every year), I may go down the sidecar route. I am not a fast rider, so may suit me and gotta have a go.

.........Wow!!, it won't be a Ural though...I just noticed £15,000.......that must be the sanction duty....

I think they look cool.

Ural Motorcycles from Russia.

Russian vehicles have been a bit of a mixed bag over the years, Lada Niva was/is a really tough vehicle, I competed against them in the Ladoga Trophy and they survived a real beating, when the Landrovers and Jap vehicles fell to bits.

For years Kamaz trucks have dominated the tough Dakar Rallies, indeed they started the truck catagory, with their fast relaible support trucks.

.....on the other hand we have the Euro-copy vehicles like the Opel reincarnation, the dreaded Moskvitch and Fiat clone the Lada Riva and a few others the Russians kept for themselves.

If the key is the Russians doing their own thing, maybe they will be good, they certainly look darn cool IMO.

If they are bad we can blame Putin  ? .....or Trump.

https://www.imz-ural.com/blog/2017/01/06/1227

The UK is statically one of the safest driving countries in the world, Thailand one of the most dangerous, but after 6 weeks of city riding I don't feel that safe here in the UK.

Okay I realise driving/riding styles differ, but everyone here in the UK is so GD impatient. Make your way through the busy traffic, pisses off at least one person, even if you are off and out of their way when the lights change. This is confirmed when you get to the next set of lights, where a few cars will try to block your progress.

I understand that in north America feeding through the traffic on a bike is illeagal and maybe that is the reason, that it angers some people to have a bike/scooter making progress while their car is stuck.

Portugal, where we spend summers is a little better, but a few drivers drive fast a close to bikers, so is Thailand really that bad?

On 7/19/2018 at 12:42 AM, DILLIGAD said:

 

Been out already a long time (self cancelling indicators).

 

 

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Self cancelling indicators are complicated and expensive a simple clicker costs the manufacturer $1 and works really well. Been riding our little Peugeot 50 (Click) around town for 6 weeks now and never leave the indicators on. When I get on the Vespa, MrsB is always reminding me I have left them on because they are silent.

Riding around with your indicators on is not the safest thing to do, especially in the UK where patience has ceased to be considered a virtue.

On 4/5/2018 at 1:41 AM, papa al said:

environmental concerns maybe?

Been noticing smog of late.

 

... would like to see the mechanics on how these work.

like a super starter-motor. ?

maybe rear hub motor?

Still 155cc?

Theoretically gas + elec could accelerate like mad.

A few mods:

Burn-out baby ! Wheelie !

Maybe pa should check onweb... .

environmental concerns my arse..political bullshit from your man Al Gore.

On 6/22/2018 at 12:54 AM, poanoi said:

oh, no, my ar$e is a delicate piece of machinery,

i can not sit on a seat like that, i need a soft, well cushioned, comfy, ole man seat,

specifically designed to absorb impact.

my back is also nearly broken, i need to sit,

and there is no cushion between the hard parts in the spine, the seat need to make up for the spine deficit.

i once tried to sit on the seat on one of those cross bikes at a shop, cause those africa twins looks rather nice, but OMGTWF what a joke of a seat,

it was painful just the few seconds my ar$e touched that seat, NO WAY i sit on that no matter pay

Me too, I bought a piece of 1" sponge and held it on with a simple mesh seat cover, very comfortable and the soft off-road suspension and big wheels make it more comfortable than our Filano.

Did the Mae Hong Song Loop a few months ago with MrsB, peice of cake on my arse. Did the same trip on a Filano a year previous, the CRF was better.

You sit upright on a CRF, plus you can take the weight on your legs or even stand when the road gets bumpy. On a scooter/road bike you can put your back out on a pothole, or dog's body!!

CRF250 and if you manage to catch your knees on that..get up/stand up.

8 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

1. Get back to Blighty.

2. Contact Hitchcocks.

3. Ask for the free paper catalogue.

4. Write a list of parts rec'qd and questions you wish to ask.

5. Ask their advice. Tell them your situation. They are a knowledgeable, friendly bunch.

6. Points, condensor, (or cheapo electronic ignition kit), plug, carb rebuild kit, taper roller conversion kit for the headstock, gasket set, etc etc.

7. New socks and underpants.

 

 

Cheers. The bike is stripped down to it's g-string, so maybe they have a Haynes or something. I am hoping the crank/conrod is still in one piece, as i don't have a clue how to line that up. Only ever worked on cars with one piece crank a shell bearings.

The bike is kick start and RH gearchange so new thing to learn there too, hopefully I can kick it over with my right foot as my left knee is shot.

7 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

I've said it before, and I will not repeat it again.

Hitchcocks Motorcycles free paper (which I have) or on line parts and service catalogue.

It is all you will ever need for all things RE in parts and/or knowledge.

Yes, I recall, but the bike is being assembled in Central Portugal and I want to buy the bits first. Just wondered what addition items would be good.

You have done a few bikes before and wondered about the "fundimentals".

2 hours ago, Agusts said:

Depending on what year the CB300F is make sure it has sorted the engine problem , I read there was a big Honda recall due to that a while ago.....

 

After Hero Monument square on the way to the Phuket airport there is a Benelli shop on the right (a few hundred meters or so I think), check out their TNT 250 and TNT 300 models, you might like the 300, not quite one of the big 4 companies but worth a look at those prices.

 

I never tried any of these, but on the paper Yamaha MT-03 is hard to beat (2 cylinders, 321cc and ABS etc.).

 

 

I didn't find the CB300 very big at all, the Kawa twin was better, but although test drives are difficult sitting on the bike will probably solve the size problem.

Sports bikes are hard on the neck and wrists for commuting, but if you are a young bloke, not an issue I guess.

Not sure about your budget, but the 650 Vulcan is one worth sitting on, it almost tempted me, very nice. Easy to ride by all accounts........

It is called a ONS tool kit, takes 2 condoms and a toothbrush. A "bum bag" is slightly bigger for one extra item.

I think you would be hard pushed to find a more cramped bike than the Mslag and most of the 300s are pretty small too. Knees in your armpits stuff.

I am 183 and have a CRF250L and that fits me quite well and for a bigger bike the Kawa Vulcan has plenty of room, with lots of adjustment. I thought about one a few years ago, missed opportunity IMO.

A couple of weeks and we head off to the UK to collect a box full of bits, which will hopefully turn into a 1991 500 RE Bullet, kick start, with right foot gearshift. With nothing available in Portugal I was looking for a bit of advice of what to take back with the bike.

All the chrome is buggad, but there is a powder coaters here and I guess they have a shot blaster. I know it needs a bag of head bearing balls, a carb rubber manifold, plug/points and am waiting to hear about the tyres, but new tubes will be needed. The exhaust will need some heat resistant paint I am guessing.

There is a local guy with a centre lather, mig/tig but he is always busy.

Any idea whether it uses AF or metric headed nuts/bolts?

Yeh, so I know a few of you have built/rebuilt bikes in a parts/materials desert, so something of your experience will be helpful.

Cheers

On 26/04/2018 at 3:11 PM, taninthai said:

New shock ,,new tyres ....ready for a big trip all the way from down south up to the north......ride around there a bit then ride back south..leave in a couple of days

Just curious, how many km do you get out of these tyres and do you ride them hard?

Vespas, perfect in all conditions....

This is the most important part of ANY motorcycle trip....

20 hours ago, CMKiwi said:

I agree, using a top box when going off road or across country probably isn't the best idea. As you suggested, too many stress points that will take a hammering.

 

I've actually not heard of that acronym OME before....OEM (Original Equipment from Manufacturer) is quite a bit more common tho.

OME is an Australian manufacturer and amongst the Off-roading community their shocks are (or were) considered the best. Everyone who goes to challenge the Africa corrugations fit them, if not on their first attempt, they do on the second.

My last trip to north Africa a guy taught me to fast drive and drift the corrugations, which takes the load of the suspension by skipping over the ruts. Had OME shocks on my 1971 Range Rover and everything was fine and great comfort given the conditions. Not sure if I would do that on a bike though with two wheels missing.

I guess if you live in the dirt-road capital of the world you learn something, either that or have a long-long walk.

On the subject of small bikes, we carry a 50cc Peugeot scooter on the back of our campervan, gets us right into town, even through some of the narrow streets where bigger bikes wouldn't fit. I have a lived with a buggad left knee for ten years now, so walking isn't easy, this little bike and the Vespa makes life really easy.

Riding a scooter around these streets is totally accepted by the locals, big bikes would not be at all welcome.