ktm jeff

Some people have their head in the sand with anything concerning Honda. Yes AllanB , Hondas quality has dropped over the years , although i believe it has dropped far more than you know .Honda was the "only " bike some years ago but now all the other companies have caught up (and many have overtaken them) in terms of quality and value.Honda is still banging out bikes with old drum brakes and spoked wheels , when many of their cheaper competition are using modern/safer disc brakes and alloy wheels (that loose less air)look better and give better handling/braking response due to their light weight.If Honda is going to increase production , then their already suspect quality/value will surly fall even further .Honda have very cleaver engineers but the "bean counting" accountants are cutting things too far back to the bone.They have been for about six years now.They are in real danger of being overtaken ,in quality terms, by some of the Chinese companies , and some of them cost less than half!.Honda Wave- great basic bike , but did you read the story of the guy who ,after comparing all the specs , bought a Lifan Aires 110 and found it much better/safer ,as on a previous Honda he had to change the tires and wheels and the suspension just to make it safe/rideable. No problems with the cheaper Lifan.I cant remember this guys name ,SORRY if he reads this ,but he was doing something like 100,000 KMS per year on a variety of bikes.

Most suitable for tracks would be a M-BIKE or KEEWAY dual sport type bikes , or a SHINERAY (from 30,000 baht), if you dont need a "green book".

Im in tears! They are so true. Thanks. How many motorbikes do you need - you can only ride one at a time [How many shoes do you need , you can only wear one pair at a time].This does not cut it !

Informative safety post , hope many others contribute with issues and advice.

Yes , it seems for lighter use the Honda is giving many people great fun - and that , after all , is what this motorcycling lark is all about - yes ?.Some easy modifications make it much better for some people for their specific needs.Many fit an end can - with a re-programmed ECU ,better tires / bars etc. The weight can be reduced (although not as light as the KLX) by changing the exhaust system and the battery (that many people forget about).Even fully modded this bike , and the KLX , .will still be half the price of a KTM. That does not mean the KTM is over priced - just a VERY well built specialised machine (and too much power / maintainance / money for most people - for their intended use.Hope to move full time to Chiang Mai next year - so look forward so meeting you on some rides , will be over for another holiday in April.Enjoy your riding. Im in England , and everything is now so reistrictive the Husaberg FE 450 isnt getting much green-laning use - which is one of my reasons why i have decided to leave England.

Taninthai Hello. I have owned several Hondas (last on was an XR 650 L - liquid cooled). Im wary of them now as the build quality and service in my opinion has continued to fall over the last 5 or 6 years.650 is too big for Thai trails , 450 KTM can sometimes be too quick.CRF 300/400 would be perfect-Kawasaki KLX 300/400 even better but these 250,s are duel purpose bikes built to a budget and a bit too tame for my use.Honda seems too have cut too many corners in quality and equipment in order to price undercut the proven KLX design.If KTM stuck their 390 engine or a milder 350/450 into a EXC chassis im sure it would sell very well but the price would be about 500,000 Baht. KTM Freeride 350 on crosser tires could be perfect but could be priced close to 450,000 Baht and fun/play riders wont pay that much.This is who the CRF is mainly selling to and light use may be OK but i think the CRF is more of an off-road "style" bike ,no disrespect my opinion.If it is the right bike for the use your giving it then that bike is perfect for you - but for the harder use i give my bikes , its not up to the job due to many reasons not only of quality / one radiator / non folding levers / non adjustable suspension and excessive weight.

Shell station on right hand side of the TH THA PHAE - TH CHAROEN MUANG road , going towards railway station/ring road.Good fuel and attendents can fill from air tank or you use the air line that bleeps !

Princess Maha on a tractor , Charles seems to have married one ! OOPS - there goes the knighthood.

Thanks dave-boo , i didnt know it was so cheap and easy to do this repair/replacement on a Kawasaki. I had heard of it being a "weak point" on the Honda , and the parts/labor cost frightened me.Do you know any more about the camchain and / or tensioner "issues".Honda have a habit of saying no problem!(wonder where they get that).The bikes seem more prone to fail if used hard / tuned up. Wouldnt have thought you could tune them up too much , as they only have one radiator. More power means more heat to deal with.Will be interesting if Honda put their 300cc engine into the CRF soon (and another rad) to give it a bit of much needed go , as this engine has lost the battle against the Kawasaki 300 engine by some margin. If they brought the weight down by 20lbs towards the KLX weight it would be a very tempting true dual purpose bike.

Only just discovered this post / topic. Richard BKK , have read many of your posts , and they are very informative , please keep up the work. Dont let some individuals try to spoil it for everyone else. Many thanks.

In general , build quality of Hondas has gone down over the past few years , although there are people who will always , and only , buy Honda.I believe there has been some problems with the camchains rattling / jumping and /or breaking (one could lead to the other). Havent heard much more on whether this is down to cheap/faulty chains or the tensioners themselves. There may be manual adjustable after-market units available to solve this problem. Because these bikes only have one radiator , tuning them up too much may cause overheating problems,as a few people have expressed concerns about.Have heard about the gear shifter shaft breaking as you mention ,not a quality problem if caused by a crash , but it requires an engine/gearbox strip to fix , and this wont be covered on warranty. Must be a design fault as i have never known this happen to a Kawasaki KLX.The CRF is more suited to road riding and its 24 HP engine not designed to make too much power.Changing to a larger rear sprocket will help acceleration/wheelies HA HA !

All these parts (and much more) are available in Thailand. Some modifications will invalidate your warranty - check if this worries you, as Honda has had some quality problems with this bike (and others).Best to talk with local owners / groups to see whats available,and what they are doing about the problems they are encountering, and the improvements they recommend offer the best value for money .Good exhausts shouldnt be too loud , fuel consumption will increase slightly but (if done correctly)the bike will be smoother with more power in the mid range.If you ride on mainly tarmac then swaping the cheap tires with some Michelins (pilots) ? would be a good move.There is a shop almost next to "riders corner" cafe on the moat corner that may fit the mods , but have never used them - do my own work ,although other members may know other places - there are plenty.

If your budget for a new bike is 50-60,000 baht then get some information for Keeway / M-Bike / RKV / Sym / Platinum. Lifan arent too good (but cheaper).Hondas build quality has fallen over the years ,and they are some way behind Yamaha / Kawasaki etc, and their bikes are 3 times dearer than the the bikes mentioned, whose build quality is improving all the time,and while their dealers arent as plentiful as some of the Japanese brands, it wont be too much of a problem to find a local mechanic to keep the bike in order.They can require more maintainence due to their build quality, but for the price they are very good unless you go for a secondhand bike.Some people are scared by the advance of these Chinese bikes and will tell you not to buy them , but they offer great value, so dont discount them ,do plenty of research and make your own mind up. Good luck , and welcome to TVF !

No worse than your other bikes!, 555. Hows the brake pulsing problem on your other bike Clare ? I would take the chance on this bike , how many have been run low on oil during their life ,many i suspect , but they still seem to "chug on". Engine fix in the future ,if needed , not a big expense . Keep us informed on your growing fleet of bikes.

If it's being mis-treated , I think I might be tempted to take it for a walk to a more caring owner !

If the bike has been standing a while , being fixed up , there may be a rust spot (barley visible) where the disc pad has sat against the disc , and may just require cleaning up with abrasive paper.A slight warp may be straightened out with careful use of small lever ( or remove disc and straighten on a anvil ).Rust spot OR a warped disc will cause feeling as described with one pulse per wheel revolution.

Get the paint code from VIN (ID ) plate , and try FORD dealer , owner of MAZDA.

similar to kawasaki kaze ?

Sorry you have to move back good luck with the sale good price

How old is /was this Mugen 250 ?

As David48 says , i require an open relationship , but only for the months my other "sponsors" arent here ! Unless NO gifts of value are bought/given , during your 1 month together , in which case --- LUCKY YOU. PS does she have a sister ?

Simple life - No internet !

Time to switch to LEO ?

DAM , Thought you said medication !

Although your ticket is void (not issued) , could they chase you for the money you agreed to pay. Do they have your card details ?