RubberSideDown

Of the bikes you listed, the Street Triple would likely be the most fun choice- the FZ-09 is good as well, but, as you noted, you would likely want to upgrade the suspension (though possibly not, especially if your not very heavy).

Yeah, I wondered about that. I'm around 100 kilos.

Of the bikes you listed, the Street Triple would likely be the most fun choice- the FZ-09 is good as well, but, as you noted, you would likely want to upgrade the suspension (though possibly not, especially if your not very heavy).

^^

What does a 'beef' have to do with anything?

You've misunderstood the point being made in the article- of course you can't shift with the balls of your feet on the pegs, but when actually shifting is the only time your feet should be in that forward position. The balls of your feet should be on the pegs until it's necessry to make a move to the shift lever (obviously- even on a tight track- you spend more time between shifts than you actually spend in the act of moving the lever)- this allows you to properly position your body to prepare for the upcoming turn. You go from the balls of your feet to moving forward and making the necessary shift(s) as quickly as possible, and then back to the balls of your feet. Foot position is not only about shifting on a sportbike.

As it says, anytime your not shifting or braking, the balls of your feet belong on the pegs- this will be the majority of the time you're in the saddle.

Yes, it's a personal choice, but that doesn't mean you're necessarliy making the best or correct choice, especially for performance riding. For cruising, sure, feet back is fine, but on the bike in question in the OP, anything but a rearward position is going to lead to shifting difficulties (QED with the OP's experience, where others with the same bike and similarly-sized feet have no issues).

On a sportbike or standard with the rear-sets positioned behind the rider's knees, riding with the balls of your feet on the pegs is correct if you're on a road or in a traffic situation that requires a lot of gear changes- I always do this unless I'm droning along on the highway and don't expect to do much shifting or repositioning of my body to set up for a turn, in which case I might move my feet a bit forward as it's a more comfortable position, but I have to move my left foot back again to properly shift. On a cruiser it may be a different story, but I have no real reference for that.

This article from Sport Rider Magazine references the proper technique:

http://www.sportrider.com/body-positioning-and-steering-techniques

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Things like braking distance, acceleration, handling, etc are not subject to speculation but are measurable quantities- anyone who's been riding for a period of time beyond the beginner phase knows how these characteristics can help a good rider stay safe as they're tools that can be used for accident avoidance by a skilled operator. As far as 'respect shown by road users' goes, there is the way it should be, and there is reality. My view is backed up by having ridden on both big bikes and scooters in Thailand and elsewhere for many years and over long distances. Your constant assertion that the differences can't be measured seems pretty silly in light of the fact that there are so many of us who have ridden both types of bikes in different environments and are qualified to make the call. A preponderance of anecdotal evidence is telling enough, IMHO.

All riders being equal, the bike with the shorter braking distance from a given speed, better acceleration, sharper handling, etc will be the safer choice as long as it's in competent hands- all riders aren't equal, though. An idiot (and, based on observation over many years, most riders- both Thai and foreign- are idiots in the sense that they take no pride or real interest in becoming good riders and feel they're 'good enough' with a couple hours' practice and see no reason to work on becoming better) is in danger no matter what he's on, but is likely better off on a scooter as the limited capabilities are a closer match to his limited skills.

A good rider will generally be fine on anything on two wheels, but even Valentino Rossi can't exceed the braking limits of something like a Click- if he needs to stop from 100kph in 40 meters when the bike can stop in 50 meters at best, he's going to have an accident. From a safety standpoint, I'll take the bike that will give me the most options in an emergency, be it hitting the brakes or the gas or leaning it over in a heartbeat. There's no argument that scooters are more convenient in many situations, and I've owned Waves for 15 years for running to the market or the gym, but they're definitely not as 'safe' as my bigger bikes in the sense of what I can do in a dangerous situation. Of course, I ride the two bikes differently- I gear up differently- I have way more respect for my 14R than my Wave (which is actually not too smart on my part as any vehicle needs to be respected on the road), but when someone pulls out in front of me or (especially) attempts to overtake me, I have more control over the situation on my Kawi than my scooter, and I'd say in that aspect it's 'safer'.

The 'It depends on the rider' argument doesn't really hold up when the rider in question can ride decently- for a tourist who's never been on two wheels, a scooter is 'safer' (though still a deathtrap for the incompetent)- if you can ride without getting in over your head with some power under you, you're better off (from a safety standpoint) on a bigger bike with better brakes, acceleration, and traction.

Yes, it's possible for her to bring in the bike if it's been registered in her name for at least 18 months (though it will be a paperwork nightmare and there are no guarantees)- no, it will not be tax-exempt, and will likely cost an amount that would make it a foolish venture in light of what can be purchased locally.

Here's the official info- http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+personal+vehicle/importingpersonalvehicle+

Note that the laws have actually tightened up and that the information in that link is a bit dated and makes it seem like a more straight-forward process than it actually is. The government has made the personal importation of vehicles nearly impossible over the last couple of years, and it's basically become the sole province of professional importers.

You should have added this disclaimer sir to your bold 2009 link above. (WARNING: The information in this website is intended as a general guideline only and subject to changes without prior notice. It does not in any way replace or supersede Customs and related laws or regulations. Before relying on the information on the Website, users should independently verify its accuracy, completeness and relevance for their purposes.)

I would have thought saying that the information was dated and that the laws have tightened up making it virtually impossible to personally import a vehicle would have sufficed.

Yes, it's possible for her to bring in the bike if it's been registered in her name for at least 18 months (though it will be a paperwork nightmare and there are no guarantees)- no, it will not be tax-exempt, and will likely cost an amount that would make it a foolish venture in light of what can be purchased locally.

Here's the official info- http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+personal+vehicle/importingpersonalvehicle+

Note that the laws have actually tightened up and that the information in that link is a bit dated and makes it seem like a more straight-forward process than it actually is. The government has made the personal importation of vehicles nearly impossible over the last couple of years, and it's basically become the sole province of professional importers.

Hmmm... nice introduction of a straw man (overnight?) You're correct in a sense, though- my braking skills, my risk assessment skills, my roadcraft skills, etc were developed over a period of time- your 'old lady' will one day meet a situation she should be able to easily avoid (if she hasn't aready- most Thais have several accidents under their belts in their lives, and many bear scars), and she'll crash (as would you, most likely), where I would be able to deftly avoid it and continue merrily on my way.

I don't take 'risks' in traffic (I really don't take 'risks' at all beyond getting on the bike in he first place)- I assess my environment and proceed in a safe manner- that 'safe manner' may be faster than you'd choose to go, but as I'm no doubt many levels above you in skill, I'd still be safer than you would in any case. We could ride the exact same bike, and I'd stop in a shorter distance from a given speed than you, I'd hold a line better than you could, and I'd anticipate better than you- it wasn't necessary for me to take risks to gain these skills, but it took a lot of practice and study in both classroom and practical areas like tracks and parking lots where I could try new skills in a safe setting. Have you ever done a braking drill? I doubt it. I know you rode an unsafe bike for a year that you'd stall at stoplights and it wouldn't fire up again for several minutes- how street-smart was that? And you're a person who can make assessments of skill...?

You'll always be a rubbish rider as you have no interest in becoming a good one, and you'll always have to hope that the others sharing the road with you are riding safely enough to save you as you don't have the skills to have a chance at saving yourself if it really comes down to it. 'Ignorance is strength', right, Allan?

'Skill' as far as a street rider is concerned goes way beyond high-performance riding- it has to do with risk and threat assessment, and a knowledge base that extends past 'twist this and squeeze that'- to say that unskilled riders are actually safer than skilled riders was and continues to be the most foolish thing I've read on this forum, and that's really saying something, especially by someone who claims to be so safety conscious and considers himself to be 'above average' (and therefore at more risk than he was when he first started riding and knew nothing, I would assume).

Skill is NOT 'perceived or otherwise'- it's either present or it's not- to qualify it like that lumps the skilled and unskilled (who assume they know what they're doing) into the same group, which shows cognitive dissonance on the part of the person attempting to make the argument.

Of the 25,000 or so road fatalties Thailand sees every year, ~65% were on scooters- it's a shame we lose ~16,000 of the skillful annually- you'd think as the better riders were killed off, the death rate would drop as the dummies took over.

Really, this concept of 'skilled is dangerous' is Orwellian- 'Freedom is slavery' and (especially) 'Ignorance is strength' come to mind.

Better riders are less likely to have an accident than less-skilled riders if they're riding in the same environment- no one with an ounce of rider knowledge is dragging a knee in heavy traffic or popping wheelies during rush hour- they're too busy scanning the road for the best possible position for their bikes and observing the traffic surrounding them and looking for potential trouble- the unskilled riders are simply riding with the hope and expectation that the skills of the others on the road are sufficient to keep them alive- the skilled riders are influencing their own environments as much as possible and are depending on themselves for their safety.

Fastest ever two-up speeder (caught in the act) in the UK- 148mph on a ZZR1400 (ZX-14R):

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My ZX-14R (even before I dropped 15kg from it and upgraded the brake lines and pads) has the same ~121' 60-0 stopping distance as a CBR250R even though there's a weight difference of over 200lbs- quality brake components (large discs and beefy calipers) make a huge difference. A 600cc supersport also stops in about the same distance (within a meter).

For me, the main difference between a scooter and a 'big bike' is simple- both can easily get you into trouble- the bigger bike usually offered more ability to get you out of it through superior performance (in all aspects- braking, acceleration, handling, etc).

They probably sold out of the Two Brothers stand- it must have been two years ago that I saw it there. You can get a Chinese knock-off of it with free shipping to LOS (there are likely other colors or a better price- I didn't search too deeply). It's more expensive than the DMP, but likely more stable.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Racing-Motorcycle-Sport-Rear-Combo-Wheel-Lift-Stands-Paddock-Stands-YW-/271229064957?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f268316fd&vxp=mtr

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Yes, I imported a Bursig stand (from Germany, not the UK)- it was very pricey with shipping and import taxes, but it does exactly what I wanted and I'm glad I have it. My bike weighs over 250kg and I didnt trust the DMP stand to support it (plus I would have had to modify it to accommodate my wide swingarm)- with a lighter bike it wouldn't be an issue, but paddock stands can be tricky (again, the heavier the bike, the more careful you have to be), and I wanted something that would lift both wheels off the ground without dealing with front and rear stands (also I wanted to be able to move the bike around while it was on the stand). I know that Red Baron used to stock the Two Brothers S1 rear stand- it's the one I'd be using if I had decided to go that route as it's very high quality and extremely solid where the DMP is a bit spindly.

This is the Bursig- the ABBA Superbike Stand (which is from the UK) is another good one:

^

As I noted, the can won't fit without fabrication. If you're willing to make an adaptor, you can get a car muffler to fit if you wanted.

I'm assuming you're talking about the can- obviously the whole system isn't going to fit. The header pipe diameter of the Z1000 is likely much larger (5-10mm, probably), in which case you'd need a welder to fabricate an adaptor to get it to fit- it won't sound remotely the same on a Ninja 300, though, and would likely lower your bottom end through loss of back-pressure.

The rules for motorbikes are based on 125cc. Bigger bikes are relatively cheap and more available now. Live in a small non tourist place and saw two Ducati in an hour, second one ridden by a 15 year old school kid. Two school kids on a Ducati Monster, Thailand. The fine for being stopped is so low as is the chance of being stopped. Do not suggest breaking the law but what is the law.

Where are you from originally? Big bikes in Thailand cost about 3 times the price they would be in the USA. Yes, there are a few cheap-ish used ones, but they are generally ragged out and not something I'd want to purchase. I've seen 20+ year old Honda Bros 400s sold here for almost the same price as a brand new Honda CBR500R in the USA. I've seen used Thai Ducati's listed at 1.5X their new retail price in the USA. Ninja 300, old model, high kms, priced the same as a brand new on in the USA.

A Ducati is a nice enough bike, not my favorite but they're nice, but many of them in Thailand are Frankensteins from 10 different wrecked bikes with a cheap coat of paint on top, or have motors on the verge of collapse. New ones are highly overpriced and face extremely high taxes as well.

(Sorry, slightly off topic but relevant to the quoted post)

Another reason I don't trust salesmen- last month I asked about the 1299 Panigale at Ducati CM, and they said they wouldn't be selling it this year, and might get it next year, but there it is on their new price list...

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There's a bit more to it than that, but the main difference is that the 899 is built in LOS and the big brother is built in Bologna. Note, though, that the standard Panigale is 1.4m- the 'S' (with electronic suspension, along with other goodies) is 1.8m.

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Strange pricing structure- who in their right mind would order an 1199 Paigale S when the new 1299 S is being sold at the same price? At least they left a bit of disparity between the 796 and 821.

The X1 has a push-down button to set the lock- the X2 doesn't have this feature and the key needs to be used to lock it.

^^

Yeah- you don't want a heavy 428lb (wet weight) Hypermotard with 108hp when you can have a 'light' 570lb scooter with a 61" wheelbase that puts out 40hp (and would cost about 500K if you could find one at an importer, not to mention a service center- good luck with that)- that's the perfect Bangkok commuter bike...

Come on, at least do a couple minute's research on the bikes in question before offering advice- there are traffic environments where the Piaggio would be a good choice- Bangkok isn't one of them.

As far as the 'stolen' comment goes, a bike like a Wave or CBR250 is more likely to get stolen due to the greater demand and easier distribution for parts- we have a lot of Ducati owners here, and I don't recall any of them complaining about a stolen bike in LOS.

Then no, Kawi likely won't service a 2014 it as they won't have parts on hand- they probably wouldn't even have a service manual- they sold the ZX-10R (restricted version) a few years ago, but not the current generation. He could try the Piston Shop in Chiang Mai- I have no personal experience, but I've read mostly good reports about them (though they're probably hit-and-miss like most other shops).

There aren't many easier sportbikes to change the oil on than a ZX-14R- no fairings have to be removed, and you can access the filter and drain plug with the bike on the side-stand with a 4" ratchet extension- you'll need a couple sockets and a torque wrench. I do my own service as far as oil changes, chain adjustments, etc go, and I'm just a competent wrench and nothing special- any mechanic with the tools could do it if your friend can't manage it, and considering Kawi Thailand sells it, it shouldn't be a problem for them.

I'd recommend both, but in order of importance, I'd say it's helmet (not due so much to likliehood of injury, but, rather, the potential ramifications of that injury), boots, gloves, jacket, pants, in that order. On a scooter, I'd probably put pants above the jacket due to the prevalemce of lower-extremely road-rash injuries occurring from lower-speed accidents. Your feet will nearly always contact the ground in a get-off, likewise your hands, which is why gloves and boots are so important (and good boots can lower the likelihood of a serious knee injury by dissipating the impact force before it can do damage higher up).