nikster

B1ade, I think the false neutrals is a break in thing, I almost never get them anymore. Got them a lot in the first 1000 km.

Bike is still awesome I've somehow racked up over 4,500 kms now. I guess I like riding it

The only little issue that has developed is that she doesn't like to start sometimes. Haven't quite figured out what the conditions are but it seems to happen more when the bike is warm. It doesn't start on the first try. Usually does on the second, and sometime third. It's not happening with enough regularity to take it to the dealer just yet.

I think the quality is fine overall - I am truly impressed with heat management, as the bike runs much cooler than any of the 650 Kawasakis I had. Dissipates the heat just fine IMO.

Did the Ducati DRE riding experience basic course last week. Was great, and I was impressed by the professional organization. Very good instructors, and lots of them, spoke perfect English, and all participants improved visibly during the day.

Welcome to Ducati. You need to learn how to change gears in order not to get false neutrals. If I don't pay attention on my MTS, I also easily end up in neutral. Concerning the warm starts, my MTS also has that same issue.

When hot, it also isn't that happy to start but it will always start after a few turns of the start motor. Just keep the button in a second or so longer. Are you saying that you have to give it another try (push the button again)? Or it just takes longer on the first try?

Tried to leave it in longer and it sometimes works. Had to try 3x on occasion, and 2x pretty often.

Ducati CM considered it a fault and ordered some new part for me, not sure which.

They also warned me not to push start it should it really not fire up, apparently something can break when push starting.

I've got a big head, always had hard time to get helmets to fit so have to try before I buy, not something I'd buy of the 'net

Thanks everyone, advise greatly appreciated!

Same here. Unless there's free return shipping, I wouldn't buy on the net. Even then it's a bit of a hassle. I am looking for a new helmet & trying all the ones coming into the shops here in CM, 90% don't fit me.

Can you let me know in which stores you saw helmets with U.S. Pricing? The only quality (Arai, Shoei, Bell etc.) helmets I've seen here that are anywhere close to U.S. prices are old stock or on sale/close outs. Every store I've seen here, the helmets are usually priced around 4-5 k THB higher. Admittedly this was in 2013 so I hoped things have changed.

Any store really... FastCorner usually has Arais from THB 18,000 (USD 550) - 24,000 (USD 730). At RevZilla I see them between $600 - $700 so IMO same thing. If you buy it in a store in the USA add VAT to the US price and it's even more. Online, as I said, there's often deals and also you save on the VAT. But it's not like helmets are 2x more expensive here, or "way more expensive". They're not.

Shark is cheaper here than in the USA, throughout the range, probably because the factory is in Thailand.

Even if you find something cheaper in the US, if the savings are ~2,000 or below then you need to factor in the cost to get these items here. If I'm lucky I can get them on my next trip, or somebody can bring it, but that's not free either as I then can't bring something else that would maybe have even more savings etc. There's a cut-off where "savings" aren't savings when they're halfway around the world, and there's a cost to shipping stuff over here even in the best of cases. If you add postal service and a possible import tax hit you're almost always better off buying here.

@RubberSideDown most helmets don't fit me so online is not a good option unless there's free and easy returns. Which you have if you live in the USA, but not if you bring the helmet here yourself or have it shipped here, then returns are a PITA.

Edit - just researched the LS2 CT2 Carbon as it's the only one I've tried so far that fits me. This helmet costs just over 7,000 Baht in Chiang Mai, and USD 350 - 400 all over the web (do a Google shopping search for "LS2 CT2 Carbon"). Hrm - I guess I should just get it!!

Nah, they're goners.

What size do you wear I might give you a few baht for them

Black slide marks make them more bad-ass. Good to hear nothing happened to you and well done for wearing gear!

Buy it there as it will be way cheaper (there are currently some great deals on the RF-1100, which will be phased out for the RF-1200)- a helmet will fit in a large suitcase without a problem- just roll it in some bubble wrap to protect it from clumsy baggage handlers.

Way cheaper? Not in brick and mortar stores.

On internet sites of course, there's lots of sales and some really amazing deals so that way you can save lots of money. Saw a Bell RS online recently for $99, unfortunately they didn't ship to Thailand. That helmet is normally $400 and in Thailand around 13,900 baht. Then again you really need to try out a helmet and also helmets bought online might be several years old.

Arais I see here are usually around USD 600 - 700, same price as in the USA.

Some people get unlucky with reliability issues, I never have, had an original 916 for a couple of years and it never once let me down, my 848 is 3.5 years old and never let me down either apart from a new battery a couple of weeks ago. Ducati's service intervals are double what they were 10 years ago so that shows a lot regards relibility nowadays.

nikster, do you have any confirmation the 899 is to be made here? I was told by ducati they'd never make the superbike range here but that was a while back and things change.

I am 99% sure on the 899 - everybody seems to know about it. Worst kept secret of sorts. It's not really made here, just assembled here, like the other locally assembled bikes. Other rumors turned out to be true too. To me it looks like Ducati wants to move all assembly here though I do wonder why the Hypermotard SP isn't assembled in Thailand; maybe it will be at some point. It's only a bit more expensive in the USA and comes with lots of upgrades to in terms of value IMO the best of the hypers.

As with other rumors about new bikes, the timing is the only thing that's uncertain. It's ready when it's ready and while they might be targeting the middle of the year for the 899, in reality nobody can know. Things can go wrong, assembly line might not be ready, etc etc.

Hehehe I heard that about older Ducs and so would never buy one...

I'm hoping the new ones are much improved... 15,000 km service intervals are an indication that Ducati is at least trying! Between that and the 2 year warranty, I'm hoping that all that will break will break within those first 2 years. As for "speed, handling" - not buying it

Of course that's apples and oranges - if I wanted a race bike I'd wait for the 899 Panigale made in Thailand, in a few months. But I think the hyper is way better for my type of riding, mostly city, some touring, and no race tracks.

^^ ROFL. Doesn't Suzuki also sell a scooter called "Smash"?

Nothing quite like the MSX125 out there, go for it. Easily the best looking little bike and it's a Honda so it should hold its value pretty well too.

^ no the joys are to put it in crazy mode - aka Sports - on the highway and not being able to stop smiling all the way home hahaha...

I've read in the forum that an ECU update supposedly fixes starting issues. Will check with the dealer next time I'm there.

Just put deposit down on a hypermotard...will receive in late Jan!!

Congrats!!

Anyone fit a luggage rack to the motard? It won't do anything for the beauty of the bike but will be very practical. As it stands I can strap only a very small bag to the back of the bike.

Unfortunately both the ducati luggage rack and passenger grab handles (which are needed to install the rack) have to be ordered from Italy and will take 2 months if ordered through ducati. I see www.pure-ducati.com delivers to Thailand and with USPS shipping will be $332 (about 11,000 baht). Any one order from them yet?

On another note, I bought the windscreen from ducati and it works pretty well. It's rather thin but pretty high. Higher than the one on the strada.

Can you post a pic of the screen? I didn't want to get the "touring windscreen" as I was concerned about the looks. The OEM windscreen from the Hyperstrada plus a few pieces to mount it can be ordered through Ducati though it's a little more expensive than the touring windscreen - about 9k baht. I ordered it but hasn't arrived yet... and no one knows when it will...

I couldn't do a luggage rack, that would kill the looks, but thinking about a tank bag and maybe a kriega tail pack for touring.

I also need a rear tire hugger, need to research that. As it is this is a fair weather bike; I hit some very small puddles yesterday and there's dirt all over the back... price to pay for that very nice exposed rear tire.

Go to the traffic dept. in Chiang Mai - Hang Dong Road just before Big C - and make a driving license. They might accept your provisional UK license or not, if not you'll have to take more tests. They speak english and are very friendly and professional.

It'll take you half the day so get there early morning.

You need a medical check up which you can get at any hospital. I did mine on Hang Dong road in a little hospital just past Tesco Lotus; went in, said "driving license", and was out again literally 5 minutes and 100 baht later. Thai convenience!

Other than that I think just the passport and whatever existing licenses you have. Motorbike and car are two different licenses, might as well do both. You don't need to prepare for the test just go and pay attention in the training class. It's mandatory anyway for people who need to do the test. They have training material in English.

Get a naked bike then. More wind = slower riding, good thing to stop yourself from going too fast

I have just read a Rideapart off road group test review of the NC700X, Versys, V-Strom and BMW F800GS.The NC 700X came out on top, V-Strom was second and the Versys and F800GS were joint last. The review was really impressed with the NC700X's off road ability.

Link?

To be fair the review has a lot of U.S. specific stuff in it. E.g. Versys doesn't have ABS in the USA (does in TH); NX700X is the cheapest by far (more expensive than Versys and V-Strom in TH). Et cetera. But yeah they did love the NX700X and so did most other reviews.

Is it the DCT version? Can you get a standard manual transmission version in Thailand - it's the only one I'd be interested in.

Yes it's the DCT version, I can understand you wanting to drive manual, now days with all the traffic it's so much more fun having a bike like this!

355k with DCT? That's an excellent price! How much is it without? I guess I kinda missed that. The bike has great reviews even if it's a bit of an oddity.

Is there any difference in bikes made in Thailand for export or those for the domestic market ?

Different markets have different emissions laws so we in Thailand usually get the same models they get in California - very strict standards.

Other than that, same same. Gotta love globalization.

We can achieve a utopia if the country is run by the "People" and not "politician" or "junta".

Coup will give you a Junta government.

Election will give you a "Politician" government.

Only a revolution from the "People" by the "People" will deliver you a "People" government run by the "People" for the "People".

PS, anyone wee my little red book? I must have drop it at the Thai Japanese stadium yesterday.

While that may be true you have to ask yourself who is currently proposing this. That anybody takes a criminal like Suthep seriously let alone fights for him is just baffling. He wants to replace the red rule with the yellow rule, so different elites may take all the money from the people.

Nobody who is not directly part of these elites should be fighting or bleeding for these guys. This is bad vs. bad.

Let's take a moment to grieve before assigning blame and pointing fingers.

RIP to the victims and condolences to all affected families. What a tragedy.

I was at that exact same bridge just last week, took some pictures.

No problems on my Hypermotard, luckily.

Those with problems, I'd advise to just follow the normal procedure as if you were in the west. It's kinda hard to prove that wheels were too weak vs you were riding irresponsibly, no matter if you're in Thailand or in the USA. Maybe you didn't notice the pothole thanks to the awesome suspension on the multi

BTW I did have a bent wheel on my Kawasaki Versys once... it does happen. I don't know which pothole that was either but I do know that I certainly hit quite a few over time. The good thing about Kawasaki is that the new wheel cost very little, between 3 and 5 k baht (can't remember the exact amount).

^ We'll have to wait and see - this is not a straight-up comparison particularly for the Versys. The Versys is a great all around bike, not too heavy, enough power for most anything, much improved suspension over the ER-6n/f.... those 650s make sense as a direct competition to the ER-6n and 6f (Ninja) but Honda doesn't really offer anything like the Versys, except maybe the NC700X but I think that's still more expensive even with the recent price cuts.

Versys should be better on twisty roads in northern Thailand because it's lighter and can take on the bad roads better.

you are totally right on what you are saying Nikster.

Versys is a good ADV bike with good components so of course my words/comparisons are only towards er6n and f.

But i am sure we will see an ADV bike in the near future from Honda what i heard!!!

Maybe a V4

That would be really cool, actually! Let's see. Is that the reason they didn't make a 650 'x' model like they did with the 500s? IMO the CBX500 a bit of a pretend ADV bike - it looks a little like one, but it actually has the exact same suspension as the R and F models....

Got a pair of Icon Chase perforated leather gloves recently, love them. They're not up to GP levels of safety but should be good enough for low speed impact, they were cheap only 1600 baht, and most importantly for an item you wear every day and all the time, they're super comfortable.

Prevously had a pair of Revit black leather gloves (forgot the name); they never got comfortable, they were always too tight. So leather doesn't really stretch all that much. They looked cool. But they also fell apart after a year which I found pretty weak. Cost 2,000 at Panda.

As break in is concerned, IMO a glove should not be loose but it also shouldn't be uncomfortably tight, even on day 1. Needs to be comfortable from the start.

^ We'll have to wait and see - this is not a straight-up comparison particularly for the Versys. The Versys is a great all around bike, not too heavy, enough power for most anything, much improved suspension over the ER-6n/f.... those 650s make sense as a direct competition to the ER-6n and 6f (Ninja) but Honda doesn't really offer anything like the Versys, except maybe the NC700X but I think that's still more expensive even with the recent price cuts.

Versys should be better on twisty roads in northern Thailand because it's lighter and can take on the bad roads better.

Congrats!! Looks awesome.

Semi-active suspension sounds sick. One day all bikes will have it.

BMW is going the right direction with this - it's not so much about getting the most power out of the engine as it is about making it accessible to normal people who don't race the track and who don't spend hours with setup (and know what they're doing to boot).

PS: Does not beat the Panigale on looks but that's only because the Panigale is the best looking sports bike ever thanks to all the electronics it should be easier to ride though. Would love to have one.

Instead of the V-Strom I'd either get a Versys or a new Honda 650 inline 4.

I just sold my Versys to a friend who used to have a V-Strom and he said the Versys is better.

Just curious, was your mates a current model V Strom. as I understand the engine was upgraded a couple of years ago?

Might very well have been the old model as this was some years back. Was it a significant update?

All comparison tests I've read have them head to head...