KheeeeMotocyyyy

Much better than PCX-153 (the 2013 version that came with the same useless headlights as the 125 did, but had 153cc rather than the new 149cc). The short wheelbase combined with the larger wheels feels more responsive, but this asian suspension is even worse than the PCX (i have the ABS model, the Racing model may be better but i have my doubts). I've bottomed out the rear suspension so many times that the paint on the rear shocks is gone (it's rusty now after just 3000km). The front also bottoms out often, i'm not that heavy 95KG, the pcx felt weird but this is insane. Any suggestions to suspesion upgrades ? I'm not willing to cough up 50k for racing grade Adreani-front-forks/Hyperpro-rear suspension, but i'd like some stiffer stuff. Stock suspention is completely useless.

Unfortunately there are no mid-range super-sports bikes available in LOS. No R6 nor Daytona 675 (which IMO would be perfect canyon carving machines around here), you could import them or get the track-only version of the 2017 R6 but the price would be so close to liter bikes that it wouldn't make any sense.
If R15 was your first-bike, i'd suggest either R3 (stock tires and suspension is crap, add 12k baht for sticky tires like Pirelli Diablo Rosso III in 110/70 150/60 which i currently run, then another 40k for Ohlins rear-shock and front-springs), or KTM RC390 (slightly faster than R3 and comes with decent stock tires, but you'll still want to replace the stock suspension, it's crap), either of those machiens can beat CBR650F/Ninja650's in the canyons.
If you're more experienced than that, then either R1, S1KRR/HP4, CBR1000RR, GSXR-1000R, or ZX10R/RR or even H2. But that's 700k-1,5m machines, that can only be fully enjoyed at the track.
                Alternatively change the style, get a naked bike, the MT-09 and Triumph Stripple offer great power-to-weight ratio.

Supernaked around 600k ?

I currently just ride a small R3 (my first clutch-bike), but i read all news and reviews on new leader bikes. What appears to come best out on paper/value are the yammie MT-10 and beemie S1KR.

I'd wait for the 2017 versions though, if not for the upgrades, for the resale value. S1KR will be lighter and feature more electronics, while the yammie will release a special MT-10SP that will include moto-gp grade suspension among other things. No idea on the price, but i assume the MT-10SP will be closer to 700k than 600k, or even more.

Kawi Z1K/Z1KR, while better than in the past, i think the 2017 models fall short compared to the 2 above. Even the R-version fall short in terms of features, yet tops the price (dissapointed).

KTM, MV-agusta, Triumph still overpriced/not-enough-service-centers in Thailand, imo.

As for after-sale service, having owned a Honda scooter, a Kawi Z125 minibike, and a Yammie R3. While some people say Brand-X service is so much better than Brand-Y, i found them all to be similar, they just do what the books says as minimum and nothing more. If i owned a more expensive bike i wouldn't want it to be close to any Big-Wing, Yamaha, Kawasaki nor a BMW dealer (Or KTM,MV, Triumph, or insert any other manufacturer for that matter). I'd either do it myself or i'd go to a big-bike shop to do it for me.

As topic, i'm tired of cleaning and waxing my bike, it lasts at most 7 days before the wax has collected a lot of dust from the environment. I've tried regular motorcycle covers, but those don't help much (they collect dust from underneath, and from tires that ultimately spreads all over my bike).

What I'm looking for is something that would completely cover my bike without touching it, something like this would be perfect:

http://solartom.diytrade.com/sdp/788252/4/pd-4152645/4637493-0/Motorcycle_Tent.html

Any help would be appreciated. (if not in CM, a Thai online shop would work too)

I have the R11 (TIS approved) slip-on. It feels just right, not too noicy but at least i can hear my own bike at idle now. I wouldn't want anything more noicy on a parallell-twin.

If you choose to either buy one abroad or get a full-system, make sure to keep some tea-money with you at all times when you ride through cities, exthausts without the TIS-stamp are illegal.

Challenge with fast-panic-breaking is that scooters have most of its weight on the rear wheel.  In order to efficiently panic-break you have to first transfer as much of that weight to the front as possible before applying front break. On my PCX i've developed the following panic-breaking-routine, squeeze the rear break to the max, lean forward, and progressively squeeze the front break.

If i were to buy a scooter today, i'd consider the NMAX or even tricity.

Sooner or later the tour companies in China will steer its hoards towards other newer countries to overwhelm, so its not going to be a case of chasing them away, as oneday they will not be coming anymore.

Hope so, right now they (the cheap tours) are subsidized mainly by the Thai government, there appears to be a race among the Asean countries "Who can get the most broke Chinese tourists in volume", so far Thailand is winning but i'm not sure its such a good thing. Does Thailand need more tourists, it doesn't seem to, they got rid of western "long-term-backpackers" only to be replaced by Chinese "all-inclusive-tours", seems like a terrible replacement.

Fixed "The prominent experience with a long working experience in China pointed out that the number of Chinese tourists who misbehaved and caused troubles at several tourist destinations were just a MAJORITY while most Chinese tourists."

What do you expect, most of them come with subsidised underpriced grouptours, they're not used to interact with people. The minority, like my boss, is wealthy Chinese that has super-awesome-manners and spends 1mill baht or more per day during their holidays.

I hope Thai people will learn to focus on that minority rather than the majority that pollute and poison their wonderful country. Easy fix: require elite-visa for all Chinese, will get rid of all the noice and selfies in the middle of superhighways and will bring a load of cash

Will it be sold through the Big Wing branches at a set price and serviced by somewhat competent mechanics?

Or will it be sold like the CBR250 in normal Honda dealerships at an advertised price, but the dealers refuse to sell it unless paying 20% more and have 'mechanics' working on it that don't know how to screw on a tire valve cap?

If it's a 251+ cc bike it will be Big-Wings, which it seems it will be.

Well the CB®300 is not sold by Bigwing as currently they don't sell anything less than 500cc or even service them. (Correct me if I'm wrong on the service side)

This new RR is a nice looking bike and should have good specs. It will be interesting to see if it can match the Ninja or R3 with 50CCs less. If they sell it here with a 300-350cc engine it could be a winner. But like HG says, if there are only high street mechanics to service it, (like the R3) then it could be a downer for some. Say what you like about Kawasaki, but their service centres are very good.

My bad, the correct number is 287cc. And it seems the cbr250rr is going to be exclusive to Indonesia, rest of the world will get cbr300rr or cbr350rr (depending on how they wanna round those numbers, "three hundred and fifty double arrrrrrrr" just sounds so much better) which isn't even in production yet, from what i heard the earliest likely date for the global 300-350 "light-weight-supersport" is Q1 2017.

Will it be sold through the Big Wing branches at a set price and serviced by somewhat competent mechanics?

Or will it be sold like the CBR250 in normal Honda dealerships at an advertised price, but the dealers refuse to sell it unless paying 20% more and have 'mechanics' working on it that don't know how to screw on a tire valve cap?

If it's a 251+ cc bike it will be Big-Wings, which it seems it will be.

Coming from Norway, Thailand is cheap. Cheap food, gasoline, housing, utilities, labour, visas. If you want to see expensive, take a holiday in Norway, even the Japanese (With their large purchasing power) complain.

Been waiting for this bike since October last year. And last month i just couldn't take it anymore, bought an R3 and it works well for me.

But i'm sure this one would work even better. Can't wait to see the 300-350cc version.

I see a lot of Thai's on small bikes like KSRs who seem to do the under-tail thing.

I haven't heard of many issues with this, aside from the comment a few posts above. I imagine it would always be one of those things which just may draw more attention to you, but can't see it as being a 'massive' issue - a small fine every once in a while...etc..

For reference, my old housemate drove around on his Ninja for almost a year I think with his correctly mounted numberplate '96'. He had quite a few Thai people telling him he should turn it upside down to look cool with '69' - he assumed. But actually he had been riding around with his numberplate upside down..... very funny I think. To someone who can't read Thai the lettering on the plate, it did work for me both ways lol. He rode that around Silom / Wireless road to commute everyday and never got pulled up by the police. So I am thinking that number plate issues, in general, are not so high on the priorities list for the police.

I must be getting old, but I think they look ugly stuck up under the mud guard. Often see some noisy ksr with the plate covered in crud. Great when he has occasion to 'flee the scene' of an accident. NOT.

I agree they look ugly there. But at least less ugly than attaching half an anchor from a boat onto a sportsbike, which is essentially what governments told track-bike producers to do when they wanted to make their track-bikes street legal. MV-Agustas nakeds and Ducati Diavel license-plate holders at the rear-mudguard do look a lot better than the "KSR-gang method", which is also very close to what we see on bikes that were originally designed for street and nothing more (cruisers), a full rear mud-guard and attached to it license-plate holder and turn signals. But i firgured i'd join the KSR-gang for now, their method allows for better airflow, and less weight at the end of the rear-wheel. So far all i got from the police was thumbs up whenever i pass them.

The main reason i want to remove the original "anchor" except for looks, is due to the fact it fails to protect my back seat and my back from getting water and sand sprayed all over. Replacing that anchor with a mudguard (like Diavel) will keep my bike seat and my back nice and clean.

If the police only want's 200 baht, that ain't too bad. I'm more concerned if the vehicle-tax office will approve such a mod.

I don't think the police will be too bothered but why push it? Mount it up under a tail light, it looks better anyway IMO.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion, i assume you mean the "semi"-fender-eliminator-kit way ? Because if you didn't it would mean my number plate would face almost straight down under my tail lol. Picture below of the "semi way", which i assume is your suggestion ?

What's the law regarding numberplace placement and/or lighting ?

A lot of western countries require the following two conditions:

1. Numberplate must face more or less directly backward (plates facing almost straight up to the sun if mounted on top a "semi-fender eliminator kit", or as it is in case of full-fender-eliminator-kit facing straight down to the wheel. Don't satisfy this conditition. (something i see a lot of in Thailand).

2. Numberplate must be lit. (a lot of fender eliminator kits are not lit, at all).

I've been looking at the following kit, that totally breaks the 2 above contitions, is this gonna fly in the land of smiles ?

I really like full-fender-eliminators the most, but if that's gonna be 1-2k THB per checkpoint i'd rather get a rear-mudguard-mounted one, these can be lit and face more or less directly backwards.

Thanks for all input

Reason i ask, recently (since The Army took over) they've been enforcing a lot of old laws and/or creating new ones. Which i think is a wonderful thing, but one example of a not so wonderful thing is, it's now illegal to have headlights that have any other color-tint than white, and rear lights any other color-tint than red. A lot of new vehicles come with a blue-ish-color-tint on their headlight-leds, which is now illegal.