Kimera

I just returned from a trip and it was slower than I'd ever seen it before.  I think it could be quite a while.  And the well heeled tourists will either stick to Phuket or go elsewhere.  As per my observations on my vacation there are few western tourists and increasing numbers of Indian and Chinese tourists.  Numbers are down.  Spending is down.  The bubble has burst.  It's a new ball game now.<br>

Phuket ! A friend an accountant with a Major hotel here has just been laid off one day a week, the hotel is at 10%

I have enquired of the (goverment) re. a bore hole told not possible here on Phuket! all you people with bore holes, are they bore holes or wells?

If its a problem to you why not go around via Surin and Kamala I find it relaxing and the time difference is not great, mind depends where you are, if you are North of the by pass go to the 2 sisters and turn left

Getting a refund for anything, irrespective of the reason for taking something back, is almost impossible. Ask anyone who has been here a while if they have ever had a refund.

I have on several occasions...

I got a refund on a Honda Dream once, turned out the person who owned was dead! but the seller still had her sign the transfer Doc, amazing Thailand

Best advice as usual come over and drive around there are many houses for rent just drive around look for the signs and ask at the local shops in the area you like

If you have extensive riding experence in Thailand then you have the answer, you can Google the rest

I have a Saling on a Honda Dream I use very locally, Have you ever driven one ? I ask because they are dangerous, good or bad sidecar, it will handle and brake badly, what do you mean by a good sidecar what will you use it for ? You can get a custom built one ! But if you what it to use on the by-pass forget it, Oh and they are illegal anyway more info please.

Your insurance will be a problem I have never been able to find a travel insurance (the cheapest option) that will allow you more than 90days a trip the house rental should not be a problem just come over and ask around in the area you like

I dont have any license in the UK for bikes.. Yet they always add that level and motorcycles on my IDP when I get one..

Hence you would be licensed.. and if they have insurance also insured.

Incorrect ! Any IDP issued in the UK will duplicate your UK licence 100 %

Simply not true.. Wanna make a bet of it ??

I have perhaps 8 or more uk IDP's issued over the last 15 years.. In the UK I have zero bike licensing..

The IDP in front of me says I am entitled to ride "motorcycles, with or without a side car, invalid carriages, and three wheeled motor vehicles with an unladen weight not exceeding 400kg (900lb)".. That stamp is in every single one of the IDP's I have had legally issued.

I also notice now as I look at it, that this time they have stamped HGV (class C) and passenger vehicles (class D) and these are not consistent, some of my IDP's have them some dont.

But the bikes class is on every IDP issued over a 15 year period. From the RAC, the AA and the post office.

Can you explain to us all why YOU! should be entitiled to a IDP issued in the UK that gives you the right to ride your 900cc bike when you clearly state that you have NO uk motorcycle licence. So now when you are in the UK you will be riding a large bike then? on the basis of your IDP. I wish you the Best of luck

I wouldn't say lacking mains electricity makes them neolithic.

That maybe true, but it did give them the TV which changes all society.

I dont have any license in the UK for bikes.. Yet they always add that level and motorcycles on my IDP when I get one..

Hence you would be licensed.. and if they have insurance also insured.

Incorrect ! Any IDP issued in the UK will duplicate your UK licence 100 %

CBT is not a licence. Just to inform you, when you rent your motorcycle (and you wont need a licence) the insurance with it will be very very minimal and in most cases non existent. The only insurance that will cover you will be your hoiday one and this ONLY if you have a full UK bike licence and are wearing an helmet.

Check the side walls of the tyre, in my experience the correct max pressures are always listed there.

My guess will be in the order of around 35PSI in the rear and 32PSI in the front would probably do the trick, if in fact the standard tyres (original equipment) is fitted to the bike.

If the bike is fitted with aftermarket skinny tyres that changes somewhat.

have tried google to no avail

i dont think the max tyre pressure on the sidewall of the tyre bears any correlation to what the optimum tyre pressure should be

(30 yrs riding bikes)

30-35 psi should do it! you are correct the Max pressure on the sidewall is what it says, not the recommended pressure for the bike

Thanks everyone,

I guess it has been stolen, shes not getting my bike shes had everything else the car, house and now trying to take my child and motorbike.

will be moving to bkk soon so I will leave it somewhere else till i go

You state in your post that all OUR possessions passed to your 2 year old son, now you say you only have your bike and your son, surely the bike is a our possession ? yes in her name but still passed to your son. Yes?

Try the Phuket Weather Radar site.

Do you have the an older model or newer one (assuming newer one since you put '200')? They used to have the two stroke (which mixes your oil with the petrol/gas) and is water cooled---it has a radiator like a car. The newer model is four stroke and does not have a radiator.

Best advice I can tell you about the fuel guage, or lack thereof, is to fill the tank up and ride for say 100 km. Refill the tank and do the math. If you put in 2,5 L that means that you went 40 km/L, and thus you can figure out your range simply by remembering how many kilometers showed on the dial when you filled up last...that's basically what I do with my Ninja 250.

snowflake (what happened to your little white car?), I don't think that he's going to be "throwing" a TA-200 around.....

Its simpler than that, the fuel light on the speedo lights up when you turn on the ignition, when the engine is running it goes out, when you see it again go to a garage

Great advice here. I can add: always wear gloves, a jacket (motorcycle jacket or at least jeans jacket), sturdy shoes (boots or hiking boots, never sandals), and at least jeans. True, denim shreds quickly, but that's just so much less skin shredded.

I always wince seeing idiots wearing no shirt, shorts, and sandals. And have seen a number of them bloodied on the streets and hobbling in hospital clinics.

Next: avoid getting around farang drivers, esp. the motorbike drivers. Most of them are worse drivers than most Thais. The AVERAGE Thai driver (not talking about the homicidal maniac) has a certain predictability, believe it or not, that the farangs don't have. Get ahead of them or let them get well ahead of you.

Yes wear the clothes and boots, and I find your comment on the farang motorcycle drivers interesting, I have found this myself, if you see a farang out of place ie not 2/3 out in the lane I but it down to the fact that they have never taken a m/c test in a western country, just done the Thai, ride around and dont fall off It would be interesting to have a pole of TV m/c riders I think the results would tell a story.

Mind, lets not forget on our bike we still have to stay in the m/c lane in Thai. law

P - Town.. I keep hearing about this place..

From immigration to the circle is what I have been told.. Not been to find it yet.. I need some ride boots but not found anything 'trainer like' that I am happy with yet.

I called in last week, There were some lightweight German size 8 I think ! quite a selection of boots, I was suprised! 1500 Baht ish.

Phuket Town or Patong Immigration.

Phuket Town

Well I dont know which location you mean.. You still haven't confirmed.

In Kathu theres one on the Loch Palm loop out near Grizzleys bar in those shophouses.. Kata seems mentioned above.

So which did you mean ??

Yes Thank you for the info, Kathu

You will find some good second hand imported items, gloves, boots and some jackets, on the road north 1k ish from immigration, left side, from the outside a (s/hand shoe shop)

approximately when will you open in Phuket? this year? there will be some good opening price if you sign up before opening ?

Chalong,Katu,Patong,Phuket town, all got schools right now and there is opening a new one in Kata i heard... hope you can match them!

I have made enquires Re. Thai. language schools in Phuket Town and Katha with little luck. Do you have any details ?

Kata or Kathu ??

well done thats one more post then,

approximately when will you open in Phuket? this year? there will be some good opening price if you sign up before opening ?

Chalong,Katu,Patong,Phuket town, all got schools right now and there is opening a new one in Kata i heard... hope you can match them!

I have made enquires Re. Thai. language schools in Phuket Town and Katha with little luck. Do you have any details ?

Automatics are extremely trouble prone and most of them are relatively ungainly to drive compared to Dreams and the like.

Personally I'm not much interested in driving four strokes, but the old small two strokes (Tenas, Tiaras, Belle Rs, etc) are getting so rare it is really hard to find them in decent shape.

Yes, I find your statement of autos being troublesome very ignorant or downright stupid. I knew a guy that rode his 49cc Honda Ruckus across America with no problems. I rode 100+ mile trips on mine and revved it to 10,000 rpm, no problems. My Nouvo Elegance has been carefree as well. The Japanese have been selling maxi scooters (250-650cc autos) with no problems since the mid 1980s and Harleys run belts. Clearly an auto/belt drive is very durable and stands the test of time. If you rode a manual bike without lubing the chain I bet it would break down faster than the belted automatic. So what's more maintenance prone and troublesome then?

Maybe up in Isaan they like the manuals still, but I see more new Clicks and Finos than new Waves around BKK. When I go to new bike dealers I see 4-5 times as many automatics on the showroom floor and if you look at the Thai Honda and Yamaha websites they offer more auto models than manuals. If automatics are so trouble prone as you think how can you explain their dominant success?

As for 2 strokes they are very maintenance heavy compared to 4 strokes and this leads to greater reliability problems. Sure they make a load of power but they need to be rebuilt much faster than a 4 stroke. I hear of many BMW 4 strokes doing 100,000+ miles with no rebuilds. You'll never find a 2 stroke with this many miles without several engine rebuilds. No manufacturer is still developing 2 strokes, its a dead technology.

You really sure ? I have a one owner Yamaha 2 stroke Tiaras 2000 model did 100,000 (hard) km before an engine rebuild. I love it !!

Do PowerBuy haggle? I never pay like paying the sticker price. Even Currys in the UK were open to offers, many years agoI bought a decent 26" Sony for £150 less than the sticker price.

You will be lucky bought a microwave from there last week. ended up with the display one no discount, not interested, and why should they be, they do not work for themselves.