Hog Head

No, these companies have the proper licenses to import new motorcycles and have been doing so for years.

The documents are all in order.

It is not a great leap to conclude that paperwork is one reason that approval is not forthcoming

The Importers new 100 million Baht building, or the C word

Specifically Harley Davidsons can no longer be registered and as I say all legally done

The problem is getting the bureaucrat to sign off on the registration papers which makes one wonder why.

Why has the grey market for big bike registration situation suddenly changed overnight, effectively ending all competition to the official importer and forcing the small independent shops out of business?

A bike can be legally imported by a company with the necessary license(s), all taxes and duties paid, emissions tests passed, and yet the sole bureaucrat responsible for processing the registration documents in Bangkok refuses to sign. This is not a question of under declaring the value or other illegal moves, and no reason is given for the refusal to process the registration documents

There is no problem with getting a legally imported grey market car registered, but not a Harley Davidson. A skeptical rider would question how and why the situation changed when it is a legal process. A less disillusioned rider would simply conclude that this is part of the official importers plan to double sales in the next 4 years as reported by the Bangkok Post last month. Either way the rider suffers due to lack of competition and model choice.

Richco in Chiangmai sells Dyna Beads

The Cockpit tire shop on Hang Dong Rd in Chaingmai is owned by a rider and he will order, mount, and dynamically balance bike tires at very competitive prices

I have a lifetime family membership at Green Valley in Mae Rim that I have never used and will sell

PM me

Local prices on parts are obscene and generally a rip off. For example I needed to buy Dyna motor mounts and the local price is 3 times that of the US suppliers

Came in the post duty free and I am happy

I can see a reasonable markup for shipping, duty @30%, VAT @ 7%, and profit margin but 300% is a bit much

To be fair it was not Bike Model that quoted me the obscene price

Come on - the difference from a 29 B dollar to a 32 B one accounts for the 1000 b air cleaner bolt

I have done this many times and while not rocket science is needs to be done right and carefully.

Yes you need the pistons at the machine shop and run away if he is willing to do it without the pistons in hand. Machine each cylinder individually to fit that specific piston

USE TORQUE PLATES when boring the cylinders. This is critical to getting a proper job and nice round bores. I suspect that very few shops in Thailand do this but I do know that Richco in Chiangmai has a set of plates that he installs and then takes the complete set up to the machine shop for boring.

The machine shop is the big one just off the moat on the way to Surawong bookstore, if you want to go it alone without torque plates

Go slowly with lots of coolant. Let the cylinder cool down on the last couple of passes and between each pass. Pay them extra for the machine time if they insist, but doing the main cuts before lunch and the finish cut(s) after lunch is a good way to allow cool down

Check that both faces of the cylinder are true and parallel after boring.

I have gone as far as to machine a collar to support the spigot portion of the cylinder so that it does not distort when bored. Not really necessary on a street engine, but gives me peace of mind when things get hot

Honing is an art in itself however you will have little choice here. Gap them yourself to know that it is correct and seat them right in the first 50Km and you will be fine with the Weisco pistons

If you are buying cams and thinking of the hydraulic tensioner upgrade, forget it and buy a gear drive. A bit noisy but trouble free, and the gear whine cannot be heard over the pipe anyway

Oil is cheap, engines are expensive

"Up to you"

You are using that T work again which has no translation to Thai

Back to Kevlar jeans

Any comments on the various construction methods for Kevlar jeans per post 21?

I have been using Kevlar jeans for around town riding for about 20 years - Draggin (Aust) brand with the burlap like woven Kevlar panels at the knees, butt, and outside leg areas.

Thankfully I have not had the opportunity to butt test them

I see Korean "Kevlar" jeans without the clearly visible Kevlar panels, but interwoven?? Kevlar. It is not clear how the Kevlar is incorporated, how much, nor what weight of aramid fiber. I think that Bad Ass brand are the same construction

How effective are these type compared to the traditional panel type Kevlar like Draggin brand

I guess that is why he is less expensive

I have found Richco in Chiangmai to be better - up to you

My .ca Yahoo email account has been down going on 2 days now for "maintenance"

No contact via my home PC, laptop on the same wifi network, or via 3G on my mobile

My wifes .com Yahoo email address works on the same home network

I am now starting to wonder if there is really something wrong and more than just maintenance

Anyone else having problems?

the defense minster is crying

Bring on Maggie

You do not seem to get it

I am not rich enough to go through the pain of buying cheap shit only to have to fix or replace it later with a proper bike

I am not rich enough to buy cheap shit

Remove the PAR valve, and buy a Power Commander 5 and use PC Autotune to tune it.

If you have removed the Lambda sensor when you swapped out the muffler, that is why the light is on and you need a resistor jumper in the plug

CNX Moto in Nong Hoi near the old Miguels is a good place

Tony Big Bike

I might be interested in buying it here

PM me

I am looking for a liquid rather than a spray to use in my new Loobman chain oiler

Wee Rod springs to mind