jbeck
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Posts posted by jbeck
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if someone personally knows bbradsby, can you ask him to answer my question about the tire brand, model,and size he uses at bira on his NSR?
Tried asking on the forum and PMed him already...
Thanks
jbeck
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Will all the CBR, NSR, VFR, or other sport bike owners step up and send their available times to go for rides?
You can PM me with your number.
Soon it will be rainy season!
Generally speaking, Doi Suthep and Samoeng Loop. Easy. Quick. Anything else possible as well, but these 2 can be done in an hour more or less, on quick notice, stops are okay, exploring is okay.
jbeck
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Two of us will be at Bira this Sunday. All are welcome to join in the fun, and if ya do, drop by and introduce yourself - I'll be the one on a Honda NSR-150sp in Repsol colors.
Hi, what tires (manufacturers, models) and sizes are you using for your NSR at Bira and where do you get them? I've had no confidence with my Michelin Pilot Sportys: 90/80, 130/70.
I'd like to send my bike down from Chiang Mai to Pattaya - NSR same as yours - for a week or 2, do you know if I can keep it at the track - safely - perhaps with another guy who rents a 'garage' there?
Anyone you can put me in touch with there? How many laps or days to you put on your tires before changing them? Do you just ride your bike there?
Thanks,
Jeff Beck
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NSR150SPs seem to be increasing in price 2nd hand. Mind you RRs can be had much cheaper (and can be made to look almost as good).
My forks fix is still good. Bone dry. Trial and error on the oil level: Using the fork oil you buy in Thai bike shops (20baht; yellow bottle Daikyo) it seems I need about 240ml of oil for a soft ride (soft meaning you can fly over speed bumps without feeling you hit them). 270ml and the ride is pretty hard. Shop manual says 322 cm3 (surely mm?). Suppose it depends on the thickness of the oil and the age/stiffness of your springs? Springs seem to stiffen up over age (this is certainly the case with clutch springs). You might argue why soft, but most of my biking is around Bangkok with some pretty poor surfaces, so soft is good for my biking.
You can use a large syringe to fill and attach a piece of plastic hose to the syringe and wiggle it down the fork to drain off too much oil. You can do the draining off quite accurately; over extract oil and then squirt the excess back in until you get the amount you want to reduce by. I reduced 270ml to 240ml by extracting 30ml (get the idea?).
As an ex-racer/mechanic, most of this 'information' does not make sense. So, those listening, beware. Grain of salt. Advice given here should be taken with careful consideration.
Example- even the most expensive fork oil is cheap, so little is needed, it needs to be changed very infrequently, why use the cheapest available?
SP and RR's are not about looks, but the SP looks WAY better - t's about technical improvements (SP), power output(SP), older age(RR), parts availability(SP), and more wear and tear and less care (SS).
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If you want to go fast you have no choice but to to get the NSR Pro-arm model.
It has the potential to be MUCH faster, with a few simple mods.
The ride is nothing like the CBR at all.
It's a 15 year old bike and will need a lot of work if you like your stuff to be like new, but everything can be ordered form any Honda dealer.
If you are okay with going slow but want a brand new bike, super smooth, reliable, etc,,,, get a CBR.
If you can drive one of each, (you can at least rent the new CBR) it will help you a ton, you'll know immediately.
Driving my 150 is like being on a motogp bike compared to the CBR, that about sums it up. (of course I don't mean this literally)
For longer distances, cruising, touring, shopping, buy the cbr.
For an adrenaline rush every time you get on the bike, buy the NSR,and do a few mods. Or consider the CBR 250.
Here's a link to my page with some videos...http://thaimotorcycyle.wordpress.com/honda-nsr-150-sp/ for more info about the NSR and what to expect.
jeff
I would like to add city driving to your list. I have an SP myself, and it's a bitch driving around in city traffic.
Anyone wanting to sell their NSR proarm contact me via PM.
I guess you can shop without driving in the city, but I think shopping had it covered. Ok, add it.
It's not really a bitch, just annoying because you want to go fast and everyone is in your way and then you take risks accelerating to 120 in third gear in a few seconds from a standing start, when everyone else is gong 40 or 50 and driving like idiots.
have a nice day.
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If you want to go fast you have no choice but to to get the NSR Pro-arm model.
It has the potential to be MUCH faster, with a few simple mods.
The ride is nothing like the CBR at all.
It's a 15 year old bike and will need a lot of work if you like your stuff to be like new, but everything can be ordered form any Honda dealer.
If you are okay with going slow but want a brand new bike, super smooth, reliable, etc,,,, get a CBR.
If you can drive one of each, (you can at least rent the new CBR) it will help you a ton, you'll know immediately.
Driving my 150 is like being on a motogp bike compared to the CBR, that about sums it up. (of course I don't mean this literally)
For longer distances, cruising, touring, shopping, buy the cbr.
For an adrenaline rush every time you get on the bike, buy the NSR,and do a few mods. Or consider the CBR 250.
Here's a link to my page with some videos...http://thaimotorcycyle.wordpress.com/honda-nsr-150-sp/ for more info about the NSR and what to expect.
jeff
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well I bought the bike: Matts lite 3000D, after I saw that Chitawat had the same bike not for 52,000 but for 74,000.
Also got a quote on the 2000D for 51,000 with way less good bits than the 3000D.
I rode the bike home, it is very very light and a quick steerer. Shifting was flawless. Full XT. FSA Carbon crank arms.
You can see the bike ate merida.com
After thinking only ladies ran the shop (Song), I met as guy who works there (not a kid) who can speak english, and was able to communicate there is 6 month free service, and the frame is warranted by Merida Bangkok.
He filled out all the paperwork with the serial numbers, etc, for me to mail to Merida.
After 6 months, or before, I will meet the guy at TCA and have him do any work.
The brakes are not Jule, but Louise, with carbon levers.
The front rotor is 180. I think I can put a bigger one on later.
The bars are too wide by a small amount. I will cut or replace them.
I didn't want, cant afford a 'good' DH bike - if I can find some XC terrain and climbs I'll be okay/content, and can always ride on paved road / mountains around chiang mai.
I'm pretty sure I can handle the downhill to the lake on this bike, but need a way to get to the top Doi Pui on a regular basis (don't want to ride up every time).
Can't afford 2 bikes just yet but eventually a second hand road bike is in order.
Thanks everyone and I'll keep my fingers crossed on the Magura components.
PM me if you want to ride,
Jeff
not 'ate' but 'at' Merida.com
BTW and FYI the guy at TCA was very nice and offered to meet me at the grandview hotel when I phoned him and told him I couldn't find his shop, but he's closed Mondays (today) anyway.
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well I bought the bike: Matts lite 3000D, after I saw that Chitawat had the same bike not for 52,000 but for 74,000.
Also got a quote on the 2000D for 51,000 with way less good bits than the 3000D.
I rode the bike home, it is very very light and a quick steerer. Shifting was flawless. Full XT. FSA Carbon crank arms.
You can see the bike ate merida.com
After thinking only ladies ran the shop (Song), I met as guy who works there (not a kid) who can speak english, and was able to communicate there is 6 month free service, and the frame is warranted by Merida Bangkok.
He filled out all the paperwork with the serial numbers, etc, for me to mail to Merida.
After 6 months, or before, I will meet the guy at TCA and have him do any work.
The brakes are not Jule, but Louise, with carbon levers.
The front rotor is 180. I think I can put a bigger one on later.
The bars are too wide by a small amount. I will cut or replace them.
I didn't want, cant afford a 'good' DH bike - if I can find some XC terrain and climbs I'll be okay/content, and can always ride on paved road / mountains around chiang mai.
I'm pretty sure I can handle the downhill to the lake on this bike, but need a way to get to the top Doi Pui on a regular basis (don't want to ride up every time).
Can't afford 2 bikes just yet but eventually a second hand road bike is in order.
Thanks everyone and I'll keep my fingers crossed on the Magura components.
PM me if you want to ride,
Jeff
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WHich Durin fork model is it? what year?
Watch for OEM tricks they do sometimes. They will have a fork that is missing a feature like lockout etc and sell it bundled with a bike. The consumer sees the part and does the math and thinks its a great deal.
If the feature is not very important to you then its a great deal but not exactly apples and oranges comparisons of market value.
I see Magura Durin R 80 selling brand new in the box on Ebay for around 12K baht.
Magura Durin Race 100 Remote, thanks, current year (2011) based on the looks.
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thanks for the replies: I've been to every bike shop in/around chiang mai.
let me take moment to repost my original questions:
will 'Song' bike shop (near the moat) take care of me after the sale (from your experience, or a friends) ?
The Merida 3000 @ 50,000 baht has supposedly very high end Magura Durin fork and Magura Julie brakes
Anyone have experience with these Magura components, I've checked the internet already.
If the Magura stuff needs repair, or brake pads, are they hard to get?
Is Merida even a good bike?
The Trek is heavy(est) of the higher end mtn bikes - correct?, nobody publishes weights on the websites.
If anyone OWNS the TREK 6000 or the The Merida 3000, or if familiar with these models, i'd appreciate feedback.
thanks
jeff
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The shops you should check out in addition to Song are Jacky bike in the Nimman area, Cherry Bike on the road to Doi Saket, and Chaitawat inside the old city. There'a also Velocity, which is across the moat and a few hundred meters wet from Song. If you Google them or search this forum you can find more info on their exact locations and will see various opinions and preferences. A few years ago I bought a Trek 4300 with aluminum frame and low-end Shimano components from Chaitawat, and eventually upgraded the drivetrain with XT parts from Cherry Bike, which also set up a set of Avid mechanical disc brakes I brought over from USA. The stock fork sucked, when new, but sucks slightly less now, as it has softened up over time. I might have bought a Merida from Song, but they didn't have my size in stock and offered an iffy 3 week timeline for delivery. But Merida frames are well regarded as good value.
Check out the shops and at least you'll have more options. Good luck!
checked them all. thank you for the answer about Merida.
Song is the only one with a 3000D in stock, and like I said the others say that bangkok has not any stock to order, 2000D, or 1200D, EVER!
Maybe I should contact a shop in BKK.
Oh, one here said wait until July !!
I'm really curious about the Magura fork and brakes, is it really better/as good as the high end Avid elixir / RockShock Recon Gold solo air.
According to Magura, it is and world (european?) championships were won with the exact fork on the merida 3000D.
But will song bikeshop work on it/fix it if problems develop? Or any bikeshop?
It's easy to simply ask them, as the answer is always 'yes' as we know.
Most shops are more likely to be familiar with (guessing) Shimano/Avid/RockShock....
It's a pretty big investment for me and I hope, trouble free, but I know that's wishful thinking.
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A few of my friends run the downhill mountbike hash ground down in Bangkok. They come up to Chiang Mai quite often to ride. I know on several occasions they have broken parts and had them cheaply overnighted up from a shop in BKK as they were not able to get them in Chiang Mai.
You might want to talk with this guy named Aiden who has a shop near Wat Phrasingh. His website is here: http://www.mountainb...gchiangmai.com/ He is a downhill guide and occasionally rides with the BKK hash group. He should be able to help you with all your bike questions.
-Mestizo
Thank you
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Does anyone understand what he's talking about?
asking experienced mountain bikers who might have bought bikes from song bike shop - about their experience there,
and asking about their knowledge of Merida and trek bikes in general, and magura components specifically by name.
pretty simple,isnt it, or you're joking? Thanks.
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You may wish to check with Tom who has a place on Chiang Moi Rd. the shop is called TOP GEAR..
Seems pretty knowledgable
G
prices higher than song bike shop, zero bikes in stock. could only order low end models. only a thai lady ever there. thanks.
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Hi I'm considering a Merida matts lite 3000D from song bikeshop for 50000 b.
Before that it was a Trek 6000 for 25,000 baht, until I realized how cheap the components were and especially the forks RockShok Tora.
Well the 3000D has a Magura Durin fork and Magura Julie brakes and FSA LK carbon arm crank, otherwise is full XT, the Magura fork alone sells for 30,000 baht.
NO SHOP can/will order me any Merida model that is not already in their showroom and the selection is limited to 1000D, 3000D, and lower spec models.
I used to race, and want a light hardtail, durable capable bike for climbing and descending, on road and off, mostly doi suthep, and figure a great front fork is a necessity as well as a safety bonus .
I guess my questions now are: will song bike shop (near the moat) take care of me after the sale (from your experience, or a friends) ?
Anyone have experience with these Magura components, I've read reviews, there are few, and mixed. I'm a 70kg rider. I love good brakes and am willing to pay!
If the Magura stuff needs repair, or brake pads, are they hard to get?
Is Merida even a good bike? I have no experience with them.
The Trek is heavy - correct?, but nobody publishes weights.
I do NOT want to mess with upgrading components, just maintain and ride the bike.
How hard would it be for me to sell a 50,000 baht bike like this later, used (for a decent price) ?
I've found zero decent mountain bikes for sale on the internet in Thailand (thaivisa, craigslist, citylife).
If anyone can comment on the difference between the TREK 6000 (sram x.5) @ Jacky Bike and The Merida 3000, i'd appreciate it, maybe the trek would do the job at half the price?
Thanks in advance.
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Hoping maybe a real estate guy sees this or someone knows of something / has seen something / has a neighbor that has moved out.
Small town house / free-standing apartment / studio with air con(s), hot water, basic furnishings (beds, cooking facilities), and hopefully front gate style - outdoor-type cooking area okay (covered, enclosed, thai style). Somewhat flexible (example, no refrigerator is okay)
Fast Internet must be available, i.e. must be in 3BB 12MB service area, or similar.
Looking for a great value...but not a debate about it.
Seriously, not looking for people to tell me I'm not being realistic. Save your time.
There are places out there, just not easy to find.
Budget is 7000 baht or less.
thanks.
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Hi Jbeck,
I use 3BB (12MB) 1350Baht/PM (year contract). Its rock solid. Does everything your asking for. I stream WSBK, BSBK using myp2p for live races and MotoGP, but this is usually shown on UBC live if you have it.
I also use Skype to friends around the world including video, you get the odd glitch but nothing to be concerned over.
Youtube works a treat with it, you get the occasional clip where you have to pause for a wee while, nothing too annoying
What do you use to stream the races, the official sites?
Thanks. Looks like a ~ 4000 b installation fee and yeah, the one year contract, I may move, do you have to pay the entire balance?
I guess they can't make you...but would refuse service in the future...
I'll probably stop in to the internet shops at Central Airport and ask questions.
True 8MB cable is looking like an alternative.
For now, my apt has true TV (free) in all the rooms and I think I can have them add the internet.
I have to check with the owner..and with True.
thanks
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Bernie@parsplace, Kessaya & Mai Paeng are all reputable guys who rent for a fair price. Just don't rent from Beach Road.
We were quoted 2000B per day from a place near Mike's on Beach Road during our first trip. Don't be a tourist.
both Pars and Kessaya were sold out for the entire month of Feb. Next time I go I may spend a month and send my wave through EMS.
I wound up renting a NEW (only 1000 km) Nuovo elegance from a bar on soi 6 for 200b/day for 3 days. NO pressure, no BS.
Ruby Bar. Not a great price but okay for a few days.
Will keep a list of the other places, thanks.
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Hi,
I've found a lot of of old threads - mostly all negative feedback on all companies.
1) is anyone happy with their provider and who do you recommend?
2) do you have to sign a year contract?
my main uses are:
3) MUST support torrent downloads, about 10 per month, motorcycle races about 1 GB per race as well as movies, a few a month
4) I will be skyping to the US, but mostly to cell phones, not video
5) I will be doing a distance learning program from/to the University of Hawaii, some of the courses may be webcasts (I don't know what software), and some may have real-time video ...probably the most difficult requirement.
6) you tube without horrid wait times- is it possible? Of course all the important things/servers I are outside Thailand, probably Mainland USA.
Right now I'm using my Condo's WIFi which of course is barely useful at all except for email. It's "free" meaning the rent is higher.
But there is a phone jack/phone in the wall so I have no choice but to do something once my classes start..
If I have to pay a premium price I will, as the school work is very important, 1,000 baht.month is fine, but not much more than that.
Thanks in advance
jbeck
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A bit OT
How does the 1 year ED visa work if you can't stay for the whole year? Say 9 months. Could you perhaps take more then 4 classes a week to make up for it? I'm assuming that you will get in trouble the next year if you want to take the educational route again (up to 3 years as mentioned on thaiwalen).
I actually emailed walen about this but didn't get reply so I was wondering if someone on the forum might know the answer to the question.
when I doubt, I find it 'helps' to make a new topic
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Dear walen - how many hours/days a week are required to satisfy the ED visa?
4 lessons a week.
That does not answer my question, so I'll try again.
1. How many hours is one lesson?
2. Do I have to come to school 4 times week for the 4 lessons?
3. Can I do the 4 lessons in one day and come once a week?
4. Is there flexibility like this or not?
thanks.
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Dear walen - how many hours/days a week are required to satisfy the ED visa? for example at Chiang Mai university, one day a week is possible (I think 4 hours). This allows a lot of free time to the student.
If missing a class, can it be made up with homework, or attending extra class hours?
If changing from visa to ED visa, the first time, can I exit/re-enter at any normal checkpoint where "border runs" are done?
For example Mae Sai?
SO, If there's no karaoke thai, how are we to understand the thai alphabet without proper training, for example, learning all the consonants and vowels, their pronunciation, and rules and exceptions? Is all that taught?
Are there reading and writing exercises? Homework? Is it a Thai reading and writing class/course, or do you teach conversation, sentence structure, pronunciation technique (for example, how to pronounce non-roman vowels and consonants - perhaps the most difficult part of learning thai.)
If we can't read Thai, and without "karaoke Thai" to help remember the tone and pronunciation, how can we remember a new word, sentence, or phrase. How can we write it down or read it later?
For example, do you teach things like: "I know a man who would like to give you a job. "
And then I would like to learn/know how to say: "That is great. Can you give me his number so I can call him after I get my car repaired"?
If we can't read or write Thai, HOW to write it, or read it later to study it, repeat it, speak it and memorize it.
If you teach how to read and write Thai similar to how children learn, like using childrens books, then I understand the approach.
But my conversational skills are far beyond that already, and I want to build on that.
I'm sure it is not easy to answer all this.
I don't see anything wrong with using phonetic Thai TOGETHER WITH proper Thai and proper English, I think then you get the best of everything, the most flexibility, and it would be the fastest way to learn reading, writing, speaking, and understanding Thai.
I think phonetic Thai is great for people who cannot read and write Thai. Of course it is, there's absolutely nothing bad about it.
Even English words with no Thai translation - Thai people write in a kind of Karaoke English, like the word "Jeff".
And you charge a fee to change school locations?
thanks,
jeff
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The only way for you to find out is to sit in on a class. I understand both schools you mentioned let you do that free of charge. For a start, you may want to look at these two topics:
Good suggestion, but it's not the only way. Using the forum is another way!
And I can sit in on one class - but it is not the same as going for months to form an evaluation.
For example, 2 times, at 2 different schools, I have gone to "one class" and was okay, but after three weeks, I realized it was not very good.
I'm asking for the experience of people who have attended different schools.
Thanks for the links.
Thank you.
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had bad experiences renting around beach road.
badly running bikes, old bikes, non english speaking guys, not caring when I bring the bike back to complain that it sucks.
I want to rent a brand new/near new EFI honda click
Maye a forum member knows a good, reputable, "customer friendly" place, an actual bike rental SHOP, can be anywhere 1st, 2nd, 3rd roads.
Also hoping for a place maybe known to give weekly/monthly rate or some type of discount
I guess I need the exact location.
thanks guys!
Buy An Nsr 150Sp Or A Cbr 150Fi
in Motorcycles in Thailand
Posted
Unless you enjoy this sort of thing, sell it and get an NSR 150 SP or something that you can just ride!! Nobody should have to do anything special just to get the stock forks to work.
What you describe is 'hack' repairs, what if the oil leaks on to the front tire in a turn?