alanr1610

My mistake, shame really as if it were a TE27 then it would have been a classic....

Knowing how small them Toyota TE27's I am suprised how small your bike looks.... Are you sure its full size?

 

Here's my bike with my toyota which is actually for sale. 82000 baht

 

You forgot to remove your bike's LP for this pic!

Also I will give you $500 for your junk car, it is still good for the demo derby!

 

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Thanks guys,

Two prototypes were run on my bike and another for over 5000km with no running problems but did highlight some improvements that have been made. They consisted of reducing the sidewalls to allow access for oil and filter changes with the plate in position and also allowing better access for cleaning. The other thing which I addressed was to move the front ventilation holes further out leaving the middle portion solid. This was to stop all the crap coming off the front wheel spraying up into the engine and exhaust area. Whilst I was at it I stepped up from 3mm alloy to 4mm and these plates really are the business now. Very easy to fit and I can also supply Givi bars if needed and as I said before I will offer free fitting in Buriram. Please contact me if your interested.

Thanks

Alan

RaveTech skid plates now available through Jacketboy.com in the central region. Jacketboy.com whom can be contacted on fb recently fitted a RaveTech skid plate to a customers V Strom fitted with Suzuki factory crash bars.

Thats why an internal inspection would provide the answers where a compression test may not. Oil ring could be damaged but compression rings and bores ok. Lifting the cylinders is not that big of a job and any good Thai mechanic is more than capable if you don't have these skill yourself. We know the OP has a problem of excessive oil usage. A Dyno or compression test may or maynot provide some more information to back up a problem that is already known which will then probably result in lifting the cylinders. If it were me I would go straight to the problem which appears to be in the cylinders which would save time and money.

1 litre every 3000 kilo is excessive. You need to push for a compression and leak down test.

The OP has said it is running as normal so I am guessing not down on power so a compression test may not provide to much info.

It may appear to be running normal to the op but may not be running to specification. I am assuming the op hasnt dynoed the bike. Since there's no site of a oil leak and assuming its not entering the coolant system logical troubleshooting dictates to test the cylinders. The oil has to be going somewhere!

Why not take advantage of this opportunity and go into google map, plan an adventurous route and look on it as a biking holiday. 

1 litre every 3000 kilo is excessive. You need to push for a compression and leak down test.

The OP has said it is running as normal so I am guessing not down on power so a compression test may not provide to much info.

My thoughts would be that oil getting past the piston either via rings or bores. Could be a crack piston but very doubtful. Emission breathers can throw a wobbly sometimes but I guess a damaged oil ring. Probably best to get an internal inspection so how do you feel about Chiang Mai doing that? Is the bike still in warranty by the way?

2 versys and 1 er6n with no oil usage to mention. Number 2 Versys was second hand and had been seriously thrashed from new but ran sweet as you like. Are you getting any smoke from the exhaust?

bike history ? none, hence this post. but i just fancy one of these bikes to travel. got to start somewhere and i wont get far on a honda click .

OK, So first it might be a good idea to listen to the advice given out on here by guys that have years of biking history in their own countries and especially Thailand. 400 steed is as flat as fart and I would not even bother thinking about it especially touring two up with baggage. I had a 1400 back in the mid 1990's which is probably a similar year as the one you are dreaming abou except it was two years old at the time with full dealer backup! Bike was OK, nothing more and had some issues. Top speed was unremarkable and handling was &lt;deleted&gt;, Carbs had a history of being set wrong at the factory and it was all put together to look pretty rather than do any particular thing well it is what it is! Engines were also an air cooled effort with an oil cooler fitted as it runs to hot. Not the best for Thailand temps me thinks.

Bike history none! Thailand may not be the best place to begin making bike history but that said most of us that have history continue to do it here. Why do you want to start riding now and why do these old crates appeal so much?

Whats your bike history by the way?

Regarding purchase on a Non "o" this is possible and all you should need is the letter of proof of address from the police. This is all I used previously without and problems. On a new purchase you quite often find first class insurance is free or if not haggle as plenty of shops available. I am not that clued up on big scooters but had a go on my friends 300 Honda Forza and was pleasantly surprised.It is big enough to be comfortable for touring and still usable in the city. Think they are about 160,000 baht.

I would slow yourself down and wait until you get here. The big bike market and registration laws are going through massive changes. More options on many new models available and police and government cracking down heavily on bikes without genuine registration. If you did buy a bike without a genuine registration (green book) you could find it very difficult to sell at a later date or even possibly carted away by the authorities. Many older bikes have fake green books so be very vigilant. If this is your budget I would advise on new or second hand CB500 or Kawasaki er6n or Versys. Why not hire one when you get here and see how it fits. I started on choppers here with a Yamaha 1100 Dragster Classic and Road Star 1600. Since then I have had 2 x Versys, 1 x er6n and now riding the Suzuki 650 V-Strom and I would never go back to a chopper especially for touring. My experience is choppers especially older ones are not as cheap to run as modern mid range bikes I ride now and nowhere near as much fun. These bikes also have much more safety in handling and braking which is never a bad thing. As I said try some out and see which fits but don't be in any hurry to transfer deposits as there are plenty of all types available on many websites. Good luck.

Before and after......

Nice work there Alan! I might just have to take you up on one if these plates soon. Just picked up my alu Givi Outbacks, crashbars, airflow windscreen and Shad SH48 top box today.

No less than a few hours in BKK and I got rear-ended by a city bus! Minor dent on the left box and a mini scratch on the right crashbar, but no injury thank goodness.

Gotta get the heck outa this town before it kills me.

Riding in Bangkok is no fun at the best of times. As you said no injury to yourself but you never said about the bus driver? 555.

Before and after......

Hi Guys,

At last the long awaited skid plates are now available. The Ravetech skid plates are manufactured from 4mm Aluminium with a durable powder coat finish. These skid plates do not mount to any engine casings. They mount directly to the frame and Suzuki or Givi crash bars in order to provide maximum engine protection and no vibration. Oil & filter changes can be done with the the plate fitted but removal and refitting takes less than 5 mins. These units fit with standard or after market exhausts / silencers and center stands. These Skid Plates are of a very high quality and add engine and oil filter protection and also provide a nice finish to that area that has something missing!.

They come complete with all fittings and instruction and free fitting to any customers coming to Buriram.

Priced at just 5,300 baht

Postage can be provided and will be charged at base Thai Post rates. I will be visiting the Post Office next week to get rates to cover all provinces.

For further details contact me on [email protected].

As most of you are aware I have run my own bike over several months and over 5000km with a prototype product. This has been a total success except access to the oil filter. The new product addresses that problem which also allows for easier access to other engine parts without any loss in protection.

Hi deecypher,

I bought black for asthectic reasons but if you have the red strom alloy colour would look good also. I would imagine the alloy colour would have a coating on of some sort. Panniers get scratched very easily and the alloy colour would'nt show the marks so readily as the black which to be honest I only thought of afterwards.

Just measured my rack and the modified width is 52cm so the existing width was 62cm. The 37ltr box is 25cm wide so the 48ltr box must be 35cm giving a standard outside width of 122cm. Way to wide in my opinion and it made filtering a nightmare and looked ridiculous. 2 x 37ltr with standard rack will drop of 100cm but you have to live with the offset as you would with any system with equal boxes. My modified system comes in at total width102cm. Total handle bar width is 90cm so the boxes are 6cm rather than 16cm wider each side which it makes it so much easier to judge when filtering narrow gaps and when I or others look at the bike it looks right. The main problem is the stupid silencer which I am sure Suzuki could have fitted much better. I had always intended modifying the silencer anyway so technically there was little extra cost regarding the pannier mod. For me the mod was worth doing and 2x37ltr boxes have plenty of capacity and I am now very pleased with the set up in every way. if your interested in modifying your pipe and rack then I can help with this.

Hi deecypher,

Very pleased with my Givi boxes and like their quick release system but SW Motech should be top quality to. You pays your money and takes your choice. Regarding the skid plates they are progressing along and should have some available soon. I have changed the design slightly to allow easier oil filter access and increased from 3mm to 4mm alloy sheet for added strength. I will keep you posted.

Thanks Alan. One follow up on your Givis if I may:

1) I know you opted for the black powder coating. Did you get them for aesthetics or because you wanted to avoid aluminum oxide dust. I personally like the silver version, but don't want to deal with oxide dust smudging on my gear.

2) I know you modified the PL___CAM rack to make it even narrower, but do you know the width between the inner edge of the cases before you modified? I'm trying to discern my maximum top case width.

Cheers! E

Hi deecypher,

Very pleased with my Givi boxes and like their quick release system but SW Motech should be top quality to. You pays your money and takes your choice. Regarding the skid plates they are progressing along and should have some available soon. I have changed the design slightly to allow easier oil filter access and increased from 3mm to 4mm alloy sheet for added strength. I will keep you posted.

Very difficult to negociate on new big bikes in Thailand so you did well Deecypher. Your going to enjoy this bike so much that the price will become insignificant anyways probably.

Good review, 2 quick questions if you don't mind. How tall are you and how do you find the seat height on the V-Strom? I am thinking of getting a new bike but I am vertically challenged.

I like your review in that it shows how bikes that are similar on paper don't always feel that similar when ridden. I used to have a VFR800fi and while it was a pretty heavy bike (and some folks rated it poorly because of that), it never felt heavy unless I was at very low speeds.

I am 5'9" and 31" inside leg. Can put both feet flat with the standard seat and perfect for me. Suzuki do a 2cm higher or lower seat and and you can also buy lowering links (ebay) for the rear suspension so it can be tailored to fit just about any size quite easily.

Terrific review alanr!!!

Can anyone recommend the best luggage for the Wee, something that would be available in Thailand that is fairly inexpensive. Looking for panniers, top box, preferably that can all be removed easily. Is aluminum THAT much better than plastic? Does black luggage get really HOT inside? Are top loading panniers essential? Anyone retrofit their luggage with a cooling system for food (read: beer)?

Hi deecypher,

Unfortunately the best luggage system for a Wee is not going to be inexpensive. Plastic is fine but for sure aluminium is going to be stronger as it was designed to be used for adventure riding where the bike will be dropped from time to time. The Suzuki luggage is made by Hepco & Becker which have a good name, saying that my mate had the Top Box and it decided to detach itself 350k into a tour the other week. The box survived although somewhat bashed and we used a cargo net for the rest of the tour to prevent it happening again. Personally I prefer Givi. I have used their luggage systems many times without and problems and they fasten on and off easily.

The Strom has one annoyance and that is the monstrous exhaust pipe, fitted so far out it prevents a neat and balance luggage system being fitted and ends up ridiculously wide. I bought the Givi Outback Trecker system with the standard 37ltr exhaust side and 48ltr opposite in black. After fitting I could not live with the width so I changed the 48ltr for another 37ltr fitted a new exhaust system which was on the cards anyway and cut and re-manufactured the exhaust side rack to match the opposite side. This to me was worth the effort and I am now very happy with the set up and i posted some photo's earlier in the thread. The top loading is useful as it stops stuff spilling out when you open them on the bike. They are also totally waterproof and being square and strong can take aditional loads strapped to the top. They can also double up as a handy seat once removed. This system also has one of the easiest quick releases I have seen on alloy boxes.

Jacketboy.com on facebook can supply any type of Givi luggage for the Strom and has many photos on his web page. The guys name is Krasian, he speaks very good English and his service is excellent.

Regarding cooling systems just chuck a couple of cool bricks into a cool bag and your good to go........