Is 'clocking' the km's common on used bikes?

[notrub]

I am looking for a used Honda click and see that many have about 33,000 km on the clock.  I understand that might be normal turnover time and genuine.  But is there a practice of turning back the km's on used bikes in Thailand?  Also on old analogue type of odometer if the numbers don't line up is that a telltale sign of rewinding the device?  On the new digital odometers, can they be clocked?  Any thoughts generally  on buying a used bike here?  New ones are not so much money, so is it better just to go with new?  Thanks for your help.

[Kwasaki]

33,000 K is nothing much of a concern if the bike has been looked after IMO.

Looking at service history is best if buying s/h sometimes.

Condition of the bike is sometimes a give away.

Old odometers sometimes could be turned back by a electric drill so not showing misalignment.

Manual movement of old odometers dial wheels will sometimes show misalignment.

Again old odometers sometimes can of had the cable disconnected or left un-renewed when broken.

Sometimes Digital odometers can be re-programmed by computer.

 

So if you don't know a lot about bikes or like the sometimes,  buy new.   

  

[johng]

Maybe because the bikes have a 3 year or 30,000km warranty
lots come onto the second hand market after warranty had expired ?
Some of the auto scooters are very badly maintained by the owners....you see the roadside repair shops doing a roaring trade in auto scooter engine overhaul...much less common to see a Honda Wave having anything more than puncture repair.

[catman20]

Yes 

[godblessemall]

Most bikes will have been 'done; IMO

 

Edited September 17, 2017 by godblessemall

[bazza73]

I bought a used Yamaha automatic at 8300 km for 23,000 baht ( falang seller ) and it has been a very good scooter. Its only irritating features are limited space under the seat, and metal spoked wheels. Buy the ones with FRP hubs, much easier to pump up the tyres and you don't have to check tyre pressures every week. Bahtsold and Thai Visa classifieds are good places to start looking.

[MuuDaeng]

Last winter I was looking for a used motorbike, and also noticed that all the scooters sold by the dealer had "moderate mileage", regardless of year they hardly ever had 40 tkm on the clock.

Edited September 17, 2017 by MuuDaeng
autocorrect

[Sakeopete]

Common practice especially on expensive bikes like Ducati. I don't know about scooters honestly they tend to be bullet proof and cheap to repair. 

[thaiguzzi]

No. Not common at all.

[mlmcleod]

It is very common for Thai's to disconnect the odometer.  However, that said, I have bought 4 bikes since I have been in Thailand and I have never had an operational problem with any of them.  Just do not use the odometer as the sole component of your decision making when buying a used bike.  DO your due diligence and you will be satisfied with a used motorbike purchase.

 

Always remember caveat emptor!

 

[sawadeeken]

Over many years I have learned a bit about not only bikes but cars............ I learned that shops do it commonly..... Fiddling with the odometers...... Private parties not so much........... 

But I will throw another 'alert' out there about not only the KM's....... Several years back Bangkok had very severe 'flooding'......... The insurance companies had to pay-off losses on many cars and bikes and in doing so they had a hughes inventory of water damaged cars and bikes....... afterwards the insurance companies sold large quantities of them to dealers, repair shops, and such..... after botched up (temporary) repairs were made just good enough to sell them they were sold on the 'open market'......... most buyers (re-sellers) were from outside Bangkok and bikes were moved around to areas where buyers wouldn't think about the flooding........ 

This Year Issan has much Flooding and similar losses that could wind up repaired and resold outside those flood areas...........

Just offering this as one more thing for you to think about........... In Thailand with no Gov't. control and/or 'Policing'........ I have learned after being burnt a few times by unscrupulous shops...... 

I will say that the odds are not that great of you buying of those water damaged ones if you consider the amount of resale of bikes throughout Thailand..... The odds would be small....... But consider it....... TIT.......

[sawadeeken]

8 hours ago, catman20 said:

Yes 

Yes..... what??????????   If you can't take a bit of your time to say something (that we will have a clue to the meaning).... then why bother wasting the space at all.......

I (and I think many others on the forum) probably hate 'one word' or 'one line replies' where you don't have a clue what to make of it.......

[whaleboneman]

3 hours ago, mlmcleod said:

It is very common for Thai's to disconnect the odometer.  However, that said, I have bought 4 bikes since I have been in Thailand and I have never had an operational problem with any of them.  Just do not use the odometer as the sole component of your decision making when buying a used bike.  DO your due diligence and you will be satisfied with a used motorbike purchase.

 

Always remember caveat emptor!

 

I have ridden on many scooters owned by Thais and never saw one with speedo disconnected.

[whaleboneman]

2 hours ago, sawadeeken said:

Yes..... what??????????   If you can't take a bit of your time to say something (that we will have a clue to the meaning).... then why bother wasting the space at all.......

I (and I think many others on the forum) probably hate 'one word' or 'one line replies' where you don't have a clue what to make of it.......

The OP's post was: 

"Is 'clocking' the km's common on used bikes?"

Catman's answer was "Yes".

Seemed pretty clear to me.

Now, let's go have coffee.

[papa al]

2 hours ago, sawadeeken said:

Yes..... what??????????   If you can't take a bit of your time to say something (that we will have a clue to the meaning).... then why bother wasting the space at all.......

I (and I think many others on the forum) probably hate 'one word' or 'one line replies' where you don't have a clue what to make of it.......

..responding to thread title.

[sead]

No. Especially not on a click or other cheap bikes. The repair costs are so low anyway so just buy what you like

[catman20]

8 hours ago, sawadeeken said:

Yes..... what??????????   If you can't take a bit of your time to say something (that we will have a clue to the meaning).... then why bother wasting the space at all.......

I (and I think many others on the forum) probably hate 'one word' or 'one line replies' where you don't have a clue what to make of it.......

the OP asked do Bikes get clocked here, the answer to his question is.........YES ! PLEASE DO KEEP WITH THE PROGRAM. 

[bogozy]

I did see a lot of advertisements. If the bike are under 2 years old, the odometer are set around 6000 km. Under 1 year set around 3000 km. Magic numbers.....  :)

 

[speedtripler]

On 18/09/2017 at 9:55 AM, bogozy said:

I did see a lot of advertisements. If the bike are under 2 years old, the odometer are set around 6000 km. Under 1 year set around 3000 km. Magic numbers.....  :)

 

I see this all the time on especially large bikes (650-1200cc) and they are for sale after a year or two with ridiculously low mileage on the clock

 

Yesterday I saw advertised  a 2015 BMW S1000R with only 3,xxx km 

 

And a 2016 Yamaha fz-10 with only 2,xxx km

 

Considering you could do that many km in a weekend trip, it seems a bit suspicious.... 

 

A lot, maybe even most ducatis on the market now have very very little mileage on the clock (821 monsters, hypers, diavels etc) 

 

I have no proof, but it seems a bit unlikely that all these big engine powerful bikes have only a couple of k on them ..... Basically unused

 

Amazing Thailand, eh? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[papa al]

Maybe they found these

expensive high-performance bikes

not really appropriate for

Thai conditions

[Legal speed limit is 90km/hr.]

and so dint ride them much

and want to sell to next sucker.

 

[Kwasaki]

12 hours ago, papa al said:

Maybe they found these

expensive high-performance bikes

not really appropriate for

Thai conditions

[Legal speed limit is 90km/hr.]

and so dint ride them much

and want to sell to next sucker.

 

I would have a GSXR1000 in a heartbeat if I could afford it, not far off the same weight as my CRF250.