Looking for a new motorbike

[JohnBoy2098]

Hi I currently ride a 2009 D-Tracker 250 cc, I have 155,000 baht to get a new bike I have been looking at the new CRF 250 Rally or the 300 Ninja I mainly ride back and forth to work with the odd trip up in the mountains (I live on Koh Samui) not sure if I should go for a road bike or a dual sport and is it worth buying new over second hand, my current bike was bought second hand for 60k I have spent over 40k on parts which is why I was thinking this time buy a new bike. I can get finance but seems a waste to pay over the odds for a new bike, although it would be nice to pay for it over time and use the spare cash I have to go on a nice rd trip.

 

any recommendations / suggestions 

 

 

[leonidpattayski]

You know motorcycles have no adjustable seats and handlebars, like cars or bicycles. The most important thing in motorcycle, at least for me is how motorcycles ergo fits my body. Can I ride it for hours without discomfort or not?

 

CRF is very comfortable upright bike with plenty of space for legs, ninja 300 is sport. From my personal experience entry level sport bikes like ninja 300, R3, Cbr300 have too much lean forward and very little space for foots. I had R3  before, it has slightly better ergo than Ninja 300. It was just not a motorcycle i could ride comfortable, sold it almost new. If you ride offroad, then i suspect CRF 250 would be a great choice.

 

Personally I live in Pattaya and 100% I drive onroad, so I would go with the most upright road bike in your budget. New Honda CB500x costs 215 000 baht, so it would be possible to find a used one for that price. CB500x is the cheapest touring bike here.

 

Concerning new road bikes in that price range I would look at honda CB300f, it is the cheapest 300cc road bike, has the best mileage and more comfortable riding position that MT3 and Z300. But anyway do not expect to have same comfort as CB500x or CRF250 on it.

 

 

[JohnBoy2098]

Thanks for your reply I have sat on the Ninja and you're right the seating is not as comfortable as the CRF too far forward, I have never sat on CB300 so I might try one out if they have one in the showroom.

 

 

[AllanB]

I was looking at the Rallye yesterday 160k baht and the 250L still just 135k, I currently have a Lifan 200gy a similar sized bike and can't imagine being comfortable on a small sports bike now. The CB300 is way too cramped for me, especially after a couple for years on a dirtbike and scooters and some of the others are even worse.

 

If you want reliability and durability (like me) the CRF250L is the way to go...again I refer to Steph Jeavons on Youtube now 100,000 km fault-free round the world, 7 continents riding. That's a world beating, especially with a lot of off-roading included.

 

Also if you do buy a sports bike you will really miss the off-roading and being able to ride through potholes and over sleeping dogs.

[kelboy]

Just get cb500x, best all round bike for the price here and not much more than the crf

[Namplik]

Within your budget I would definitely go for the CRF Rally.  

[AllanB]

I have been looking around at secondhand CRF250Ls, they are all around the 100k mark for a 3 or 4 year old. A brand new one, (unmolested) is just 135k with warranty, tax and insurance, so why bother, I am thinking. I personally think the extra 30k for the Rally is too little for too much, well for my pocket anyway. The seat height is a little more sensible for me on the L model, than the Rally and I am 6 foot.

[AllanB]

A bit outside your budget @ 199k baht but looked the Kawasaki Versys X-300 today, quite a roomy comfortable looking bike.

[naboo]

On 07/10/2017 at 4:37 PM, AllanB said:

A bit outside your budget @ 199k baht but looked the Kawasaki Versys X-300 today, quite a roomy comfortable looking bike.

Agreed, and they seem to be offering the choice of 0% finance or 25,000B discount (Lampang Kawasaki, last month).

[Goldbear]

On 10/4/2017 at 12:45 AM, Namplik said:

Within your budget I would definitely go for the CRF Rally.  

 

I sat on one the other day. They are tall. He'd better have long legs. 

[CMKiwi]

I just wish Honda Thailand would bring out a road going CRF450..... not a competition model (MotorX) as in other countries as running costs can be quite high for competition bikes.

 

Now that would be sweet,  I doubt it would/will happen as it may take sales away from the 500X.

 

I do however like the look and fit of the Versys 300.  As for the CB300.... too heavy and underpowered. Kawasaki Z300 is a better bike IMHO.

[leonidpattayski]

19 hours ago, CMKiwi said:

I just wish Honda Thailand would bring out a road going CRF450..... not a competition model (MotorX) as in other countries as running costs can be quite high for competition bikes.

 

Now that would be sweet,  I doubt it would/will happen as it may take sales away from the 500X.

 

I do however like the look and fit of the Versys 300.  As for the CB300.... too heavy and underpowered. Kawasaki Z300 is a better bike IMHO.

Z300 is not better. Sitting position on CB300 is way more comfortable, z300 has less space for foots and more lean forward. z300 has more power only after 7800rpm. Having power at high rev has no sense for city riding.

[AllanB]

37 minutes ago, leonidpattayski said:

Z300 is not better. Sitting position on CB300 is way more comfortable, z300 has less space for foots and more lean forward. z300 has more power only after 7800rpm. Having power at high rev has no sense for city riding.

I absolutely disagree. The Honda is small and cramped, the Kawa is a proper full sized bike even for 2.

 

With the 286cc engine's reputation, I wouldn't touch the CB300 with a barge-pole. One reason I want to buy the CRF250, in case they put that bloody thing in it.

[Neilly]

1 hour ago, AllanB said:

With the 286cc engine's reputation

It only takes 5 minutes to fix...

 

 

 

[papa al]

That mechanic is fast !!

Hopefully slower with his wife.?

[pee paub]

MT-03 is an excellent little bike.

[leonidpattayski]

3 hours ago, pee paub said:

MT-03 is an excellent little bike.

I had R3 before, same as MT03  but with fairings. This bike is made for race track, just not comfortable for city riding. MT07 i have now is way better motorcycle, very comfortable seating position, more stable and more powerfull. Mt03 has no advantage in fuel consumption over 650cc bikes. On R3 i had 3.8l/100 on average, on MT07 i have now 3.9l/100, but MT07 is still new and i expect after 1000km it will have better fuel consumption.

 

If i was buying 300cc bike now i would look at 1 cylinder bike, with more room for legs and less lean forward. CB300 is more comfortable than mt03 and has better suitable engine for city riding, much better fuel efficiency and same power up to 7500rpm. KTM duke 390 has very upright seating position and nice one cylinder engine.

Edited October 15, 2017 by leonidpattayski

[CMKiwi]

There was a guy on Baht Sold a while back selling his 2012 Honda CB500F.  Sure you might say its getting 'old' but for a bike with just under 20k on the clock its barely run in.  It was a nice looking bike with a lot of the mods done (cosmetic mainly) although he did put on some Marchesini rims.

 

Originally the asking price was around 150,000 baht but it just wouldnt sell.  Over the months he dropped it down to 100,000 and it still didnt sell.  He didnt even get any offers....its a weird world out there.  If I had the spare cash I would have bought it myself.  Surprisingly the 500F has a lower seat height compared to other 500cc bikes.  I sat on one the other day as was quite amazed at how comfortable it was.

 

I see nothing wrong with buying second hand as long as you do the due dilligence before purchase, and you can save a bundle into the bargain.

[pee paub]

12 hours ago, leonidpattayski said:

I had R3 before, same as MT03  but with fairings. This bike is made for race track, just not comfortable for city riding. MT07 i have now is way better motorcycle, very comfortable seating position, more stable and more powerfull. Mt03 has no advantage in fuel consumption over 650cc bikes. On R3 i had 3.8l/100 on average, on MT07 i have now 3.9l/100, but MT07 is still new and i expect after 1000km it will have better fuel consumption.

 

If i was buying 300cc bike now i would look at 1 cylinder bike, with more room for legs and less lean forward. CB300 is more comfortable than mt03 and has better suitable engine for city riding, much better fuel efficiency and same power up to 7500rpm. KTM duke 390 has very upright seating position and nice one cylinder engine.

MT-03 has a completely different seating position vs the R3. (One is a naked, the other is a sport bike)

It is excellent in the city, being as narrow as the scooters but much more powerful.

A naked 320cc econo streetbike built for the track? Are you serious?

Comparing a 689 cc to a 320 cc is not valid.

Could not care less about fuel consumption. If that is a major concern for you when buying a motorcycle, I'm happy for you.

Perhaps because you had an R3 rather than an MT-03, you don't realize how upright the riding position is on the MT-03 - it is after all a naked bike.

I could more easily understand if you were recommending the KTM over the Honda or even the KTM over the MT-03, not the Honda over the Yamaha.

I have no problems with you preferring a less powerful single cylinder bike, but not for bogus reasons. Engine characteristics are very different -  I prefer the more powerful, higher revving twin cylinder version. To each his own.